BOTTOM LINE: Redemption isn’t a transaction. It’s a love story.

INTRO

Famous love stories…

  • Aladdin & Jasmine; Belle & Beast; Simba & Nala; Elsa & Kristoff
  • Romeo & Juliet
  • All had to overcome roadblocks

TENSION

We’re all too familiar with roadblocks…

  • COVID stuff; money; anxiety; family dysfunction; medical

Sin: The roadblock to eternal life. Who can redeem us from sin?

Redemption isn’t a transaction. It’s a love story.

TRUTH

Scripture: Ruth 3

  • Background: International Women’s Day! Ruth & Esther; historic event (Days of Judges)
  • Context: Naomi’s loss; Ruth’s decision; Ruth & Boaz meet

Read & Comment

  • 2:20 – Boaz the redeemer (Levirate marriage, Deut. 25:5-6)
  • Verse 1: The problem
  • Verses 2-5: The plan
  • Verses 6-13: The threshing floor
  • Verses 14-18: The morning

The Redeemer Bridge

Redemption used 41x through 2 different Greek NT words:

  • Agorażo: purchasing in marketplace
  • Apolytrōsis: releasing affected by payment of ransom

Classic verses about redemption through Jesus:

  • Romans 3:23-24 – all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23. – For you were bought at a price… You were bought at a price.
  • Ephesians 1:7 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
  • Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
  • Hebrews 9:15 – He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
  • Revelation 5:9 – “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

When we get to heaven, we will praise Jesus because he redeemed us.

When Jesus spoke about redemption, he and his audience had the OT in mind. When Paul wrote about our redemption in Jesus, he wrote as a lifelong Pharisee and OT scholar. When you read about redemption in the NT, think like the original audience…think about Ruth.

Ruth: Redemption isn’t a business transaction; it’s a love story.

  1. Character counts.

THEIR ROADBLOCK: Immoral, unkind, dishonest culture

  • Integrity: Doing what’s right when you don’t have to
    • Ruth could have gone after a younger guy.
    • Boaz could have refused Ruth’s proposal.
    • Boaz could have gone around the other redeemer.
    • Naomi could have made Ruth glean her whole life.
  • Morality: Doing what’s right
    • The Hebrew goes to great lengths to protect Ruth & Boaz.
    • Ancient Near East practice for younger women to propose to older men.
    • Boaz could have taken advantage of Ruth.
    • Ruth could have used sex as a weapon to secure marriage.
    • Boaz’s reaction shows a life grounded in God.
    • She lay at his feet (v.14)
  • Kindness/Hesed: Caring about and for the needs of others
    • Naomi cared about Ruth’s future.
    • Ruth honored Naomi’s instructions.
    • Hesed – “this last kindness” (compare to 2:11)
    • “Boaz could have treated her like Moabite trash, scavenging in the garbage cans of Israel, and then corrupting the people with her whorish behavior; but with true hesed of his own, he sees her as a woman equal in status and character to himself.” – Daniel Block

OUR ROADBLOCK: We could never be moral enough. “There is none righteous” (Rom. 3:10)

  1. Someone has to make a move.

THEIR ROADBLOCK: Naomi’s age compared to Boaz; the “what-if’s”

  • Naomi took initiative in coming up with a plan.
  • Ruth took initiative in going down to the threshing floor and asking Boaz.
    • “Wash, anoint, put on, observe, uncover…”
    • She didn’t ask…she told!
    • “Spread your wings” over me
    • You are a redeemer! (Levirate marriage)
  • Boaz took initiative in committing to Naomi and approaching the other redeemer. (“I will”…”I will..”)

OUR ROADBLOCK: “There is none who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:10)

  1. It’s destined to happen.

THEIR ROADBLOCK: Insecurity & Poverty; Boaz’s reaction; other redeemer

  • Previous: Naomi got word; barley harvest; Ruth ended up in Boaz’s field; Boaz came back and noticed Ruth
  • Boaz was relative (v.2)
  • Boaz happened to be winnowing barley (v.2).
  • Everything happened to go according to plan (v.7).
  • The wind happened to wake Boaz up (v.8).
  • Boaz happened to react well to Ruth’s surprise (v.10).

OUR ROADBLOCK: Without divine intervention, we’d have no hope for eternal life.

Galatians 4:4-5 “When the fullness of time had come…”

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.”

APPLICATION – Living the Love Story

#1 – Raunchy: In the midst of a raunchy culture, commit to developing godly character.

#2 – Risk: Don’t be afraid to live adventurously for God.

#3 – Rest: Find rest and redemption through Jesus.

LANDING