Tawa Baptist

Eli & Samuel

Scripture: 1st Samuel 3

 

Title: Eli & Samuel

 

Structure:

  • Introduction – Immersion
  • Learning by immersion (repetition & routine)
  • Spiritual direction
  • God’s ways are not our ways (grace & truth)
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

I have here a sponge and a bucket of water

–         In order for a sponge to work it needs to be wet

–         Now I could get the sponge wet by sprinkling water on it like this

–         But the best way is by immersing it in the bucket like this

 

Today we continue our sermon series on intergenerational relationships

–         An intergenerational relationship is a relationship between two people from different generations, someone older and someone younger

–         We find a number of intergenerational relationships in the Bible

–         For example: Moses & Joshua, Ruth & Naomi, Elijah & Elisha

–         As well as the apostle Paul and his protégé Timothy

 

Our focus this morning though is on the relationship between Eli & Samuel

–         For those who may not be familiar with the story, Samuel was dedicated to the Lord’s service by his mother Hannah

–         This meant that once Samuel had been weaned she left him at the temple in Shiloh to serve with Eli the chief priest

–         Hannah didn’t just sprinkle a bit of religion over her son, she immersed him totally in the Lord’s service

 

The ground of today’s message is 1st Samuel chapter 3

–         At this stage Samuel is still a boy – we are not sure exactly how old but probably no older than 12?

–         By contrast Eli is an old man, most likely old enough to be Samuel’s grandad

–         From 1st Samuel chapter 3 (in the NIV) we read…

 

3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel,

“Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

 

10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

 

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us

 

Learning by immersion (routine & repetition)

When it comes to learning we human beings are a little bit like a sponge

–         We tend to learn best by immersion – rather than sprinkling

–         If you think about it a child learns to walk and talk not by attending a lecture, but by being immersed in an environment where other people are walking and talking

–         In the process of listening to adult conversations and seeing other people walk the child naturally picks up what to do and then starts attempting to walk & talk themselves

–         It’s good for young children to be around older children and adults because that’s how they learn

–         If small children only ever hung out with other small children they wouldn’t learn what the next steps were, so to speak

 

Repetition and routine are an important part of the ‘learning by immersion’ process

–         It’s amazing how small children love to hear the same story over and over again and how they can play ‘peek a boo’ for what seems like hours on end without ever growing tired of it

 

G.K. Chesterton has a wonderful quote about children and repetition. He says…

 

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

 

Churches tend to accumulate traditions

–         There are certain rhythms and regularities that we follow

–         We stand for the offering because we aren’t just giving our money – we are offering ourselves to God as living sacrifices

–         We celebrate communion once a month, usually with the same words of institution for the elements

–         We give out chocolate fish each week to celebrate special occasions

–         We light candles during Advent

–         I almost always start the sermon with ‘Good morning everyone’

–         And we have combined services at Easter & Christmas and so on

 

Having traditions may seem monotonous or boring to us, as adults, but they tend to be quite exciting and full of wonder for small children

–         And they provide a sense of comfort for people in the twilight of life

–         Those traditions that we might prefer to break, in adolescence & mid-life, are actually a great vehicle for teaching our kids

–         While it’s okay to change traditions every now and then we need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water

–         Most of our traditions (our repetitions) serve an important purpose

 

There would have been a lot of repetition in Samuel’s life, immersed as he was in the rhythms of the temple with its daily routines of worship & related chores

–         Opening the temple doors at the start of the day & closing them at the end

–         Filling the lamp with oil

–         Gathering wood to burn the sacrifices & cleaning up the mess afterwards

–         Whatever the details of Samuel’s day, it followed a repeating pattern and that repetition was good for Samuel – there was comfort and security in it

–         What’s more, because Samuel was young and abounding in vitality, he was able to exult in the monotony of tradition (not just endure it)

 

Now, in pointing out how Samuel was immersed in the rhythms and routines of the temple, I’m not for a minute suggesting that you should drop your children off to the church for me to look after them each day

–         I can’t see that working out very well

–         What you can do, if you have responsibility for young children, is immerse them in good routines

–         Immerse them in the stories of the Bible

–         Immerse them in your prayers

–         And immerse them in service to the Lord with you

 

You might, for example, have a little bedtime routine where you read a Bible story and then pray the Lord’s Prayer with them

–         It may be the same stories and the same prayer over and over but that doesn’t matter – repetition is an important part of spiritual formation

–         Don’t just limit it to bedtime though – take any opportunity you can find.

–         In Deuteronomy 11, while Moses is giving the people of Israel God’s Law, he instructs them saying…

 

Teach these things to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up

 

One of the things we do here at Tawa Baptist to help spiritual conversations at home is we try (as much as possible) to have the Flock Sunday school curriculum follow the sermon series

–         So the sermon you heard last week about Ruth & Boaz is what the kids are learning about in the Flock this morning

–         You may have noticed on the back of the newsletter a couple of sentences letting the congregation know what the Flock kids are learning with an invitation to talk with your kids about it later

 

Another thing you can do is bring your kids to church regularly

–         If you only come occasionally its harder to feel like you belong

–         I’m not saying this to make you feel bad if you don’t come every week – I understand that it’s not always possible to be here every Sunday

–         But come as often as you are able because by doing that you give yourself and your kids the best chance of feeling at home here

 

One of the things we do in this church is keep the children in the morning service for a good 20 minutes or so before sending them out to Sunday school

–         This is teaching by immersion

–         Children naturally pick up what to do in a worship service and feel comfortable simply by being in it

–         We still need some separate programming for the kids though because they are at a different developmental stage and have different needs

–         Besides, my sermons are too long and serious to hold a child’s attention

 

Tawa Baptist has a strong tradition of grandparents bringing their grandkids to church and Sunday school – which is fantastic, keep doing that

 

Whether they are your kids or your grandkids though the trick is to involve them in those areas of service you are involved in – let them participate

–         So if you are on door duty, get one or two of your kids to do it with you

–         Or if you are collecting the offering, get the child with you to help

–         Sometimes Ang puts instruments out at the front for the kids to use while we are singing – that’s about encouraging participation

–         And when your kids reach College age, there are opportunities for them to serve in crèche and the Flock and the music team and Club Intermed

–         Learning by immersion involves both observation and participation

 

Shona (who is on piano this morning) told me that her Dad, Frank Duncan (who used to be a minister in this church) got her involved playing piano on Sunday mornings from a young age

–         More than just playing piano though, Frank gave Shona real ownership in the service by asking her to select some of the songs

–         Participation you see

 

Returning to Samuel & Eli

–         Samuel grew up immersed in the rhythms & routines of the temple and it had a shaping effect on his soul – it formed him spiritually

–         Sort of like a rock being made smooth as it is continually washed in the surf on a beach

–         Or a piece of clay being shaped and moulded as it spins round and round on the potter’s wheel

 

Eli, for his part, did a good job involving Samuel in the tasks of the temple so that Samuel wasn’t just a spectator or a consumer but an active participant, a contributor

 

Spiritual Direction:

Samuel quite happily followed the rhythms & routines of temple life until one night God introduced a new routine

 

While he was sleeping somewhere near the vicinity of the ark (the symbol of God’s presence) Samuel was woken by a voice calling his name

–         Eli was old, overweight and almost blind – he relied on Samuel to help him with things – so Samuel naturally thought Eli was calling him

–         But when he goes to Eli the old priest says, ‘My son, I did not call you. Go back and lie down.’

