theme: our role in the bigger scheme of things text: ruth 4:13-22 theme: god includes us in his big...

THEME: Our Role in the Bigger Scheme of Things

TEXT: Ruth 4:13-22

THEME: God includes us in His big plans of redemption

Ruth 4:13-22

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez :

Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,[d]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

What does the genealogy of Ruth teach you about your role in

God’s bigger plan?

I. God had a plan for you from the beginning.

A. Prophecy foretells it:

Gen. 3:15

15 And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel.”

II Samuel 7:12-16

“I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

II Samuel 7:12-16

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”

Isaiah 52-5353:4 Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed

Isaiah 52-5353:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.



B. Genealogies record it:



B. Genealogies record it:

C. Jesus completes it:

Ephesians 1:4-6

“4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”

Predictions in Future Babble by Dan Gardner

• In 1914 the British journalist H. N. Norman proclaimed that "there will be no more wars among the six great powers."


• In 1914 the British journalist H. N. Norman proclaimed that "there will be no more wars among the six great powers."

• In the late 1960s, the political scientist Andrew Hacker predicted that race relations in America would soon get so bad that they would lead to the "dynamiting of bridges and water mains" and the "assassinating of public officials."


• In 1968 the president of Anaconda Copper Mining Company predicted that his company would be successful for 500 years. Less than ten years later, fibre optics trumped copper and Anaconda was out of business.


• In 1968 the president of Anaconda Copper Mining Company predicted that his company would be successful for 500 years. Less than ten years later, fibre optics trumped copper and Anaconda was out of business.

• Also in 1968 Paul Ehrlich predicted that overpopulation would produce a total collapse in the world's food supply. Instead, the world's food supply has increased dramatically.


• In 1974 Ehrlich confidently asserted, "If I were a gambler, I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000."



• In 1990 the MIT economist Lester Thurow declared that Japan was "the betting favorite to win the economic honors of owning the 21st century."



• In 1990 the MIT economist Lester Thurow declared that Japan was "the betting favorite to win the economic honors of owning the 21st century."

• In 2008 experts at Goldman Sachs predicted that oil prices would surge to over $200 per barrel within six months. Instead, the price for petroleum fell to $34 per barrel.

Romans 8:28

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. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters

Romans 8:28

30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

II. God’s acts on His love in the lives of people:

A. Naomi by giving her a grandson



B. Ruth by bringing her into His household.



B. Ruth by bringing her into His household.

C. Boaz by making him part of David’s lineage

"What does 'love' mean?" Sample answers from children

• Rebekah, 8, said, "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time—even when his hands got arthritis, too. That's love."


• Billy, 4, said, "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."


• Bobby, 7, says, "Love is what's in the room at Christmas, if you stop opening presents and listen."


• Nikka, 6, says, "If you want to learn to love better, you should start with someone you hate."


• Tommy, 6, says, "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."


• Cindy, 8, says, "During my piano recital, I was on a stage, and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me, and I saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. And I wasn't scared anymore."


• Jessica, 8, says, "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot."

III. God can turn our tragedies in triumphs.

A. Ruth starts with a tragic beginning



B. Ruth records Gods divine intervention



B. Ruth records Gods divine intervention

C. Ruth ends with her in a place of great honor

The shortest complete story in English

"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

APPLICATION

• God had you in mind since the beginning of creation. You are part of his big plan. Whatever is going on in your life now is part of a bigger story that has a great ending.

APPLICATION

• God can turn your tragedy into triumph. Trust him when times are tough.

APPLICATION

We need to praise God in good and bad times because he is great and sovereign- just as He has acted in the lives of believers in the past he does so today.

Sittser

Could Lynda witness our pain in Heaven? How could that be possible? How could she bear it?

"I think she does see us," I finally said. "But she sees the whole story, including how it all turns out, which is beautiful to her. It's going to be a good story, David."

Sittser

I would not hazard to estimate the number of times I have been asked, "How does Christianity address the problem of suffering?" … The Christian answer to suffering [is] Christ's suffering [and] Christ's resurrection …. God knows pain within himself; God knows joy within himself. He knows the whole story as one, including how it all turns out, which is glorious indeed.

theme: our role in the bigger scheme of things text: ruth 4:13-22 theme: god includes us in his big...

Documents

father of salmon

father of boaz

father of nahshon

father of ram

father of amminadab

father of hezron

father of obed

father of jesse