How To Put Your Life Back Together Series

And Peter says in 1 Peter 2:22 – “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth”

Because of His sinless perfection Jesus was able to redeem us from sin.

That’s why we’re told in Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore he is ABLE also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him…”

So Jesus meets the first condition of a kinsman-redeemer—He’s ABLE to redeem us…

• But is Christ WILLING to redeem us?

Oh, is He ever!

In John 10:17-18 Jesus made that very clear when He said “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again…”

In Hebrews 12:2 we’re told these remarkable words: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who FOR THE JOY that was set before him endured the cross…”

And in 2 Peter 3:9 Peter says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Oh yes, Jesus is willing to save us.

So Jesus Christ is the right Person—the only Person—for us to dedicate our lives to because He loves us and is both willing and able to save us. If you want to put your life back together, you have to 1) have the right purpose—establish a deep relationship with God and 2) go to the right person— Jesus Christ.

III. THIRD, YOU NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT PREPARATIONS.

Naomi told Ruth exactly how to prepare for her meeting with Boaz. Note verses 2-4: “And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. 3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. 4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.”

This passage of Scripture is difficult for us to understand in our day.

First of all, let me say that Ruth did not do anything that was wrong or improper. Boaz was a man of impeccable integrity; that is clear throughout Ruth. And Boaz said in verse 11 that she Ruth was known throughout the city as “a virtuous woman.”

So there’s no hint here that either Boaz or Ruth did anything wrong.

However, from a perspective of his reputation, this was not a wise plan from Boaz’s point of view because of the possibility of scandal, which Boaz recognized, because at the end of verse 14 when he told Ruth, “…Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.”

So why did Naomi tell Ruth to go to Boaz in the night?—Probably so that Boaz could reject the proposal without the whole town knowing about it! But in the end, Boaz senses that Ruth’s intentions are pure and decides to set about fulfilling the roll of the kinsman-redeemer if it can be worked out.