Our Kinsman Redeemer | Pastor PJ Garton, November 23th, 2025- Ruth 4:11-16

I can sing I [music] [singing] but through God is in me. With [music] every [singing] breath I long to follow Jesus [singing and music] for he has said that he will bring me home. And day by [singing and music] day I know they will renew me until I [singing] stand [music] with joy before this I [music and singing] hold my hope is only Jesus. >> [music] >> All the glory ever more to him. [music] [singing] [music] To this [music] I [singing] my hope is only all [music] the glory ever more. When the race is complete, [music] still my head shall remain at night [music and singing] through Christ. When the [music and singing] race is complete, still my head shall be [music and singing] and not but through Christ in me. Has not [singing and music] but through Christ in me. Father, we know that in ourselves we have nothing. We depend completely upon you. And Lord, we thank you so much for the price that Jesus paid for us. Thank you for sending him as our

Redeemer. Thank you for the hope of glory that we have because he paid our price in full. Lord, we look forward to the day that we will stand before your throne, rejoice together with you for all eternity. Pray Lord now as we sit and we listen, pray that you would open our hearts to the message you have for us. Pray that you would speak through PJ this morning as he opens your word in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. 37 years ago in my first semester of college in New Jersey, we had foundational teaching and one of the very first things that I learned how to do was to make stock. And by stock I mean like foyon base. And we learned that before that we learned this term called miss plus and it's French for meaning everything in its place. And we learned that you don't put anything together until you have everything in its place so that you don't make a disaster. And we learned how to make stock and we spent three weeks learning how to make stock and it was the most uninteresting part. It was we learned and it everything had a process. We learned how to cut vegetables and eight hours a day you cut vegetables in different shapes and sizes. Batonet, alumat gulen, and all these different things. And we used the peelings to make the stock. And the stock would be off to the side in a 30 or 40 gallon vat that would be boiling all day. And we would use bones, beef bones with knuckles or any bones with knuckles and joints so that we had the natural gelatin. And we would add herbs and spices. And all day long that stuff would be boiling down and just the flavors would be concentrated. And we would put them in like five gallon buckets and cool them, put them

In the walk-in. And then the next morning we would come in and take the fat that had congealed off the top off. And then you had that brilliant stock that you could do other things with. And the other things that you would do is make sauces and soups that were just spectacular. What am I using this illustration for? I feel like the book of Ruth over these last few weeks that we've been together has been like a very rich stock. It's been concentrated with doctrine, with themes of love, loyalty, brokenness, God redeeming us, how Boaz redeemed Ruth, and all these awesome themes and things to consider that are just a part. And we can go on from some of those things and compare with other parts of Scripture and go on even more. And I've just appreciated this study. One of the things as a chef that I really enjoy is, and it's it's gonna really reflect that I'm weird, but receiving the food, receiving especially vegetables, when the delivery would come and they would bring them into the kitchen and you would check to make sure that the bottom of the crate there's not a rotten strawberry or things like that. You just you ensured that the quality of that stuff coming into your kitchen was topnotch. So that it lasted more than a day or two days. And once you received it, processed it, and the delivery driver left, you would put it in the walk-in and you would put it in place like where the different things went. And I remember when we were in England and I was the food, this the chef for the school. Just the smell and the aroma of the fresh ingredients. And when the butcher would come and deliver the meat and things, I would get giddy like, "Oh man, I know what my menu is. I know that on Thursday I'm going to be making whatever and I'm going to get to put these things together." I

Just love that. And this week has been like that as I've been preparing for this me that I have felt and sensed God at work. This message is like a meal. It's this is what God has prepared. It's not PJ that's coming up here with his own thing. It's this is what the Lord has provided. Thankful that the menu is prescribed that Ruth chapter 4:es 13- 22. But I that culinary analogy and I hope that you can sense that aroma of what God is up to and what he has done, what we have learned through the whole book of Ruth. Last week, Cody said that I would be I think he used the metaphor of bow tie like I would be wrapping this book up today. So do an adequate job of that. I would invite you to stand if this chooses to work for me. And thank you. Let's stand as we read the word of God. And it says, "So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son." Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a Redeemer. And may his name be renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. Thank you guys. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and began became his nurse and the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Oed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez. Perez fathered Hezron. Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered Minadab. Aminadab fathered Nishan. Non fathered Solomon. Salmon fathered Boaz. Boaz fathered Oed.

