Ruth 2:7-13 God's Prepared Good Works for His People

The Introduction

Ephesians 2:8-10 (CSB) For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

The Text

Ruth 2:7-13 (CSB)
⁷ She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants.

⁹ See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

¹⁰ She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?”

¹¹ Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know.

¹² May the LORD reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

¹³ “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

Some Considerations

Philippians 4:8 (CSB) Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.

What do you want to do when it comes to loving one another? Is it when the opportunity presents itself or is it maybe ongoing for a season or for a lifetime?
Remember the times where you have been blessed by being a blessing to others? Give thanks to him. He did all of that.
Ever thought about riskier good works?

God

^6-7 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

Prepared Good Works: What do you want to do?

In our church, we have made much of the "prepared good works of God" (Ephesians 2:10) and rightfully so. Like the Reformers, we have doubled down on the free gift of grace and faith in salvation by God to us (Ephesians 2:8-9), that since God is not served by human hands (Acts 17:25), he does not need our good works. So what are these good works for? As Christ as said:

Matthew 22:39 (CSB) The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Those good works are intended for your neighbor. (Reminder: Christ's parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 would suggest everybody is our neighbor)

Some of us, especially those who were brought up in Christian traditions that struggled with the will of God or just the proclivity of our personality might then ask, "What is mine to do?"

My response to you is, "What do you want to do?" Consider your passions and desires. Consider you wants. Consider your heart towards others. Also, consider your will. For:

Psalms 37:4 (CSB) Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Some of us might read this and get a little spooked because Jeremiah says:

Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB) The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable — who can understand it?

And you are correct. Yet, here is the sweet gospel of Christ:

Ezekiel 36:26 (CSB) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Beloved, you have been given a new heart. That means you have new desires for God and to please him.

Romans 7:22 (CSB) For in my inner self I delight in God’s law,

And furthermore, since you have been saved, you have the Triune God dwelling you: the Spirit leading you, Christ in your heart, and the Father has made his home in you.

So you tell me, what do you want to do? Just go and do that. Don't spend time overthinking it. Just take the first step.

Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?

Ruth asked this in humility and without presumption.

Luke 11:11-13 (CSB) What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? ”

Matthew 7:7–8 (CSB) “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (CSB) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Let me be on the edge of controversial: in Christ, we get to be presumptuous. We get to be audacious. We get to be bold to come to God to ask God for God to get God because why? You have God and you are in God and he is in you. You've sin? Go to God boldly, audaciously, presumptuously.

You want to do something? Pray and ask and do.

What do you want to do when it comes to loving one another? Is it when the opportunity presents itself or is it maybe ongoing for a season or for a lifetime?

^8-9 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

Prepared Good Works: Neither to the left nor to the right

Deuteronomy 28:13-14 (CSB) The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the LORD your God’s commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow them. Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not follow other gods to worship them.

In what God has called you to do in Christ, come to him, love him and love others, he has not called you to sin. In whatever you want to do and desire to do, just some basic common sense that we don't have to sin against God.

In everything else is fair game.

Remember what Jeremiah preached a few weeks ago: we hear from God because we have his precious word which Christ called "the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4) Remember the three uses of the law? Mirror of ourselves, civil use, and the last use: guide by God to love others. In whatever you do to please God and love others does not violate the law of God. We don't have to scheme, cheat, no manipulate. I make no accusations here--I have just seen ministers in the past trying to make their little kingdoms of sand and will either start to lax on the ethics and the law of God to a point where they are sinning against God and others--all under the believe that they are doing great works unto the Lord.

Don't fall for it. Just as Boaz gave clear instructions and boundaries to Ruth in her work, so, too, has our God done the same for us.

The Gospel

¹⁰ She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?”

Prepared Good Works: Give thanks

1 Chronicles 16:8-11 (CSB) Give thanks to the LORD; call on his name;
proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him; sing praise to him;
tell about all his wondrous works!
Boast in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.

So you have his tender heart, his almighty Spirit, his only begotten Son, his precious word and good works to do? Give thanks to God for he is good and his steadfast love endures forever.

