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THE LORD MAKES A MOTHER: Ruth 4:13

Ruth 4:13

May 9, 2021 • Brett Baggett

OUTLINE

I) BOAZ TOOK RUTH AS HIS WIFE (v. 13a)

II) BOAZ AND RUTH ENJOYED INTIMACY WITHIN THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE (v. 13b)

III) THE LORD GIFTED RUTH WITH CONCEPTION (v. 13c)

IV) THE LORD GAVE RUTH AND BOAZ A SON TO REDEEM THE INHERITANCE (v. 13d)

APPLICATION

THE LORD IS ULTIMATELY IN CONTROL OF WHO IS A MOTHER, GIVING OR WITHHOLDING CONCEPTION (Gen. 30:1-2)
THE LORD CLOSES THE WOMB (Gen. 20:18)
THE LORD OPENS THE WOMB (Gen. 29:31)
CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD (Psalm 127:3-5)
CHILDREN, EVEN IF THEY ARE CONCEIVED IN THE ACT OF SIN, ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD (Ruth 4:12)
GODLY MOTHERS ARE GIFTS TO CHILDREN (1 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-15; Prov. 31:28-29)
BEING A GODLY MOTHER IS ONE OF THE CHIEF WAYS WOMEN REMOVE THE SINFUL STIGMA OF THEIR FIRST MOTHER EVE (1 Tim. 2:14-15)
QUESTIONS

I. What if you have been forsaken by your mother? (Psalm 27:10)

Psalm 27:10 “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.”

II. Seeing that motherhood is a happy thing, what happiness is there for those who will never be mothers? (Luke 11:27-28)

Luke 11:27-28 “…a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to [Jesus], ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’ But [Christ] said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’”

III. What if you want to have children but have not been able to conceive? (Gen. 30:22-23; 1 Sam. 1:20)

Genesis 30:22-23 “God listened to [Rachel] and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son.”

1 Samuel 1:20 “And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord.’”

IV. What if my child or children have died in the womb or in infancy? (2 Sam. 12:22-23)

2 Samuel 12:22-23 “22 [David] said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’

DISCUSSION

1. Read verse 13. What did Boaz and Ruth do? What did the LORD do?Who gives conception and how must this direct our actions?

More from Ruth 2021

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?