Redeeming Ruth: Chapter 1

The Return: Today we start a brand new preaching series based in the O/T book of Ruth. Incredible love story initiated by the mother (Naomi), involving her daughter in law (Ruth) and a relative (Boaz). Story involves dramatic reversals of fortune, with great story telling and a great ending.

Naomi is married to a man called Elimelech and they have two sons.  And in an unprecedented move, because of famine, they leave Bethlehem and travel east across the hills on the far side of the dead sea for about 50 miles to Moab.  Note 3 things about this move:
1) They leave the land of God’s blessing - The harder life gets the more appealing the alternatives to God become.  Ultimately they all fail to deliver on their promises.
2) There was famine in the land - The ‘house of Bread’ was experiencing famine, a sure sign Israel were not living in covenant relationship with God
3) They went to Moab - They go to find life but after 10 years, a 3 funerals later, Naomi is left with her 2 daughters-in-law.

The women struggle (maybe for years) till ‘Ruth 1:6… she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.”  If there is a theme in Chapter 1 of the Book of Ruth, it would be that of ‘Return’.  The Hebrew word for ‘return’ is mentioned 12 times in Ch 1.

But it more than a geographical return. It’s a journey back to God, his people and his promises made in the middle of suffering, loss and disappointment. this means it is relevant to us as all of us need to journey into God’s covenant people and promises.

For Naomi this return is characterised by:
Self absorbsion and self protection (v11-13)
Manipulation (v.15)
Bitterness, anger and self pity (18-21)

For Ruth:
She is able to tell Naomi -
Where you go – I will go
Where you stay –I will stay
Your people –become my people
Your God –becomes my God
Where you die –I will die.

She is able follow obediently (v16)
She is willing to commit to community at great cost (v16)
She is willing to give up her life for Naomi and her God. (v17)

Questions:
1) Read through the whole story together - only takes around 10 minutes
2) Talk about Naomi - her atitudes and bitterness. 
3) Where can we be like Naomi?
4) What are we not beleiving about the gospel that causes us to act like Naomi?
5) What is impressive about Ruth’s atitude and actions?
6) How can we be more like Ruth, give very practical examples?
7) What does it look like to commit to community? What are some of the difficulties and opportunities for really being the ‘church’?
8) We talk about 3 places to belong in Mosaic: Accountability groups, Mission groups, and Sunday gatherings.  Are you actively participating in all three? Talk about how they are working for you.
9) Romans 6 tells us we are ‘Dead to Sin but alive to God’ - how does this truth help us conquer sin. Again give examples from your own life.