- If I asked you to list admirable characters in the Old Testament, who would you name?...
- there are many candidates for sure…but I don’t think it would be long for many of us until we mentioned a man named Boaz, whose story is told in the wonderful little book of Ruth…
- that’s where we learn about the important biblical theme of someone being a kinsmen redeemer…
- you may remember that the story unfolds in the days when the judges governed… - summarized in … Judges 21:25 - In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
- it’s in that setting that a woman named Naomi and her husband Elimelech, and their two sons leave Bethlehem in the land of Judah to sojourn in the land of Moab because of a severe famine…while they were there, Naomi’s husband Elimelech dies…
- her two sons marry Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth…and then the two sons pass away…and neither of their wives had conceived children…
- then they hear that the famine has subsided back in Bethlehem and choose to head back to where Naomi is from…
- but at some point in the journey Naomi sits down with her daughters in law and says…you should go back to Moab, to be with your people, and your gods…the key verse is…Ruth 1:9 - May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband…
- what’s curious (maybe even scandalous) about that is Naomi admits that by their doing so…they will be returning to their own gods…which apparently doesn’t matter much to Naomi, because after one of the daughters in law takes her up on the offer, Naomi tries to persuade Ruth to do the same by saying…Ruth 1:15 - Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
- see, your hope is in finding a man, regardless of what he believes, and about now, any man will do…she was functioning as an individual like Israel was functioning as a nation…that’s the clear point of all of this – everybody does that which is right in their own eyes…
- in an amazing contrast to that lack of faithfulness, this young Moabite woman says…
Ruth 1:16 - But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God…Ruth believed – The God of Israel is capable of being faithful to me, I choose to be faithful to Him…
- Unfortunately, Naomi chooses the path of bitterness…and when they got to Bethlehem and women of the city asked...isn’t this Naomi…she replies… Ruth 1:20-21 - …“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
- in the next chapter, Ruth asked permission, since it was the time of the barley harvest, to go glean in the fields in accordance with the provisions in the OT for people who were poor…and she just so happens (the writer teasingly says in verse 3) to come to the fields of a man named Boaz, who was actually a relative of her deceased father-in-law and therefore his sons…
- in our culture, we might say – well, that’s convenient – maybe a relative will show Ruth preferential treatment and give her a job…
- but in their culture – and remember – we always interpret the Bible in light of the original context and setting…
- the fact that Boaz was a near relative would set off all sorts of alarm bells…in this case, in a very joyful sense…
- because the OT had a specific provision for people in Ruth and Naomi’s position…in 2 senses…
- first was the law of the goel, or the kinsman redeemer…
- Leviticus 25:25 - If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.
- if you want to read more about that, the subsequent verses discuss it more fully, and you can also read more information in Deuteronomy chapter 27…
- but secondly there was the issue of Levirate marriage…explained in…
- Deuteronomy 25:5-10 - When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. “It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. “But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ “Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ “In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’
- I realize we might hear that and say “yuck”…which is probably not the best response to God’s provisions in Scripture for His people…
- but I realize it’s hard for us in our culture to understand what a difficult position Naomi and Ruth were in…
- most of us haven’t experienced a famine…or the possibility that our land would have to be sold and our family’s name and potential for livelihood be extinguished…
- these two women were in dire straits…and as the mother-in-law Naomi watches God bless them through Boaz’s character and kindness…her bitterness towards the Lord begins to melt…and her trust in God’s Word and ways increases…
- so much so that she launches an outrageous plan…because someone has to make the next move…
- Boaz probably won’t because Ruth is so much younger than he…
- so Naomi encourages Ruth to go down to the threshing floor where Boaz will undoubtedly be…and ask him to function as their kinsmen redeemer…
- what happens next is amazing, and it shows that Boaz has been thinking about that too…because he tells her that while that’s true…there’s actually a closer relative…
- which demonstrates his impeccable character…
- it also shows how far we’ve come in this story, because it was in chapter 1…any old god will do…and now we’re at a place where…we must be sure we’re following God’s Word carefully and precisely…
- but that part of the story is put to rest pretty quickly, isn’t it?...
