WHAT GRACE LOOKS LIKE (4 OF 8)
Scripture: Ruth 2:1-13
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What Grace Looks Like (4 of 8)
Series: Ruth: The Far Reach of the Love of God
Wyman Richardson
Ruth 2:1-13
Read Ruth 2:1-13
Shane Clairborne tells a story about a friend of his who had fallen upon hard times and was panhandling on a street corner. He made up a little sign, as folks begging on street corners sometimes will. His cardboard sign said this: ''In need of grace.''
There is something compelling and convicting about that: ''In need of grace.'' I suspect I find that moving because I could make up a sign like that on any day of the week and just stand out on a street corner as well. ''In need of grace.'' The reality is that we all could hold signs like that because we all need grace. It is a basic human need, like the need for food or sleep.
Grace is the unmerited, undeserved mercy of God. R.C. Sproul put it well when he wrote:
It is impossible for anyone, anywhere, anytime to deserve grace. Grace by definition is undeserved. As soon as we talk about deserving something we are no longer talking about grace; we are talking about justice. Only justice can be deserved...God never ''owes'' grace....God reserves for Himself the supreme right of executive clemency.
I suppose that is what makes grace so fascinating, so amazing, and so beautiful: it can only be given to us by the God whom we have sinned and rebelled against...but it is exactly what He gives us in Jesus! He who reserves ''supreme right of executive clemency'' has granted it willingly and lavishly in Jesus.
In the unfolding of the story of Ruth, we now come to chapter two and the fascinating character of Boaz. As we consider Ruth 2:1-13, I am going to use Boaz unapologetically as an allegory for the nature of grace. Not to put too fine a point on it, I am going to argue that Boaz is a type or a depiction of Jesus. How Boaz treats Ruth is going to serve as an image for how Jesus treats us.
I say I am going to do this unapologetically for it seems clear to me that this is one ...
Series: Ruth: The Far Reach of the Love of God
Wyman Richardson
Ruth 2:1-13
Read Ruth 2:1-13
Shane Clairborne tells a story about a friend of his who had fallen upon hard times and was panhandling on a street corner. He made up a little sign, as folks begging on street corners sometimes will. His cardboard sign said this: ''In need of grace.''
There is something compelling and convicting about that: ''In need of grace.'' I suspect I find that moving because I could make up a sign like that on any day of the week and just stand out on a street corner as well. ''In need of grace.'' The reality is that we all could hold signs like that because we all need grace. It is a basic human need, like the need for food or sleep.
Grace is the unmerited, undeserved mercy of God. R.C. Sproul put it well when he wrote:
It is impossible for anyone, anywhere, anytime to deserve grace. Grace by definition is undeserved. As soon as we talk about deserving something we are no longer talking about grace; we are talking about justice. Only justice can be deserved...God never ''owes'' grace....God reserves for Himself the supreme right of executive clemency.
I suppose that is what makes grace so fascinating, so amazing, and so beautiful: it can only be given to us by the God whom we have sinned and rebelled against...but it is exactly what He gives us in Jesus! He who reserves ''supreme right of executive clemency'' has granted it willingly and lavishly in Jesus.
In the unfolding of the story of Ruth, we now come to chapter two and the fascinating character of Boaz. As we consider Ruth 2:1-13, I am going to use Boaz unapologetically as an allegory for the nature of grace. Not to put too fine a point on it, I am going to argue that Boaz is a type or a depiction of Jesus. How Boaz treats Ruth is going to serve as an image for how Jesus treats us.
I say I am going to do this unapologetically for it seems clear to me that this is one ...
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