The Family of God
We should use this beautiful love story
to remind ourselves that through
faith in Jesus Christ, we become
spiritual brothers and sisters.
Here's Dr. Gene Getz to explain:
Look at Ruth chapter 4, final chapter
in this little book, verse 13:
Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife.
[And] when he was intimate with her...
And when he was intimate with her?
When she became his wife.
There's another reinforcement of that Principle
that sex is designed by God for
this marriage relationship.
...[So] Boaz took Ruth [and] she became his wife.
[And] when he was intimate with her,
the LORD enabled her to conceive,
[and] she gave birth to a son.
We go on to verses 16 and 17.
Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap...
And here's the grandmother now in
this cultural situation.
...taking care of him. ...
We don't know all the dynamics
but frequently in this culture,
the grandmother was very much
involved in the situation.
...The neighbor woman said [to Naomi],
"A son has been born to Naomi" ...
In other words, this is more than just
a son to Ruth.
This is to the grandmother:
...and they named him Obed...
Which is short for Obadiah.
See, they even had their nicknames back then.
Rather than Richard, Dick or some other
nickname, here is Obed. Obadiah.
...A son has been born to Naomi,
and they named him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse...
This is very significant because
Jesse was the father of David.
And here is that messianic line that God
is superintending in this situation.
Because from David came what we frequently
call as "the greater David"--the Son of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ who was born into this world.
Not as a person born of normal birth,
but conceived by the Holy Spirit.
But through the channel of Mary--the virgin Mary.
Finally we read in verse 22:
And Obed [again,] fathered Jesse, who fathered David.
See, the author wants us to know that.
And so he repeats this particular scenario.
And when you go to the genealogy of
Jesus in Matthew, what we have is a repeat.
Matthew 1, verse 1:
The historical record of Jesus Christ,
the Son of [whom?]
David, the Son of Abraham...
Going all the way back.
And later we read in verses 5 and 6:
Salmon fathered Boaz by [whom?] Rahab...
Who was Rahab? Rahab was the harlot,
the pagan Canaanite harlot in Jericho.
...[Boaz] Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,
[and] Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth.
Obed fathered Jesse,
and Jesse fathered King David.
See, those names are very significant in
God's providential plan.
And it's not an accident that in this
genealogy of Jesus Christ,
we have people out of all kinds of backgrounds,
whether Gentile or Jewish,
whether pagan or following Yahweh.
See, Jesus Christ came to die for the
sins of the world. And even in His genealogy,
He represents the world--
all groups, all people.
And you can't miss that.
And that's a very significant thing.
And yet through this line, which was contaminated.
Which involves harlotry.
Which involves paganism.
Which involves people who worship
false gods like Ruth.
No matter what the situation.
Whether it's Judah and some of the
horrible things that he did.
There is this line that God superintended that
still gave birth to the spotless and sinless
Son of God, Jesus Christ, through the virgin Mary.
Fascinating story. That just didn't happen by accident.
This is why we call this providence.
We see in Ruth--we see God's providence.
A Principle of God's providence,
and God's superintendency in this situation.
Now the family redeemer is a very interesting,
fascinating situation here in this whole story.
We jumped over that somewhat.
But basically this was--we talked about it.
But when it comes to Jesus,
we have an eternal family redeemer.
And in many respects we see this
illustrated in the book of Ruth.
We see this illustrated with a family redeemer
in Israel that God had designed.
Pointing to the great eternal family
redeemer and that's Jesus Christ.
Ephesians chapter 1, verse 7 and8:
In Him [Jesus] we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of
our trespasses, according to the riches of
His grace that He lavished on us with
all wisdom and understanding.
And what you see from Genesis to Revelation
is an unfolding of God's wisdom and understanding.
God's providential plan from Adam and Eve,
to the failure, to sin
sin entering the world, to the family that became
horribly dysfunctional with Cain and Abel.
We see these spurts of change
through Noah. And then back into sin.
We see with Abraham, back into sin.
Again, the world deteriorating.
We see God choosing Abraham out of paganism:
the biggest illustration of grace
in the Old Testament.
