← ArchiveRuthRuth: Take Me Under Your Wing (Ruth 3)DateMay 15, 2022SpeakerDr Josh BurnhamTextRuth 3Passages in this sermonRuth 37:29Ruth 3:17:50Psalms 13015:00Hosea 9:117:29Ruth 12128:59Romans 5:836:21TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00The End Today's message is on the providence of God.0:30And so we're going to stop, and this is not on my notes. Eric, he loves it when I go off script. Did anyone notice this shirt I was wearing in the video? Tucker, you had your hand raised. What was the shirt? I was wearing the shirt, and we videoed those announcements on Tuesday. That was a Buffalo Sabres shirt, which reminds me, in God's providence, if you haven't heard,0:59there was a shooting at a Buffalo grocery store yesterday, last night, and ten people have died. So we're just going to pause and pray. I believe that's God's providence of reminding us. There are families today who are weeping over the loss of their family members, and there are three that are already still in the hospital. So church, let's pause and pray for the city of Buffalo and the families and the tragedy that happened this weekend.1:27So church, let's pause and pray for the city of Buffalo and the families and the tragedy that happened this weekend.1:49Lord, only you can have a pastor in Moody, Alabama, wear a Buffalo Sabres shirt on the same week that this horrific tragedy has happened. Lord, thank you for the reminder that your people should weep and cry out when evil runs rampant. Father, we pray your comfort for the families that are burying those that they love over the evil of one person.2:15Lord, for the ten families, Lord, that they don't know you, may they find that Jesus Christ gives the answer in life and in death. Father, may they know that the resurrection gives them a new hope, even past the grave. Lord, for those that are redeemed, may they know the words of your Son.2:43May they experience that this week. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will find comfort. Lord, for the three that are fighting for their lives, we pray for supernatural healing in their lives. The healing that we know that you can provide, Lord. And Lord, as we see another shooting. Father, only you know the hearts of men and women.3:11So we cry out, Lord, that for you to come quickly and heal this broken world. Lord, there are divides in our lives that only Jesus Christ can fix. So, Lord, come quickly. But until you do, Father, may we be the hands and the feet. Lord, heal Buffalo. Heal these families. Lord, may justice flow like a river.3:39And may we see our world turn to you in revival. Lord, we ask this in Christ, our Savior's name. Amen. Today's message is on providence. I want to share this quick story. It comes from a fellow pastor in Mississippi. One day, they were showing a new person around town. And his name was Slim. Because, you know, in Mississippi, everyone has a nickname.4:09So his name was Slim Cornett. And they were showing him around a rural airport. And the person that was showing him said, Slim, if I turn on this switch, it will illuminate the floodlights. And if there was a plane in the sky that was in distress, they would be able to see and they would be able to land. Out of the darkness, they heard an airplane. And as it happened, a plane was in distress. And by this person flipping on the light,4:37this plane landed safely in rural Mississippi. Unbeknownst to them, this man got out of the plane that they recognized. It was actually Franklin Graham. He is the son of the famed evangelist Billy Graham. And they said, while we were traveling through Alabama, going on our way to Texas again, we had an electrical failure and we lost all instrumentation. No lights, no GPS, no guidance.5:04We were completely lost. And when we saw the light, we were able to land. Later, Ruth Graham told this story this way. She said, before they left home, Billy sat in the living room with Franklin and the pilot and prayed this prayer. He said, Lord, I pray that you protect my son and you guide the pilot on their way back to the university.5:31Now, let me ask you, is this merely coincidence? Was it random chance that they were flying over who knows where in Mississippi, and as they were flying over this place that this light turned on, or is there something deeper happening there? For the Christian, this is what we call providence. It is God working through natural means to care for those that love him5:58and are called according to his purposes. And Ruth, the book of Ruth, is a master class in providence. It's the ancient TED talk on providence. Because it is God's constant reminder that he is working behind the scenes, continually in your life for your good and his glory.6:24So if you're here right now and you think, my life has completely fallen apart, I don't see God, I don't see him working, the reminder in God's word is he is working, even when you can't see. Even when you are on a dark night, you never know when the floodlight will come on. Because God is there. And for our graduates, I know you scattered out now. Because not even graduates sit on the front row. Unless we make them.6:54I want you to know that it is the providence of God that will carry you every day for the rest of your life. It is God's daily work through the Spirit in your life that we find strength. So as we read Ruth, this is the hope that we have. And it is understanding God's daily care that makes us patient, that makes us