Another minor character. As I note in the introduction, last week I preached about women in a story taht is traditionally about the men; this week I preached about a man from a text that is traditionally focused on the women.
In the Chapel service, when I noted that Boaz noticed Ruth in the fields, I realized that I had originally intended to make that one of the major points in the sermon. I did not add to it in the Chapel service, but in the Sanctuary service I added a couple of comments that are included in the sermon text below.
“Boaz: Gleaning and Grace” July 27, 2016; FPC, Troy; Ruth 4: 7-12;
Introduction: We continue the preaching series on minor characters in the Bible. Last week, I preached on Sarah from the Abraham/Isaac story and the mother of the two son's in the prodigal story. This week, I preach on Boaz in the Ruth story.
You may notice that last week the focus was on the women in two stories where the women are not given much play, and this week the focus is on the man in a story that usually focuses on the woman, Ruth. It's kind of fun to explore the story from a different vantage point.
(Ruth 4:7-12) Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one took off a sandal and gave it to the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the next-of-kin said to Boaz, "Acquire it for yourself," he took off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man's name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses." Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the LORD will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah." (NRSV)
Move 1: Boaz spies her in the fields gleaning, that she is picking up scraps of barley to provide for herself and her mother-in-law Naomi.
a. He did not know at first glance that she was a Moabite, although maybe she looked a bit different than the other women in the field.
2. He did not know that she had chosen to follow and support her mother-in-law.
3. he did not know her act of faith in Naomi's god, the God of Israel.
4. But he sees her in the field and notices her.
5. Let's stop for just a moment here and recognize the importance of noticing someone who is different, who is in need. Too often we busily move through life and do not notice those to whom we might be called to minister.
Boaz noticed Ruth.
6. He extends himself to her for no apparent reason.
7. he sets her up so that her gleaning would be easier and be more productive to her.
8. When he tells her that the Lord will take care of her, he could not know that when Ruth tells Naomi about meeting him in the fields, Naomi would decide that God was being faithful to them by sending Boaz into their lives (2;20 – “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Why, God bless that man! God hasn’t quite walked out on us after all! God still loves us, in bad times as well as good!” )
b. Despite the help in the fields, Ruth is in a precarious situation.
1. patriarchal world – governed by men and property rights and inheritance were passed down through the men's lineage.
2. Ruth's father-in-law, Naomi’s husband, has died, so Naomi has little or no status.
3. Ruth's husband has died, so Ruth has little or not status.
4. When Naomi chose to head back to Judah so that some of the societal rules might come into play to provide for her, Ruth chose to follow.
5. Now Ruth is even lower on the societal totem pole because she is a Moabite, an outsider, in addition to being a widow.
c. When Boaz awakens in the night to discover a woman lying at his feet, he does not recognize her until she reminds him who she is.
1. Ruth, the woman whom he had helped out in the fields.
2. he does not know that she is wearing perfume and her best clothes at Naomi's instructions.
3. he does know that she was young enough for him to call her “daughter.”
4. he has already learned that she is part of his extended family, and that her future as a widowed Moabite woman in a foreign land puts her at risk.
Boaz makes a decision to extend himself to Ruth and bind her future to his.
Move 2: Boaz works the rules.
a. Back to the time of Ruth
1. they lived under the levirate (lev-er-it) custom, which dictated that a childless widow's brother-in-law, or closest relative, must marry her, and that the first son of that new marriage would become the deceased man's heir. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).
2. In this specific example, it means since Boaz is not the closest relative to Ruth deceased husband, it is another man's obligation to marry Ruth.
3. Apparently, there is a parcel of land that the closest relative can inherit from the estate, so there is an economic opportunity related to Elimelech's death. But, if the man buys the land, he also must take responsibility for Ruth. And, if Ruth bears a son, the son becomes the heir to the land, instead of the relative who married Ruth.
4. I know. That's a bit complicated. Put simply, the economic gain of the land is offset by having to marry Ruth and potentially lose the economic gain. (ironically, there is a beautiful passage from Ruth that is used at weddings, but it's probably better that the whole story is not told!).
b. Boaz works the system.
- I am fascinated at how Boaz did not do away with the traditions and boldly declare that this Moabite woman would become his wife.
2. that would make a better story – throw away tradition; ignore the rules; free the woman; change the world.
