Ruth Renouncing (1 of 4)
Series: Book of Ruth
Dennis Marquardt
Ruth 1:1-22
INTRO: The book of Ruth is an interesting story, one that makes us quite uncomfortable, because we find believers who suffer severe pain and loss without explanations as to why. Tragedy strikes godly people without reason and bitterness sets in along with despair. This makes the book of Ruth a ''must read'' for every believer!
In this story however there is also a message of hope even though the explanation or WHY for suffering is not always answered! It is also the story of how an outsider brings back hope through love; no answers, just love! Maybe it isn't the questions that can't be answered that should concern us the most but how we minister when there are no answers that should concern us most!
Several things become apparent that can make us a little uneasy in a world where we want quick fixes and easy explanations and an easy faith:
a. Senseless tragedy can strike godly people!
b. Bitterness does happen to people of faith!
c. Loss of hope for the future does occur even in the best of believers!
d. Ministry to help heal us can come from strange places! (Ruth was a Moabitess -- they were pretty much despised by Israel, and if married to a Moabite your children could not be part of Israel until the 10th generation! (See Deut. 23:3) Yet, God uses a Moabite woman to bring healing to a Jewish mom who had lost her hope -- and ultimately to a world since Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus!)
e. Ruth never offers a theological answer to the dilemma of Naomi's loss, she simply loves Naomi and commits herself to her!
f. No answers are ever given in the book as to why Naomi suffered so, but God brought healing to her by way of this outsider Ruth's love!
g. Faith in God is difficult and demands that we love unconditionally, the only way to heal the broken is to love them, not by winning every argument or debate with them!
h. Love means embracing another's pain, not lecturing ...
Series: Book of Ruth
Dennis Marquardt
Ruth 1:1-22
INTRO: The book of Ruth is an interesting story, one that makes us quite uncomfortable, because we find believers who suffer severe pain and loss without explanations as to why. Tragedy strikes godly people without reason and bitterness sets in along with despair. This makes the book of Ruth a ''must read'' for every believer!
In this story however there is also a message of hope even though the explanation or WHY for suffering is not always answered! It is also the story of how an outsider brings back hope through love; no answers, just love! Maybe it isn't the questions that can't be answered that should concern us the most but how we minister when there are no answers that should concern us most!
Several things become apparent that can make us a little uneasy in a world where we want quick fixes and easy explanations and an easy faith:
a. Senseless tragedy can strike godly people!
b. Bitterness does happen to people of faith!
c. Loss of hope for the future does occur even in the best of believers!
d. Ministry to help heal us can come from strange places! (Ruth was a Moabitess -- they were pretty much despised by Israel, and if married to a Moabite your children could not be part of Israel until the 10th generation! (See Deut. 23:3) Yet, God uses a Moabite woman to bring healing to a Jewish mom who had lost her hope -- and ultimately to a world since Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus!)
e. Ruth never offers a theological answer to the dilemma of Naomi's loss, she simply loves Naomi and commits herself to her!
f. No answers are ever given in the book as to why Naomi suffered so, but God brought healing to her by way of this outsider Ruth's love!
g. Faith in God is difficult and demands that we love unconditionally, the only way to heal the broken is to love them, not by winning every argument or debate with them!
h. Love means embracing another's pain, not lecturing ...
There are 20919 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