hopeful, and allows you to move forward in life7:21because you know that God will not abandon you. So with all of that, let's read Ruth chapter 3 and see God's providence over Ruth and Boaz and Naomi and God's providence in your life and mine. Ruth 3, Ruth's in the Old Testament. Find Genesis and find Judges and find Ruth. It's right there by Judges. Ruth chapter 3, verse 1.7:50Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, said to her, My daughter, shouldn't I, shouldn't I, highlight that word, shouldn't I find rest for you so that you will be taken care of? Now isn't Boaz our relative? Haven't you been working with his female servants? This evening, he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash. Put on perfumed oil. Wear your best clothes.8:19Go down to the threshing floor. But don't let the man know that you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, notice the place where he's lying down. Go in and cover his feet and lie down next to him. Then he will explain to you what you should do. So Ruth said to her, I will do everything you say. Let's pray for God's guidance. Father, as we read your word,8:48we know, we know, Lord, that your word is living and active. It is sharper than any sword. It penetrates our heart. It penetrates our deepest needs. So Lord, meet us where we are that we might see you and pursue you in truth and in spirit. So Lord, we pray this in Jesus, the Messiah, our Lord and our Savior. His name. Amen. And amen.9:18And amen. So there's no opening statements, no introduction. We jump right in to the text. Now did you notice what Naomi says? I asked you to highlight it mentally. Or if you have a phone, you can click and hit the highlight button. Naomi says, my daughter, shouldn't the Lord find rest for your soul? Naomi says, should not I find rest?9:45Quite odd, don't you think, that Naomi is now saying, I need to take matters into my own hands. So she urges Ruth, and this is an ancient ritual that we'll unpack. She urges Ruth to go down to the threshing floor to put on oil and to wear her best clothes. This is the ancient version of saying,10:14listen, make yourself look really nice. Olive oil was a valued commodity, and especially in the Palestinian area, they would smear olive oil over their skin and their hair to protect them from the harsh environments. Hey, that's the way my wife won me over. She smeared Crisco oil on her hair, and I said, I love the smell of french fries. That canola oil, mmm.10:44mmm. She didn't do that, don't, that's a joke. Can you imagine telling your daughter-in-law though, you know, you just lather up with olive oil. That, that will find you a mate right there. But there's, this is the ancient version of making yourself attractive in a way that Boaz would desire you. It's Naomi saying, listen, I'm going to take matters into my own hands. Come here. I'm getting the olive oil.11:14I'm going to make you. I'm going to make him want you. And so what we see is someone not understanding God's providence. Because God's providence is the Lord's care for your life in natural means. And when you embrace the truth that God continually cares for you, where God continually works for you, you're less likely to take matters in your own hands. So let me just say it,11:43I guess, bluntly. Some of you are going to be oily tomorrow. because you're taking matters into your own hands thinking, I need to make this happen for myself. And not trusting God fully. Naomi became impatient when she saw an opportunity. She knew that Boaz was a redeemer. He wasn't the only redeemer, but he was a potential suitor. And so now she's impatient. She says, we have to make12:13this happen. Do you ever find the place in your life where you try to take matters into your own hands? Have you ever been there before? Where maybe you've been praying and you say, God, I know you hear me, but I'm tired of praying, I'm tired of waiting, let's go. Get the olive oil, get the perfume, go down to the threshing floor. If you're in that place right now thinking that you have to make12:42something happen, trust God. Trust the Lord. Be patient because you will find rest only in his soul. Only in his care. It's interesting that Naomi uses the word rest. She said, should I not find rest for your soul? It's the same word that the Bible uses in the flood narrative in Genesis. Do you remember the flood narrative? It rains for 40 days and 40 nights and the floods13:12come up and Noah's in the ark with all these animals and then the rain stops and the flood recedes but it doesn't recede immediately. So Noah needs to figure out when can I park the ark? So he sends out a raven and the raven finds no place to land and the raven comes back and Noah says the waters are still there. Then he sends out a dove, the first dove and the dove flies to and fro. I don't know where it flew but it13:41but it comes back and it doesn't have anything in its mouth. It doesn't find rest for its care. The Bible says it uses the same word. That dove did not find rest. Now what happens if Noah says I'm tired of waiting. The rain stopped, we're parking, the ark here, everyone off. What would happen if Noah grew impatient with God's providence and God's protection over his life? I don't know14:11the answer but most likely we would not be here. Because everyone in this room is a descendant from Noah. Praise God for his patience and finding rest in Yahweh alone. If you are growing impatient do not