He was a pagan.
God selected him, chose him, Sarah his wife.
Both pagans, idolators. And through them
promised that they would have a land,
a seed, a blessing.
The land was Canaan.
The seed was the children of Israel.
Through whom would come the blessing.
And that's Jesus Christ.
And that's the family redeemer.
And that's the story, basically, of the Bible.
And so we are a part of the family of God.
And that's a very important Principle. Romans 12:10,
we have a very significant directive here. And that is:
[We are to] show family affection to one another
with brotherly love. ...
We are believers and we are
brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
We are that extended family that we've
already talked about tonight.
Even in caring for those who are in need.
[And we're to] outdo one another in showing honor.
So here we have this beautiful picture
coming out of this story of Ruth.
The eternal family redeemer, Jesus Christ.
And so the question that I'd like to leave
with you tonight. Whether you're here
in this room or whether you're watching
on the internet or wherever you
hear this message.
And what other form.
If you have not experienced God's
redeeming grace by receiving the
Lord Jesus Christ as your family redeemer,
please do so today by sincerely praying
the following prayer.
And a lot of people will say:
What do you mean? How can I--
how can I know this family redeemer?
How can I know this Savior?
How can I know what you're talking about?
How can I have eternal life?
How can I enter into this experience?
Well it's simple but profound.
I've worded this prayer. And I'd like you
to read it with me and then reflect on it.
Dear God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Thank you for sending your Son to be
my personal Savior from sin.
I confess that I have sinned,
and I now receive the Lord Jesus Christ
as my personal Savior.
I believe Jesus died for me and rose again.
Thank you for coming into my life. Amen.
And let me just unpack that just a little.
I wanted you to read that through with me.
I wanted you to get the concept.
But basically what it's saying
is you're acknowledging God
who is the Father of the Lord Jesus.
Who sent Jesus to die for us.
You are thanking Him for sending His Son.
For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him should receive eternal life.
You're thanking Him for sending his Son
to be your personal Savior.
He died for you because you can
plug your name into John 3:16:
For God so loved Gene. For God so loved
David, Bob, Melody, Mike, Sharon.
God so loved each one of us,
He died for each one of us.
And that's why salvation has to be personal.
It's a personal experience.
It's not something that my parents do for me.
It's not something that comes to me
when I'm baptized as a baby.
Or baptized as adult.
It's not something that I receive
when I go to church.
It's something that I receive
when I receive Jesus Christ as
my personal Savior.
Now you notice it says:
I confess that I've sinned. And we've all sinned.
And we've all fallen short of the glory of God.
Some people say: Well I'm not so bad.
But have you sinned?
Have you fallen short of God's glory?
If you say that you haven't sinned,
you're saying you're like God.
You're perfect.
And there's not one of us that hasn't
fallen short of God's glory, of who He is
and all of His holiness.
So we have sinned and the wages of
that sin is death--spiritual death.
So I confess that I've sinned and I now--
and here's the key:
I now receive the Lord Jesus Christ
as my personal Savior.
In John chapter 1, verses 11 and 12:
He came to His own.
His own people, the Jewish nation.
But His own didn't receive Him--as a nation.
Many received Him personally.
But as to those who received Him.
But as many as received Him, to them
He gave the power to become sons of God.
Who receive Him, who believed in Him,
who trusts Him. And so this statement says:
I believe Jesus died for me and rose again.
Thank you for coming into my life. Amen.
If you pray that prayer and you pray it personally,
and you pray it sincerely,
you have eternal life.
This moment. He will come into your life
and begin to change your life.
And that's the miracle of the new birth.
That's why we call it the new birth.
Nicodemus was confused by that when Jesus said:
You must be born again
Can you enter your mother's womb and be born again?
Jesus said: That's not what I'm talking about.
This is spiritual birth.
Becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ.
So if you haven't prayed that prayer
sincerely with me as we've read it,
I trust as soon as we say amen,
that you will. At this moment
or very shortly. Even before you leave this room.
I'll go off before you.
Turn off your computer
or whatever instrument you're using to
hear this message. That you'll become
one of God's children at this moment.