This beautiful story of love now draws to a close. The man and woman get their marriage celebration. The happy new couple have a bouncing baby boy. The widowed mother-in-law raises her grandson as her own. But none of these are the great exclamation point at the end of the story. God has fulfilled His promise to provide a Redeemer, not only for Naomi, and not only for Israel, but for all of mankind. Watch and ask the question: What kind of redemption am I looking for, and which Redeemer am I seeking?

Desperation can make you do crazy things. Naomi had seen the physical famine they endured come to an end through the faithful gleaning of Ruth and overwhelming generosity of Boaz. But there was still no baby, no heir, and thus no future for their family. Rash, and perhaps a bit controlling, Naomi devises a plan for her daughter-in-law to remedy the famine of their family’s future. This scene in the story is full of suspense (and it gets a little spicy), as Ruth takes some risky steps and has them met with Boaz’s integrity, pursuit, and protection. Listen and ask the question: Am I patiently waiting for the rest only God provides while seizing the opportunities God opens?

In the midst of heartache and loss it can be extremely hard to see where God is at work, or even if He is at work. Naomi was there – Famine, death, loss, bitter circumstances that seemed to cling to her. But Ruth clung to her with love and loyal devotion, and God did too. Upon their return to Bethlehem, glimpses of a new story about to be written over the dark chapters of their lives begin to emerge. Come see God’s hand of providence as Ruth leaned into obedience in a foreign land … and ask the question: How do we take the initiative to obey, confident that God works in unlikely places?

God wastes nothing is His commitment to preserve His people and advance His glory-cause in the world. During a tumultuous time for the Old Testament people of God, we are given the answer to the chaos in the little book of Ruth. The answer is God’s King, and the journey involves darkness, but hope is always around the corner. Come see God’s hand of providence amid famine, death, and disappointment … and ask the question: How do you face dark disappointment with a believing heart?

You were built for relationships! A divine blueprint was established in the first two chapters of the Bible. But only one chapter later what you were built for becomes blocked by sin and its lingering effects. Yet, through the Gospel, that blueprint in redeemed. It is only as your relationship with Christ is established and growing that your human relationships will flourish as God designed. So, let’s follow God’s design!

If God is committed to His own glory, then our chief aim must be a commitment to His glory as well. And if the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, we must be confident of just what it looks like to do that. In understanding what the Bible says about glorifying God, we can than obediently and joyfully live to the glory of God. Oh, the freedom that comes from knowing how to order our days, and all that fills them, so that we operate as God designed for His glory and for our joy!

God will not share His glory with another! In other words, He’s a jealous God. So many times, in the Scriptures, we see those who tried to get God on their side, to fight for their cause. But guess what? God, jealous for His own glory, doesn’t take sides. He fights for Himself, stands for His glory, and isn’t manipulated by our clever ploys to get Him to bless us. If God is passionately committed to His own glory, then we must fight against all that stands against His glory, in our hearts and in our obedience. Understanding our God-centered God ought to produce in us a Glory-Centered joy.

This Sunday, we are taking the opportunity to discuss five current cultural idols that are shaping our generation and how we equip our youth to be salt and light in this culture. Rather than standing on the outside and critiquing the culture, it is our hearts desire that our young people would engage with the culture and share the good news of the person of Jesus Christ.