Oed fathered Jesse. And Jesse fathered David. Let's pray. Father, again we just thank you for your word. And I pray that Father now as we worship you through looking at this text that Lord, these would be your words that you've prepared and that Lord, we would leave here challenged and encouraged to walk closely with you. And I ask this in your name. Amen. I wanted to review and I am my coordination of notes or the marriage to Boaz and now the birth of Oed. I just wanted to kind of go there just to set the stage a little bit more. Cody mentioned or referred to a term of the Levirate marriage, lever, I don't know how I'm if I'm pronouncing it properly, but some of the cultural things that I just wanted to highlight is that this was a means of providing for widows. Without this, without a kinsman Redeemer, these widows were at risk of lo of just not being provided for. And by marrying a deceased husband's brother, the widow was assured protection and provision within the family unit. And this ensured the continuation of the deceased man's lineage and the retention of his property within the family. In the book of Ruth, Ruth's husband had no surviving brothers to carry out this marriage. And in this also in this instance, a close relative of Ruth named Boaz took it upon himself as we'll see and as we have seen he took upon himself this duty and this lineage that we come to today includes Christ our Savior, our Redeemer. You can learn more about all more about that in Deuteronomy chapter 25 if you so wish. But my first point this morning is the providential birth

Of Oed in Ruth in verses 13 to 15 and I'll just read those again. Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He went into her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son. The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord who's not let you this day without a Redeemer. May his name be renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who's more to you than seven sons has given birth to him." And just in these three verses, there is so much packed hinder there. And back to what I was saying about that stock, like it's concentrated. There's so much to unpack and to yeah to take in consideration. My first point God's faithful redemption fulfills his promises. That phrase so Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife in that sentence in Hebrew contains 15 words and five verbs and it captures just the events that just took place in the previous nine months. Boaz the kinsman Redeemer marries Ruth fulfilling the law and God's plan. The phrase she became his wife. One commentator points out the fact that the 10 years previous in Moab, it brought misery. She experienced misery, but the few short weeks in Bethlehem brought blessing. Her progression was now complete. I'm not going to even attempt to pronounce the Hebrew words, but the she began as a foreigner back in Bethlehem with Naomi, her mother-in-law. Second, she became a lower servant in chapter 2 verse 13. Third, she was upgraded to a maid servant in chapter 3:9. And finally, in chapter 4, she became a wife in verse 13.

She was a Moabitete widow, but she was now part of the covenant community. Ephesians 2 11-19 and I'll take the time to read that says, "Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, al alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise. You were having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down the in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two. So making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross there thereby killing the hostility. And he be and he came and he preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one spirit to the father. So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. This picture of Ruth, a Moabitete, a foreigner, being welcomed and accepted into a covenant community portrays our identity in Christ as being strangers and aliens and now being one. Jot these down or listen to the recording later. But I wonder, how do we typically respond when God's timing doesn't match our expectations? What promises from Scripture remind us that God's timing is perfect? I thought of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers. He ended up in Potterer's

House and he became a slave. But we all know the outcome of that and how God was all over that. His grace was all over that. And in Genesis 50 verse 20, he says, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today." when we're going through some difficulties or suffering or whatever it might be that God has for us on our journey, we may we may not see a whole timeline. We may we may not see or understand what he's up to. And we may never see or understand this side of eternity, but we can be assured that we can trust his timing. He's at work and he is accomplishing his purposes. I wonder in what areas of our lives can we consider where we might be struggling to surrender or yield control to God? How do we cultivate patience and faith during seasons of waiting? I know these are not easy questions and could be characterized as meddling. So, I'll stop. Psalms 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart take courage and wait for the Lord. Ruth's sojourn in Moab lasted 10 years. But after she returned to Bethlehem, Naomi and Ruth experienced blessings beyond belief. In Moab, God gave Ruth the faith required to trust him and to be saved. In Bethlehem. He guided her to the field of Boaz where she caught the eye of Boaz and he fell in love with her. As we talked about this morning in community group, God was at the gate where the other kinsmen who was closer rejected Ruth so that Boaz could redeem her. Psalms 31 verse 23 says, "Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. Boaz was known in the gates. His reputation and his character were very pronounced and obvious and

