WHAT A WOMAN OF WORTH LOOKS LIKE : Ruth 2:1-23

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WHAT A WOMAN OF WORTH LOOKS LIKE : Ruth 2:1-23

Ruth 2:1-23

March 21, 2021 • Brett Baggett • Ruth

I. A woman of worth does her duty and trusts in the providence of God (v. 1-3)

II. A woman of worth is reverent (v. 4-7a)

III. A woman of worth is a hard worker (v. 7b)

IV. A woman of worth is grateful to be protected and provided for (v. 8-10, 14-16)

V. A women of worth adorns herself with faith and holiness (v. 11)

VI. A woman of worth is committed to selfless love (v. 11a, 17-18)

VII. A woman of worth is devoted to the LORD above all (v. 11b)

VIII. A woman of worth follows the LORD wherever he leads (v. 11c)

IX. A woman of worth embraces the LORD’s people (v. 11d)

X. A women of worth perseveres in good works (v. 19-23)

XI. A woman of worth takes refuge under the wings of the LORD (v. 12-13)

DISCUSSION Read verses 19-22.

1. Read verses 1-7. What do we learn about Boaz in these verses? What do we learn about Ruth? What does verse 3 reveal about the loving providence of God?

2. Read verses 8-13. What does Boaz exhort Ruth to do in verses 8-9? What does he promise her? How does Boaz prefigure Christ Jesus here? How did Ruth respond in verses 10 and 13? What reason does Boaz give for showing her favor in verses 11-12? What is the anchor of all these good works, according to the last part of verse 12?

3. Read verses 14-16. What did Boaz say to Ruth? What must Ruth have been thinking? How does Boaz prefigure the Lord Jesus here?

4. Read verses 17-23. What stands out to you in these verses and why? What does Naomi identify Boaz as at the end of verse 20? How does Leviticus 25:25-33, 48-54 shed light on this word “redeemer”?
*note they are the same words in Hebrew

THE PAINS OF NAOMI AND THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD: Ruth 1:1-5

February 21, 2021 • Brett Baggett

I. THE PAINS OF NAOMI (explanation) I) Naomi lived in a painful time (v.1a) II) Naomi endured painful discipline (v.1b) III) Naomi was part of a painful decision of faithlessness (v.2) IV) Naomi suffered a painful separation (v.3) V) Naomi experienced two painful marriages (v.4) VI) Naomi endured multiple painful losses (v.5) II. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD (application) I) Though you may not have any idea what is happening in your life or in the world around you, the LORD is providentially working all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11) II) Though you deserve to end up like Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion, in Christ, you will end up like Naomi and Ruth (Romans 6:23) III) Though you may have great pains in this life for your sin, in Christ, God has given you a Redeemer who have the last word in your story (Ruth 4:14) IV) Though you may experience painful discipline from the LORD in this life, in Christ, God disciplines you out of love, so that you may be holy and happy (Hebrews 12:10; Proverbs 3:11-12) V) Though you may be painfully separated from your spouse, in Christ, God has promised never to separate from you (Isaiah 54:4-5) VI) Though you may painfully lose your children, in Christ, God has given you His own Son (Romans 8:32) VII) Though you will experience pain in this life, in Christ, God has promised to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28) DISCUSSION Read verses 1-5. 1. Why did Elimelech take his family to sojourn in Moab? 2. Was this a wise decision or one of faithlessness? 3. What did Elimelech’s sons do according to verse 4 and were these righteous actions? 4 .What happened to Elimelech and his sons according to verses 3 and 5?

ANTI-EVANGELISM AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD: Ruth 1:6-18

February 28, 2021 • Brett Baggett

I. NAOMI WAS A WEAK WITNESS AND A TERRIBLE EVANGELIST (vv. 6-15) I) Naomi returned to the Promised Land only when its physical blessings seemed better than those in Moab (v. 6-7) II) Naomi told her daughters-in-law to seek blessing and rest among idols (vv. 8-9) III) Naomi forgot there was a redeemer in Bethlehem (vv. 10-13) IV) Naomi convinced Orpah to return to idols and persistently tried to convince Ruth to do the same (vv. 14-15) II. DESPITE THE FAILURES OF NAOMI, GOD SAVED RUTH (v. 16-18) I) Ruth turned away from her idolatrous past (v.16a) II) Ruth embraced the people of God (v.16b) III) Ruth trusted and worshipped the one true God by faith (v.16c) IV) Ruth devoted herself to her mother in law Naomi (v.17-18) III. WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS THAT WILL DO US SOME GOOD? I) If you are a Christian who has been straying and living in sin, you can come home to the LORD and He will receive you II) You must never forget that there is a Redeemer for even you III) When the LORD saves you, you abandon your idolatrous past IV) When the LORD saves you, you embrace Jesus’ people V) When the LORD saves you, you trust and worship Him by faith VI) God saves sinners by grace alone VII) God saves sinners through faith alone VIII) Count the cost of discipleship and see that Christ is worth it DISCUSSION 1. Read verses 6-14. What did Naomi encourage her daughters-in-law to do? Why did she tell them to “turn back”? What did Naomi say concerning how the LORD dealt with her? How did Orpah and Ruth respond? What does it mean that “Ruth clung to her”? 2. Read verses 15-18. Where and to what did Orpah return? What does Ruth say to Naomi and what does she mean? What does this tell us about Ruth, concerning her faith in the LORD?

BITTERNESS WILL ROT YOUR SOUL BUT CHRIST WILL MAKE IT SWEET: Ruth 1:19-22

March 7, 2021 • Brett Baggett

OUTLINE I. Naomi and Ruth returned to the Bethlehem, the House of Bread (v.19) II. Naomi wanted her named changed from Pleasant to Bitter because the LORD had dealt bitterly with her (v.20) III. Naomi looked only at her current circumstance, even misconstruing the story of her life (v.21a) IV. Naomi knew that it was the LORD who had brought calamity on her, though she wrongly understood why (v.21b) V. Despite the bitterness of Naomi, the LORD was working to redeem both her and Ruth (v.22) DISCUSSION Read verses 19-22. 1. How does Naomi react when she comes home to Bethlehem? 2. Did she respond more like Job or Job’s wife? See Job 1-2 3. Why is verse 22 significant in the narrative of the book of Ruth?