Bulletins - Renew Baptist Church

Way Maker
How Great Is Our God
Mother’s Day - The Power of Example
Ruth 1:16; 19–22
Introduction
Nelson’s Big Book of Laughter Mothers
Motherhood is full of frustrations and challenges. Eventually, though, they move out.
When we look at the book of Ruth in the Old Testament we see a story of women overcoming great adversity.
Normally we look at Ruth and Boaz her rescuer.
But today I want us to focus more on Naomi.
Naomi was Ruth’s mother in law.
It may seem strange on Mother’s Day to choose a text about a mother-in-law, but most mothers eventually become mothers-in-law.
Naomi is a good example for both mothers and mothers-in-law.
We read in Ruth 1:6 that Naomi, after suffering great, loss decided to return home.
And as the story progresses we find that Ruth stayed with Naomi, she left her homeland to go to Naomi’s country, the land of Judah.
Why did Ruth leave her own family and go to a foreign land with her mother-in-law?
It seems such an unusual thing to do.
Let’s set the scene from Ruth 1:1-5
Ruth 1:1–5 NLT
In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.
Now that is a pretty tragic situation.
Firstly you suffer a famine.
So your family relocates to a foregin land.
You settle there, then your husband dies.
Your sons marry locals.
So things are a bit better.
Then about 10 years later both your sons die.
You are a widow.
Your daughters in law are widows, but young enough to remarry.
They can return to their family home and be cared for and then remarry
But what will be left for you?
In that time in that society you had no one to fall back on.
You would be destitute.
This sets the scene but it doesn’t answer why Ruth stayed with Naomi instead of going to her own family where she had security.
Ruth saw How Naomi Handled Herself in the Family
It must have been that Ruth saw Naomi as a good mother to her sons.
Ruth had experienced a husband raised by a good mother.
Otherwise why would she stay.
Ruth would have returned to her own family.
It is likely that Ruth also saw Naomi as a good wife.
Ruth herself became a good wife to Boaz.
It seems likely that she took Naomi as her model.
It is certain that she saw Naomi as a good mother-in-law.
Naomi expresses appreciation to both of her daughters-in-law as we see in Ruth 1:8
“But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.”
She expresses good wishes for them. It is almost a prayer Ruth 1:9
“May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.”
Their weeping shows a bond of love between them Ruth 1:9, Ruth 1:14
“And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.”
Ruth saw How Naomi Handled Grief
The grief was real Ruth 1:21
“I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?””
Naomi means “pleasant”, she was saying to the town of Bethlehem when they greater her on their return that her life was anythign but pleasant,
The grief was honest and human Ruth 1:20
““Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.”
Still her grief did not destroy her faith.
She complained against God (understandably) but she still believed.
Ruth saw That the Source of Naomi’s Strength Lay in her Faith
This was not because she had no sorrows, no tragedies, no disappointments.
Faith did not isolate her from the harsh realities of life.
Faith insulated her so that those harsh realities could be endured.
Naomi had this faith in spite of all that had gone wrong.
This is true of many great believers in the Bible.
Life was not easy for them and it may not be easy for us, but faith can live in our hearts even in the most difficult circumstances.
Naomi gave Ruth a great gift: faith.
Ruth gave Naomi a great gift: a child who was the ancestor of King David and King Jesus.
Both Naomi and Ruth were ancestors of King David and therefore ancestors of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary the mother of Jesus would have been reminded of her distant ancestors.
The fact that Ruth and Naomi are in the line of ancestors tells us that this story would have been especially emphasised to Mary when she was growing up.
Naomi and Ruth would have been portrayed as examples of what a good mother ought to be.
Today is the day to be thankful for the things our mothers (and mothers-in-law) have given us.
It is also a day to give something back to them.
There are also those surrogate mothers: people who filled the role of mother or were a mother figure to children who were not biologically theirs.
Many have been blessed by foster mothers and step-mothers, and even by neighbors who provided a mother image when it was needed.
Let us be thankful for them and express our thanks to them as well.
Shannon, R. (1995). Sermon Outlines for Special Days (S. E. Stone, Ed.). Exported from Logos Bible Study,
- - Ruth 1:1–5NLT
- - Ruth 4:18–22NLT
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Ruth 1:1–5NLT

Ruth 4:18–22NLT