hurry the promises of God. Do not. Thankfully Noah sent out the third dove and it comes back with the olive branch and Noah knew that the waters were receding and he said he14:40knew God your promises are enduring. You promised to protect us. You promised to care for us. We trusted you. When the world said that we were crazy Lord I believed in you and you delivered. Are you trusting God today? Psalm 130 verse 5 says Lord I will wait on you. I will put my hope in your word. Church waiting on15:09waiting on the Lord is never time wasted. Waiting on the Lord is never time time wasted. If you call me tomorrow and say I smeared the olive oil I would say you should have waited. You should have waited. Wait on the Lord. It is not wasted. Let's look at verse 6. So Ruth listens and she goes down to the threshing floor and15:39floor and she did everything that her mother-in-law had charged her to do. After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley and she came secretly and she uncovered his feet and she lay down. At midnight Boaz was startled. He turned over and lying there at his feet was a woman. We'll stop there. Now we have Naomi's plan unfolding16:09plan unfolding as Ruth did everything. So she goes down to the threshing floor. The threshing floor was a place where they removed the husk and the trash of the grain from the seed of the grain. They would go in a location and they would tread that. They would stomp on that. In crushing the grain it would separate what was good from bad. In smaller villages like Bethlehem they would have been one threshing16:38one threshing floor between all the fields for all the community. This was a communal public space most likely. So all of the men all of the harvesters would have been in this location. So Boaz and the other men were working eating drinking and were in good spirits. Seeing her opportunity Ruth lay down near Boaz. underneath the Hebrew narrative is a17:07is a deeply sexualized suggestive episode here. So if you're a parent and you want to walk out in the next five minutes if you have a child feel free to do so. If you do not want to do that I will answer their questions after the service for you. Hosea chapter 9 verse 1 condemns the prostitutes who visit the threshing17:37threshing floor. Because this is a time where all the men in the village are gathering. They're in good spirits. They're experiencing and reaping the harvest of all of their hard work. They're eating. They're drinking. They're partying. This is not a location where you would send your daughter to go find a match. If your daughter says hey mom can I go to the threshing floor tonight?18:07tonight? It'll be okay. Boaz is there. You would say no. Go to him at lunchtime. High noon. Go to the marketplace. Go to the shopping center. Go to the supermarket. But don't go to the threshing floor. Nothing good happens at the threshing floor. That's the first instance that all might not meet18:37meet the eye. They're drinking into the night. Again not the ideal situation. And some scholars have even suggested is it possible that Naomi is suggesting to Ruth go to the threshing floor wait till they're drunk maybe get pregnant and then one of them will have to provide for us. We're going to force the issue. We're going to take matters into our own hands to make matters worse. She lies down with Boaz. The19:06The last time we heard the word lie down is when a daughter of Lot lied down with Lot her father father in law and from this incestuous relationship they had a child and the child's name was Moab. So can you see the deep deep undertone here and even more in Hebrew to uncover someone's feet means more19:36more than just a pedicure. Like there is a deeply suggestive sexual narrative in this point and everything in the text is screaming to us what will happen but here is what we know we know the character of Boaz and we know the character of Ruth and what we see in them is that God is teaching us so20:06so much more what you think might happen does not happen and this is immediately hitting our modern culture so let's talk about sexuality and how we respond to that as God fears you didn't think I was going to go there did you it'll be okay because if we can't talk about sex and relationships in the church given by God we will learn it from somewhere okay verse nine so he asked where20:36where are you now I would say this if you wake up tonight and there's a strange woman at your foot you would have she says I am Ruth your servant take me under your wing for you are a family redeemer then he said verse 10 may the lord bless you my daughter you have shown more kindness now than before because you have not pursued younger men whether rich or poor don't be afraid my daughter I will do whatever you say since21:06since all the people in my town they know that you are a woman of noble character right so there's this highly suggestive sexual scene it's laying out for us this is what the world expects to happen and now we see that Ruth is a person of character verse 12 yes it is true that I am a family redeemer but there is a redeemer closer than I stay tonight and in the morning if he wants21:36wants to redeem you that's good let him redeem you but if he does not want to redeem you as the Lord lives I will now lie down until morning hey strange woman just spend the night it's okay verse 14 so she lay down at his feet until morning but she got up while it was still dark then Boaz said