Ruth 2:14-23, Prepare a vessel to receive grace

Ruth 2:14-23, Prepare a vessel to receive grace

 14-23, 14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her.
16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” 17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!” Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said. 20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’” 22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” 23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

<Sermon Summary>
 God gives us abundant grace. He gives grace upon grace (John 1:16), life and abundant grace (John10:10), overflowing grace (Phil.4:19), overflowing cup (Ps.23:5). He gives Ruth more than enough food and an ephah (22 liters = 30 pounds) of grain. However, God prepares us to receive this abundant grace. 2 Kings 4:3, Prophet Elisha said to the poor disciple's wife. 'He said, 'Go out and borrow vessels from all your neighbors. Borrow empty vessels, but do not borrow a little.' When we prepared a lot of vessels, she received abundant grace so that she could pay off her debts and live a life. Through the vessel Ruth prepared, God speaks of the vessels we must prepare to receive His abundant grace.

1. Prepare a vessel of humble worship (13,10)

  “Continue to find favor, I am not like your maidservant”(13), “She falls down and bows down… Do you show grace and take care of me?” (10) We also receive grace when we humble ourselves and worship Jesus. John 4:23. Blessed worshipers such as Solomon, Samuel, and David.

2. Prepare the vessel of obedience (8,14)

  Ruth is an obedient woman. ‘Don’t go to another field. Stay with my girls”(8). “Come over here, and have some bread and dip it in vinegar”(14). 21-23, Ruth obeyed and she continued to glean there until the end of the harvest(23). Blessed is she when she obeys (Deut.28:2). Obedience is a measure of maturity of faith.

3. Prepare a vessel for prayer (13)

  Ruth is a woman of prayer. Verse 13, she continues to pray for her grace. Because she cannot live without grace. John 14:13, “Ask in my name. I will do it.” Jacob prayed for his life in the Jabbok River (Gn.32). Paul also prayed even in prison (Acts 16). All the prison doors were opened, all the bonds were thrown off, and the door of salvation was opened to Philippian jailer and his family, and they came to great joy.
I bless all of us to become people of abundant grace who are used by the Lord by preparing vessel of humble worship, vessel of obedience, and vessel of prayer like Ruth. Amen.

 *Thank you for the grace of God who has guided us to study the Book of Revelation. Jesus, who governs the whole world, saves us with the blood of the cross, conquers sin and the devil, and gives victory through faith. May we live in abundance in the Word, preach the gospel, and obey, and prepare for the return of the Lord so that we can meet the Lord without shame. May we reign with Jesus in heaven. Amen.