It as is noted in Proverbs it was known and the gate was a place where business took place where where like this where Ruth was redeemed and It all just point continues to point back to God's timing. I wanted to highlight that the gate where this business took place where the redemption of Ruth and Naomi took place for us that place is the cross. It's not a gate. And yeah, I hope you can revel and ruminate about that. The next point under this providential birth of OED that we can see is that God is working through our circumstances to accomplish his purposes. It's not our purposes. It's not our ordeal. It's his the young literal translation. And the women when they said unto Naomi, "Blessed is Jehovah, who hath not let a Redeemer cease to thee today, and his name is proclaimed in Israel." This is similar to the rejoicing that took place at the announcement that John the Bapt was pregnant with John the Baptist in Luke 1:58 where it says, "Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her and they rejoiced with her." It's a picture of what God was referring to in Roman what Paul was referring to in Romans 12:15 where he says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." The phrase, "Blessed is the Lord." Praise should always be the first response when one perceives themselves or those around them to be the unworthy benefactors of the incomparable blessings of the only God who is worthy to be praised. A reference in Samuel 2 Samuel 22:4 says, "I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised and I am saved from my enemies." Another one in Psalms 18:3

Says, 'I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised and I'm saved from my enemies. We have no reason to fear. We have no reason to doubt because Christ is on our side. David in Psalms 103 says he off well first he offers a blessing to Jehovah and I'll highlight verse four in a minute. Bless be the bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget none of his benefits who pardons all your iniquities who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from the pit. Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion. Who satisfies you with years, your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. That verse four, the redeem who redeems, who crowns, who satisfies can be easily applied to Ruth and Naomi's journey. We can be sure that God's plan is perfect. Themes and circumstances they as I've already said may not make sense. We may not see been mentioned. This book was set in the time of the judges and the way that it's referred to at that or that time period which was referred to everybody did what was right in their own eyes. And as we've seen over these past weeks, God has always saved a remnant of genuine believers, no matter what, no matter how dark the times were. Their prayer of benediction was that Oed might be a restorer quote unquote of life to Naomi. Oed was Naomi's hope that the line of would not become extinct. And in the Hebrew, this word restoer conveys the idea of movement back to where back to the point of departure. The word is used 13 times in the in this book of Ruth. Naomi returned to where she began and was restored with way more

Than she could have ever dreamed. Psalms 19:7 says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." I wanted to read a quote from Spurgeon. It says, "Making the man to be returned or restored to the place from which sin has cast him." That practical effect of the word of God is to turn the man to himself, to his God, and to his holiness. And the turn or conversion is not outward alone. The soul, quote unquote, is moved and renewed. The great means of the conversion of sinners is the word of God. And the more closely we keep to it in our ministry, the more likely we are to be successful. It is God's word rather that man's that man's comment on God's word which is made mighty with souls. When the law drives and the Gospel draws, the action is different. But the end is one. For by God's spirit, the soul is made to yield and cries, "Turn me, and I shall be turned." Try men's depraved nature with philosophy and reasoning, and it laughs your efforts to scorn. But the word of God soon works a transformation. The when they when these ladies referred to Ruth her u yeah I lost my place the about the seven sons in this culture tremendous value was placed on having a single son let alone seven and for them to say this about Ruth was a very huge compliment. A family with seven sons would have been viewed as extraordinary in that time. Our second point, Naomi's restored joy and the community recognized this provision, God's provision in her life. It was obvious and they acknowledged it. In verse 16 and 17 Naomi u becomes the

