“GOODBYE, FAREWELL & AMEN” (2 Cor. 13:11-14)

RETIREMENT MESSAGE

FBC Earlville, N.Y. December 30, 2018 10:30 AM

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “The Doctor Funny”

A patient went to the Doctor and asked him to check his leg.

 “Something’swrong. Just put your ear up to my thigh, you’ll hear it!”

The doctor cautiously places his ear to the man’s thigh only to hear, “Giveme $10! I’m desperate! I need $10!”

“I’ve never seen or heard anything like this before! How long has this been going on?”the doctor asked.

“That’s nothing, Doc. Put your ear to my knee.”

The doctor put his ear to the man’s knee and heard it say, “Please! I really need$5! Just $5! Please! I’m desperate!”

“Sir, I really don’t know what to tell you. I’ve never seen anything like this.”The doctor was truly dumbfounded.

“Wait, Doc, that’s not all of it. There’s more. Just put your ear down on my ankle,”the man urged him.

The doctor did as the man said and was amazed to hear his ankle plead, “Please, I just need $20! Please lend me $20, please! I am really desperate!”

“I have no idea what to tell you,” the doctor said. “There’s nothing about it in any of my books,” he said as he frantically searched all his medical reference books. “However… I can make a well-educated guess.

Based on life and all my previous experiences, I can tell you with some certainty, that your leg seems to be broke in three places.

INTRODUCTION

Last Wednesday, quarterback Tom Brady of the (cough cough) New England Patriots was asked to comment on his 19 year career. His words were carefully chosen and interesting:

“I’ve been able to be in a career for 19 years that I love,” Brady said. “And I wake up every day excited to go to work. And I wake up every day fulfilled with what I’m doing. I don’t think there’s any greater gift in my life than to have that. Along with that has come a lot of other very cool opportunities, but in my heart and soul, I love playing the sport of football. And it’s brought me so much joy in my life.”

Then he went on to say, “It tests you in so many ways. I’ve been dealing with it fora long time. There’s anxiousness and nerves, and there’s joy and happiness, there’s disappointment and frustration. The emotions run the gamut. But if you can stay and build your mental toughness, it has just been incredibly rewarding. And I’m a very, very lucky man.”

This MOST LIKELY will be the last sermon that I ever preach as a pastor; it may be the last sermon that I EVER preach. And if it is, I hope I can apply what Mr. Brady did: I’ve been able to be in a career – a calling if you will – for 30 years that I love – and I wake up every day excited to go to work.

But if it really IS my last sermon, I couldn’t find a better text to preach from than the one before us – perhaps the last words given by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth.

The church at Corinth had a good history. It had a great foundation, much like First Baptist Earlville. Its people loved the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord. They were encouraged by many servants of the Lord over its history to stay true to the foundation they enjoyed in Christ. And through its many trials – both without and within – it was challenged to remember its roots, its firm foundation, and to build upon the foundation of the Rock – even the Lord.

With that background, let’s look at what Paul said to them – and in turn,what I am privileged to say to y’all this morning. PRAYER

Paul’s message revolves around 3 key themes:

1. BE GROWING: match on the outside God’s operation inside! (v. 11)

Paul begins his farewell to the people in Corinth by reminding them that their whole being is like a car. Huh? Well, let me illustrate: a friend shared with me the story of a phone call he received from his adult grand-daughter. It seems that her new car had blown its engine. My friend, who is a retired life-long mechanic, lovingly asked her, “how often did you check the oil?”. To which his grand-daughter replied,“check what?”. I hope that illustration makes sense to you. If we who own vehicles don’t regularly check the engine oil, or listen carefully to noises that just don’t sound right, it shouldn’t surprise us when one day we are besides the road, 20 degrees below zero, 40 feet of snow, and going nowhere. Oh, and the battery of our phone is dead, too. Hmm.

All that to say this: the church is like a well-cared for car engine. Paul says to“aim for perfection” – that means to be mature! Pay attention to the details. So let me ask you: do you love the Lord Jesus as your Savior and Lord? IF SO, how is your walk with the Lord? Are you taking care of your spiritual engine? Are you in prayer? Are you reading the Bible in a still moment of your day? Yes, it is possible to have still moments in your day, if you seek them FIRST.

