Love, Loyalty & LaborRuth 3:16

Adapted from a Davon Huss sermonhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?

ContributorID=&SermonID=46608

Ruth 3:16 NIV When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He

gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law

empty-handed.’ ” 18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the

matter is settled today.”

Attractive:Pleasing to the eye or mind; charming.

Beauty:A pleasing quality associated with harmony

of form or color, excellence of craftsmanship, truthfulness, originality, or

another, often undefined property.

To be attractive, pleasing to look at involves aesthetically pleasing measurements, the right color, the right texture, and the right this and that. If we don’t have it we are

sorry, out of luck. This world can be cruel. There are qualities that transcend the

outward appearance. They can make us attractive so that people are drawn or they

can make us unattractive so that people are repelled.

How do we become attractive to those around us? How do we become someone

people want to be around? How do we become attractive to our co-workers? How

do we become attractive to our family? Most importantly, how do we become

attractive to the one who matters most, and that is God?

Women put on lots of makeup, get a fancy haircut, get a tan, get a face lift, get a

tummy tuck, get their nails done, run miles every day, use Oil of Olay, use the right

perfume, all to be attractive.

Men lift weights, make sure their hair is done in the coolest style, know the correct etiquette and chivalry, they must be tough

yet sensitive, and they must have the coolest car in town, all to make themselves

attractive.

Many, if not most, people think they must look good in a swimming suit!

Joe McKeever is quoted saying, As a cartoonist and sketch artist, I love to draw people. So I notice people who have that

something extra, that inner glow that makes the difference between "Nice-looking" and "wow." It’s like someone has turned on a

light inside them causing a radiance to seep out the pores of their skin.

It surely must be what Peter intended when he said; Let your beauty not be external —

the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes —but the inner

person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious

in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:4 NET

Inner beauty. Estee Lauder and Mary Kay will never figure out how to bottle it. It is a

spiritual quality.

Have you noticed that when people lose their inner beauty (due to sin and only due to sin), or when they’ve never had it, they

often fake it with an over-emphasis on makeup, hair and nail treatments, clothing,

and jewelry. The effect is like trying to reproduce the Mona Lisa with crayons. It never works. You take two young people,

one with an ugly attitude but beautiful outwardly, and the other who has a lovely

spirit but is plain outwardly, and in time, the situations will reverse.

The lovely spirit will transform the person into a true beauty, and the bad attitude will rob the other of their youthful beauty. The inner quality, whatever it is, good or not

good, will eventually come out and will rule. A beautiful heart more than offsets the

handicap of a homely face!

Isaac Asimov is quoted saying, She (Ruth) has remained ever since, to all men, one of

the most attractive women in the Bible.

Why? Why did this man say that Ruth is one of the most attractive women in the Bible? Esther, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Philistine women, these women are all mentioned as very attractive. So why is

Ruth an attractive woman?

She is never mentioned as being attractive in the Bible. No mention of physical beauty.

We do not have a picture of Ruth but assuming the reaction of Boaz, she probably was very attractive. Maybe

physically but an inner radiance that shone through. Boaz noticed it and was attracted

to it.

Attraction does not always depend on looks. We all have known beautiful people

who have terrible attitudes. Not so attractive even though they may be physically

beautiful. An average person of modest physical beauty who has a great outlook

and attitude is attractive.Let’s look at some of the attributes and characteristics of Ruth that made her so

attractive.

Not talking about a Don Won or a Cleopatra or some kind of seductress, but a great

lover of people and a great lover of God.The story of Naomi.

Her son Mahlon married Ruth. Mahlon and his brother Chilion died. The famine is over.

Naomi released Orpha & Ruth from any responsibility to her saying, “Each of you go back to your Mother’s home and find new

husbands.”

Ruth was a great lover.

Naomi pleaded with them to return. It would be hard for them. Widows could not get

steady jobs. Naomi could not provide them with husbands. It was customary when a

son died, that another son would marry the widow and provide children for his brother.

Naomi could not provide this.

Ruth 1:14 NIV At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by,

but Ruth clung to her. 15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to

her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “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. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD

deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped

urging her.

Ruth had a great love for her mother-in-law Naomi. She saw Naomi needed her even

though Naomi did not think so. It is a shame that so many mother in-laws and daughter

in-laws do not have that kind of love between them today. Ruth understood true love. Love is not self-seeking. Many people

once love; the relationship becomes inconvenient or restricting, many people end that love, that relationship. Throw off marriages, throw off friends, and throw off

children.

Immature love follows the principle: "I love because I am loved" Mature love says: "I

am loved because I love." There has to be a give and take and when it all becomes

giving and no taking, many people grow weary and abandon ship.

Mother’s are to love their husbands and children.

Titus 2:4 NET In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to

love their children,

There was another reason that Ruth stuck with Naomi. Ruth did not want to go back to

her family or to the old gods. The god of Moab was Chemosh.

Chemosh apparently wanted the people to sacrifice their firstborn sons in the fire to

him.

2 Kings 3:26 NIV When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him,

he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 Then he took his firstborn

son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall.

The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

Ruth saw something vastly different in the Israelites God. She saw worship that built

up the family. She saw worship that was not provocative to the flesh but convicting to the

soul. She saw the laws, rules and regulations of the Israelite God and she

realized these things are good.

Not that she understood everything but she saw that they were different and good. She

saw a God who showed loving-kindness and compassion to people. Not like

Chemosh who had to be appeased with sacrifices and even then he might not show

favor.

When she married Mahlon, God gained a convert. It was not right for Elimelech and his sons to go to Moab; it was not right for

Mahlon and Chilion to marry foreign women, but in the end it turned out good for Ruth. She loved the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She heard the stories of Moses and the miracles and she was hooked. Not that the Israelites were perfect, but she saw

God and she loved him.