- because Boaz goes the very next day to the city gate, and assembles the elders…and speaks to the closer relative who eventually refuses because Ruth 4:6 - The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.”
- what word would you use to describe that guy?...we probably shouldn’t answer that here in the church-house…
- then we have these heroic words…Ruth 4:9–10 - Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.”
- you’re left cheering and screaming…just like when Purdue beats an opponent on a last-second shot…
- and you think…could there ever be a better redeemer than this?...could there ever be a kinder redeemer than this…could there ever be a more gracious redeemer than this?...
- and what’s the answer to those questions?...well, yes there could…
- he’s the one to whom this entire story is pointing…the Lord Jesus Christ…
- and for people like you and me…who in a spiritual sense were far more hungry, and impoverished, and enslaved than Ruth and Naomi were…what we potentially have in the Person and work of our Savior…is the perfect Kinsman Redeemer…
- with that in mind, please open your Bible to Ephesians chapter 1…page 150 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…
- our church’s theme this year is Building on Our Heritage…because we are right on top of our 60th anniversary…
- God in His grace has given us a wonderful heritage and the question we’re considering this year is…what does it look like to build on their heritage wisely and well?...
- in these early months of 2024, we’re working through Ephesians chapter 1 where we want to Remembering Our Identity as One in Christ…
- let’s read the first 14 verses…looking for what Paul tells us about our marvelous redemption…read Ephesians 1:1-14
- this morning we’re talking about how You are Redeemed…and with the time we have remaining, let’s look for 4 responses to Jesus being willing to be your kinsman-redeemer.
I. Acknowledge Man’s Need of Redemption
- what we said about the importance of considering the Bible’s original historical context in reference to the book of Ruth is equally important when thinking about Paul’s use of the word redemption in the book of Ephesians…
A. By understanding the historical context
- there are two primary Greek words translated redeem or redemption in the NT
1. agorazo, exagorazo – from agora (marketplace) – referred to buying or purchasing in the marketplace
- Galatians 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
- the emphasis there is on the price that had to be paid to free us from the curse of the law…we’ll say more about a bit later…
- and if that’s all redemption was, it would be marvelous…but in Scripture, it’s even stronger than that, because there’s also…
2. Lutroo – to release from captivity. “Paying a ransom in order to release a person from bondage, especially that of slavery” (John MacArthur, Commentary of Ephesians, p. 18).
- MacArthur goes on the explain…During New Testament times the Roman Empire had as many as six million slaves, and the buying and selling of them was a major business. If a person wanted to free a loved one or friend who was a slave, he would buy that slave for himself and then grant him freedom, testifying to the deliverance by a written certificate. Lutroō was used to designate the freeing of a slave in that way. That is precisely the idea carried in the New Testament use of the term to represent Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. He paid the redemption price to buy for Himself fallen mankind and to set them free from their sin.
- However, this is one of the major challenges of the day and age in which we live…
- only a person convinced f his/her enslavement would be motivated to turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith in order to secure His marvelous and miraculous redemption…
- that was Paul’s point to the Romans in what many consider to be the very heart and essence of the gospel…Romans 3:23–26 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
- and friend, the question to each one of us on that point is rather simple and straightforward…have you acknowledged, and do you acknowledge man’s need of redemption?...