 

This little pattern is repeated three times and by the third time Eli realises Samuel is hearing the word of the Lord, so Eli offers Samuel some spiritual direction – he tells the boy what to say if he hears the voice again

–         Say, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening’

 

Eli does well here

–         In the first instance he does well not to get frustrated with Samuel for waking him in the middle of the night

–         More than this though Eli has the presence of mind and the spiritual sensitivity to realise God is calling the boy

–         Eli’s insight is quite remarkable when we think about it

 

Remember we are told, right at the beginning of chapter 3, that ‘the word of the Lord was rare in those days’

–         Most people wouldn’t have expected God to speak at all, let alone to a servant boy. A child prophet? That was unheard of

–         Nevertheless Eli realises that God is talking to Samuel

 

Given the unexpected nature of it all, how does Eli discern this?

 

Well, it seems to me that Eli knew Samuel well

–         It wasn’t like Samuel to wake him in the night 3 times for no reason

–         Samuel wasn’t a naughty kid – he was compliant

–         Samuel wouldn’t have disturbed Eli unless he had heard a voice

 

I think also that Eli saw a potential in Samuel and he loved the boy

–         So it wasn’t difficult for Eli to imagine that God might speak to Samuel

–         In fact, given the miraculous circumstances of Samuel’s birth and Hannah’s dedication of Samuel to God’s service it logically followed that God had a special purpose for Samuel’s life

–         Eli reminds those of us who are older to see the potential in those who young and not discount their usefulness to God

 

Eli also knew enough about God’s ways to realise this is often how the Lord operates – through the unexpected and through repetition

 

When I was in my late teens / early 20’s I said I would never be a pastor

–         Then one day, some years later, four people independently of each other said to me in the space of 24 hours…

–         ‘Will, I think you should consider becoming a pastor’

–         I wasn’t expecting that – and I certainly wasn’t looking for it so I knew it didn’t come from me

–         The unexpected, unsolicited nature of the message and the repetition of it made me think, perhaps God is trying to say something to me here

 

God speaks to people in different ways

–         He spoke to Samuel directly, so that Samuel saw a vision and heard an audible voice – it was nice and clear

–         That kind of communication from God is extremely rare – it’s not like that for most people

–         We are more likely to hear from God through reading the Bible or through another person or a sermon or an alignment of our circumstances

–         As a general principle though God’s word is often unexpected (from our perspective) and it is confirmed through repetition of the message

–         God’s word is always consistent with the person of Jesus – for Jesus embodies the word of the Lord – he is God’s word in human form

 

Samuel certainly wasn’t expecting God to speak to him

–         At that point in time it was outside of his experience

–         Fortunately Eli was present to give Samuel the spiritual direction he needed

 

God’s ways are not our ways:

You know the more I read the Bible the more it occurs to me how different God and I are

–         For one thing, God is a lot younger than I am

–         He appears to be far more trusting than me – more ‘fierce & free’, willing to take incredible risks

–         I imagine God would find roller coasters and sky diving exciting & fun

–         Whereas I’m too anxious for roller coasters and too grown up for fun

–         I prefer to keep my feet on the ground by going for a quiet walk on the beach or reading a book

–         God loves the whole world in all its wildness and diversity – he is present in the world everywhere, even the dark and dangerous places

–         The reach of my love is not so great however

–         God is uncreated, unlimited and eternally young

–         In contrast I am created, very limited and growing older every day

–         God thinks big – I think small

–         He is in no hurry – I’m always busy

–         He does not need anything from anyone and certainly not from me

–         But I depend on him for my very life & breath

–         I like to be organised ahead of time, with my sermon notes written out almost verbatim and my rosters prepared 3 months in advance

–         God, on the other hand, tends to be more last minute, leaving the future open – I don’t think he uses Excel spreadsheets or rosters either

 

God and I are very different but we do share one thing in common – Jesus

 

Why am I telling you this?

–         Well, God’s ways are not our ways

–         If it was up to me I wouldn’t have risked giving a young boy like Samuel such a hard task to do – at least not straight away

–         I would have eased the boy into his work – but not God

–         The Lord throws Samuel into the deep end on his first assignment

–         The very first message God gave Samuel was one of the most difficult of Samuel’s career

–         It was a message of judgment against Eli and his family

–         Basically, God wanted Samuel to tell Eli that the sins of Eli’s unrepentant sons were so bad they could never be forgiven or atoned for

–         Not only that but Eli himself was guilty too for not restraining his sons

 

That’s a heavy message for a young boy to tell the gentle old man he loves & respects

 

Now in saying that God threw Samuel in the deep end, I’m not suggesting the Lord is reckless or careless

–         God knew what Samuel could & couldn’t handle

–         God would not have asked Samuel to do this if he thought Samuel wasn’t up for it

–         The point is: sometimes we under-estimate what children can cope with

–         We want to protect them from what seem to us to be harsh realities and difficult truths – and, at times, rightly so

–         But as adults we need wisdom to discern when it is right to shield our kids and when it is better to let them hear the truth

–         In this instance God doesn’t protect Samuel – he doesn’t wrap the boy in cotton wool

–         Instead he gives Samuel the grace he needs to cope with a difficult truth

–         Ironically, that grace comes in the form of Eli

 

Eli notices that Samuel is avoiding him – which indicates Samuel has something to hide

–         So Eli goes to Samuel and puts a little pressure on him, getting him to release the burden he is carrying by saying, ‘May God deal with you severely if you hide anything from me’

–         A good spiritual director knows when & how to squeeze a person to draw out the truth

 

With permission to speak freely, Samuel relays God’s message in its entirety & Eli accepts it without getting angry with Samuel or censoring him

–         In this way Eli makes it safe for Samuel to be completely honest in the future

–         We need to do for our kids what Eli did for Samuel – release them from the burdens they carry by making it safe for them to be honest with us

 

It is not always easy to hand over tasks to others

–         Generosity towards those who are called to replace us is a real sign of grace [1]

–         God had clearly rejected Eli’s family and chosen Samuel to be his spokesperson to Israel

–         Samuel demonstrated integrity in speaking the truth of God’s message

–         And Eli demonstrated grace in making room for Samuel

 

Conclusion:

God’s ways are not our ways – which is just as well

–         He uses an inexperienced youth and a tired old priest to work out his purposes – such an unexpected combination

 

 

[1] Mary Evans, ‘The Message of Samuel’, page 37.