Paul says “listen to my appeal – be of one mind, live in peace.” The Message says, “Think in harmony. Be agreeable.” This is under the umbrella of “be growing”. What does it mean? Well, think of two neighbors, both of whom went to the same church. One day, one of the neighbors stopped coming to church. In fact, she started attending a church on the other side of the valley. The wise young pastor went to her and said, “hey – you are missed at our church. How come you aren’t coming?” Do you know what she said? She said that her neighbor across the street thinks her kids are better than my kids. That is what she told me. So rather than bother her and confront her, I am going elsewhere.” The wise young pastor went to the first neighbor and said, “hey, isn’t it something that Mrs. Jones and her family no longer come to church – in fact, they’re going to the church on the other side of the valley.” And do you know what that first neighbor replied to him? She said, “I have NO IDEA why she stopped coming.”

Paul said, “think in harmony. Be agreeable.” That means that in order to be a growing church – unlike the situation with Mrs. Jones and her neighbor – differences should be current. They should be settled as soon as possible, in order for the Lord’s growing hand to be uponHis church.

And note that it is the God of love and peace that is overseeing His church. He just doesn’t leave His people alone to build His church. Jesus said, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH – and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

But if the church presumes that it will always be a mature people, then, well, one day you’ll start hearing the noises, smell the smoke, and the engine will be dead. Oh, the church will still be open, it will be doing all the things it usually does, but it will not have any life. It will be going through the motions. The joy will be gone. It will be a dead church.

Be growing.

2. BE REMINDED: that saints are everywhere! (vs. 12-13)

Paul says, “greet one another with a holy kiss.” OK. Let’s go on to the next point. I can see it now. When I ever am invited back, Carl the organist, now age 75 or so, will tell me, “we listened to what you said in your closing message. Look and see!” And I’ll walk into the auditorium and see a wide Jumbotron screen over the pulpit. And sometime during the service the words “Kiss Cam” will appear, and the TV camera will zero in on couples – or even non-couples – to see if they will kiss. I can see it now.

It is interesting how other translations word this command of Paul. The New Living Translation says, “Greet each other with a sacred kiss.” But I think The Message gives Paul’s intent: “Greet one another with a holy embrace.” There are some that may forget the word “holy” and remember only the word “kiss”.

Perhaps I should leave that alone.

OR perhaps Paul intended that action to be closely connected with the next line: “all the saints send their greetings.” What does that mean?

ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever gone on vacation and visited another church in another state? What did you find? You tried to compare how they do things with how we do things. And then? You came to the overwhelming realization that the people there are just like us! In fact, they were quite interested to hear what church is like back home! Why? Because God has wisely planted churches and people just like us all over the world! Why? Because He wants us to see people as He sees them!

So – the “holy embrace” is to be first of all “holy”, and not necessarily a wet smooch. It may be even a handshake or a squeeze of the shoulder to let you know – hey, we are one in Christ. There are saints everywhere!

Be reminded.

3. BE AWED: the Trinity sees you! (v. 14)

Finally, Paul ends his farewell greeting with a benediction. This should keep the church in Corinth in awe of Who God is and what He is eternally doing on their behalf. The Son? He displays grace – God’s kindness at His expense! The cross is always before Him, and He wants His grace to be always before His children. The Father? He displays love. The Bible says that He has loved us with an everlasting love. That means that the church should first of all look at each other and then at the mission field the Good Lord has given her through the eyes of His love. And the Spirit? The Holy Spirit loves fellowship. When the church doors are open, He is there. Why, wherever the church is, He is there. He just loves to be with those Who love the Lord Jesus.Fellowship.

Be awed. May we never lose that sense of awe of the Lord’s presence in our lives and in our church.

CONCLUSION

“Goodbye, Farewell& Amen” – the title of the 11th season and the 16th episode of “MASH” – still the most widely watched episode in the history of television. For me, Season 30, Episode 52. Maybe not the most widely watched sermon in the history of Christianity.

But before I’m done this morning, there are 3 things I want you to remember:

FIRST, there are 900 people (or so) in the Village of Earlville – plus those in the surrounding areas. And there are only 2 churches in Earlville to meet the eternal needs of those people. That task is always before us. We’ve done well these past years. Don’t forget that God’s heart is for those 900 people, just as He showed each of us His heart for us at Calvary.

SECOND, our Verse for 2018, from Psalm 71:18, centers on the next generation. Your task, my task is never done. It is ever with a vision that the NEXT generation loves the Lord Jesus and walks with Him with the same privileges and graces that each of us have enjoyed.

