Ruth 3:8-18, Wait the grace of rest in His faith, hope and love

Ruth 3:8-18, Wait the grace of rest in His faith, hope and love

8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer† of our family.”
10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.
12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I.
13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he‡ went back to town.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her
17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”
18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

<Sermon Summary>
  Saints who believe in Jesus enjoy rest. Jesus invites us to rest (Mt.11:28-30, 28.“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”).
 Worry takes away rest, but prayer keeps it. Phil 4:6-7, 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 Grace brings forth peace (1 Cor.1:3, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ), 3:13(Boaz), 18(Naomi). When we leave it to the Lord and put it down, the Lord works for rest. Farmers work hard until the time of sowing, patiently waiting for God to work.
 *A Kwansa's social media, “God raised them!” In our life of faith, there are times when we run and there are times when we wait for God's timing. Don't be in a hurry and wait. Ps.37:7, Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
  Ruth waits until the promise is fulfilled (18). Like Ruth, how can we wait for the true rest day? God speaks with the three Christian virtues, faith, hope, and love (1 Cor.13:13, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love).

1. Do you have the faith to trust in the Lord? Do you firmly believe in Jesus as your Savior? 

  Ruth lays down at Boaz's feet and asks him to cover him with the hem of his robe. This is waiting for God's promise to redeem the inheritance. Ruth believed Naomi's words (2:20-21; 3:13). New believers come because of necessity at first, and gradually trust and depend on the promise and faithful God. Even if the tribulation shuts up, we quietly wait for the work of the Lord.
 Dan. 6:23, “The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” If you believe, you can wait (Abraham). Gen. 15:6.
 Heb. 11:6, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Let's believe in God who works and wait for His timing. Gal.6:9, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up).

2. Are you hoping for the Lord, or are you living for Jesus? 

 18, Ruth had confidence and hope that Boaz would not rest until he accomplished this.
 Is. 30:18, Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him! Blessed are those who wait No matter what hardships shut up. let's not lose hope in the Lord.
 Ps 130:5-6, 5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
 Lam. 3:21-26, 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

3. Do you experience the love of Jesus? 

 Ruth experiences the love of Boaz. We experience the love of Jesus. John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life). Meditate on the limitless love of the Lord;
 Zeph3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. Silent love! God loves you silently, the God who rejoices because of you! Just thinking about it, how much do you wish for? 
 Hymn #304, 1)The love of God is greater far/Than tongue or pen can ever tell/It goes beyond the highest star/And reaches to the lowest hell/The guilty pair, bowed down with care/God gave His Son to win/His erring child He reconciled/And pardoned from his sin/O love of God, how rich and pure!/How measureless and strong!/It shall forevermore endure/The saints’ and angels’ song/2)When hoary time shall pass away/And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall/When men who here refuse to pray/On rocks and hills and mountains call/God’s love, so sure, shall still endure/All measureless and strong/Redeeming grace to Adam’s race/The saints’ and angels’ song/ 3)Could we with ink the ocean fill/And were the skies of parchment made/Were every stalk on earth a quill/And every man a scribe by trade/To write the love of God above/Would drain the ocean dry/Nor could the scroll contain the whole/Though stretched from sky to sky. 
 Let us all believe in the Lord of rest, hope for rest, wait in love, and live preaching the gospel. Amen.