SERIES: WOW! WHOSE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG DAUGHTER IS THAT? (PART 7) I WILL NOT MARRY RUTH AND POLLUTE MY FAMILY – SHE’S NOT MY TYPE
1. Ruth 4:1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” 6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
2. Ruth 2:4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” “The Lord bless you!” they answered. 5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Whose Beautiful Young Daughter Is That?”
INTRO: Wow! Whose Beautiful Young Daughter Is That? PART 7: I Will Not Marry Ruth & Pollute My Family Line - Ruth Is Not My Type (Ruth 4:6) – TEACH & PREACH
SERIES: An Intro (God Can Change Your Story); Love Is More Than Kissing; Getting Out Of Mara – Dealing With Bitterness; Father’s Day Message - Where Did Elimelech Go Wrong?, Behold A Woman Lay At His Feet; Characteristics Of A Good Spouse (What Do People Know About You?); Who Was Boaz This Eligible Bachelor?; I Will Not Marry Ruth & Endanger My Heritage – She Is Not My Type; The Dating Game – Sexy Sunday; Here Comes The Bride; When The Honeymoon Is Over - How Satan Attacks Christian Marriages; What Do You Do When You Realize You’ve Married The Wrong Person; The In-Laws Factor; You Can Begin Again (About Divorce Or Death); Life Without A Spouse
INTRODUCTION: MY FEELINGS ABOUT PREJUDICE.
While The Bible Encourages Us To Be Cautious In Our Choice of people in relationships, business dealings, associations, friendship, etc. in passages like:
1. Proverbs 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
2. Proverbs 27:5-6 Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
3. Pro 12:26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads astray.
4. Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
5. Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.
6. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
7. Proverbs 14:7 Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.
8. Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens the countenance of another.
9. 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
10. Amos 3:3: How can two walk together unless they agree?
But The Bible Does Not Encourage Us To Be Prejudice or Biased Towards Others: "Prejudice" means making a pre-judgment; that is, before the facts are considered, we already have our minds made up. It has been said that prejudice is a great time saver, because you don’t have to read the facts. Prejudice is the source of discrimination, racism, rejection. No one is born a racist. We learn it directly or indirectly from society or parents. It is passed on from one generation to another. They teach a child to hate another who is different due to race, color, national origin and disability. Some say the Bible teaches us to be racist. No. The source of Racism is Sin! It is Pride in that we think that we are better than others. People are free to choose who to associate with or get married to; but those choices must not be based on feelings of superiority.
Illustration: Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule. He wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. "If Christians have caste differences also," he said, "I might as well remain a Hindu." That usher's prejudice not only betrayed Jesus but also turned a person away from trusting Him as Savior. Mark 9:42: Whosoever shall offend one of these…
It Gets Me Upset When People Think And Act Like They Are Better Than Other People. Do we understand what the first Kinsman Redeemer is saying in Ruth 4:6? He says he will not marry Ruth because she is a Moabitess and by marrying her, he will STAIN his family line. The word “STAIN” has many derogatory meanings: “endanger, mar, jeopardize, impair, ruin, complicate, spoil, pollute, corrupt, destroy, taint, dishonor, demoralize, deprave, degenerate, pervert, dissipate, profane, decay, rot, debauch, warp, contaminate, defile, adulterate, interfere with, tarnish, etc.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE THIS MESSAGE (PUT IMAGE ON BOARD)
1. Is Any One Person Better Than The Other?
2. Is A Christian Better Than A Non-Christian?
3. Is An Educated Person Better Than The Uneducated?
4. Should Mixed Marriages Occur – Race, Culture, Nations, Tribes, Status, Etc.
5. What Does The Bible Says About The Qualifications For Alliance In Marriage Or Friendship?
WHAT IS PREJUDICE?
