Grace Baptist Santa Clarita: Service Podcast

As we re-enter the story of Ruth, we come to the climax of the story. Here we are introduced to the position of a relative-redeemer. In Israel the family and the land were to remain connected. A family’s land was to be a reminder to every generation of God’s provision and care for them. When, due to financial need, a family would sell the right to the produce of their land – known as the usufruct – it could be “redeemed” or bought back by a close and generous relative. That Boaz has promised to act as Naomi’s redeemer is central to the story, but it’s even more important as a foreshadowing of Messiah – Jesus Christ – who became like us so that He might redeem us and provide us an eternal refuge from our sin.

Jesus’ example of humility in this foundational passage of Scripture is not only an amazing glimpse into the character and nature of God, but also a powerful model for believers today. Seeking to stoke the fire of unity amongst believers in the Roman colony of Philippi, Paul encourages selfless humility as the key to unity. In a status-driven culture, he offers them Jesus. The lessons we see Jesus model for us become a great pattern for anyone to follow who wants to exude Christ-likeness, build unity in relationships, and put “status” in its right place.

Perhaps the most fundamental idea in a place of refuge is the promise of protection. We have been talking about our marriages being places of refuge where acceptance, affection, and provision are consistently provided by both spouses for each other. But perhaps the greatest element in a “refuge marriage” is the protection that the marriage provides for the couple. Marriage can protect us from the temptations and trials of the world, provide breathing space, and safety. It is also important to understand our mutual responsibility to protect the marriage from influences – both internal and external – that can serve to erode our marital oneness. If a “refuge marriage” is one that increasingly reflects the love between Christ and His church, then it is essential that we first understand just what a refuge we have in Jesus Christ. Paul is quick to remind us that “in Christ” are to be found all the promises of God including that of Ps. 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. As we c

One of the most toxic marital myths is that “the two become one, and I’m the one!” All too often we marry and then are surprised to find that marriage is much more about “giving” than “receiving.” Like our bank accounts, it is far more about making deposits than withdrawals. Unfortunately, too many of us have drained the marital account and are drastically overdrawn! Perhaps the greatest challenge on our wedding day is that two self-absorbed people suddenly merge their lives together, both thinking that their spouse now exists for them. But this was never God’s intention. Marriage is to be a model of His love for us, and this love is demonstrated by a willingness to give and give and give. This weekend we look at how a Refuge Marriage is built on unselfish giving. As we provide those things our spouse needs, we both strengthen the marriage covenant and satisfy the heart of the one we love. And it is in seeing this satisfaction that we find duty turned to delight.

In the book of Ruth we have traced how the blessings of God’s refuge flowed to the young Moabite widow through the generous love of the man who would become her husband … Boaz. In this we see God’s plan: our marriages are to be a reflection of the love God has for His own. This view of marriage as a “refuge” for both husband and wife demands that we be intentional about strengthening our marriage covenant. Marriages are not self-sustaining; they must be nourished and cared for with great precision if they are to be places of safety and satisfaction. Last weekend we looked at the first “wall” of a refuge marriage: acceptance. We defined this as “being more willing to forgive than to hold a grudge.” This weekend we will look at affection and consider it as the practical extension of love aimed at preserving and promoting marital union and communion.

As we have walked through the story of Ruth and Boaz, it is evident that God views marriage in a special way. After all, He invented it! And He invented it for our good and for His glory. The simple truth is this: God created marriage for our good, and for His glory, and when our marriages bring Him glory, they will be good for us. Over the coming weeks we’ll take some of what we’ve learned from Ruth and see how it fits into our story today. Specifically, we’ll look at what a marriage looks like when it is a place of rest, a place of refuge for both spouses. We’ll call this a Refuge Marriage, and we’ll find that it is made up of many elements. Chief among them are these 4: Acceptance • Affection • Provision • Protection The goal is encouragement regardless of your present situation. Some are in marriages that already provide great refuge. Others are in marriages that are just plain hard, and perhaps even hurtful. Still others are unmarried and feel the sadness either of past hurts or unfulfilled dreams

Ruth, the Moabite widow, has come to find refuge under the wings of the Almighty, promise-keeping God of Israel. This refuge has come in the form of great generosity on the part of Boaz, a godly landowner. But God has much more in store for faithful Ruth. In this chapter, made up of 3 important conversations, we see the blending of the theological themes of refuge and redemption with the temporal experience of marriage. Perhaps in no other place in the Bible do we come to understand so well the significant role marriage plays in God’s extension of redeeming love to us. The story of Ruth and Boaz also forces us to learn about the roots of “redemption” as the buying back of something that was previously owned and then lost. On the surface of the story it is land that is to be redeemed. But once again this is only meant to illustrate the redemption of lives that is accomplished by our great Redeemer God. Specifically, we will see the lives of both Ruth and Naomi “bought back” from tragedy to triumph.

Ruth has come to find refuge under the wings of the Almighty, the promise-keeping God of Israel. In the providence of God we see that this refuge is modeled by Boaz, a godly and kind man who treats Ruth with acceptance and affection as he both provides for her and protects her. She is as shocked by this as are we, the readers! How is this possible? The answer can only be that Boaz is modeling the love and grace of God. He is extending unmerited, favorable acceptance to undeserving Ruth, and he is following it up with the generous gifts that such favorable acceptance always extends. In the interaction between Boaz and Ruth we are treated to a glimpse of how God treats those who are privileged to know His redeeming grace, and come to find refuge under His wings.