3. Instead, Boaz assembles elders at the gate to hear his case, so to speak.
4. he tells the closest relative about the land; then when the man agrees to buy the land, he tells him Ruth comes with it.
5. When the man declines, Boaz agrees to marry Ruth.
- Boaz worked the system, received the correct permissions to marry Ruth, and then acted to save Ruth.
1. Boaz could have settled for the young woman who pays him unexpected attention – a one-night stand, if you.
2. but instead Boaz commits to doing the work necessary to “rescue” Ruth, and in turn, Naomi.
- I point this out because there are many times that people, maybe even you or I, see someone that needs to be saved, but are unwilling to do the work.
- We hear the call to go into the world to serve Christ.
- we identify someone or some situation to which God might be calling us.
- then we discover that it is complicated. No easy answers.
- it is going to take time and commitment to make an impact and change lives.
- Instead of committing the time and effort, we just move on – “Hey, God, could you send me a little less complicated project?”
- we might also note that Boaz seems to use the system to manipulate the other relative.
- In fact, Naomi seems to know how to work the system as well.
- not suggesting that ministry is a call to manipulation, but acknowledging that ministry can be complicated.
- The point is not rules or good or bad; the point is how do we give people the opportunity for a changed life?
Move 3: Boaz' actions reflect and reveal God's redeeming grace.
a. In the legal terminology of the time, Boaz “redeems” Ruth. Early in the story, Naomi links Boaz' actions to God being faithful to them. In Boaz, we see
b. In Boaz, we see God's desire to redeem people.
- While we may find the societal customs of the time, a relative marrying a widow, a bit odd, that custom reflects a commitment to redeem a widow.
2. To give her status in the world and a future.
3. that reflects God's desire to
b. We live in a world with very different social customs and expectations.
- Yet it is also a world in which people yearn to experience what it means to be redeemed.
2. In Bill Moyers’ documentary about the hymn “Amazing Grace,” there is a scene in Wembley Stadium in London several years ago (at a celebration of the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela). For twelve hours, groups like Guns’n’Roses played, amping up an increasingly intoxicated crowd. Everything is building toward a crazy∧ chaotic crescendo at the end. But the promoters of the event have NOT scheduled a rock band, but opera singer Jessye Norman to be the closing act. 8 The film cuts between scenes of the unruly crowd and Jessye Norman being interviewed, discussing “Amazing Grace” with Moyers. That hymn was written by a coarse, cruel slave™r named John Newton. Even after his conversion to Christian faith, John Newton continued to ply his™. He wrote the song “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” while waiting in an African harbor for a shipment of slaves. But over time, Newton—in great pain∧ remorse— J renounced his profession∧ became a fervent abolitionist. That night in Wembley Stadium… …finally, the time comes for Norman to sing. A stream of light follows Norman as she walks onstage, wearing her native, flowing dashiki. There’s no back up band. It’s just Norman. The crowd is restless. Few recognize who she is. A voice yells for more Guns’n’Roses. Alone, Jessye Norman begins to sing very, very slowly: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me A remarkable thing happens… the raucous fans fall silent. By the time Norman reaches— ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved…,’ —the soprano held the crowd suspended. By the time she reaches the third verse they’re digging back in their early lost memories for words they heard long ago…they’re singing along. 6 Norman said later that they were ALL paying attention to a moment NONE of them could have expected. (As told in "What’s So Amazing About Grace?," by Philip Yancey,"1997. I ran across this story in a sermon by Agnes Norfleet, “Grace upon Grace,” found in Journal for Preachers, Advent, 2014 and again in the sermon “Awe,” preached at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina 7 June 2015 by Kristy Farber and Mark Ramsey)
- how do we reveal God's redeeming grace to those around us?
- Are we willing to do more than just speak of God's redeeming grace?
- Are we willing to engage others and do the hard work needed to give someone a new lease on life.
Conclusion: Fast forward two generations – Ruth's grandson is David, the one who will battle Goliath; the one who will be the greatest king in Israel's history.
Fast forward several more generations – a child will be born in Bethlehem.
You know him. Jesus Christ, the one who came to redeem the world.
When Matthew tells his story, he shares the genealogy. A genealogy that runs through Ruth, the Moabite woman, the one whom Boaz redeemed.
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