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Sermon Notes
Introduction:
- What do you do with hope when what you hoped for has not happened?
- “Life is a series of hope adjustments” (Lewis Smedes, Keeping Hope Alive)
Adjustment I: Naomi’s return to Israel
- The first time the word hope is used in the Bible, it’s used for Naomi – a woman who has none.
Even if I thought there was still hope for me— ch 1:12
- “Go back”- Orpah does, but “Ruth clung to her”
- The most daring act of hope and devotion in all of the Old Testament is done by a penniless, childless, pagan, uncalled, Moabite widow named Ruth.
Adjustment II: Naming reality
- Naomi: “Call me Marah” – bitter
- When life disappoints us, we don’t see clearly: I came back alone
- We all tend to see life through our own pain.
What or who do I have in my life?
Adjustment III: Ruth, the Moabite
- The emotion of hope
- High want minus belief = despair
- Low want minus belief = resignation
- Each of us has an essential passion which we choose, that outranks all other passions.
Ruth’s essential passion: Love for God and people – Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”
Adjustment IV: Hope vs Wishing
- Hoping involves taking action
- Ruth: “let me go glean”
- Boaz and Ruth are married, have a son, Obed, who has a son, Jesse, who has a son, David. Jesus, the Son of David offers hope to everyone
Adjustment V: Your Hope Adjustment
- Bring your hope adjustments – your hurt, loss, disappointment, pain, grief to God.
- Make really clear your essential passion: not just the things you hope for, but the one you hope in.
- Ask the Ruth question: Who might I bring hope to?