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” Ruth did not want to go back to that. Ruth was a true worshipper of God and went with Naomi to Judah because of that love. Boaz says, May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of

Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12 NIV

Many people accept Christ through superficial motives. They never surrender all. They do it to please family, friends, and romantic interests. They love God to a point

and leave him when it becomes inconvenient. They do not love God

enough.They love other things better.

Do not love the world…

She showed loyalty to Naomi and her covenant with Elimelech’s family. Ruth went the extra mile, even though Naomi loosed

her from this responsibility; still she remained loyal to Naomi and to God. She

took her words, promises and commitments seriously.

Ruth showed great loyalty.

These verses (16-17) are used in many wedding ceremonies because it depicts love and loyalty to the wedding vows.

However, it can apply to many other areas. It seems many today have no idea of what

loyalty is. Synonyms of loyal: Faithful, trustworthy, devoted, reliable, dependable,

steadfast, dedicated, trusty, constant Does our society value loyalty?

Horton hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss- Lazy Mayzie the bird was sitting on an egg.

Horton the elephant passes by and Mayzie gets him to sit on the egg. Mayzie leaves

and doesn’t come back. Horton continues to sit on the egg through all kinds of weather. Then some men find Horton sitting on the

egg and they are so fascinated with an elephant sitting on an egg that they take

Horton and the egg and sell him to a circus.

Throughout all of these episodes, Horton says, "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant… An elephant’s faithful- one hundred

percent." Finally, the egg hatches and out pops an elephant-bird. And it should be, it should be, it should be like that! Because Horton was faithful! He sat and he sat! He meant what he said And he said what he meant…And they sent him home Happy,

One hundred per cent!

How many people would fulfill such a promise! We see here a woman of great character. It is comforting to know some

people who mean what they say and follow through on their promises. It is refreshing to have friends who say they will help you and

support you and they actually do it.

We need more Ruth’s in our society. We need more people who will not stab us in the back. We need more people who will

lead us down the right path. We need more people who will stick with us when we are

right and when we are wrong. These people are few and far between. That is why they

are so attractive.

Hold To Christ, cling to Him. We will stick with Christ; we will stick with our families

even though better offers come. We need to be loyal to our mothers and mothers need to be loyal to their children. Ruth remained loyal even in the midst of adversity. Naomi

was old and was unable to provide for herself. God’s law in Israel is that the

corners of the fields were reserved for the poor.

Leviticus 19:9 NIV “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings

of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the

grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your

God.

Ruth and Naomi came back to Bethlehem during the barley harvest. Ruth went to a field and started to glean what was there.

She went to the field of Boaz. Chapter 2

Boaz helped her to gather a lot because he knew who she was and he respected her and her character. It was hard work but

Ruth was loyal.

Ruth knew that going with Naomi put her in a very low position. Not just one widow but two. No income. No steady work. Had to work as a poor woman gleaning in the

fields, not an easy job and maybe even a dangerous one. Usually gleaners did not

get much from a day’s work. Besides, she was a foreigner.

Ruth sacrificed a lot for her love and loyalty to family and to God.

Ruth must have had culture shock in moving to a different country. There were

many unfamiliar ways of doing things, many unfamiliar customs and sayings, not to

mention language differences. She left her father and mother and homeland, never to

return. Ruth had to sacrifice much.

A lot of times there is a sacrifice, a giving up of something (carrying a cross) to be a

Christian. Our parent’s had to sacrifice a lot for us.

To sacrifice is to love. 1 John 4:10 NET In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for

our sins.

Ruth even sacrificed a lot of her dignity.

Chapter 3;

Naomi comes up with a plan. Boaz is one of their kinsman-redeemers. "A brother in law

or a close relative who bought back the land of an impoverished or deceased relative to

carry on his name in Israel.

If there was a widow from a deceased relative, the kinsman-redeemer would have to marry that widow and provide children for

his brother in-law or close relative so that his name would be carried on in Israel. For a woman to make a marriage proposal or ask permission of a kinsman-redeemer to come and redeem, she had to uncover his

legs and lie down by his feet as in submission, then the man would make that

decision.

Boaz was older than Ruth. This could be embarrassing for Ruth. During the night Boaz was sleeping at the threshing floor,

Ruth comes, uncovers his legs & lay at his feet. Ruth 3:11 NIV And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a

woman of noble character.Boaz needs to approach the closest

kinsman-redeemer and have him redeem or allow Boaz to redeem.

Ruth is one of the most attractive women in the Bible. Boaz says why. “you are a

woman of noble character.” What made her so attractive? Her love, her

loyalty and her sacrifice.Matthew 6:33 NET But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these

things will be given to you as well.The Lord blesses those who please him.

Chapter 4

Boaz is allowed to be Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer. Boaz and Ruth are married and

Ruth gave birth to a son. Naomi was comforted in her old age with a grandson

named Obed, the grandfather of King David, in the lineage of Jesus.

What happened?

WE have a kinsman-redeemer and that redeemer is Jesus Christ. He bought us

back from being poor, wretched, and miserable. We were like Ruth and Naomi

and even worse. Much like Boaz, who had nothing really to gain financially. Jesus

gained a bride through his love, loyalty and sacrifice, the Church. May we be an

attractive bride like Ruth was to Boaz.

Are you part of His bride, The Church? Do you believe as Peter did? Matthew 16:15

NET He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Have you repented of your sins & turned to God? Acts 26:20 NET but I declared to

those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the

Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with

repentance.

Have you been added to the number? Acts 2:41 NET So those who accepted his

message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

Are you living faithfully, staying true to the Lord? Acts 11:23 NET When he came and

saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the

Lord with devoted hearts,