Tawa Baptist

Ruth & Boaz

Scripture: Ruth 2

 

Title: Boaz & Ruth

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Safe Access
  • Warm Understanding
  • Community Connection
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Earlier in the service I stood on a table and tried to give someone a hand up so they could stand on the table with me – It didn’t work

–         But when I stood on the ground and gave them a hand up from alongside, it worked much better

–         I want you to keep that picture, of a hand up from alongside, in your mind as you listen to today’s message

 

This morning we continue our sermon series on intergenerational relationships in the Bible

–         An intergenerational relationship is a relationship between two people from different generations, someone older and someone younger

–         We find a number of intergenerational relationships in the Bible

–         For example: Moses and Joshua, the aging priest Eli and the young prophet Samuel, King Saul and King David

–         As well as the apostle Paul and his protégé Timothy

 

Our focus this morning though is on the relationship between Ruth and Boaz

–         We don’t know the age difference between Boaz & Ruth, only that Boaz was somewhat older than Ruth, maybe between 10 & 25 years older

–         Setting aside the romantic attachment that developed between them, Boaz demonstrates for us a number of things that those who are older can do to come alongside those who are younger and give them a hand up

 

Boaz gives Ruth access, understanding and connection

–         We also can do these things for those who are younger than us

 

Setting the scene:

We touched on Ruth’s story 3 Sundays ago when we looked at the inter-generational friendship between Naomi and Ruth

–         But in case you missed that I’ll give you a quick overview to set the scene

 

The story takes place during the time of the Judges in ancient Israel – which is after Joshua and before Saul & David

–         In many ways it was the worst of times – when men behaved badly

–         But it brought out the best in certain people

–         There was a famine in the land and Naomi’s husband and two sons were forced to leave Bethlehem to try and find food in Moab, the land of their enemies – they were essentially refugees – displaced people

 

While they were in Moab, Naomi’s husband died and her two sons married Moabite girls: Orpah and Ruth

–         Ten years passed in Moab before Naomi’s two sons died also

–         Despite 10 years of marriage Orpah & Ruth had no children

 

When Naomi hears that God has provided food for his people in Israel, she decides to return to Bethlehem

–         Long story short – Orpah stays in Moab, while Ruth goes with Naomi saying…

 

“…Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God…”

 

Ruth wholeheartedly commits herself to Naomi, to Naomi’s people and to Naomi’s God. This was a huge leap of faith and a great act of hesed or loyalty on Ruth’s part

 

Ruth & Naomi return to Bethlehem just in time for the barley harvest

 

The Law of Moses was written with the poor and vulnerable in mind, using a hand up, not a hand out, approach

 

One of the safety nets provided by the Law was a practice called gleaning

–         With gleaning, the poor were allowed to follow behind the harvesters picking up the grain left behind

–         The harvesters were to ensure there was adequate left overs for the gleaners to pick up by not harvesting the edges of their fields and not going over the ground twice

–         Gleaning was not a ‘hand out’ because the gleaners had to work for their grain

–         Having said that, gleaning by itself wasn’t enough to lift someone out of poverty – but it did at least save people from starvation

 

So they wouldn’t starve, Ruth respectfully asks to go gleaning in the fields and, as providence would have it, she finds herself in Boaz’ field

–         I say, ‘as providence would have it’ because Boaz does three things to help Ruth:

o   He grants her safe access to his field for gleaning

o   He shows Ruth warm understanding

o   And he connects her with others in the community

–         Safe access, warm understanding and community connection

 

These three things that Boaz does for Ruth are things that we can do for those who are younger than us

 

Safe Access:

Firstly, Boaz grants Ruth safe & generous access to his field

 

When Boaz turns up to see how his harvesters are getting on he notices this young women working in his field, so he asks his foreman who this mystery gleaner is, and the foreman replies…

 

“She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters’. She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

 

There’s a few points to note here:

 

Firstly, the foreman doesn’t seem to know Ruth’s name – he identifies her as the ‘Moabitess from Moab’

–         In other words, she’s not one of us, she’s an outsider

–         Despite the fact that Ruth was an outsider the foreman still granted her access to glean in Boaz’ field

–         Apparently word had got around of Ruth’s hesed (or loyalty) to Naomi

 

Secondly, Ruth asks permission to glean in the field, even though the Law of Moses already says she can

–         This tells us that Ruth doesn’t come with any sense of entitlement

–         She approaches the foreman with respect and humility

 

Thirdly, the foreman says how Ruth has ‘worked steadily’

–         This indicates Ruth’s virtue

–         She’s not lazy, she’s not looking for a hand out, she’s not there to pick up a man – she’s there to provide for herself & Naomi and for this the foreman respects her

 

Boaz comes alongside Ruth and says to her…

 

“My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field… Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

 

Although immigrants like Ruth (who embraced the God of Israel and his covenant) were provided for and protected under the Law, this didn’t guarantee their safety

–         The time of the Judges was a bit of a dodgey time in Israel’s history when people tended to do what was best in their own eyes

–         Consequently finding people who kept the Law was rare

–         Boaz was one of those who did keep God’s Law but he was well aware that many of his countrymen didn’t

–         Had Ruth gone to glean in another field she could have been driven away or worse, assaulted

–         That’s why Boaz encourages Ruth to stay in his field where she won’t be molested

 

Boaz is in a position of power – he is careful not to abuse his power, but rather to use it to help Ruth, to empower her by granting safe access to his field

–         Granting safe access to those young people who embrace Christ (as Ruth had embraced the God of Israel) is something we can do also

 

At a recent deacons meeting Daryl gave a devotion from the Fuller Institute’s book “Growing Young”

–         In this book we find the following true story…

 

Remember your first set of keys?

–         Stephen — who goes by “Stretch” — received his first set of keys when he was 16.

–         His town handed him a driver’s license, and his parents handed him the key to the family car.

–         Heart pounding with excitement, he climbed behind the wheel and pulled out of his driveway for the first time on his own.

–         Stretch couldn’t believe the newfound freedom and responsibility he had been given.