- I’m happy to tell you that our founders clearly did…it’s rather remarkable that within 2 years of the launch of this church, our forbearers were constructing their first permanent facility…
- on January 8 of the following year, they had a formal dedication service…which included in part what they termed an Act of Dedication…where the pastor would read a section, and then the congregation would respond in unison…
- part of that act went like this…
Act of Dedication
Pastor: To the purpose of maintaining worship in accordance with our belief in a verbally inspired and hence, infallible Bible
Congregation: We dedicate this church
Pastor: To the preaching of the gospel, which is the good news of the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
Congregation: We dedicate this church
Pastor: To the proclamation of this same gospel to uttermost parts of the earth
Congregation: We dedicate this church
- don’t you love that?...not a bunch of slick advertising, not a lot of watered down religious sentiments that had the ability to neither offend nor convert anyone…
- they were very clear in their acknowledgement of man’s need of redemption…along with the marvelous news that a kinsman redeemer has come…
- we’re embarking on our 40th biblical counseling training conference…and one of our doctrinal distinctives is that mankind’s greatest is his separation from a holy God because of our sin…
- that’s not to suggest that every person’s problem is a direct result of their individual sin…
- or that there is not the existence of innocent suffering in this world…
- but none of us are passive victims…we’re active worshippers and our response to both sinning and suffering should be to run to our redeemer in repentance and faith…
- so many of the world’s systems want to place responsibility somewhere else and such counselors essentially become like…Hebrews 10:11 - Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
- and the sad reality is that a fair amount of that is done under the heading of Christian and sometimes even biblical counseling…
- beware of any counseling system that fails to quickly and comprehensively acknowledge man’s need of redemption…because our enslavement is real and undeniable…
II. Marvel at the Extent of Your Redemption
- if we’re willing to repent…to turn around…to go from pride and self-righteousness and self-sufficiency and truly acknowledge that we need redemption…a price has to be paid…
- what do we find as the proposed solution?....
A. A personal relationship with a Redeemer who loves you
- this may be one of the reasons the book of Ruth is in the Bible, to help us personalize the transaction of biblical redemption…
- some of you who are older may remember J. Vernon McGee who was a marvelous Bible teacher…
- he wrote a book entitled Ruth – The Romance of Redemption…
- the book’s description says, The story of Ruth, the gentile maid from Moab, is a powerful and passionate portrayal of pure love--the devoted love of Ruth for her Hebrew mother-in-law Naomi, the romantic love between Ruth and Boaz, and the redemptive love of God.
- do you see the last word in verse 6?...we are in the beloved…
- Paul said the same thing to the Romans - Romans 1:7 - to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- we’re not talking about an impersonal payment or transaction made by someone who barely knows or cares about you…
- what Boaz was to Ruth…God is to you….
- when I became a Christian in my senior year of high school, my church not long after that encouraged me to consider becoming a pastor…
- the challenge was that my father who was not a believer was not in favor of that idea so I had to figure out how to save enough money the summer after high school graduation to pay for my first year of Bible college…
- I was working at a health club at the time but my hourly wage was so low that even if I saved every penny I earned it wouldn’t be enough…
- so one day at work I got a call from a friend who offered me a job building in-ground swimming pools but the catch was – I had to start the next day…
- so I told my boss at the health club and he said – that sounds too good to pass up – go try it, we’ll cover for you – if it doesn’t work out you can come back here – which was incredibly gracious…
- and then I went to work for the pool company…which was owned by an elderly Jewish man…
- after my first week, and hearing about what I hoped to do with my life…
- he told me – you can work as many hours as you want this summer for $5 an hour…which was a pretty good wage back then…but more importantly, if you stay with me all summer, I’ll give you $1000 bonus to help with your tuition…
- that was a substantial amount of money in those days…and the more I got to know him, the more amazed I was by how he just chose to love me…simply because he wanted to…
- friend, marvel at the extent of your redemption…what Boaz was to Ruth, God is to you…
- of course, in many ways, that’s just the beginning of the story…
B. A payment more precious than gold
- what’s the centerpiece in our verse in Ephesians 1?...
- Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood…
- Peter said - 1 Peter 1:18–19 - knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
- aren’t you glad that’s a central part of the heritage on which we have the privilege to build?...
- as far as I know, practically every month for the last 60 years our church family has paused and celebrated the Lord’s table together…
- because there is nothing more precious to us than the blood of Christ…
- we believe that, Hebrews 9:22 - …all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- this is why our church has historically sung songs like:
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.
I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.
I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.
Refrain:
Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.