Finally, THIRD,do you remember the contest in my early days here? We were to come upwith a theme, a catch phrase, a motto if you will, that best represents God’s heart and the personality of His heart at work in our fellowship. “Inviting and Accepting.” That is a foundational theme: we invite people to come just as they are to the Cross, because that is how the Lord Jesus invited each of us. And we accept people as they are – why? Because, as Paul says elsewhere,“such were some of you -But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

And OUR work here may have ended in the pulpit, but it has not ended in prayer. The prophet Samuel said that was his mission for God’s people, Israel. Please remember this: somewhere in this world, especially on Sunday morning around 7:30 am, by God’s grace there will be someone who will be praying for the First Baptist Church and Society of Earlville – and for each of the people that the Lord has brought through our doors in the past 10 plus years.

Who will join us in this eternal mission?

Close in prayer!

WeekFifty-Two, 2018

COMPASSION

By John Grant

Recently America lost a great man… President George H. W. Bush. He was known by his care and compassion for others. When he was inaugurated, his inauguration speech called for a kinder and gentler nation. That should be a calling for each of us in this New Year. Find a place or person and minister to their needs.

“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” This is,perhaps, the best known and most commonly quoted statement made by St. Francis of Assisi. Ministry is not always the words you say, but the help and compassion you show.

In 2019, find a nitch and fill it. It may be a humongous project you undertake with others, or it may be a one on one you do alone. Heidi Berkman noticed when she visited nursing homes and similar facilities that they were rather stark. One day she was shopping and saw an employee throwing out beautiful flowers. She inquired as to why and was told that the store only keeps them for two days. She sought the manager and asked if she could have the throw outs to share with the elderly. He said yes and The Bloom Project was born.

The Bloom Project

The project started in Heidi’s garage, beginning with a few flowers and a few volunteers who wanted to create something special — bringing beauty and joy to those in end-of-life care. Many had experienced the loss of a loved one in hospice care, and recognized that they could make use of resources (flowers) that would otherwise be tossed out.

 In this modern society’s Christians struggle with their role in shaping a society that cares for those who are sick and in need. In essence, we have struggled to understand the work and responsibility of Christian compassion. Should this responsibility be shared by all and secured by the government, or should it primarily be the domain of people of faith and those moved by a higher calling to mercy and healing? I suggest the latter, but saying it and doing are two different matters.

What are you called to minister to the community around you? Make a resolution in the coming year to show compassion and Christian love and help this land become a kinder and gentler country.

 God bless and mayyou and yours have a most happy and blessed 2019

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

One evening, after the honeymoon, Dick was working on his Harley in the garage. His new wife was standing there by the bench watching him.

After a long period of silence she finally said, “Honey, I’ve just been thinking,now that we’re married, maybe it’s time you quit spending so much of your time out here in your garage. You probably should consider selling your Harley and all that welding equipment; they take up so much of your time. And that gun collection and fishing gear, they just take up so much space. And you know the boat is such an ongoing expense; and you hardly use it. I also think you should lose all those stupid model airplanes and your home brewing equipment and what’s the use of that vintage hot rod?

Dick got a horrified look on his face. She noticed and said, “Darling, what’s wrong?”He replied, “You were starting to sound like my ex-wife.” “Ex-wife!?” she shouted, “YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU WERE MARRIED BEFORE!” Dick replied, “I wasn’t.”

— o —

To think we are looking at images from the surface of another planet in our solar system from our cell phone!!! And yet we haven’t found a way to get the gospel to everyone on earth in their own language yet? Someone PLEASE tell me why?

— o —

A man on a ladder says, “This is my step-ladder. I don’t know where my real ladder is.”

— o —

A lady took her pet duck to the duck vet, thinking it was deceased. The vet agreed, but the lady asked him to make sure, so the vet brought in a cat who looked closely and shook its head in the negative. She asked for one more test, so the vet brought in a lab who looked, smelled and shook his head likewise. Satisfied that her duck was dead, she asked for a bill. It read $450. Shocked she asked why the vet charged so much. He responded that he didn’t charge anything, but the charges were for the “cat scan” and the “lab report.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Learning starts on the first day of life, not on the first day of school. Dana Suskind

Are you leaning on a shovel and praying for a hole? Are you talk or action? Cary Gaylord

The Gospel Is an Invitation, Not an Application – Ken Whitten

It’s nice to go into a legal battle when you have the Creator of the Universe as your confidant. Dwight Short

When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Jesus, don’t be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Him, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days.

CHRISTMAS: “A TALE OF A THRILL OF HOPE” (Ruth 4)

CHRISTMAS EVE SERMONETTE

FBC Earlville, N.Y., Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TONIGHT’S “SPECIAL”: “Flight to Egypt”

A little boy came home from Sunday school just before Christmas, proudly showing his dad the picture he drew in class. It looked very much like an airplane with passengers, so his father asked his son what the picture represented.