Prejudice Causes Us To Treat People As Inferior And Is Inappropriate In The Life Of A Christian. The Holy Spirit does not discriminate. God is no respecter of person. Some of the prejudice we have are so strongly rooted in our lives that they are difficult to let go of. When we judge someone because of how they look, dress, talk, act, connect, think without knowing them personally, we are prejudiced. Our prejudice even hinders us from taking the Gospel to people we do not value. Again, whether that prejudice is based on clothing style, personal appearance, wealth, occupation, nationality, gender, age, or intelligence level does not matter. God’s kingdom is about unity not division. For in Him there is neither male nor female, rich nor poor, slave nor free, neither Greek, nor Jew, neither black nor white. We are all children of God.
EXAMPLES OF HOW GOD VIEWS PREJUDICE IN THE BIBLE
1. Acts 10:12-16 Peter & The Unclean Animals.
2. Numbers 12: Moses Married An Ethiopian.
3. Luke 15: Parables Of Coin, Sheep & Prodigal Son.
4. Matthew 8: Healing A Leper By Touching Him.
5. Matthew 8: Healing A Centurion’s Servant (A Gentile).
6. Matthew 8: Calling A Tax Collector To Be A Disciple.
7. Matthew 15: Healing A Woman’s Daughter (A Gentile).
8. Matthew 20: Healing Two Blind Men By Touch.
9. Mark 9: Casting Out A Demon Then Taking The Boy By The Hand.
10. Luke 7: Raises The Son Of A Widow From The Dead (Touches The Coffin).
11. Luke 7: Allowing A Sinful Woman To Touch Him (Lifestyle Problem).
12. Luke 10: Portraying The “Good Samaritan” As A Neighbor (Ethnic Barrier).
13. Luke 17: Samaritan Leper Is Healed And Gives Thanks (Ethnic Barrier)
14. Luke 19: A Visit To The House Of Zacchaeus (A Swindler)
15. John 4: The Samaritan Women At The Well (Ethnic & Gender Barriers)
16. John 8: The Woman Caught In Adultery (Sexual Sin)
17. Acts 8: Phillip Left A Revival To Join To The Ethiopian.
SUMMARY? WE ARE ALL OF ONE BLOOD AND ONE IMAGE
Genesis 1:27: We are all created in “God’s image”. Acts 17:26: "From one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." Revelation 5:9 Heaven will be filled with a multitude of people. No one group is special. "And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." 1 Corinthians 12:13 "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." Colossians 3:11 "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all." If God has declared someone cleansed, who are we to hold it against them? So you cannot marry or associate with me on earth, but you expect to live with me in heaven?
WE HOLD PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
1. What They Have No Control Over – Color Of Skin, Parentage, Before They Were Born, How They Look, Etc.
2. What Others Have Done – People We Are Connected To, Victim Mentality, Etc.
3. What They Do Not Know About – Lies Others Tell About Us, Etc. I Cannot Change Your Perception Of Me, But I Will Not Let That Control Me…
PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE:
2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” According to the Bible, the priority in marriage is that a Christian should marry only a Christian. Sadly, there are some Christian homes where the parents are more concerned about their children not marrying someone from another “Race” or “Culture” than whether or not they are marrying a Christian.
5 WOMEN LISTED IN JESUS’ GENEOLOGY – MESSED UP SITUATIONS CAN WORK.
1. Tamar: Matthew 1:1-3 (Genesis 38). Judah, oldest son of Jacob (Israel), took a Canaanite, a foreign, pagan wife, who bore him 3 sons. Er, the oldest, "was wicked in the sight of God; and the Lord slew him" & he left no child. Judah gave Tamar to his oldest surviving son, Onan to assure Er’s family name. Onan failed to perpetuate his brother’s seed and God slew him. Judah’s last son, Shelah, was too young to marry. Judah told Tamar to return to her father’s home until Shelah was old enough to marry her. She disguised as a temple prostitute & tricked Judah of sleeping with her. She became pregnant with twins - Perez & Zerah. Perez, this first born, came into the messianic line that would go through David. Boaz would come from this line.
2. Rahab: Matthew 1:4-6 (Joshua 2, 6). Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who hid the 2 spies Joshua sent. She became convinced that Israel’s God was the true God. She asked for and received mercy and deliverance by Israel for herself and her family when Israel destroyed Jericho. She became the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz in the lineage of Jesus.