- so acknowledge man’s need, and marvel at the extent…
III. Rejoice in the Effects of Your Redemption
- the title we’ve selected for this first chapter is Remembering our Identity as One in Christ
- that’s a very important way of thinking about this book, how the first three chapters focus on the gospel indicatives…who we are in Christ, and the last three chapters transition to the gospel imperatives…how we are to live for Christ…
- remembering that sequence is very important…
- and our verse this morning is one of the reasons we chose this title…
- Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood…
- that little phrase “in Him” is so incredibly powerful…
- and I should just pause and ask everyone here – has there been a definite time in your life when you admitted your need and placed your faith in Christ?...do you know that you know that you know that you’re on your way to heaven?...if not, you could decide that today…
- part of what’s kept our church family united all these years in spite of all of our differences is that we share a common spiritual identity of being “In Christ”…
- if you went around the room this morning and asked people – what’s the most important thing about you?...the answer wouldn’t be – I’m German, I have red hair, I like the Cubs, or let me show you a picture of my grandkids…
- what would the answer be?...I’m in Christ…because I’ve been redeemed by His blood…
- and think about the effects…and how those effects have guided us practically…
A. Freed from sin’s power
- Paul reminded the Romans that they…
- Romans 6:18 - and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
- that’s why we wrestle with our minds in the power of the Holy Spirit telling ourselves - Romans 6:11 - Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
- a price had to be paid – we had to be freed before this could even be a possibility…
- and I realize you might say – but PV, I have a long way to go…I do too…
- but think about how far you’ve come…because you’ve been redeemed by the blood of the lamb…
- this is what motivated our church to launch a biblical counseling center for our community 48 years ago now…
- now because we were convinced of our wisdom or enamored with the world’s latest philosophies and theories…but because we truly believe in the power of Christ’s redemptive work…
B. Transferred from the world’s system
- we read about this in places like…
- Colossians 1:13–14 - For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
- Galatians 1:3–4 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
- many of us would say – this world is not my home…I don’t embrace the world’s values, or philosophies, or core ideologies…
- why?...because we’ve been redeemed, we’ve been rescued from that…
- that frees us up to invest our lives in the kingdom of God…
C. Released from guilt and shame
- Galatians 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
- we have never gotten over that…which is why we do so much community based outreach ministry…
- because we want as many of our friends and neighbors to be able to experience that same freedom…no more guilt and shame…because of the powerful blood of Christ…
D. Protected from legalistic demands
- Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
- I’m not saying that we’ve not had our share of legalism around here…because that’s such an easy trap to fall into as we try to grow and serve the Lord…
- but we try to avoid it if all possible…
- it’s like when we started our school…we made a conscious decision…we’re not going to tear down other approaches to education…and we’re not going to suggest that people who send their kids to our school are more spiritual than those who don’t…
- why?...because that kind of legalism would undermine the power and the purity and the purpose of Christ’s redemptive blood…
E. Delivered from the fear of death
- Hebrews 2:14–15 - Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
- I’m just starting my 37th year here…which is a testimony to the grace of God and the patience of our church family…
- the special crown our church members will receive for having to endure me all these years will be a sizable one I’m sure…
- but I do really believe in the value of long-term ministries…but something they did not warn us about in seminary is that if you stay at the same church for a long time…you’ll end up burying a lot of your friends…
- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood by the caskets of one our members who has died and thought…thank you Lord for redemption…
- we’re sorrowing, but not as those who have no hope…
- because the price for their salvation has been fully and freely paid…
- what sweet Boaz did for Ruth…our sweet Savior has done for us…
- so acknowledge man’s need, and marvel at the extent, and rejoice in the effects…
IV. Embrace the Purpose of Your Redemption
- this topic comes up again later in this same passage…
- Ephesians 1:14 - who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession…
- our church has 5 senior pastors over our 60 year history…but this was never Pastor Reed’s church, or Pastor Lockwood’s church, or Pastor Vela’s, or Pastor Goode’s, and certainly not Pastor Viars’ church…this has always been…Jesus’ church
- why?... because…Acts 20:28 - …the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
- that’s what motivates our obedience and empowers our service – Jesus…Titus 2:14 - …who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
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