Last week we explored the doctrine of the Providence of God, that He cares for, and controls all that He created. But this raises questions? How does our work relate to His providential control? Does His sovereignty mean we can be lazy? This weekend we will see that the provision of God in the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz was facilitated through their character and diligence. This second chapter of Ruth is so rich that we can’t cover it in just one week. Yet it is also a singular piece and is not easily divided. So we’ll go as far as we can this week and finish up next weekend. Just remember that the author wants us not only to understand the story, but the way God is working all the elements of the story together to tell us about Himself, His sovereign providence, and His gracious provision.

How are we to understand our world? Has the God who created all things turned the government of the universe over to chance and fate? Or is He still as intimately involved with our world as He was during the days of creation? And if God is involved, how are we to view His actions? The story of Ruth is really the story about trusting that the God who created us is still the best refuge for us. This weekend we’ll look at the Christian doctrine of the Providence of God and see in Naomi and Ruth two different ways to relate to it. Naomi understood providence and railed against it. Ruth, on the other hand, came to rest in the providence of God, and found refuge under His wings (2:12).

Have you ever wondered if, in the midst of the craziness of this world, God still is in charge of human history? Does it seem that somehow humanity is spinning out of control? If you lived during the time of the Judges in the Old Testament period you may have thought so as well. But in the story of Ruth we have a beautiful picture of the refuge we are to find in the providence of God. Over the next 12 weeks, we will be exploring the refuge that is the providence of God as seen in the story of Ruth and illustrated in God’s design for marriage. In the midst of the tragedies and complexities of our world, our God is a sure refuge. Either we will rail against Him, or rest in His providence.

Most of us are aware of the command to love our neighbor as ourselves; and yet, practically speaking, that doesn't always seem the most personally beneficial. Solomon makes a powerful appeal to walk in wisdom, grounded in the fear of the Lord in Proverbs 3. And in the concluding verses of this chapter, Solomon lays out some clear perspective on relationships we've got with those around us. We learn quickly that the more spiritually wise we treat our relationships with our neighbors, the more we understand another age-old principle that "we reap what we sow."

Proverbs 5 is a powerful appeal to wisdom in the area of sexuality from Solomon to his son. It paints a clear picture of the destructive nature of unchecked sensuality in contrast with God's best plan for satisfying our needs in the context of marriage. As important today as it must have been in Solomon's day, this set of verses calls all of us (single or married) to The Wisdom of Relationships - and in particular - one of life's most special relationships: the one between a husband and wife who absolutely delight in each other.

In a world that is especially sensitive to hypocrisy, we as Christ-followers need to make sure that our walk reflects our talk. We love and serve the True God and the God of Truth, and our lives ought to be a reflection of His truthfulness. Happily, God’s book of wisdom has a lot to say in this area. We’ll study some of those Proverbs today, asking God to shape us into people whose honesty and integrity is irreproachable.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” If only that saying were true! Words are among the most powerful tools we have, and like any tool, they can be used to build up or to destroy. The wise use of words is one of the most common themes of the book of Proverbs. Today’s study will take us all over the book as we put ourselves and our words to the test.

Throughout the Bible, the “heart” is seen as the foundation of character. It acts as the command and control center of the person. To have a “clean heart” is to be acceptable before God (Ps. 51:10). Solomon comes to his 8th lecture and centers in on the necessity of “heart-keeping.” That is, the intentional filling and guarding of the heart, making sure that truth goes in and pollution does not. Why is this important? Simply because the heart is like a well out of which will flow the very springs of life. What fills the heart will characterize the life.

As any parent knows, one of the greatest things we can teach our children is how to think about money and how to use what God entrusts to us in a way that honors Him. Solomon does just that in our text this weekend. But he employs an interesting strategy. First he lays out the command to honor God with our wealth and gives the great reward that those who obey may expect. But then he backtracks to show the mental pathway that must be followed in order to arrive at the character necessary to be sincere in the way we honor God with our money and possessions. And what we find is that faithfulness in financial areas is just an overflow of faithfulness in all areas. The one who is honoring God with wealth has long before honored God as the primary shaper of his/her whole life, and has found in Him the source of their security and greatest delight.

The “way of wisdom” is really a worldview, or a way of understanding the way the world works. As we have seen, it begins with an understanding that God holds a unique and sovereign place in the universe, and is the ultimate, infallible determiner of what is right and wrong, good and bad. From this foundational truth flows every other element of wisdom. Discernment, then, is seeing everything the way God says it is, and always preferring what God prefers. Perhaps in no area is this more important than in our understanding of truth. In 8 verses, formed into 4 sets of pairs, Solomon walks his son through a “theology” of truth that is as relevant today as it was almost 3,000 years ago.

As we have seen, “wisdom” is knowledge applied to life situations with the understanding that every aspect of our lives is to be a righteous response to the majesty of God. This weekend we look at how the way of wisdom benefits us by enabling us to show righteous discernment.

If “wisdom” is the skill of righteous living before God and man, what is its starting place? What is the single, foundational conviction that undergirds this way of life in its entirety? Solomon is quite clear: The fear of the Lord. But what does this phrase describe? Is it merely a holy reverence and awe? Is it also a sense of holy dread? Yes, both of these certainly are involved, but they actually are only a very small part. The fear of the Lord as it is found throughout the Bible suggests that it is more than an intellectual or emotional response to the greatness and holiness of God. Today we will see the fear of the Lord is actually a whole set of beliefs that arise from a single, radical starting point: God is the first and ultimate and only infallible determiner of good and evil. As we will see, the events in Eden started mankind down the path of independence in the area of moral determination, which continues to lead to chaos, brokenness, despair, and death. But to fear the Lord is to take a differ