–         He took a step away from childhood and a step closer to adulthood.

 

As Stretch pulled onto the street and began to accelerate, he faced an important and practical question. Where should I go?

–         Within a moment he knew the answer. Over the past several years, his church had become like a second home to him. There he felt known, accepted and valued. So naturally, he headed in that direction.

 

As he drove into the parking lot, the church’s childcare was wrapping up for the day.

–         One of the coordinators who knew Stretch noticed him driving the car.

–         Given a recent shortage of childcare workers and seeing that he now had transportation, she asked if he was interested in helping after school.

 

She was only halfway through the question before Stretch knew his answer. He would get to hang out at the church, spend time with kids, and on top of it all … he would get paid. This day couldn’t get any better!

–         Until a few minutes later, when she returned from the church office and handed him a key to the church. “If you’re going to help us, there will be times when we’ll need you to lock up,” she explained.

 

Stretch was staring so intently at the key that he barely heard her words.

–         The pastor had this key.

–         His Sunday school teacher had this key.

–         Other adults who were mature — who had power — had this key.

–         But him? It was like he had been waiting on the sidelines during the big game and was now being called to step onto the playing field.

 

Life was truly as good as it could be. Until it got even better.

 

A week later, while Stretch was working in the childcare center, the youth pastor dropped by. “You know, Stretch,” he said, “if you have your license and are already at the church, would you be willing to stock the soda machine for me? The job comes with all the Mountain Dew you can drink.”

–         Key to the car. Check.

–         Key to the church. Check.

–         Key to the soda machine. Check.

–         Stretch knew he had arrived.

 

Later that night, Stretch received the final “key” that forever changed the course of his life. Standing alone in the empty church, he heard God speak to him — not audibly but distinctly.

–         “You like to be here, don’t you?” God asked.

–         “Yes, I do,” Stretch answered.

–         “Well, get comfortable, because you’re going to be here a lot.”

 

From that day on, Stretch knew that both his future and his vocation were closely tied to church ministry.

–         Leaders he deeply respected had entrusted him with access and authority by giving him keys, both literally and figuratively.

In the several decades that followed, others continued to entrust him with the keys of leadership & he’s now been a youth pastor for over 20 years [1]

 

That’s a good news story

–         The more mature adults in the church put faith in Stretch, they trusted him and gave him access

–         And Stretch, for his part, was respectful of the trust (the keys) he had been given – he didn’t take it for granted, nor did he have any sense of entitlement – he was simply grateful for the faith others showed in him

 

Keys provide access

–         Granting access is really about trusting people and empowering them

 

We let our young people (who embrace Christ) have access in a number ways

–         Sometimes literal access to the church buildings by giving keys

–         But also access to opportunities for service & leadership, through the music team or through Sunday school, Club Intermed, youth group and night church

–         The next generation may do things differently to the previous generation but that’s okay – so long as each generation holds to Christ

 

It seems to me that Daryl is very good at trusting the young people in his care by giving them access to the church and opportunities for service

–         But it’s not just Daryl – our deacons and our congregation as a whole want to continue seeing the next generation participating in church life

–         By the same token we are fortunate to have young people who (like Ruth and Stretch) are respectful and responsible with the keys we give them

 

Warm Understanding:

Not only does Boaz grant Ruth safe access to his fields, he also shows Ruth warm understanding

–         When Ruth asks Boaz why he is showing her such favour, Boaz replies…

 

“I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before… May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

 

To which Ruth replies…

–         “…You have given me comfort and spoken kindly to your servant…”

 

Ruth’s reply indicates there is real warmth in what Boaz says here

–         He is showing her, with his words, that he understands and appreciates what she has been through and what she has given up for Naomi’s sake

–         Consequently Ruth feels comforted by his words

 

What’s more, by saying, I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law, Boaz is making it clear to Ruth that the rumour mill is positive

–         She doesn’t have to worry about how others are perceiving her

–         He’s not the only one who knows about her hesed (her loyalty) to Naomi

 

Sometimes when we are young we can feel a bit unsure of ourselves

–         We might not have worked out who we are or where we fit just yet

–         One of the things older people can give younger people is encouragement – kind words communicated warmly, not cold words of criticism

–         You don’t have to be over the top with complements or embarrass people by doing it publicly – just a few gentle words on the quiet at the right time to show you are on their side

 

Mother Teresa once said:

–         Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty

 

The thing about warmth & understanding is that it stops people from feeling alone and unwanted – it keeps their demons at bay

–         When you feel that someone really gets you, really understands you, then you feel more at peace, more at home with yourself and with others

 

The 24-7 youth work that Jo & Thomas do at Tawa College is about warmth and understanding

–         It’s about coming alongside and being present to listen so young people don’t feel alone

 

A few weeks ago I attended the Baptist Lead conference in Lower Hutt

–         One of the speakers there, Tricia Hendry, told a story of a boy who was sent to live with his gran

–         The boy began wagging school, not just once or twice, but regularly

 

When his gran found out he’d been wagging she didn’t react straight away

–         She took a deep breath and considered how to approach the situation

–         Her grandson was respectful to her at home and so it was a bit puzzling why he would do this

 

In the end the gran decided to take him out to KFC for dinner – he loved KFC

–         On the way the boy asked, ‘Why are you taking me to KFC gran?’

–         ‘Because you’ve had a rough time lately and I wanted to do something nice for you.’

–         They sat in the restaurant and ate their KFC – the grandmother didn’t say anything about the boy wagging school

 

After they’d eaten the gran drove the boy home, but she took the long way.

–         They were sitting side by side in the car, not face to face, and so the posture was not top down or confrontational, it was alongside

–         The boy asked, ‘Why are we taking the long way home?

–         And his gran replied, ‘I want to ask you a question. When you are not at school are you keeping yourself safe?’

–         The gran’s question let the boy know two things:

o   That his gran was aware he was wagging, so he didn’t need to hide or keep that secret anymore (the truth sets us free)

o   And secondly, that she cares – there’s no judgement, no threat of punishment, just warmth and a genuine desire to understand

 

The boy says, ‘Yes gran. I am looking after myself. I go to my mother’s work and sit outside her window so I can be there to help her if she needs me.’

–         You see the reason that boy was sent to live with his gran was that his father was being violent to his mother

–         The boy just wanted to protect his mum

 

What a wise gran – full of truth and grace

 

Sometimes older people think they have nothing to offer.

