BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 3

Pointed Beyond the Status Quo

Ruth 3:1-18

Sometimes each of us needs a push to do what may not be comfortable.  It takes a lot of effort to take advice to stretch oneself beyond what is comfortable. Many years ago I worked with someone who had been an engineer with the organization for a number of years. One day when we were talking he gave me some advice that I have not always followed but remember it to this day.  He said something on the order of find one thing in your life that you enjoy doing and then strive to be the best in that area as you can.

 

As my life has played out those words have been much harder to follow than I might have expected.  They have come with a high cost. It has taken encouragement from others to point me in a direction that has been meaningful to me.  Those words may be carried out in one’s vocation but quite often it is the things for which one does not get paid that he or she finds fulfillment.  Thankfully, those words have penetrated my life and lead me to have a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word.  The one thing the engineer did not understand was that one’s giftedness, abilities and passion play a large part in whether one achieves anything in this life.  There have been those who have been mentors who helped me along the way.  More than those individuals, the people I have taught over the years have challenged me to grow by the questions they have asked that drove me back into the Bible for answers.  Hopefully, I have moved beyond where I was all those many years ago.

 

Sometimes in churches it takes someone like that engineer to step forward to provide a new direction that needs to be taken.  Often it is an outside consultant who comes into the church who provides the impetus to set a new course.  We all get comfortable with the way we are doing things and do not want to be challenged to change.  There is no group of people who can ever remain the same.  In every area of life, including church, the status quo is impossible.  All we have to do is look at organizations that no longer exist because they wanted to remain as they were as the world moved.  Even in the Southern Baptist Convention the leadership is working on solutions to the declining in church attendance especially among students.  Many of the 80 percent to drop out after high school never return.  For many of us we have to be pushed and shoved to do anything to stem the tide because it takes a lot of work.  We do need those who point out the direction we are to take.  The advice of the engineer works for us if we allow ourselves to hear the message loud and clear.

 

Again this week there is a transition statement in Ruth 2:23 that shows where many churches are today.  Ruth had worked the fields and was now content to just to live with her mother-in-law.  Life was good so why worry about what was next.

 

Ruth 3:1-3

Naomi realized there was no future in the way the two women were living.  She wanted Ruth to find the security that could only be found by having a husband in that culture.  Naomi even made the suggestion that it might be Boaz since he was kin to her through Elimelech.  She knew the habits of someone like Boaz who would remain at the threshing floor to keep others from stealing the harvest of barley.

 

There is an indication that Ruth probably at that point was still mourning the loss of her husband. It is based on the command of her mother-in-law to take off the widow’s clothing bathe, to anoint her body with oil and to put on what would normally be worn by a woman in everyday life.  After preparing herself in that way she was to go down to the threshing floor.  She was to remain secluded until Boaz had finished eating and celebrating the good harvest with which he had been blessed.

 

1. What future could Ruth expect to have if she had continued to live in Naomi’s house? (Gleaning year after year with hopes that the harvest would be good and there would be ample food to eat.)
2. Why Boaz? (He was a close relative of Elimelech.)
3. Why did Naomi have to remind Ruth of her circumstances? (Because Ruth believed that she owed allegiance to Naomi and had promised to remain with her.)
4. What does Naomi’s instructions say about Ruth’s mindset? (She was still in mourning for her deceased husband.)
5. What was Naomi really saying to her? (It was time to stop mourning and get on with life.)
6. What are the things that keep you from growing in this life?
7. What does it take to bring a person out of an attitude of the status quo?

 

Ruth 3: 4-5

Ruth was then given specific instructions of how to approach Boaz.  She was told to wait until he had found a place to sleep. Only then was she to go uncover his feet and lie down until he awoke.  The very fact that his feet were uncovered would awaken him at some point because he would get cold.  Naomi believed that Boaz would then make the right decisions.  She had faith in him to do what was right.  Ruth agreed to do as her mother-in-law had suggested.  As strange as it may seem Naomi possibly saw it as the best way to have Boaz’s undivided attention to the desperate need in which the women found themselves.

 

1. What was the reasoning for Naomi’s instructions? (This was not something that could be done in a crowd with people drawing the wrong conclusions about Ruth’s motive.)
2. Why is it better to discuss important matters one on one?
3. Why was Naomi so specific?  (She understood the culture.)
4. What did it show about her feelings for Ruth? (She would use desperate and unusual methods to provide for the security of her daughter-in-law.)
5. Why was Ruth willing to follow such a strange plan? (Her trust in Naomi.)
6. What was the danger in the plan? (It was possible that Ruth could have been harmed.)

 

Ruth 3:6-7

Ruth went down to the threshing floor and waited. Boaz followed the script almost perfectly.  As Ruth watched he did exactly as Naomi had stated he would do. Once he was asleep she uncovered his feet and laid down.

 

1. In what ways do you see the hand of God at work?
2. What do you think was going through Ruth’s mind at that point?
3. What does it say about her faith?
4. What were her expectations?
5. How willing are you to do what seems strange or out of the ordinary to serve God?
6. What does it take on your part to do something like that?
7. What are some of the things that might fit into this category?

 

Ruth 3:8-9

Something startled Boaz and he woke up.  It may have been the fact that his feet got cold or a sense he was not alone.  He realized that there was someone there at his feet.  His question was an obvious one. He wanted to know who was there.  Ruth responded by identifying herself as his servant.  She then boldly proposed to him by asking him to provide the security in marriage that he as a kinsman of Naomi’s could do.

