Call to Worship – Psalm 66Call to Worship – Psalm 66

Come and hear, all you Come and hear, all you who worship God, and who worship God, and I will tell what God has I will tell what God has

done for me.done for me.Truly God has listened, Truly God has listened, and has given heed to and has given heed to the voice of my prayer.the voice of my prayer.

Statement of Faith – The Apostles’ CreedStatement of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERSPRAYERS

THE LORD’S PRAYERTHE LORD’S PRAYEROur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.forever. Amen.

RuthRuth

Ruth 1.16-17Ruth said, "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. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."

What do you put in your resume?

• Accomplishments• Successes• Activities• Honors• “Top of the

mountain experiences”

What really defines who we are is who we are and what

we do in those “foot of the mountain

experiences.”

We are defined as a nation, a community, a church, and family, and a

person by how we respond to

hard times.

My response to hard times is my choice. My choice is a statement of faith. My choice directs my future.

The Story of Naomi and Ruth

• Two women– The Book of Naomi?

• Same circumstances– Personal problems– National problem– Human problem

• Different responses– Shaped by events– Shaped by faith

The Story of Naomi and Ruth

• Naomi was married to Elimelech.

• They had two sons.• There was a famine in the

land (Judah).• The family moved to

Moab.• Things were good in

Moab. Sons married wives from Moab.

Life in Moab

• Away from family• Different

language• Different religion• Different life• Start all over• Survival!

The Story of Naomi and Ruth

• Elimelech dies.• After ten years both sons

die.• The three women are left

on their own.– A family member could

redeem Naomi, but there is no family.

– The family is the last and only hope for survival.

The Story of Naomi and Ruth

• The famine in Judah subsides.

• Naomi decides to return home.

• Naomi releases both daughters-in-law to their families.– One says “good-bye.”– Ruth says “I’m with you.”

• There are no guarantees.

Ruth 1.16-17Ruth said, "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. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."

The Story of Naomi and Ruth

• Ruth responded with love and loyalty.• Naomi gave up

hope and blamed God.

Ruth 1.20-21

"Don't call me Naomi, " she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."

• Naomi = “pleasant”• Mara = “bitter”• The Lord brought me

back empty.• The Lord has afflicted

me.• The Lord has brought

misfortune on me.

Who is to blame?

“How pleasant my life is!” “God has made me bitter.”

There is no denying that there are circumstances that are hard

and harsh.

Will I be changed by circumstances or will I show who I am and who God is?

Naomi was changed by the circumstances.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed,

"Can this be Naomi?" Ruth 1.19

The Rest of the Story• Ruth goes to the wheat

fields where the men are harvesting the grain.

• She gets in with the women who are picking up the left-overs.

• Boaz, the owner, notices Ruth and makes sure she gets enough grain.

• Boaz is a relative of Naomi.

The Rest of the Story

• Naomi has the family land that can be redeemed.

• The closest relative has the right of refusal.

• “I would like the land, but I cannot take Naomi and Ruth.”

• Boaz redeems Naomi and marries Ruth.

The rest of the rest of the story.

• Boaz and Ruth have a son, named Obed.

• Naomi gets redeemed and blessed through Ruth.

• The people of God get redeemed and blessed through Ruth.

How do we respond to harsh circumstances?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8.28

What comes before: Romans 8.18-27The Spirit helps us in our

weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.

• The reality of circumstances

• The reality of our weakness

• The reality of God’s involvement

• The reality of God’s love.

What comes after: Romans 8.31-9What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God

is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What do we do with circumstances?

• Ignore circumstances?• Escape circumstances?• Be shaped by circumstances?

Do we become more than conquerors through Christ?

Romans 8.28 and Circumstances

• All circumstances are not good.• God does not create all circumstances.• In all circumstances God is at work.• God is good.• God’s goodness is for his purpose.• God’s purpose is a loving, intimate, abundant,

and personal relationship with you forever.

In all circumstances make a statement:

Who are you?Who is God?

Virtual United Methodist Churchis a ministry of

Louisville District ReStarts and New Initiativesof the Louisville District

of the Kentucky Annual Conferenceof the United Methodist Church

Director: Dr. John Wesley Sliderjwslider@aol.com

If you wish to support the ministry send checks payable to:LDI

10507 Glenmary Farm DriveLouisville, Kentucky 40291

All donations will be given to one of the ministries of LDI: Arcadia Hispanic Ministries, Eben-Ezer Hispanic NewStart Church, Pleasure Ridge Park ReStart Church, Preston

Highway ReStart Church, West Broadway ReStart Church, West End Ministries