don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor again another suggestive phrase right don't let anyone know you're here and he told22:06told Ruth bring the shawl you're wearing hold it out when she held it out he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl and she went out into the town so Boaz wakes up literally with cold feet because his feet have been uncovered and I believe that is referential I believe she literally I don't believe that anything sexual happened I believe she uncovered his feet now I believe that there is a suggestive scene22:35scene because there were prostitutes at the threshing floor I will let you connect those dots to say there were two options it was to honor Christ and honor relationship or it was to everyone is doing this and we see that they choose to honor God and refuse their sexual interest and can I tell you if you23:05you are a Christ follower there will be moments in your life where you will have to refuse your self gratification sexually to honor the Lord because our world tells you that sexual fulfillment is the highest God in your life and the word tells you that Jesus Christ is the only one who is worthy to be praised there is a powerful truth here and so the text begs the question23:35question will Boaz choose Ruth as a sexual object or will he choose her in covenant relationship that honors her and the Lord we need people of faith who do not see others as sexual objects to meet their pleasure but to believe that covenant relationship is what honors God and deeply loves the other person best now let me tell you this and I know a lot of our youth24:05are really squirming it's okay the the Bible never says sex is bad so do not hear me say sex ugh ah close your ears don't do that because what we see in scripture is that sexuality is created by God to be good and flourish in the context of covenant marriage and sexual relationship24:34relationship hear me clearly outside of God's healthy boundaries are poisonous to your soul if you really love someone you will not have sex outside of marriage because it is poisoning your heart and it is poisoning theirs because relationships die and broken sexuality we live in a world where cohabitation is rampant we live in a world that says go down to the25:04to the threshing floor it is okay everyone is doing it we will turn a blind eye do you know if you poll people who are living together and they are not married and listen you live together because you are most likely in a sexual relationship you can say whatever we want right but that is why you live together most people will say well 84% of cohabitations will say what we are trying to see25:34see if we are compatible so the world says you try out the relationship by living together first and if that works then you can get married and do you know what studies will share about those who cohabitate when you cohabitate without getting married your your gratification in one another sexually goes down your happiness goes down your stress goes up26:04up everything that you want in a relationship decreases when you live together outside of marriage that's not what bible scholars say that's what sociologists will tell you that's what psychologists will tell you we need a world that a christian environment that does not partake of cheap sexual experience we need people of faith who choose enduring relationships26:33relationships where sexuality will have its home so let me ask you do you want what is best for your life or do you want what is a cheap poisonous version church may we choose deep covenantal love for one another that's what god wants for us now some of you are thinking will you just please move on but if we27:03we do not have a faith understanding of sexuality and flourishing you will never find fulfillment in intimacy in your marriage and if you are longing for intimacy outside of marriage sexually you will never find it because it is fundamentally broken pursue god's design and pursue his best verse 16 okay we will move on now you're welcome27:33welcome she went to her mother-in-law Naomi who asked her what happened my daughter okay let me let me just pause right there you sent your daughter-in-law to the threshing floor with a bunch of drunk most likely drunk men who they did not she did not28:03not know in darkness with olive oil smeared all over her hair it was perfumed looming her best what do you think happens and yet Boaz and Ruth chose covenant relationship and covenant love what a powerful testimony she said verse 17 he gave me six measures of barley because he said do not28:33not go to your mother-in-law empty handed and Naomi said my daughter wait until you find out how things go for he will not rest have you heard that before she said I will find rest for you and now she says no Boaz will not find rest until he resolves this today do you remember what Naomi said in Ruth 121 you can turn29:03turn there if you desire she's coming back to Bethlehem and she says I went away full I left Bethlehem full but I have returned empty don't call me pleasant don't call me Naomi which means pleasant call me Marah which is call me bitter because I am empty did you hear what Ruth29:33Ruth said only God can do this this is God's providence at work in her life Boaz in verse 17 says this he gave her six measures of barley because do not go to your mother-in-law empty handed I believe that when she heard those words she stopped in30:03in her