Caregiver of Oed and this image of generational or this image of him being laid in her lap. It portrays a generational healing that has taken place or is taking place. In numbers 11:12, it says, "Did I conceive this all this people? Did I give them birth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing child to the land that you swore to give their fathers?" That's referring to this idea, this image of them of oed being laid in the lap of Naomi. It's an action of when one embraces a loved one. The women declared the women was were the ones that declared and even though he was biologically Ruth's son, he had been born it was referred to he was had been born to Naomi. And I'd like to suggest to you that restoration is communal and relational. It's not it's not just us or just isolated. The next thing we want to see or understand is Naomi's transformation parallels our renewal in Christ. A familiar verse in Galatians 5:20 2:20 says, "I've been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live yet not I but Christ lives in me. It's no longer I that and the life that I live now in the flesh. I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. That's our hope. That's this picture that we see with Naomi embracing OED. The next point, we can embrace God's grace in times of transition. We can rest in his acceptance. We don't have to strive for his approval. Ruth didn't strive for Boaz's approval. She was just faithful to do the work to do the work and to be obedient to how the Lord was leading her. We already have God's acceptance

Through Christ. We're completely accepted. We're deeply loved. And we're totally forgiven. We don't have to hold on to perfectionism. We're free from the pre pressure of having to measure up. And instead of trying to earn favor with God, we can respond with gratitude and love. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And through him we have so also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We can trust that Christ redeems our past and he secures our future. Our third and final point, eternal legacy of redemption. God redeems broken stories. Who can relate to that? The key in insight here, God uses ordinary faithfulness to accomplish extraordinary purposes. I heard something yesterday that really struck a chord with me that I really liked. I forget it was the lady that was the roommate of Denny when she was in nursing school. And it was after Denny had realized God was directing her away from nursing and towards missions, towards serving God. And she was choosing to step away from completing her nurses training. And I think about that picture of and I characterize that as ordinary faithfulness. It wasn't a big deal. She didn't want a big deal made about it, but her life resonated with just being faithful to her creator. I think another person in their testimony referred to her as a gentle light, I think was the word they used. I it was the same girl, same lady. And it was referring to

Denny was so full of Christ and so full and confident in her identity of who Jesus is that she desired for this roommate of hers to come to a saving knowledge of Christ himself herself. And the way that this lady received it, she referred to it as a gentle a gentle light. It wasn't Denny wasn't like hammering her like you've got to get saved like right now, but it her words were backed up by her life and her testimony. The I got ahead of myself, but faithfulness matters. Her loyalty, Ruth's loyalty to Boaz. Ruth's loyalty and Boaz's integrity. They ripple through the generations. And next, we see God includes outsider. She, as we've said already, she was a Moabitete, but yet she was chosen and honored. Finally, Jesus is our ultimate Redeemer. Boaz has pointed us to Christ all along. Who But Christ redeems us eternally. God's plan of redemption transcends our individual lives. And we talked about this morning. I think we've probably hit on it a couple for the last couple weeks that on our journey in walking with Christ, things might be hard for us. We may not understand them, but it doesn't matter. God's still accomplishing his purposes. We need to recognize our place within his great story of redemption and that we have a place. We don't need to be minimizing that. All we need to be doing is walking in faithful obedience. And we have the opportunity and privilege to impact eternity by faithfully walking with the Lord and obeying his will for our lives. I am not going to sing it, but I wanted to read the words to a song that I like by Chris Tomlin and it says it's the titled at the cross when love ran

Red. There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies. There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide. Where all the love I've ever found comes like a flood. It comes flowing down at the cross. I surrender my life. I'm in awe of you. Where your love ran red and my sins washed white. I owe it all to you, Jesus. There's a place where sin and shame, they're powerless. When my heart has peace with God and forgiveness, where all the love I've ever found comes like a flood. It comes flowing down at this at the cross. Here my hope is found. Here on holy ground, here I bow down. Here your arms are open wide. Here you saved my life. Here I bow down. There's a lot of refrains, so I'll just refrain from reading all