Remember the times where you have been blessed by being a blessing to others? Give thanks to him. He did all of that.

¹¹ Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know.

Prepared Good Works: For Christ has brought you in

Christ did preach for each of us to consider the cost of discipleship--to count the cost of what it will take to follow him. What sins you are going to give up (all), what lifestyles are left to die, what addictions you must submit, how to have your mind renew by him. All the things.

But none of us--especially those of us saved later in life--had no clue what God had in store for us. And that include the good and the bad and the easy and the difficult.

Boaz sees into Ruth's response to her mother-in-law and to that end, her faithfulness to her God. To follow Christ, it is a risk. It calls for the narrow path. Zig when you and the world wants you to zag. In Christ, you might be a stranger and foreigner to the world but to God and to his people, you are seen and known and loved and cared for and protected and provided for.

¹² May the LORD reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

Prepared Good Works: And Christ will protect you

Psalms 91:4 (CSB) He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

There is the risk of the following Christ. You might lose it all. You might lose your livelihood. And back to answering the question, "What do you want to do?", there is risk of doing good works.

You might get hurt. You might get rejected. You might get mocked. You might get persecuted. You might get killed.

We are immortal until our work on earth is done.

George Whitefield. 1714-1770.

For those of us who might called to risker good works, works that put us in danger or harm's way, or those works that call us to give up careers and even family, this is the reminder that God has you. He has you. You cannot depart from him. Even in your most deepest despair. Even if you think you have made the wrong decision. Even if you did something intentionally good but you now face the end, God has you. He has you. He has you and will always have you.

God has first called you to be his child. You are now under his great protection. That doesn't mean we are not prudent and wise. But it doesn't mean your body nor heart is bulletproof. This life is never guaranteed to be easy--we live in most Genesis 3. But Christ alone redeemed everything from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22. And he will protect you because he saved you.

Ever thought about riskier good works?

Our Response

¹³ “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

Prepared Good Works: Because Christ has given you grace upon grace

John 1:16 (CSB) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

I don't think Ruth is alluding to her foreigner status but her work status among Boaz' working staff. She asked before "How have I found favor in your sight?" Boaz answers her directly, "You cling to Naomi and to our people and to her God."

Deuteronomy 23:3-6 (CSB) No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the LORD’s assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the LORD’s assembly. This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you. Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, but he turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. Never pursue their welfare or prosperity as long as you live.

By the law of God, Boaz would be well within his rights and within the righteousness and law of God to not even speak to Ruth not grant her any type of favor.

2 Corinthians 3:6 (CSB) He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But from the appearance of Boaz, what makes Boaz actually virtuous, prominent, and noble wasn't status nor his wealth but his delight in the law of God and his kindness and gentleness towards everybody.

The law of God is the bare minimum of what we should do and avoid doing. Nothing in the law of God calls for a sincere, heartfelt compassion for the foreigner. But God tells us treat them with this minimum amount of respect--just in case your heart is not turned towards them, his heart is turned to them.

And we are the foreigners. His heart is turned to us because we were once lost. We are like the widow who has lost her husband because we were the adulterous bride who left her husband and like the orphan with no father.

God is turned towards us and he has deepest heartfelt compassion and mercy towards us. But all of his steadfast love and grace didn't just end there--he did something about it. He called us. He rescued us. He adopted us. He brought us home.

The letter of the law states the bare minimum of what we should do. But remember the fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22–23 (CSB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

We failed to do the bare minimum of what God has commanded us to do. But he was kind and gentle towards us. Just as we will about to see Boaz, in a way, save Ruth and Naomi, God saved sent his most prominent, most noble, and most virtuous Son to come and save us.

John 3:16–17 (CSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

For all the power and might that Christ has, he didn't come to condemn us. He didn't come to judge us. He didn't come to punish us. He came to save us. Just as in the mercies of God not to destroy Adam, Eve, and the world at the first sign of everything going wrong, it is same mercies that he sent his Son to come not to condemn us but to save us.

Theologicus