tracks because she remembered saying to God and to the community God brought me back empty he doesn't care and now she's taking matters to her own hands she's saying Ruth you go into this dangerous situation you go find love at night in a drunken party at the threshing floor who knows what's going to happen and Ruth returns back and says30:33says God has different plans for us God God has different plans because he church he never forgot about them his promises endure forever she did not come back empty that's the negative we can say it this way she came back full God31:00God God will never leave you empty handed if you are his church if you are his son or daughter redeemed by the grace and the blood of Jesus Christ the Lord will never leave you empty handed even if I have nothing if all I have is Jesus I am not empty handed because the hands31:30hands that took the nails are the same hands that will hold me fast until the ends so when I am empty handed I remember the nails that were open handed for my life and my redemption this is God's providence and so Naomi says my daughter wait until you find how things go I think that was Naomi's way of saying32:00saying I get it Lord I should wait on you because God you know best do you find waiting on the Lord difficult I know most of you are perfect in maturity and patience and I think that I am there until I get the one self checkout that's broken and I get behind the one couponer who32:30who can't find the right coupon or picked up the wrong brand and the coupon doesn't work and I say to the Lord Lord how dare you make me wait do they know who I am and God says Josh you're not there yet are you wait on me son because when you wait it is not wasted and when you wait we have to say God I don't understand how it will all work32:59work out but Lord I trust in you and God when I feel empty handed I know that I'm not so I trust in you so if you're here today and you are trying to take matters into your own hands and you walked in with clenched fist and you said I will make this job work I will make this relationship work I will make spirituality work I will get to heaven on my terms it33:29it will happen may today be the day where you finally give it to God say God I will wait on you I will wait as a mom who's waiting for the birth of her child one month and two months would you ever tell a mother you're wasting time waiting on the birth of your child no because the longer they wait the more joy33:58joy that God gives church we must wait on the Lord when we say as Ruth said take me under your wing we are waiting on the Lord it's time to open our hands and say God I will wait maybe you've come in and you're praying for a miracle and sometimes in my life when I'm praying for big miracles fireworks I miss34:28miss God's daily providence and I miss the thousands of things God is doing today because I want the big bank would you ask God to show you his providential care in your life today the sun rose because God told it to I breathe because God gives me breath it's34:58it's God's care for you don't miss that in your life but there is one thing that's not worth waiting on and that's Jesus Christ did you know that God sent his one and only son to die on a cross for sinners like us that whoever calls upon35:28upon that name the name of Jesus Christ will be saved and when I share with people the gospel sometimes they will say well I want to wait there's one thing in your life that's not worth waiting on and that is decision to give your life to Jesus you are here today because God wants you to know that he loves you enough to send his son to take your place and there is forgiveness for your deepest sins in the cross35:58cross you say well I want to wait don't wait you're here today because God wants you to hear his love for you I'm thankful for a God who didn't wait on us to get our act together I'm thankful for a guy that it says in the word that God proves his love for us Romans 5 8 that while we were still sinners on your ugliest36:27ugliest day at the threshing floor God sent his son to die for you God didn't wait on you to get your act together do not wait to run to him and find abundant life today do not wait this is God's providence and if you ask me pastor well I want to give my life to Christ how can I do that today the prayer of repentance and the prayer of faith is always heard in the halls of36:57of heaven and you can pray a prayer like this listen this these words will not save you no words will save you only Jesus saves be but if you mean them with your heart by faith God hears those you could pray a prayer like this God I know that my life is broken and it's because of my sin God I believe that Jesus came to live a perfect life to die on a cross for37:27for me and he rose again in three days Lord forgive me I turn from my selfish ways and I turn to you I know that Jesus is Lord of all and I will follow him Lord means that God is in control Savior means that he has redeemed you and he has saved you if God is not reigning in your life he has not saved you from your sins because he is Lord and Savior37:57Savior as one don't wait because he is daily working in us eternal weight of glory even when we can't see he is working for your good and for his glory father we thank you for your providence Lord Thank you.← Previous in RuthA Chance Encounter with the Redeemer (Ruth 2)Next in Ruth →Ruth: The Story of Two Redeemers (Ruth 4)More sermons on Ruth →