 

1. How would you have reacted to the circumstances in which Boaz found himself?
2. What has been an occasion when you thought you were alone but sensed that someone else was nearby?
3. How did you feel?
4. Why did Boaz frame the question as he did? (He had no way of knowing who was at his feet.  It could have been friend or foe.)
5. What do you think of the boldness of Ruth?
6. Why did she feel it necessary to do so? (Boaz may never have thought of her as anything else than the girl who gleaned in his field and was loyal to her mother-in law.)
7. How do you see God at work here? (Boaz had never married.  Ruth had a boldness that would have been unusual.)

 

Ruth 3:10

Rather than rebuking her he blessed her once again using the term of endearment by calling her his daughter.  He went even further to admire the fact that she had not just married anyone to gain security for herself.  Being a young woman she may have used to approach than the one she was taking to get a husband.  She could have married someone younger and had a family. Or she could have chosen someone older just to be comfortable.  Boaz recognized the fact that she had not done so.  She had come to him because he was a relative and could provide security.  His further words were encouraging. He agreed to her request and promised to follow through the next day.  In her request he saw the qualities that had been obvious to everyone who had gotten to know her.

 

1. Why did Boaz not rebuke her? (He must have known that Naomi was behind this matchmaking and Ruth was unselfishly following her instructions.)
2. What did he do?
3. What was inherent in Ruth’s proposal and Boaz’s response? (She was not acting out of selfishness.)
4. What picture do we see of Boaz in the event? (He was a man of honor and could be trusted to follow through on his promises.)

 

Ruth 3:12-13

After giving words of encouragement he had give her some possible bad news.  There was a relative closer than he. Once again Boaz’s integrity was on display.  Knowing the truth he could have married Ruth anyway but he was honest and did every thing to be above board according to the law of the land.  To protect her from danger he had her stay with him that night with the promise that he would speak with the other man to determine who would truly be the Kinsman/Redeemer.  For Ruth this must have been disheartening because she knew the kind of man Boaz was but knew nothing of the other relative.  She was completely at the mercy of those two men and had no control over the situation.

 

1. How did Boaz encourage her?
2. What happened next that would have disheartened her?
3. When have you been in a situation over which you had no control?
4. What did you do?
5. How does this situation resemble how we come before God?
6. What was the best Ruth could hope for at that moment? (God would choose the right man for her.)
7. How is this a picture of Jesus Christ?

 

Ruth 3:14-15

To protect Ruth’s reputation Boaz had her leave before anyone could recognize her as having been at the threshing floor.  One commentator indicated that one reason that Boaz gave her the grain was so that it would have appeared that she had gone early to get some food for the day.  The other reason would have been to let Naomi know that he would was to be the provided for her and that she need not worry.

 

1. What did Boaz do to make sure that he protected Ruth’s reputation?
2. What picture does this paint of Boaz? (His concern and compassion for others.)
3. What was the purpose of giving her the grain?
4. Who is the one that in modern terms “always has your back?”
5. What do you feel about that person?

 

Ruth 3:16-18

One can only imagine what it was like for Naomi that night.  She was waiting for Ruth when she returned and wanted to know how things went.  Ruth gave her a full recap of what had happened.  She even emphasized that Boaz was concerned enough about Naomi that he sent the grain to her.  Relieved that all went well Naomi had one more command for Ruth.  She was to wait.  Naomi had faith in Boaz that he would have the issue settled that day.

 

1. How do you think Naomi spent the night?
2. What kinds of thoughts may have gone through her mind?
3. How much she like your parents when you stay out later than you should?
4. Why should those who love us be concerned about the people with whom we associate?
5. What did the grain do for Naomi? (It was a message of hope.
6. Why was Naomi able to tell Ruth to wait?
7. In whom do you have faith that you can depend on them to follow through on their word to you?

 

• As a part of your prayers this week request that the Lord reveal any areas that may be preventing you from being open to different areas of service to Him.
• Make a list of attitudes and behavior that are keeping you from working in those areas.
• Be willing to listen to those who are older and have served the Lord for years for guidance.
• Be willing to move beyond what is comfortable to what may help God’s kingdom grow.
• Don’t get boxed in by your agenda but take the lid off and see what God wants to do in your life.
• Start reading about what God is doing in other churches that are submissive to His purpose for them.

 

Doing ministry in today’s world is difficult because of all of the demands of our time and talents.  It is also presents a unique opportunity for those churches that open their eyes to how to do the work to which God has called us.  As mentioned above the SBC and other church organizations are having to rethink the philosophy that has been the driving force for them as they have tried to provide guidance in the past.  For decades the motivation has been on getting people in the pews.  They have realized that evangelism in itself does not build disciples.  Those who have not been disciple have no problem moving from church to church or in the case of young people to just stop participating.  It can be an exciting time as we discovering and put in practice the ways to bring about transformation and growth in the lives of those who come to Bethany Place.  This will not be accomplished by remaining as we are.  The new challenges this direction may present will be worth the reward of seeing lives changed.  Ruth was willing to listen to the voice of older and more experienced than she was.  That willingness would result in Ruth’s life taking a completely new direction.  As we approach this Christmas let see Jesus as our model for giving up the comfortable for the challenges of being out in a world that would eventually lead to the cross for Him but life for us.  We should hear in our hearts the words of Paul in Philippians 2 and give up our own agendas to be like the one who gave up His place in heaven to be with us.