“It’s the flight to Egypt,” answered the boy.

“I see,” said the father. “And this must be Mary and the baby Jesus.”

“Yes!” said the son enthusiastically.

“Who is flying the plane?”, dad asked, pointing to the cockpit.

Without skipping a beat, the boy answered, “That’s Pontius, the pilot!”

“I see,” said dad. And pointing to a heavy set figure sitting at the back of the plane, he asked, “and who is this?”

“THAT’S Round John Virgin!”

INTRODUCTION

Tomorrow is Christmas Day! Just the very thought of Christmas envisions family, food, and presents – perhaps many of which won’t be paid for for years to come. Yet despite all that it takes to make for a successful Christmas Day gathering, you know it is worth it all to bring family together.

 Yet for many,Christmas is a rough time. One of my former neighbors and her husband were married on Christmas Day some 60 years earlier. When he passed away, Christmas was a tough day for her. Many of us have lost loved ones during the Christmas season. Those hurts, while softened with time, never really go away. We share that together.

What do we all need? We need “a thrill of hope”! We need a spark in the heart that God is not deaf to my heart, to my real world.

And into that season enters the Book of Ruth. Tonight we are going to be in Ruth 4, a wonderful chapter which culminates the story which I have called the “Christmas Book of the OT”.

And throughout the story, I will need your help to dramatize the story. OK?

1. MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE STORY !

#1. Elimelech: aJewish man from a little town called Bethlehem [When you hear“Bethlehem”, please sing: “O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] In Judah, Israel. He lived about the time of the Judges – which the Bible says is when “every man did that which is right in his own eyes.” Sounds like today, doesn’t it. He cared for his family,and when times got tough, and food was scarce, he took his wife and 2 sons to the country of Moab. [“BOO” HISS” – they were the enemies of the Jews]

#2. Naomi: she was the wife of Elimelech. She was a very logical person. She thought through things. And when she heard that food was now plentiful in Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] once again, she decided to move her family back there. But in the years she was in Moab [“BOOHISS”] her husband had died, and her 2 sons had died, and all she had left were her two daughters-in-law, widows of her sons. They were from Moab [“BOO HISS”].

#3. Ruth she was from Moab [“BOO HISS”]. When Naomi saw the famine was over in Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] she told Naomi that she wanted to return there with Naomi.

She had made a choice! The Bible records her words to Naomi, her mother-in-law –perhaps you’ve heard them in a wedding:

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” WOW!

#4. Boaz he was a wealthy landowner from Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] and, here’s a key to the story, a close relative to Elimelech, Naomi’s deceased husband.

Being a close relative, Boaz had the legal right to buy back all of the property that Elimelech and Naomi lost after they moved to Moab [BOO HISS] where Elimelech and his sons died. Thus Boaz is what is known as a “kinsman redeemer” [HIP HIP HOORAY!].

Those are the main characters of our story.

#5 OH – one more character – one we will call Kinsman Redeemer # 2  [HIP HIP HOORAY} who is a closer relative to Elimelech than Boaz, thus having greater rights to the estate than Boaz.

#6 OH – one more important group: the elders and the townspeople who were witnesses. THEY ARE YOU! When you hear your name, say “I SEE”!

2. MEANWHILE—THE MEETING: THIS IS FAST MOVING, WITH YOUR HELP!

Let’s read Ruth 4:1-6. With your well learned descriptive calls. OK? Here we go:

“Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town [I SEE!] and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

3 Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!], “Naomi, who has come back from Moab [BOO HISS!], is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people [I SEE!]. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not,tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said,“On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite [BOO HISS!], the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

6 At this, the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!] said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.””

(You did well acting; you can rest now)

Back in those days,when people made agreements before witnesses at the gate of the city– where all legal transactions and business took place, there was an item which sealed the agreement. I need some help here! [Walk over and get the organist’s shoe]. The shoe was a symbol that the agreement had been made between two parties. Everyone saw it. The transaction was settled. Boaz, also a kinsman redeemer, had bought back all the property Elimelech lost when he and his family had gone down to Moab. Included in that was the marrying of Ruth.

Ruth! Here was someone who had absolutely no rights. No hope. She was a member of the enemies of the people of God. But now? She was given hope! By faith she had trusted the true God of Israel over the false gods of Moab. And by marriage her faith and trust were sealed in the oneness she would share with Boaz.

Read Ruth 4:11. The people of Bethlehem rejoiced in this marriage – and they trusted that the Messiah would come through the fruit of this marriage. This was the hope of every family in Israel. Little could they realize what would happen!

