Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Two weeks ago we had God-Sightings for the sermon and last week Lydia's Baptism was the Sermon. Today we begin our new series on being "R12 Christians." We are looking at our journey of discipleship from reformation to transformation. We will look at the response of Ruth to Naomi and the total sacrifice and commitment she has to God. This is the journey we want to go through in our Quest to become R12 Christians. Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] 2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Have you ever felt empty, alone, deserted etc... This is Naomi whose husband had moved his family from Bethlehem to Moab on the other side of the Dead Sea, because of a severe famine in Judah. They moved into Moab and then his two sons married Moabite women. This was allowed during the time of the Judges because Moab was the descendents of the incestuous relations between Lot and his daughters. This land was on a plateau and not suffering from the famine. Unfortunately all the men die leaving Naomi, Orpah and Ruth widows. This means they are in a really bad position. Naomi must feel as though the Lord has abandoned her. She decides to go home.
She tells her daughter-in-laws as they come to the Jordon River and she realizes that they will be foreigners in Judah. Naomi tells them to return to their mother's homes and they can get husbands and have children. They resist and weep but Naomi convinces them and Orpah leaves after again weeping. She respects Naomi and does what she is asked to do. Ruth on the other hand clings to Naomi and makes a huge sacrifice and shows total commitment in her poetic response and repentance (180 degree turn from going home) by saying:
16 But
Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following
you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
Instead of being totally alone and abandoned Naomi now has a companion, which is one translation of Ruth.
When we feel abandoned we might want to give up but it at that time that we are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to present our bodies as a living SACRIFICE, holy and acceptable to God. This is the true repentance and response to God's call through the Holy Spirit. We are to be "ALL IN" by the mercies of God. We are to experience total sacrifice and surrender into the Arms of our loving Father. May we respond like Ruth, clinging to our Lord and trusting that he has great things for us!
May our repentance lead to a confession of faith like Ruth's so that we can walk not only as people who have gone through correction and reformation but we want to be truly transformed and renewed. We hope all of us know the truth that Naomi knew even when she felt empty and alone she still belonged to Judah and to God. She believed and trusted that God would provide and she became an inspiration for Ruth to sacrifice her identity, her god, her family and stay with her.
We know that Ruth will be part of King David's family tree and then of course part of our Lord's earthly line. May we have the faith to present ourselves as living SACRIFICES each time we worship and respond to our Lord. He wants us to belong to Him, Believe and trust in HIM and Become more like HIM each day. This is the R12 Christian.
Join us on this journey!
Love in Christ,
Pastor
No comments:
Post a Comment