–         That’s not true

–         If you are older then you have experience and you can show warmth and understanding to those who are younger

–         (You can be a surrogate grand-parent)

 

Now I’m conscious there are a lot of teachers here, some of whom may have to deal with students who wag school

–         I’m not suggesting you take them all out to KFC – a teacher’s role is quite different to the role of a grandparent

–         Besides, not all kids wag for good reasons like the boy in that story

–         The point is, whether you are a teacher or a parent or a grandparent or whoever, warm understanding is usually a more helpful place to start than cold criticism

 

Tawa College is great with their restorative practice – it’s a warm understanding approach

 

Community Connection:

Okay – so far we’ve heard how Boaz gives Ruth a hand up (not a hand out) by:

–         Granting her safe access to his property

–         And by communicating with warmth and understanding

–         The other thing Boaz does for Ruth (in chapter 2) is he creates connections for her in the community

–         He does this by inviting her to eat lunch with him and his workers

 

At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” When she sat down with the harvesters he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.”

 

By sharing a meal together the workers got to know Ruth a bit so that she wasn’t just the Moabitess from Moab – she wasn’t a stranger anymore

–         And by giving Ruth more than she could eat Boaz is underlining Ruth’s status as a person to be valued and accepted by others

–         Boaz is modelling for his workers how he expects them to treat Ruth, with generosity and respect

 

Sometimes you find yourself in a conversation with someone who says something like: ‘Young people these days are terrible’

–         If you do then don’t abide that – put them straight

–         Model for them a positive way to talk about young people

–         Tell them about the young people you know who are good

–         Most young people are good these days – certainly better than I was

 

A few things we do to help foster relational connections in the life of the church include: tea & coffee after the morning service, ‘Count Me In’ lunches, small group Bible studies and all-age (intergenerational) services from time to time

–         Those things in themselves don’t guarantee community connections – they are a hand up (from alongside), not a hand out

–         So some effort to talk to someone new and get to know others is still needed on our part

 

There’s heaps more we could say about creating community connections but that’s enough for today

 

Conclusion:

Boaz gives Ruth a hand up by granting her access to his field, warm understanding and community connection

–         These are things we can do also

 

Boaz points us to Jesus

–         Jesus came down from heaven and became human to be alongside us and give us a hand up

 

For those who may identify with Boaz…

–         Is there someone you can come alongside to offer a hand up?

 

And for those who identify more with Ruth…

–         What can you do to help yourself?

 

Let us pray…

[1] https://www.nae.net/unlock-keychain-leadership/

Tawa Baptist

But Who Do You Say I Am?

BUT WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? (Sermon Notes – by Mrs Karen Brassett)

 

Good morning

 

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Karen. Those of you who do know me may be wondering why I am up here and, believe me, I am wondering that too! When Will first mentioned writing a sermon I just laughed and forgot about it – I thought he was joking. A few days later, however, he followed up on the idea and assured me that he had actually been quite serious. As I have never done anything like this before I hope you will bear with me.

 

Today we are going to look at Matthew 16:13-23.

I am using the New Living Translation and the words should appear on the wall.

 

From Matthew 16 we read:

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

 

May the Holy Spirit use this reading to speak to our hearts and teach us more about Jesus.

 

Jesus headed north with his disciples, to the region of Caesarea Philippi.

  • It is generally thought that he did this to take a bit of a break from the crowds, so that he could spend more time teaching the disciples and trying to prepare them for what was to come.
  • A lot has been happening in the two preceding chapters. Chapter 14 includes the feeding of the crowd of five thousand men, plus an undisclosed number of women and children, followed by Jesus walking on the water and calling Peter to come to him. In chapter 15 Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman and rewards her faith, in the face of some quite harsh rejection, by releasing her daughter from demon possession. He heals many more people besides in both chapters, and also feeds another crowd, this time of four thousand. It certainly seems like some time out would have been beneficial.
  • The setting chosen for this passage is a very significant one, for both religious and cultural reasons, but I would like to leave that to one side this morning and focus on the personal significance of what is happening.

 

In the context of all these things that the disciples have recently witnessed, Jesus asks them two questions as they are walking along the road. The first question is rather safe and neutral:

13“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

 

The disciples are able to report back what they have been hearing from the crowds.

14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

 

These answers show that the crowds recognise Jesus as someone special. They are placing him in the category of “Prophet” which was a very high honour. But this is still a human category and falls far short of the truth.

 

Jesus then asks a second question which is anything but safe and neutral. This question is direct and very personal:

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

 

Every time I read this an image comes to mind of the whole group suddenly going very quiet, probably even coming to a sudden stop in the middle of the road. This time only one of them gives an answer.

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

 

At this point it looks like Peter has got it.

  • He has listened to Jesus teaching for several years now
  • He has witnessed miracles and healings
  • He has even had his own personal experience of walking on water.

 

The response Peter gets from Jesus certainly makes it seem like he has got it right:

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

 

This is pretty mind blowing stuff!

 

Stop and try to imagine for a minute how this must have felt for Peter. He had just put himself way out there and declared that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. That in itself would have been an intense experience. But Jesus then responds by changing his name (Simon is now Peter, “the Rock”), and bestowing unimaginable authority on him. That has got to be more than anyone can get their head around in just a few minutes, and so it proves to be.

 

In the next verse Jesus predicts his death for the first time.

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

 

Poor Peter! This really is too much!! He has just made a really courageous declaration, been rewarded with an amazing affirmation and the apparent appointment to a really important position, and now Jesus is talking about dying. Not only does it not seem right that the Messiah, the Son of God, will die, but he is talking about being tortured and murdered by the religious leaders.

 

Peter decides he needs to set Jesus straight.

22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

 

This time Jesus’ response is very different.

23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not God’s.”

Peter goes from number one supporter to dangerous enemy in the blink of an eye.

 

Two things stand out here for me.

Firstly, I have to admit to feeling rather sorry for Peter.

  • A lot of very intense and significant stuff has just happened in a short space of time.
  • He has just had some huge future responsibilities and expectations described to him.
  • Before he has had time to even try to process what they might mean he is confronted with yet another major announcement.

He responds with his typical impetuous enthusiasm, steps in to start trying to live up to his new job description, and runs head first into a brick wall. Ouch!

 

So let’s have a look at what just happened.

  • Jesus asked his disciples a question.
  • Peter answered him. In fact Peter not only answered the question, he gave the perfect answer.

Surely that should have been the end of it – ten out of ten for you Peter.

The answer Peter gave Jesus was honest and genuine. What happened next, though, brings me to my second point:

Jesus’ question is not static.

He was not just seeking information or setting a test to see which of the disciples would pass. Peter gave a great answer, and he believed what he said, but his subsequent actions show that he did not really understand his answer, or who Jesus really is.

 

How did Peter end up on such a roller coaster ride?

