Sermon Central
-
Breaking Through The Line Of Mediocrity
Contributed by Randy Bataanon on Oct 10, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Are you tired of living the status quo? Do you want to live beyond the standard? Do you want to break through the line of mediocrity and exprience the life changing power of God. You need to learn from the life of Ruth.
BREAKING THROUGH THE LINE OF MEDIOCRITY
Reading: Ruth 1:1-18
The invisible dividing line between mediocrity and excellent life is evident in many people today. Everywhere, you can find people who after several trials and failures resolve to accept the status quo and believe the voice of lies that they just can’t do it anymore.
Everywhere, I can see people who are quitters!
1. He might be a former Christians who quit on his faith and later became drunkard, alcoholic, drug addict, robber and miserable
2. She might be a former obedient daughter who quit on her righteous stand and later became pregnant but unmarried, problematic and suicidal
3. He might be a former student who quit his studies and later became a married man with 5 children, unemployed and slave of debts
4. He might be a former honest employee who quit on his integrity and later end up in prison due to dishonesty
5. He might be a former minister of the Gospel who quits and later became the slaves of every sin that he formerly condemned.
6. He might be a former faithful husband or she might be a former faithful wife who after several temptations quit and become additional to the ever growing numbers of broken marriages and broken lives.
I don’t know what kind of situation that you are involved with today. But whatever it is, I have good news for you! There is still hope for you my friend! And you might be a minute away from the answer to your giant problems!
The word of God has a message of hope for you and there is nothing is impossible with God. If you want to break through across the line of mediocrity! If you want to experience the freedom from the slavery of sinful life! Then this message is for you!
Tell to your neighbor beside you, THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU!
In our Text today, Ruth, a Moabite girl, who had been converted to Israelite belief is facing the moment of decision in her life. Will she cross the line of Mediocrity to pursue her new found faith in God or come along with the wave of the sinful world by going back to her old life?
The chronological order on the scenes of her life:
1. A famine in Israel caused the family of Naomi to migrate to Moab, where Ruth is living
2. Ruth was married to one of Naomi’s son and was converted to Jewish faith
3. She learned the new found faith, study God’s word and was converted by heart through the daily testimony of her mother in law, Naomi
4. But after few years, a great tragedy came; her father in law, her husband and brother in law died. Naomi, her mother in law decided to go back to Israel.
5. Naomi urged her two daughters in law to go back to their own family and to their former god because of the uncertainty of their future in Israel.
Rth 1:11 But Naomi replied, "Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands?
Rth 1:12 No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?
Rth 1:13 Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has caused me to suffer."
Ruth is now facing the crucial moment of her life. Her sister in law, Orpah had already gave up and returned to her family and her god in Moab. The temptation and pressure to give up became heavier this time.
Rth 1:14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi.
Rth 1:15 "See," Naomi said to her, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."
Orpah was a picture of a quitter. Orpah love her mother in law, however, she doesn’t love her enough to go with her. Like Ruth, Orpah became a believer of God in the house of her mother in law; however, the fact that she choose to go back again to Moab is an indication of her backsliding life. For surely, she cannot stand alone on her new found faith in the midst of idolatrous people of Moab.
On the other hand, Ruth decided to break through across the line of mediocrity. She knows that she might be still weak on her faith and therefore need spiritual guidance by her mother in law. And since her faith in God becomes her priority, she is determined to keep it and do all possible means to protect it.
