RUTH

At the center of the book of Ruth are two widows, Naomi and Ruth. Naomi is from Judah and a worshipper of the god of Israel. Her daughter-in-law Ruth is from Moab, a foreign nation often at odds with Judah. Despite being foreigners to one another, these two women are bound together by a devotion that reflects God's devotion for us. Both widowed and impoverished, Ruth and Naomi experience the kindness of God through unlikely circumstances. At the end of it all, God works through their devotion to one another in an unexpected of way.

The Human Characters

Here are the three main human characters in this section of the story, just as a reminder:

Naomi - Widow and Bethlehemite who was married to Elimelech. She had moved to Moab, a nation regularly at odds with her people, over a decade earlier. Her husband and sons passed away and she returned to Bethlehem, where she possibly had property and some connections.

Ruth - Daughter-in-law of Naomi who was from Moab. Her husband, Naomi's son, passed away. Rather than stay in Moab and build a life there, she committed to Naomi and went with Naomi to Bethlehem.

Boaz - A kinsman of Naomi and Ruth's deceased husbands. A wealthy man in Bethlehem who shows kindness to Ruth.

Sermon Outline

I. Recap of Ruth's Story

II. Boaz

III. Ruth
A. The book is called "Ruth"
B. Ruth is proactive

IV. Naomi

V. God
A. Naomi gives God credit
B. God is working

VI. How does God work in your life?

NEXT STEPS:

1) Think about each of the three human characters in Ruth.

2) Write down the positive attributes of each.

3) Note which of those attributes reflect God.

4) Remember that when you see those attributes in others, you see a reflection of God.

5) Pray that you would see God more clearly.

GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1) Which of the three human characters in this story do you identify with most? Boaz? Ruth? Naomi? Why?

2) Which character do you admire the most?

3) How do you see God at work in each character?

4) How does God typically work in your life?

5) Do you find it easy or difficult to see God at work?

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