Nothing Wasted!

Do you wonder what happens to the seeds that God has given you to sow?

Many of you faithful soldiers in God's Army may not see the results of your work for some time. I know of missionaries who saw no fruit from their labors for years! Still, they work in God's vineyards tirelessly, and know that no efforts for Him are ever wasted.

Tonight many of you are agonizing over feeling that your life is being wasted; that your labors for the Lord have been in vain. Please, take heart! You are merely experiencing the same struggle Isaiah did when he wrote, "Then I said, 'I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, and my work (recompense) with my God" (Isaiah 49:4, NKJV).

Rewards by Grace

Mark 10:28–31

Jesus, says stewardship theologian T. A. Kantonen (1900–1993), is pointing out in this passage and in the parallel passage in Matthew 19:28–30 that the disciples will have a reward in heaven. He tells the disciples that they will “also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28).

The Lord first directs the attention of the disciples away from the expectation of an immediate earthly recompense and places the thought of reward in the context of the final consummation of the kingdom. A steward of the kingdom, a partner of the Messiah, is not “[like a hired laborer waiting to be paid]” (Job 7:2). His eye is upon the glorious fulfillment of the divine purpose in which he is privileged to share. The point of this phrase of the reply may be illustrated by the replies of three men engaged in a building project to the question of what they were doing. One said, “I am laying bricks.” Another said, “I am making twenty dollars a day.” But the third replied, “I am building a church.”

Difficult Bible Passages: Exodus 21:22-25

This passage is difficult in the sense that it is a contentious passage, partly because of the way different English translations render it, and how we understand certain Hebrew terms that are used. The real difficulty is the way this passage is used in modern-day debates over abortion.

The NIV rendering of the text is as follows: “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

Ruth Gleans in the Field

Scripture Passage : Ruth 2:1-23

INTRODUCTION: The first chapter of Ruth demonstrates the great need and lowly condition of both Naomi and Ruth. This chapter begins to give hope and demonstrates the wonderful grace of God. In chapter one, Ruth claims Naomi’s God as her God (Ruth 1:16). In chapter two, Ruth begins to understand what it means to come under the wings of the God of Israel (Ruth 2:12).

1. RUTH GOES TO GLEAN IN THE FIELD (Ruth 2:1-3
   )
1. The Introduction of Boaz (Ruth 2:1
   )
1. A kinsman of Naomi’s husband
2. A mighty man of wealth
2. The Determination of Ruth (Ruth 2:2
   )
1. She determines to glean grain in the field.
2. She is not only loyal to Naomi (Ruth 1:16-18
   ), but she is also willing to work.
3. The law commanded those who harvested a crop to leave the corners of the field so the poor and the stranger could gather the remains to meet their needs (Leviticus 23:22
   ).
3. The Providence of God (Ruth 2:3
   )
1. This passage speaks of “her hap”; this refers to good fortune, luck, happenstance (thus, the word hap).
2. Yet we see God’s working in everything that happened. It was part of God’s providential working in Ruth’s life (Romans 8:28
   ; Proverbs 16:9
   ).
2. BOAZ DISCOVERS THE IDENTITY OF RUTH (Ruth 2:4-7
   )
1. Boaz Checks on the Reapers (Ruth 2:4-5
   ).
1. Boaz’s godly relationship with the reapers (Ruth 2:4
   )
2. Boaz’s curiosity about Ruth (Ruth 2:5
   )
2. The Servant’s Report about Ruth (Ruth 2:6-7
   )
1. She is a Moabite (Ruth 2:6
   ).
2. She asked to glean among the reapers (Ruth 2:7
   ).
3. She has worked from morning with little rest (Ruth 2:7
   ).
3. BOAZ INSISTS SHE GLEAN IN HIS FIELD (Ruth 2:8-9
   )
1. He Requests That She Not Glean in Another Field (Ruth 2:8
   ).
2. He Promises Her Protection and Provision (Ruth 2:9
   ).
1. The young men shall not touch you.
2. Drink water of the vessels they draw.
4. BOAZ EXPRESSES HIS ADMIRATION FOR RUTH (Ruth 2:10-13
   )
1. Ruth Is Amazed at the Grace Shown by Boaz (Ruth 2:10
   ).
1. That he took knowledge of her (cp. John 1:48
   )
2. That he considered one who was a stranger (cp. Ephesians 2:11-13
   )
2. Boaz Tells of His Admiration for Ruth (Ruth 2:11
   ).
1. Her devotion to Naomi
2. Her departure from her family and land
3. Her coming to a strange land
3. Boaz Blesses Ruth (Ruth 2:12
   ).
1. May the Lord recompense her work.
2. May the Lord reward her trust in Him.
3. NOTE: She, as a Gentile, has come to trust in the God of Israel and has placed herself under His care.
4. Ruth Is Overwhelmed with Gratitude (Ruth 2:13
   ).
1. His favor
2. His comfort
3. His friendship
4. Despite her being foreign
5. BOAZ TAKES SPECIAL CARE OF RUTH (Ruth 2:14-17
   )
1. He Provides for Her at Mealtime (Ruth 2:14
   ).
1. Boaz provides the meal.
2. Boaz serves corn to Ruth – “reached her parched corn” means that he reached in and got it for her lest she be too modest to get it for herself.
2. He Provides for Handfuls of Purpose (Ruth 2:15-16
   ).
1. She is to be allowed among the sheaves (Ruth 2:15
   ).
2. She is not to be reproached (Ruth 2:15
   , 16).
3. She is to be left handfuls of purpose (Ruth 2:16
   ).
3. Her Daily Harvest Amounts to an Ephah (Ruth 2:17
   ).
1. She gleans until evening.
2. She beats out the grain.
3. She has an ephah of barley.
4. NOTE: This is an amazing amount for one who is simply gleaning the fields. Though the records vary, it is said to amount to from 30 to 50 pounds of grain.
6. RUTH TELLS NAOMI OF HER GOOD FORTUNE (Ruth 2:18-21
   )
1. Ruth Returns to Naomi (Ruth 2:18
   ).
1. She shows her the bountiful harvest.
2. She gives Naomi the remainder.
3. NOTE: Naomi (the Jew) is now getting her blessings from Ruth (the Gentile). See Acts 15:11
   .
2. Naomi Discovers Ruth’s Benefactor (Ruth 2:19-21
   ).
1. His name is Boaz (Ruth 2:19
   ).
2. He is near of kin (Ruth 2:20
   ).
3. He has offered continued help (Ruth 2:21
   ).
4. Naomi sees God blessing again (Ruth 2:20
   ).
7. RUTH GLEANS UNTIL THE END OF HARVEST (Ruth 2:22-23
   )
1. She Is Encouraged by Naomi (Ruth 2:22
   ).
2. She Continues through the Time of Harvest (Ruth 2:23
   )

CONCLUSION: Grace and provision have been shown to Ruth and to Naomi through Ruth. Boaz (the type of Christ) has been the source of it all. However, full redemption has not yet been made. That comes in the last half of the book. Then, of course, comes the marriage. What a blessed book!

David Reagan and Andrew Ray

http://www.learnthebible.org/sunday-school-outlines/ruth-gleans-in-the-field.html