1. Unlocking fall 2015 Cultivating a culture of grace
A church on a mission

2. Unlocking
fall 2015
TO CHAPTER 4

3. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down. 2  He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down. 3  Then he said to the closest relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.
Ruth 4:  Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down. 2  He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down. 3  Then he said to the closest relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  "So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem it." 5  Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."
Ruth 4:  "So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem it." 5  Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."

5. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  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." 7  Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8  So the closest relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.
Ruth 4:  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." 7  Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8  So the closest relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.
Two things going on. One is the removing of the sandals and the other is the relatives reluctance to claim the inheritance
In a culture of grace. How far are you willing to go? There are many believers who want the blessing, the greater anointing but are not willing to do what it takes to move one to the greater blessing.
Is there something in your life that God has put before you that you have been reluctant to step forward?
Maybe He’s asked you to take on a greater ministry. Maybe He’s asked you to do something that is very hard to do or accept and you just don’t know if you are willing to pay that price.
This relative was never heard from again.
As to the sandals, It was a custom of attesting to the granting of privileges and accessibility to that which had previously been accessible.

6. Unlocking
fall 2015
Exodus 3:  So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." 4  When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5  Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
Exodus 3:  So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." 4  When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5  Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

7. Unlocking
fall 2015
Joshua 5:  Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14  He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15  The captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:  Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14  He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15  The captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
Joshua, I am redeeming back this land
Give me this shoe and I will have the authority to walk through the land and claim it
We need God to get into our shoes.
So there are times that God call

8. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  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. 10  "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."
Ruth 4:  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. 10  "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."

9. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 12  "Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman."
Ruth 4:  All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah (ef-rah-thu) and become famous in Bethlehem. 12  "Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman."
A culture of grace prophecies into the disenfranchised. The Moabite would become the heir of Jesus The Christ.

10. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 4:  So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14  Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. 15  "May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him."
Ruth 4:  So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14  Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. 15  "May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him."
The entire city knew who Ruth was the moment she married Boaz.
Ruth didn’t chase Boaz – she just worked at being Ruth. She kept her focus on God and the Lord provided a mate.
Maybe you are looking for that special Godly person to come into your life.
This all happened because of what happened in this verse.

11. Unlocking
fall 2015
Ruth 1:  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 1:  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.

12. Unlocking
fall 2015
Mark 2:5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Mark 2:5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

13. Unlocking
fall 2015
Chapter One – Providence of God Chapter Two – Mercy of God breaks through Chapter Three – Strategic Righteousness Chapter Four – Two Becoming One
Summary
What a change from the first chapter!!! Death, depression, anxiety, the list goes on and on. Perhaps you are living in chapter one of Ruth’s story. Hang on. Chapter 4 is coming!
Perhaps you are living in chapter two of Ruth. Revelation has come to you
Chapter 1 introduces us to bitter providence of God to a land meant to be a promise but for their total lack of obedience.
Chapter 2 The mercy of God breaks through so that even Naomi can see it.
And now we come to chapter 3 a plan of action unfolds designed to achieve the purposes of God in the midst of a rebellious and unrighteous people.
We shall call this “The strategies of the righteous”
Zeal for doing what is good and right.
There is passive righteousness which simply avoids evil. Then there is a strategic righteousness that not only moves away from sin but works to overcome the damage done by sin. It plunders the effect of sin. It is intentional, purposeful, planned
So what of chapter 4
Never forget who brought you
Never forget where you were brought from