3. Ruth: Matthew 1:5 (Ruth 1-4). Elimelech, his wife Naomi and their sons - Mahlon and Chilion - left Bethlehem to live temporarily in Moab during a famine. The country of Moab originated when Lot, in a drunken spree, impregnated his oldest (Moab), and then his youngest (Ben-Ammi) daughters right escaping the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Moab, Elimelech’s son Chilion married Orpah; Mahlon married Ruth. The Moabites worshipped Chemosh. She married Boaz, the son of Rahab and becomes great grandmother of King David.
4. Bathsheba: Matthew 1:5-6 (2 Samuel 11). She was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite; one of David’s mighty warriors. David saw her nakedness and fell for his lust. They had an adulterous relationship, and she became pregnant with his child. David tried to hide his sin, and arranged for Uriah to be killed. After going through the prescribed mourning period, Bathsheba married David. Later Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon. Solomon is listed in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew.
5. Mary: Matthew 1 – By the Levitical Laws, a young woman was to remain a virgin until after the marriage ceremony. Deut. 22 says, in such violation, the girl was brought to the door of her father’s house and the men of the city stoned her to death. Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph but then was found to be pregnant. It brought confusion to Joseph. When an angel explained the situation to him, he married Mary and kept her virginity until after the birth of Christ. Mary, while being a virgin and having committed no act of immorality, still bore the stigma within the Jewish community of pregnancy outside of marriage. The Pharisees during Jesus’ ministry will make reference to that event.
So You Don’t Have To Be Perfect To Be Used By God. The earthly genealogy of Jesus Christ was filled with not just the good, but the bad. The 5 women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy were deemed sinful. Tamar played a harlot. Rahab a prostitute. Ruth worshipped a pagan god. Bathsheba committed adultery. Mary pregnant before marriage. But all found forgiveness and reconciliation and vindication. God can use anyone and any situation.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS STORY ABOUT PREJUDICE?
1. Some People Think They Are Better Than Others.
2. How You Treat Others Determine The Condition Of Your Heart.
3. Some Feel People Should Marry Within Their Own Confinement.
4. Some Will Regret Those They Rejected.
5. Some Will Miss Their Blessings Because They Saw People Wrongly.
WE LOVE TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE’S PASTS
1. Ruth’s Genealogy - Moab: Compromised Separation.
2. Ruth Was Formerly An Idol Worshipper.
3. Ruth Married Into A Backslidden Family.
4. Ruth Is A Widow.
5. Ruth Was Childless.
6. Ruth Was A Widow With No Inheritance.
7. Ruth Was Poor & Attached To A Destitute Mother-In-Law & Bad Advisor.
8. Ruth Would Have No Family Connection In Israel.
9. Ruth Would Be A Foreigner In Israel.
10. Ruth Would Be An Outcast.
11. Ruth Lived In An Era Of Uncertainty - Judges 21:25: “Everyone Did That Which…
WE DO NOT LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE INNER CHARACTER THEY HAVE
1. Focus On Ruth’s Personal Testimony.
2. Focus On How She Takes Initiative.
3. Focus On Her Hardworking Spirit.
4. Focus On How She Endures Ostracization, Abuse & Rebuke In Bethlehem.
5. Focus On Her Remarkable Courage And Respectful Restraint.
6. Focus On Her Modesty, Courtesy & Grace, Determination & Endurance.
7. Focus On Her Exhibited Good Character & Morality.
8. Focus On Her Open Mind And Teachable Spirit.
9. Focus On Her Loyalty To Naomi To The Very End.
10. Focus On Her Humility, Graciousness And Grateful Heart.
11. Focus On Her Non-Bitter Spirit.
12. Focus On Her Ability To Make Tough Decisions & Abide By Them.
13. Focus On Her Ability To Assesse Situation In A Practical Manner!
14. Focus On The Fact That She Does Not Complain Or Grumble.
HOW FAR DOES LOVE GO?
