Sunday, September 17, 2000   

INTRODUCTION: In the Scriptures before us, we see Boaz as the great provider. Ruth, the Moabite, is poor and needy, and shut out until Boaz takes notice of her. Boaz is rich and he is willing and able to help poor Ruth (verse l). Ruth has nothing to offer, nothing to give. All that she receives from the outstretched hand of Boaz is an act of free grace. Sinners have nothing to offer for salvation. All that we receive is by free grace (Romans 5:15-17).

The provisions that Ruth receives from Boaz are far beyond anything she could have hoped for--far beyond anything she could have gleaned: food, drink, shelter, and safety. Believers have received far more than they could have ever dreamed from the hand of our greater Boaz, the Lord Jesus Christ. We have received redemption and forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7). "According to the riches of his grace." We have obtained an inheritance because of belief of the Gospel (Ephesians1:11-14).

I. VERSES 13-14, RUTH'S RECOGNITION OF GRACE & THE CALL OF BOAZ

      A. Verse 13, "Let me find favour in thy sight..." The Hebrew word used for 'favour" here is chen. The same Hebrew word that is used for grace" in Genesis 6:8: "...Noah found grace [chen] in the eyes of the Lord." Ruth's recognition of all that Boaz had already done for her is heartening.

            1. In Ruth 2:10, Ruth acknowledges that she has found grace in the sight of Boaz. Ruth in appreciation of this grace desires to find continual favor in the eyes of the Lord of the harvest.

           2. Her first day in the field of Boaz was wonderful. Her first day with Him was more than she could have ever expected. She recognizes that all that he has done for her is undeserved; it is all of grace. From my first day with grace to this day, I realize that all He has done for me is all of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

            3. "Thou hast comforted me." Ruth had not expected but she found it in Boaz. We deserved hell and could not have expected anything else. Romans 6:23a, "The wages of sin is death...". Oh, but listen to the last words of Romans 6:23: "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

           4. "Thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid..." She found comfort in the words of Boaz. Cursed by the law until the tenth generation, Ruth hears Boaz say in Ruth 2:8: "...my daughter."

                  a. The believer finds comfort in the words of Christ our greater Boaz. (John 11:25-26; 10:27-29; 5:24)

                  b. The words of Christ are wonderful words of life to the believer.

            5. "Though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens."

                 a. She recognized that she was a stranger and that all he had done for her was by grace.

                 b. We were strangers from the promise of God, and all that God has done for us has been by grace (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:12-13).

                  c. Ruth humbly recognized the provision of Boaz, this characterizes the heart into which grace has come.

      B. Verse 14, Here is a gracious invitation, an invitation to come and dine. It is a call to the table of the Lord of the harvest. Because Boaz loves Ruth, he wants her at his table. Because the Lord loves you, He wants you at His table every time a spiritual meal is spread.

            1. "Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed, he invites His chosen people come and dine."

           2. Boaz says to Ruth: "At meal time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar."

                  a. The elements of the Lord's table are pictured here. The word for "vinegar" is the Hebrew word “chomets” meaning sour grapes or grapes made into sour wine.

                  b. Ruth was invited to fellowship with Boaz at his table. The local church is invited to come to the table of remembrance. Remembering the broken body of Christ as symbolized by the bread and the shed blood as symbolized in the wine. It is because of the sufferings of Christ that we can find comfort (verse 13).

            3. "She sat beside the reapers." This is a beautiful picture of the rest the Lord gives to His own. To the weary farmer, dinner and rest go together. It is great to come out of the field and to eat and rest.

                 a. On Sunday, we are called from the field to eat and rest.

                 b. Sifting also speaks of the accomplishment of a task.

                       1) Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father because He said from the cross: "It is finished." Our redemption has been accomplished.

                        2) The believer is seated in heavenly places because of what Christ had done for him (Ephesians 2:4-9).

            4. "He reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed..."

                  a. From the hand of the Lord of the harvest, Ruth was fed. From the hand of Jesus, the five thousand were fed. From the hand of Jesus, the water was turned into wine. From the hand of Jesus, the hungry saint is fed.

                  b. The corn was parched.

                        1) The parched corn points to the sufferings of Christ for sinners. The scourging, the mocking, and the crucifixion were the fire through which he passed.

                        2) Because Christ passed under the fire, believers will escape the fire of hell.

                                    a) Jesus took our penalty (II Corinthians 5:21).

                              b.I Corinthians 5:17.

                       c. The resurrection is also seen in the corn (John 12:24).

            5. "Sufficed" - Jesus satisfies the weary.

II. VERSES 15-16, HANDFULS OF PURPOSE

      A. Verse 15, there are just a couple of things that I want to point out concerning this great verse about gleaning.

            1. Gleaning requires stooping.

                 a. Gleaning speaks of humility. Jesus is our example in that He stooped to wash the feet of His disciples. Are you willing to stoop to help a brother in Christ?

                 b. We need to stoop in prayer if we are going to get to the mountaintop spiritually.

           2. To glean, you have to work. There is work to gleaning.

                  a. If you are going to get spiritual food, you are going to have to work. You are going to have to dig it out.

                  b. II Timothy 2:15 says: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed..." The Greek word for study is “spoudazo” meaning, "To labor, to exert one's self, endeavor, give diligence." Study of the word is work that is rewarded.

      B. Verse 16, According to the command of Boaz, the young men were to drop "handfuls of purpose" just for Ruth.

            1. To glean among the sheaves is a privilege only given to those who have found grace in the eyes of the Master (Verse 15). To glean in the Word led by the Spirit is a privilege of grace.

           2. Not only do those who have found grace get to glean among the sheaves, they also get handfuls of purpose dropped just for them (Romans 8:28).

                  a. These "handfuls of purpose” are not dropped unexpectedly.

                  b. "Notice these handfuls did not fall by chance, they were each a gift of his grace" (Smith 20).

      C. The "handfuls of purpose" are for those who stay in the Master's field (verse 8). The blessings cease when we leave His field.

III. VERSE 17, THE HANDFULS ARE PLENTY

      A. Ruth, by the blessing of the Master, has enough for her and her mother-in-law.

      B. Before Ruth left for home, she "beat out that she had gleaned." That means she beat the chaff off the wheat. The chaff is no good. Don't accept everything you hear as truth. Search the scriptures and get rid of the chaff.