  • He had been following Jesus for several years by this time, living closely together with him, and learning daily from his teaching.
  • He had witnessed countless healings and other miracles, including several people being brought back to life, and he really believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.
  • So why could he not accept Jesus’ predictions of what was about to happen next?

 

It is easy for us to look back from 2000 years after the Resurrection and ask why Peter did not understand the significance of these things. We probably like to think that, with all that evidence, and having such a close relationship with Jesus, we would have been able to see things more clearly. Surely we would have understood when he talked about having to die and be raised from the dead.

 

But would we?

 

Peter accepts, I believe whole-heartedly, that Jesus is the Messiah, but his concept of what that means is shaped by the Jewish teachings he has been raised with from birth. These present the Messiah as a person sent by God to restore Israel, and bring peace to the earth, by ruling as a human king. In spite of all the time he has spent with Jesus, and all the new teachings he has heard, he has still not been able to make the transition from the strong historical traditions he has grown up with to the radically different concept of an eternal, heavenly kingdom which begins on earth.

 

Here I would like to swap sides in the conversation for a moment. It is easy for us to imagine how confused and hurt Peter must have felt in all this – but what about Jesus? Have you ever stopped to think how Jesus must have been feeling at this point?

 

The words Jesus uses to denounce Peter hark back to his response to Satan during his temptation in the wilderness. One of the temptations Jesus was offered was all the kingdoms of the world if he would only kneel down and worship Satan.

 

In effect Peter is now trying to get Jesus to accept the very same thing, earthly kingship and power. This is, after all, the Jewish interpretation of the Messiah. It is his human expectation of what should happen.

 

I imagine the temptation must have seemed so much stronger to Jesus this time because it was being offered by a friend in the guise of support and acclamation, rather than by his obvious enemy. I am absolutely certain that it must have been incredibly painful for him.

 

Jesus was on a very similar roller coaster to the one Peter was riding.

 

When we look at this passage we can imagine, and probably identify with, the range of feelings and reactions that Peter and the other disciples might have had. But how often do we try to put ourselves in Jesus’ place, to imagine the significance these interactions had for him?

 

Although they had been on the same journey over the last few years, Jesus would have experienced it from a very different perspective.

  • Only Jesus understood the importance and true meaning of what he had been sent to do.
  • Only Jesus knew how crucial it was that the disciples should start to understand his teachings before he left them
  • Only Jesus understood the significance of Peter’s declaration.

 

When Peter made his declaration, Jesus must have been elated, and probably also a bit relieved. Here was the evidence that all his work was bearing fruit. He knew that Peter was to be the one who would lead the infant Christian community and now, as he prepared to face the events ahead of him in Jerusalem, he had some reassurance that Peter was nearly ready.

“You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you.”

 

How hard would it have been for him then, to have to turn around and say:

“You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not God’s.”

 

For me these two statements help explain how Peter could get everything so right and then so wrong. His first answer was described as a revelation from God. He ran into trouble when he turned from that revelation and fell back on his human thinking and experience.

 

They also highlight for me something that caught my attention recently when I was reading the second chapter of John. Verses 23-25 say:

 

23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

 

Jesus may have experienced a similar high and low but, unlike Peter, he did not experience confusion or disbelief.

25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

 

While he may have been excited by Peter’s declaration, and deeply hurt by the temptation Peter put in front of him, Jesus was not caught by surprise. He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. He knew that Peter was going to stumble, and even that he would desert him. He knew what was in Peter’s heart, and he knew that he did not yet understand what his answer meant.

 

This brings me back to the point I made earlier, that the question Jesus asked is not static.

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

 

You see Jesus still asks this same question today. He asks each one of us, and we need to think about this carefully. It is not a question that you can answer and leave.

 

But who do you say I am?

 

Like Peter, we can give the perfect answer, and we can believe it. But do we understand what our answer means?

 

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

 

The truth is that our understanding of what our answer means can change with each significant experience we have in life.

  • It is influenced by where we are in our spiritual journey.
  • It is influenced by what is going on in our lives right now, and by what has gone before.
  • It also has a big influence on how we live our lives, on the decisions and choices we make.

 

This is why Jesus’ question is just as important for us today as it was for the disciples when he asked them. Who we say Jesus is, how deeply we believe it, and what we understand that to mean, directly determine how we choose to live.

  • As we get older we grow
  • As we live we experience so many different things
  • As we experience different things we learn
  • As we learn we gain knowledge and, hopefully, increased understanding.

 

“for he knew what was in each person’s heart.”

 

We need to remember that Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. Today he continues to ask each one of us the same question he asked Peter and the other disciples. He asks because he knows that our answers are not important for HIM, they are important for US.

 

“But who do YOU say I am?”

 

I want to leave you with these two questions this morning:

  • What is your answer for Jesus?
  • What does your answer mean for you?
Tawa Baptist

Naomi & Ruth

Scripture: Ruth 1 & 3

 

Title: Naomi & Ruth

 

Structure:

  • Introduction – unlikely friendship
  • Ruth 1 – Naomi & Ruth’s hesed
  • Ruth 3 – Ruth & Boaz’ hesed
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

On the wall here we have a picture of a bird nestled on the belly of a cat

–         This is an unlikely pairing – normally we would expect cats to hunt and kill birds, not give refuge to them

 

Today we continue our sermon series on intergenerational relationships in the Bible

–         An intergenerational relationship is a relationship between two people from different generations, someone older and someone younger

–         We find a number of intergenerational relationships in the Bible

–         For example: Moses and Joshua, who we heard about two weeks ago

–         The aging priest Eli and the young prophet Samuel

–         King Saul and King David

–         As well as the apostle Paul and his protégé Timothy

 

Our focus this morning though is on the relationship between Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth

–         Naomi & Ruth’s friendship was as unlikely as that of a cat and a bird

–         They were years apart in age

–         They were from a different ethnic & cultural background – Naomi from Israel and Ruth from Moab

–         They had grown up with a different religion

–         Their nations had been at war (off and on) for many years

–         And, they were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, which is often (but not always) a relationship fraught with tension or at least distance

 

Despite all these differences though there was real warmth and commitment in their relationship

–         It wasn’t a mentoring relationship as such (like Moses & Joshua)

–         It was more of a mutually caring intergenerational friendship – with both of them looking out for one another’s interests

 

The name Ruth means ‘friend’ or ‘companion’

–         And the name Naomi means ‘sweetness’ or ‘pleasantness’

–         Although they are an unlikely pairing, Naomi and Ruth characterise the ideal inter-generational relationship – one of friendship & companioning, sweetness & pleasantness

 

