Richard Brown

Sunday 21st January 2018

The Journey HomeRuth Part 2 – Responding to the call

Ruth 1:6-22 (ESV)

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

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Ruth 1:6-22 (ESV)

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?

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Ruth 1:6-22 (ESV)

12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

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Ruth 1:6-22 (ESV)

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.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

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Ruth 1:6-22 (ESV)

20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

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Three responses to the call home

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1. Naomi returns home

2. Orpah stays home

3. Ruth moves home

Naomi Returns Home

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• What might have gone through Naomi’s mind when she thought about going home?– I’m too old to move back now

– Things aren’t great here, but they’re OK. I don’t want risk losing what I have.

– If I go back, what awaits me?

– What will happen to Orpah and Ruth if I go?

Naomi Returns Home

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• REFLECTION – Ask yourself– Am I in a bit of a Moab situation at the

moment, perhaps not where God wants us to be?

– What is God saying to me?

– How am I responding?

– Am I paralysed by the uncertainty?

– Have I become too settled in my Moab?

– Am I afraid of what might lie ahead?

Naomi Returns Home

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• Naomi returns home

• This must have been very humbling– “I went away full, and the Lord has

brought me back empty.”

– It’s tough to admit that we might have got things wrong

• Cf. The Prodigal Son

Naomi Returns Home

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• Why did Naomi tell Orpah and Ruth to go back to Moab?– Naturally speaking they would be

better off going back to their native country to find new husbands

• This was a God inspired moment

• Everyone has to make their own decision. You can’t tag along on someone else’s faith indefinitely.

Orpah Stays Home

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• Naomi says: “Go back…”

• They reply in unison: “No, we will return with you to your people”

• After further reasoning, Orpah returns home to her family in Moab.

• We hear nothing more of Orpah. The kingdom story continues with Naomi and Ruth.

Ruth Moves Home

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• Ruth could have gone back to Moab also. Her parents were alive.

• Ruth “moves” home

• “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…”

• This is now a personal decision of faith.

Ruth Moves Home

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(Matthew 10:37-39 ESV) Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

(Matthew 16:24-25) Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Ruth Moves Home

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• Do we say to Jesus what Ruth said to Naomi?– “Where you go I will go, and where you

lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

• Ruth’s decision and sacrifice brings her right into the centre of God’s kingdom purpose

Closing

• Orpah is gone.

• Naomi is feeling a bit worse for wear, but she’s now where God wants her to be,

• And Ruth? Don’t miss the next exciting episode…

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