1. Love Shows Itself In Acceptance Of Others: One of the most prominent characters of the book of Ruth only has his name twice in Ruth 4. That man is Salmon, the father of Boaz. Matthew 1:5 tells us Boaz had a mother named Rahab the harlot: one who was an outcast of society, yet she was allowed to become part of the nation of Israel. Who would have wanted her? Salmon, the father of Boaz. He found in her a woman he could love. The love Boaz learned in his home growing up would surely have taught him to be accepting of others. So later in life, as he meets Ruth, a Moabitess, he is not afraid to reach out to her in love. How well do we do in accepting others? Do we shy away from others because they are different from us?
2. Love Shows Itself In The Worst Of Times: We often find the greatest love stories in the worst possible conditions. In Ruth 1, this love story is set “In the days when the judges ruled” - a time when Israel was constantly fighting - both driving out enemy nations within the land as well as fighting and in bondage to enemy nations from outside the Promised Land. In the midst of this time, love still shines. Elimelech loves his family and provides for them. Mahlon and Chilion love Orpah and Ruth and marry them. Naomi loves her daughter in laws. Boaz loves Ruth. There is never a bad time to love. Love endures no matter the circumstances. Do we love at all times? Pro. 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
3. Love Shows Itself In Reaching Beyond Our Comfort Zones: Naomi was able to love two daughters-in-law who were Moabites, a nation that the Israelites were commanded not to marry. Numbers 25:17 “…treat the Moabites as enemies and kill them.” I’m sure that Naomi and Elimelech were not happy with the choice their sons made. But they extended love to them for the sake of their sons. If you want to get nervous, just think about all the possible people your son or daughter might marry! Let’s be people who show love by trying to bring the best out of bad relationships.
4. Love Seeks True Beauty: Beauty Of Character: Boaz is attracted to Ruth not because she was physically astounding, but because she was a woman of integrity. We have a society of air-brushed beauties. Yet true beauty is found internally. Boaz saw the sincere heart of Ruth and loved her. Do we seek to love just those who look lovely? Do we just love those who are like us? Are we able to admire the godly character of those who aren’t “socially in the IN crowd”?
5. Love Shows Itself In Bringing About The Greatest Good: God worked through the love of Ruth and Boaz to redeem a nation. They were blessed with a son, Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of King David. Ulitmately the Messiah came from their line. Ruth became a believer - turning from idols to the true God. Boaz - the son of Rahab - a wealthy man - finds love in a woman of true character. Naomi - once blaming God - now blest by God and raising a grandson in the ways of Israel. Obed - raised to be the grandfather of the King of Israel. It’s funny sometimes to see how God works in the life of the nation and in the lives of individuals.
CONCLUSION: THE CURE FOR PREJUDICE (ACTS 10:1-48)
Three-Fold Instruction To Cure Prejudice As Seen In Acts 10:1-48 (Peter & Cornelius).
The early beginnings of the Christian faith was hard for some believers. Peter is primary. First, he is rebuked by Paul: Galatians 2: 11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
Second, he is rebuked by God Himself in Acts 10: How is his prejudice cured?
1. We Must Recognize A History Of Prejudice. Acts 10:14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” Peter knew his past and acknowledged it openly.
2. We Must Have A Heart Willing To Change. Acts 10:6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” Simon works with the skin of dead animals. Leviticus 11 makes clear what animals are clean and unclean and makes clear that even touching the carcass of one of these animals unknowingly makes one unclean. Peter was willing to risk his religiosity by staying with a tanner. He may not have touched the unclean thing, but he’s around it.
3. We Must Embrace A Heritage Of Love. Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Peter will figure out later what that means and says: Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. Peter should know because he saw Jesus minister without prejudice. Jesus went about calling clean what others would outright reject.
Bible Verse More Than 5 Times In The Bible: Psalm 118:22 / Matthew 2:42 / Acts 4:11 / Isaiah 28:16: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. See What Became Of Ruth. That Kinsman Redeemer lived long enough to see what God did. Do not judge people on the basis of your lenses. Just wait and see what the Lord is doing for me – you will never believe it, it is great.
See How God Ends This Story: Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” 16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19 Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, 20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 21 Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, 22 Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.
INTERCESSORY
1. Lord, Touch My Heart And Soften It.
2. Lord Change My Heart About Other People.
3. Lord, Take Me Out Of My Cocoon Regarding My Prejudice.