We don’t have time to cover all four chapters of Ruth this morning

–         I will be focusing mainly on chapters 1 & 3

 

Ruth 1 – Naomi & Ruth’s Hesed:

The story is set during the time of the Judges in ancient Israel – which is after Joshua and before Saul & David

–         In many ways it was the worst of times – but it brought out the best in certain people

–         There was a famine in the land and Naomi’s husband and two sons were forced to leave Bethlehem to try and find food in Moab, the land of their enemies – they were essentially refugees – displaced people

 

While they were in Moab, Naomi’s husband died and her two sons married Moabite girls: Orpah and Ruth. Neither Orpah nor Ruth had any children

 

Ten years passed in Moab before Naomi’s two sons died also

–         There are no words to describe the profoundness of Naomi’s loss

 

When she hears that God has provided food for his people in Israel, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem with her two daughters-in-law

–         Not long into the journey home Naomi releases Orpah and Ruth from their obligation to her, saying:

 

“Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

 

There weren’t many options for single women in the Ancient Near East – it was a tough world

Although Naomi has suffered the worst kind of loss imaginable, and could well do with the comfort and support of Orpah & Ruth, she puts aside her own need and releases her daughters-in-law

–         Naomi knows she can’t provide for them herself and, having already been married, it will be hard enough for Ruth & Orpah to find another husband among their own people let alone among the men of Israel

–         Going back to Moab is Orpah & Ruth’s best bet, even though it means more loss for Naomi

 

That word ‘kindness’ is hesed in the original Hebrew

–         We don’t really have one single word in English for hesed

–         It is a Jewish term which is sometimes translated as kindness, sometimes as mercy and other times as steadfast love or loyal (covenant) love

–         Hesed isn’t just an abstract concept though – it is an action, something tangible that you do for someone else’s well-being

 

Both Orpah and Ruth had shown hesed to their late husbands, while they were alive, and to Naomi – now Naomi wants to return the favour

 

Katherine Sakenfeld, who did her PhD on this subject, outlines the three main criteria of hesed… [1]

–         Firstly, the action is essential to the survival or the basic wellbeing of the recipient – so it’s not something you do to entertain a whim or a fancy

–         Secondly, the needed action is one that only the person doing the hesed is in a position to provide – given the circumstances no one else can do it

–         And thirdly, hesed takes place in the context of an existing relationship

 

Now an act of hesed can be a relatively small thing or it can be a really big thing

–         Let me give you some examples of hesed – one which is relatively simple and two which are more significant:

 

Imagine you are tucked up in bed one cold winter’s night, enjoying a nice sleep when your cell-phone goes off – you sit up and answer it

–         It’s someone you know from work – what could they want at 2 o’clock in the morning?

–         Well, they’ve been out on the town, it’s freezing cold, they’re wearing a cocktail dress and they’ve lost their jacket and their purse

–         It’s too far, too dangerous and too cold for them to walk home

–         And without money or a card they can’t pay for a taxi so they are asking you for a ride – no one else is returning their calls

–         It’s a bit of an inconvenience for you but you are a kind hearted person

–         What’s more you couldn’t live with yourself if you did nothing and some harm came to them

–         So you put on some clothes, get in your car, drive to where they are and take them home

 

That is an act of hesed – a simple act of kindness or mercy

–         Getting them to a warm & safe place is essential to their well-being

–         Under the circumstances there is no one else available to help them

–         And you have an existing relationship with them

 

Okay, that’s a relatively small act of hesed – now a more significant or demanding example…

 

Imagine a good friend of yours gets sick and they need a kidney transplant but no donor can be found

–         You care for your friend deeply and want to help them

–         So you go and get yourself checked out to see if you are a match and as providence would have it you are

–         You donate one of your kidney’s to your friend and they live

 

That is an act of hesed – but the meaning of hesed in that situation goes beyond simple kindness – it is really a sacrificial act of mercy & loyal love

–         The action of donating a kidney is essential to your friend’s basic survival

–         It is something that, under the circumstances, only you can do

–         And it’s done in the context of an existing relationship with your friend

 

Another example…

–         This time imagine a slightly different scenario with your good friend

–         Imagine they are sick but there is nothing the doctors can do for them

–         Your friend is going to die and, because your friend has no family members able to do it, she asks you to take care of her 2 year child

–         So you agree to adopt the child and raise her as your own

 

That is an act of hesed – an act which demonstrates both kindness & loyal love

–         Although you can’t save your friend’s life you are still doing something huge for their well-being (and the well-being of their child)

–         You are giving them peace of mind in their last days by providing security for their daughter

–         No one else is going to love that child like you will – without you the child would most likely end up lost in the system

–         And you are doing this in the context of an existing positive relationship with your friend

 

Returning to Ruth & Naomi: by releasing her daughters-in-law Naomi is performing an act of hesed for them

–         It meets all three criteria

–         Her action in releasing them from further obligation is for their wellbeing

–         It is an action that only Naomi can perform – no one else can do it

–         And Naomi has an existing positive relationship with Ruth & Orpah

 

Orpah takes a bit of convincing but in the end she accepts Naomi’s advice and returns to Moab

–         Ruth, on the other hand, insists on staying with Naomi saying:

 

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried…”

 

Ruth commits herself to Naomi, to Naomi’s people and to Naomi’s God

–         And this commitment isn’t just until Naomi dies – it is until Ruth dies

–         Ruth will be buried where Naomi is buried

–         If you think about it Ruth was essentially saying goodbye to her family and her homeland for good

 

This was huge – Ruth was making this commitment at great risk to herself

–         She didn’t know whether Naomi’s people would accept her or not

–         Abraham, that great father of the faith, stepped out into the unknown but only after God called him and made a promise to him

–         Ruth’s faith was even greater than Abraham’s

–         Ruth steps out into the unknown without any word from God and what’s more she does so without the wealth and backing that Abram had

 

The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians:

–         The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love

–         Ruth takes a massive leap of faith out of her love for Naomi

 

Ruth knows that her own chances of survival are better if she returns to Moab but she also knows that Naomi’s chances of survival are better if she (Ruth) goes to Israel and takes care of Naomi

–         By releasing Ruth from further obligation, Naomi had performed hesed for her daughter-in-law

–         Ruth responds by going above and beyond, doing an even greater act of hesed for Naomi

–         Ruth is performing an action essential to Naomi’s well-being & survival

–         No one else is available to take care of Naomi – her husband and sons are dead and Orpah has gone back to Moab

–         Furthermore Ruth is doing this hesed in the context of an existing positive relationship with Naomi

–         Ruth’s hesed ticks all the boxes

 

