Doing What's Honorable

                                                   Sunday School Lesson week of August 28th
Lesson scripture:Ruth 4:1-10

Introduction:

Boaz a wonderful godly man,decided Ruth would be his wife.was it love at first sight the day she showed up in his fields and her picking up the leftover grain behind his  servants?Did Boaz admire her strength and courage the night she came and lay at his feet.What ever the reason, Scripture states clearly that Boaz wasted no time going after Ruth.The couple eventually became ancestors of King David,and more than that,the genealogy of Christ included Ruth and Boaz as well.

Boaz Redeems and Marries Ruth
Ruth 4:1-4KJV

 ¹Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
   ²And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
   ³And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
   ⁴And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

footnotes:

Boaz loved Ruth and wanted to marry her,but he realized there was a legal and cultural obstacle that must first be overcome.Naomi had land that needed to be redeemed by the closet male relative in her family.Boaz probably could have talked to the kinsman privately,but he arranged a cordial but public setting to put the matter to rest.Boaz explained the situation and his interest in redeeming Naomi's land if this kinsman would not.The man seemed to exercise his rights and say he will redeem the land.And then,Boaz pulled the trump card.

Boaz Negotiates
Ruth 4:5-8KJV

 ⁵Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
   ⁶And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
   ⁷Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
   ⁸Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

footnotes:

Boaz informed the  kinsman,again, in front of an authoritative audience,that if the first-in-line did redeem the land,he must also marry Ruth.Since Naomi's husband died before his sons,the passing along of the inheritance would have already happened.So technically, the land belonged to Ruth,but Naomi still had rights over it from which she could benifit.So the kinsman would have to marry Ruth.The kinsman declined when he seen what all redeeming the land would involve.Many of us withdraw from following the Lord when we count up the cost ,when we see what we must give up,or what all following Jesus requires.

Boaz Wins the Day
Ruth 4:9-10KJV

 ⁹And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
   ¹⁰Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

footnotes:

What a contrast between Boaz's reaction and that of the first kinsman! The first man said in essence, "Oh no, I don't want the burden or further obligation of another man's progeny".But Boaz couldn't seem to contain his excitement.He publicly proclaimed that he had not only acquired all of Naomi's land from her at a fair price,but now he also had the right to marry Ruth.

      Much like Jesus did for us.Boaz purchased Ruth by giving out of his wealth,while Jesus purchased his bride by giving Himself on the cross.

Depending on Community (one another)

Sunday School Lesson :August 21st
Ruth 2:8-18

Introduction:

When ruth followed her mother-in-law back to Bethlehem, she did not expect anything in return.But the first day she gleaned in the field of Boaz,he reached out to her with generosity."Why"? she asked  him.Boaz basically replied,"We've heard about the kindness you've extended to your mother-in-law.You've gone over and above your call of duty.What you've given out is coming back to you".

Ruth humbly dropped to her knees.She had no idea her heart of love toward her mother-in-law had made such an impression on the other people.Ruth being a foreigner,expected to be treated as an outcast.Instead Boaz commended her ,provided,protected,and prated for her.He told his servants to give her special treatment and invited her to glean in his fields each day.

Boaz protects and commends Ruth
Ruth 2:8-12kjv

⁸Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
   ⁹Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
   ¹⁰Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
   ¹¹And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
   ¹²The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Footnotes:

Ruth was suprised that Boaz showed her any attention,she showed her humility by falling on her face before Boaz.She was not deserving of any special favors from him,she was not even one of his servant girls.However, because Boaz heard of Ruth's loyalty, and her attempts to work in his fields,he made special provisions for her.In addition to providing for her, he allowed her to work unhindered on his property.When we are willing to go out and work the gleening field of salvation God will also provide for us and take care that we go unhindered.

Ruth Responds
Ruth 2:13-16 kjv
 ¹³Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
   ¹⁴And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
   ¹⁵And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
   ¹⁶And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

Footnotes:

God-honoring manual labor plays a big role in the story of Ruth.Ruth is obviously not afraid of work hard,which gains even more respect from Boaz.Another attractive quality of Ruth is her humility.In her mind, she is lower in status than the servant girls,and acts accordingly.Boaz made special provisions for Ruth by instructing his workers to pull sheaves for her.Ruth still had to do a considerable amount of work,but her burdens would be lighten some.

Work and Provision for Ruth
Ruth 2:17-18kjv

¹⁷So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had glened: and it was about an ephah of barley.
   ¹⁸And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

Footnotes:

Ruth took advantage of  every moment of the day,to get as much productive work done as she could.She used the light of day to collect what she could(she worked while it was day).When the sun went down she prepared what was harvested.In keeping with her committment to Naomi, Ruth brought the fruit of her labor back to her mother-in-law.

Jesus told his disciples,"the poor you will always have with you".Some christians have taken this to mean that there is no reason to help the needy,thinking we can't end the problem so why try?That is not what Jesus meant,nor what Jesus did.He met people's physical and spiritual needs and asked us to do likewise.When we help the needy we are serving him."he that lendeth to the poor ,lendeth to the Lord". 

