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Welcome guests...
Introduction
Over the next few weeks I am going to be preaching a sermon series.
I have titled the series Adversity and Redemption.
All the sermons come from the book of Ruth.
This week I have titled the message Defining Decisions.
There are decisions made in the course of life that end up defining us.
Sometimes they are recognized by people on the outside.
In whispered hushed tones they talk about some defining decision that changed a person’s life.
When the individual’s name is brought up in conversation inevitably the defining moment or decision is mentioned.
Do you know Susan?
Oh, yes, I know Susan.
Did you know she abandoned her children and husband to run off with a co-worker?
Susan’s decision has defined her.
The most terrible of defining decisions are the ones we allow to define our own life.
Defining decisions do not have unlimited and unrestrained power over us when we are willing to repent.
The Book of Ruth
The book of Ruth is found in the Bible following the book of Judges and just preceding the first book of Samuel.
It is significant and different from other books in several ways.
First it is only one of two books named after a woman and in which a woman plays a significant role as a main character.
The other book is Esther.
Ruth was a gentile, but through her commitment and loyalty to her mother in-law came to play a key part in the lineage of King David and in the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Part of the original Hebrew Bible, every year this book would be read aloud to all the people at the feast of Pentecost.
Feast of Pentecost was a celebration of the harvest.
The key theme of Ruth is one of redemption.
A kinsman redeemer, Boaz, redeems a family member, Ruth and by extension Naomi, who are incapable of redeeming themselves.
The book of Ruth connects the theme of redemption to the harvest festival of Pentecost, foreshadowing the revival of the new testament church, Pentecost, that you and I are meant to experience.
Judges ends with this verse.
Israel was supposed to be in a Theocracy.
God leading His people.
Instead, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
They were rejecting the leadership of the Lord.
Elimelech, as Naomi’s husband is task with leading the family in following the leading of the Lord.
They make the decision to leave behind Bethlehem because there was a famine.
It makes reasonable sense.
Famines are hard.
Tough to eat when there is a lack of food and plenty of mouths.
But they are leaving where they are supposed to be.
They are part of God’s chosen people.
They are not Moabites.
The name Elimelech means God is sovereign.
El - God. Melech - ruler or King.
A sovereign God allowed a famine in a time of rebellion so that His people would turn to Him.
Some famines in your life are allowed by God to turn you in a certain direction.
Usually in a direction that brings you closer to him.
But we have to choose, is this famine going to bring me closer to God, or am I going to run from the famine?
Elimelech and Naomi leave Bethlehem for Moab.
The outcome is not what is expected over the course of roughly a ten year period in Moab.
Naomi loses her husband.
Her sons marry Moabite women.
Then her sons die also.
The decision to leave Bethlehem in favor of Moab became a defining decision in the life of Naomi.
She is defined by her grief at losing a husband and two sons.
She is defined by losing her inheritance of land in Bethlehem.
She is so defined by this decision and it’s outcome that it marks her heart and soul.
In verse 21 she says don’t call me Naomi - pleasant, call me Mara - bitter.
The results of my decisions and my life have turned me bitter.
Decisions that define
Addiction - the result of a decision to experience something.
Drugs, alcohol, pornography…unintended outcomes.
But a decision that comes to define.
“I’m an addict.”
Divorce and a destroyed family - the result of a decision.
Adultery, unwillingness to work at marriage.
Defining “I’m a divorcee.”
Abandoning God - I used to have peace that passes understanding in life’s challenging situations.
I have chosen not to turn to the giver of peace.
Blame God
Too often people blame God for the results of decisions made without God.
God did this to me.
I went out full, but God brought me back empty.
God is the reason my decision had this outcome.
Life has made me bitter.
The results of decisions have made me bitter.
I had everything, but God took it from me.
He was judging me because of my decision.
Naomi misunderstood two things.
First that the things of this life are not what make us full.
Second the outcome of decisions are not God’s judgement of our sin.
The outcome is the results of our sin.
Every person you have lost and mourned because of death was a result of sin.
It may or may not have been because of your own direct sin or because of their sin.
But it was definitely because of sin.
Altar Music
Repentance
Defining decisions do not always have to continue defining.
Sin can be dealt with.
There is always an opportunity of returning from the decision made.
Sin can be turned from.
Naomi says I have heard that God has visited His people.
I used to be there.
I used to be one of the ones called “His people”.
So she arose that she might return from Moab.
The word return (shub) is used 15 times in the four chapters of Ruth.
The process of redemption always starts with a “return”.
Scripture calls it repentance.
To turn away from sin and return to God.
Naomi is returning to her people, returning to her God.
She is repenting of the decision to leave Bethlehem.
You can always repent of your decision.
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