What we note here is that both Naomi’s & Ruth’s acts of hesed are done freely and out of genuine love and concern for one another’s well-being – not out of grudging duty or obligation

 

When Naomi returns to Bethlehem (her home town) she is greeted by the people there but she says to them:

–         “Don’t call me Naomi (which means sweetness), call me Mara (which means bitterness) because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty…”

 

Naomi has been emptied by her loss

–         She has nothing to show for her life and nothing to look forward to

–         She is alive physically but (inside) her sense of hope has died

 

One of the things that young people can give us is hope – a sense that life doesn’t end with us (that the future holds something good)

–         The young don’t usually realise they are doing this though

–         By the same token those of us who are older may also miss the hope the young have to offer

 

Ruth embodies hope, only Naomi can’t see it straight away – she is blinded by her grief

–         But nor does Ruth realise it – she is simply getting on with it, making sure they don’t starve

 

Ruth 3 – Ruth & Boaz’ Hesed:

Ruth goes out to glean in the fields – picking up the left-overs after the harvesters have been through – and in the process she meets Boaz, a wealthy and influential citizen of Bethlehem

–         As providence would have it Boaz is a good match for Ruth – by which I mean he is related to Naomi’s late husband, he is able to provide for Ruth and they seem to like each other

–         When Naomi hears of Boaz her hope (embodied by Ruth) is kindled

 

After some months have passed Naomi comes up with a plan to find some security for them both by getting Boaz to marry Ruth

–         Not only would this provide Ruth & Naomi with financial security and protection, it could also provide an heir for Ruth’s late husband

 

You see the Law of Moses provided for widows through something called levirate marriage [2]

–         ‘The levirate law provided that when a man died without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child by her to preserve the lineage of the man who had died.’ [3]

–         Keeping the family line going was a really big deal in ancient culture

 

Under normal circumstances Naomi might approach Boaz herself and ask if he would help them out by marrying Ruth (sort of like an arranged marriage), but these weren’t normal circumstances

–         Ruth was a Moabite – a foreigner

–         Furthermore, Boaz wasn’t Ruth’s brother-in-law, although he was a near relative of Naomi’s late husband

–         So the law of levirate marriage was not an exact fit in this situation

–         If Naomi approached Boaz he might easily say ‘no’

–         But if Ruth dolled herself up and got close to him at night, well he might find it more difficult to say ‘no’.

 

Naomi said to Ruth…

–         “Wash and perfume yourself and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down… go and uncover his feet and lie down too. He will tell you what to do.”

 

It was a risky plan

–         What if Ruth was seen by someone else, sneaking into bed with Boaz?

–         What if Boaz took advantage of Ruth? (Everyone would believe Boaz – no one would believe Ruth)

–         Or what if he thought she was a bit loose and rejected her?

–         Ruth was putting her reputation on the line in a culture where reputation was everything

–         But that’s one of the great things about young people – they are often more ready to take risks than those of us who are older and feel like we have something to lose

 

Ruth does what Naomi says – well, sort of

–         She gets under the blankets with Boaz while he is asleep

–         There is no hanky panky but when he wakes up in the middle of the night to find another person there he doesn’t tell her what to do

–         He is startled – it is dark and he can’t see, so he asks a question…

–         “Who are you?”  To which Ruth replies…

 

“I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer”

 

This is a poetic way of saying ‘marry me’

–         Ruth doesn’t wait for Boaz to tell her what to do – she tells Boaz what she wants

–         Some men might be put off by that sort of forthrightness but not Boaz

–         He responds positively to Ruth saying…

 

“The Lord bless you, my daughter. This kindness [this hesed] is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor…”

 

There’s that word, hesed, again

–         Ruth’s first act of hesed was to promise to go with Naomi wherever she might go – to be Naomi’s companion till the end of her days

–         Now Ruth’s second act of hesed is to marry within the family

 

In thinking of the three criteria for hesed…

–         Ruth is doing something essential for the well-being of others – seeking an heir for her late husband and a grandson for Naomi

–         This is something no one else can do – Naomi has no other children

–         And it is done in the context of existing relationships

 

If Ruth had gone after a younger man who wasn’t related to Naomi, then Ruth’s first born would not be considered Naomi’s grandchild, nor would he carry on her late husband’s name (and as I’ve already mentioned, carrying on the family line was massive in ancient Hebrew culture)

 

Boaz is impressed by Ruth’s noble character – he loves her hesed

–         And, after a little plot twist, he reciprocates the hesed by redeeming Naomi’s land and marrying Ruth. Ruth gave birth to a son, Obed.

–         Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of king David

–         This really is an intergenerational story where people of all ages are valued and cared for – each with a vital role to play

 

Conclusion:

Ruth & Naomi provide an ideal to inspire our own intergenerational relationships

–         I’m not saying we all need to make the same level of commitment as Ruth did with Naomi – but we do well to look for opportunities to demonstrate hesed where it is in our power to do so

 

In Micah 6, verse 8 – the passage of Scripture we looked at last week – the prophet says:

–         And what does the Lord require of you? To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

–         The original Hebrew word, translated there as ‘mercy’, is actually hesed

–         So the Lord God Almighty requires us to love hesed

–         That is to enjoy performing acts of hesed, when it is in our power to do so, and to value or cherish the acts of hesed we witness or receive

–         Together Ruth, Naomi and Boaz show us what it means to ‘love hesed’

 

Some times our acts of hesed will be relatively small, like picking someone up in town in the middle of the night

–         Other times we may be asked to consider a far bigger act of hesed – one which can only be done once and can’t be repeated

–         If you donate a kidney to your friend you can’t donate one to anyone else

–         Likewise, Ruth’s hesed for Naomi prevented her from taking care of her own parents (presumably there were others in Ruth’s family who could do that)

 

My intention here is not to load you up with some impossible burden

–         It is not always in our power to do hesed – no matter how much we may want to

–         If you are not a match then you can’t donate your kidney to save your friend

–         What you can do though is walk with your friend through the process – be their companion so they don’t have to go through it alone

 

Who can you do hesed for – whether younger or older?

–         Who can you companion – through good times and bad?

 

[Jesus performed acts of hesed (kindness, mercy & loyal love) throughout his ministry as he healed the sick and forgave the guilty and delivered people from evil. His ultimate act of hesed though we remember now in the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup. Through his death on the cross Jesus did something for us that no one else could do – he reconciled us to God…]

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/2-july-2017-naomi-ruth

[1] Katherine Doob-Sakenfeld, Ruth, page 24

[2] Deuteronomy 25:5-10

[3] Katherine Sakenfeld, ‘Just Wives’, page 36.