Making A Choice

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON WEEK OF AUGUST 14th

Ruth 1:8-18

Lesson Introduction: Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in -law,Ruth and Orpah,lost all three husbands to death.Naomi decided to travel back to her home town,Bethlehem,and send the girls back to their home in Moab.Naomi prayed God's blessing over each:Naomi's child-bearing days were over.Orpah hesitated,then decided to return to Moab,but Ruth refused.Ruth set her face like a flint and clung to Naomi.In her compassionate plea Ruth quotes on of the most beautiful and profound statemants in scripture:"Intreat me not to leave thee,or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest,I will go;and where thou lodgest,I will lodge: Thy people shall be my people,and thy God my God:where thou diest,will I die,and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me,and more also,if ought but death part thee and me".

*****Much like Ruth's committment to Naomi, we must do the same when it comes to us choosing Christ.It too is a life long committment,which nothing should be able to separate us from .Ruth committed to travel with Naomi,stay with her,and care for her.No matter the living conditions or the challenge of following Jewish laws and ways,Ruth wanted the life sh eobserved in Naomi's family.Ruth willingly gave up everything to follow teh true and living God.

Naomi's Plea
Ruth 1:8-10

⁸And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
   ⁹The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
   ¹⁰And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people

Footnotes

The three women only had each other after the death of their husbands,so the prospect of separation may have seemed overwhelming.In fact they both insisted in returning with Naomi to Israel.Naomi urges them to return to their mothers and she prays for them.**There are times on this christian journey ,when things, circumstances and sometimes people will try and persuade us to go back to the things of old, to not walk by faith to that which God has promised us.They will try and discourage and hinder you,telling you of all the challenges that lies ahead. 

Little Hope
Ruth 1:11-14

 ¹¹And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
   ¹²Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
   ¹³Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
   ¹⁴And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

footnotes:

Naomi describes the logical, but difficult, consequences of staying with her and keeping her as a mother-in-law.Naomi would herself have to find a new husband,keep having children until she had two sons,and then Ruth and oprah would have to wait until the boys were of marring age.So Oprah decided to comply with Naomi's admonition,and she returns to Moab.**Many because of the trials and challenges of this faith walk, choose to go back to the ways of sin instead of moving forward in the trust of the Lord.See dispite all that Naomi said Ruth choose to go on and make Naomi's God her God and just trust and believe.

Ruth Remains
Ruth 1:15-18

¹⁵And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
   ¹⁶And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
   ¹⁷Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
   ¹⁸When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

footnotes:

Ruth's promise to make Naomi's people her people,and Naomi's God her god is not something we should merely take as a expression of devotion to her mother in law.Ruth has spent the last 10 years with Naomi's family and saw their devotion to the living God of Israel,despite being displaced from their homeland due to famine.**The lost world is watching us in our relationship to God.We must let our lights so shine at all times, that those in the world might make the choice and follow us as we follow Jesus.

The promise of a Child

                                                 Sunday School Lesson
                                                   (week of august 7th)
Lesson focus:
Each child carries tremendous potiential from God.

Judges 13:1-8, 24-25

God allowed the children of Isreal to suffer under the oppression of the Philistines for 40 years.Israel stubbornly refused to let go of the false gods.They complacently allowed the Philistines to begin to intermarry.But God raised another judge,this time from his mother's womb to deliever His people from the Philistines.

Samson had strict restrictions concerning alcoholic beverages, unclean foods, touching dead bodies and shaving his head.These special set of instructions pertained to a Nazarites calling,one set aside for God's service.(we too have a set of rules that govern us in our calling into God's service).The Nazarite vow was usually volentary,but in Samson's case, God declared the vow before his birth.God has something in mind when each person is conceived in the womb.Like Samson,all people have a special calling and mission for God.

The Birth Foretold:
Judges 13:1-5 kjv

¹And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
   ²And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
   ³And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
   ⁴Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
   ⁵For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

foot notes:

Again we find the Israelites entering into the cycle of sin that they never quite seemed able to escape completely.It dosn't state the specifics of what evil they did in God's sight,but chances are it involved idolatry and sins of immorality.This is the first step in the cycle,and the second step inevitably followed,God brought oppression upon them,in this case by the hands of the Philistines for 40 years.But God sent word to Monoah's wife,he let her know by angel that she would give birth to a son.(everytime God needed to bring about a change he used a woman to give birth to a man).A son that would deliever Israel from oppression.She was instructed not to drink wine,not to eat anything unclean, and not to cut the hair of her son.And the reason for this was that her son was set apart for service to God.We too must raise our children in accordance to the word and will of God, that they to might be use in his glorious plan of salvation.

Seeking God's Guidance
Judges13:6-8 kjv

⁶Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
   ⁷But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
   ⁸Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

footnotes:

Manoah's wife tells him all she was told,She told him that her son was to be a Nazarite unto God for his entire life.Even though we may not be called to raise Nazarites these days,we still as parents need to bring our children before the Lord daily in prayer and ask God for guidance to prepare them for service for the Lord.God is more than willing to instruct us in how to raise godly children to be used in his service.

The Birth and the Blessing
Judges 13:24-25

And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
   ²⁵And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

footnotes:

In the fulness of her time, Manoah's wife gave birth to the boy,whom they named Samson,which in Hebrew means sunlight or brighteness. And the boy grew in the blessing and the spirit of the Lord.This is a great hope for all parents who love the Lord and their children.God used Samson mightily, despite his human weakness.God can use all who are raised to live godly lives,despite their human short comings.