CONCLUSION: Boaz marries Ruth and she has a baby.

The women of the town name him “Obed”. They proclaim their desire of what the baby will be: her kinsman-redeemer, famous throughout Israel, a renewer of youth, and a sustainer of life.

Let’s look at his genealogy: you read Ruth 4:17

(I’ll read Matthew 1:5-6; 15-16)

I was reading Matthew – for Obed is a great-great (great-great-great….) grandfather of the baby Jesus. Which means Ruth is a great-great-great (great-great-great….) grandmother of the baby Jesus.

Ruth from Moab (BOOHISS) was given eternal grace, so that her heritage could give birth to the One Who would save His people from their sins!

If God would love Ruth that much – one who was an enemy of the people of God –think how much more He loves us, we who were without God and without hope. He loved us so much that He indeed did send His Son to the manger that He would have a body with which He could die on Calvary’s tree for our sins. He is the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, for He wants to redeem us! Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior, your Kinsman-Redeemer? Aren’t you glad that trust in Him brings, well…HOPE?

Close in prayer

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

CHRISTMAS: “A TALE OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER” (Ruth 3)

Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”:

“A Squirrel Funny” – an oldie but goodie

 A small town hadthree churches — and all three were virtually overrun with pesky squirrels.

The first church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that God must have wanted the squirrels there, and the church shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will.

The second church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creations, so they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

The third church came up with the best and most effective solution: they baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter.

INTRODUCTION

We are in the Book of Ruth, what I call the “Christmas Book of the O.T.”. We have been following the life of Ruth the Moabitess, who, by virtue of her being born in the family of the enemies of Israel, had absolutely no hope to be under the umbrella of the grace of God. It would take a miracle for her. It would take the initiative of someone to show her undeserved kindness, breaking the centuries old Jewish law which forbad Moabites from entering the kingdom of God. Ruth had no hope.Ruth 3 shows hope arriving through a most unusual vehicle, her kinsman-redeemer. PRAYER

1. THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER PROVIDES (vs. 1-2)

The kinsman-redeemer is one who is a relative of one who is in need. Naomi recognized that Ruth is one in need. She had no rights as an Israelite, because she was a Moabitess – a clan of the enemies of the people of Israel.But Naomi was of a higher vision. While at the beginning of the story, she simply looked at the facts and not at faith, by Chapter 3she is looking at faith. She has seen what God has already done –put Ruth as a servant girl in the field of a relative of Naomi’s late husband. Naomi is overwhelmed by the God-sightings in her life.“God-sightings” – do you know what they are? They are seemingly“happenstances” in our lives which, when really considered, show no earthly reason for their occurring. Like the other night: “happening” to meet at supper a fellow police department retiree who now owns a moving company. He said, “I’ll be glad to move you– and since you are a fellow police department retiree, I will give you a discount that will amaze you.”

But Naomi’s happenstances were greater than finding a moving company. In the beginning, she thought God had deserted her, but instead, God had never left her at all. The Lord of Israel gave Naomi – and Ruth –a provider, one who would be her “kinsman-redeemer”.

Listen to Numbers27:8-11: “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter,give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan,that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Boaz was a near relative to Naomi’s late husband. He could do the impossible. He could bring Ruth, the one with no rights in Israel, to a position of belonging to the family of God.

With such a possibility in sight, Naomi gives interesting instructions to Ruth.

2. THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER CAUSES REACTIONS (vs. 2ff)

Look what one does when one is getting ready to meet one’s provider! Ruth was instructed to “wash and perfume” herself, and put on her best clothes! She takes a bathe and coats herself in “come hither”perfume! She sprays on her Channel # 4. She puts on her duds that say, “whoa! Where have you been all my life?” But most of all she displays an attraction which draws her suitor, Boaz, to the inner woman – the real person that Ruth is.

Peter says the same of godly women: In 1 Peter 3:3-4 he instructs, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Ruth had that inner beauty which had already attracted herself to Boaz without her even saying a word. Boaz knew, he KNEW, that Ruth was of a godly character, a Proverbs 31 woman – a woman of excellence.

 And he knew, heKNEW, that if he didn’t have Ruth as his wife, he would be, well,Ruth-less! Yeah.

But Ruth also does another interesting reaction. Our NIV says that in the middle of the night, after she observed Boaz fall asleep, she went near to where he was sleeping, uncovered his feet and lay down. And when Boaz does awake and is shocked to find a woman at his feet, she requests that he spreads his garment over her – a symbol of coming under his protection.

Do you remember Ruth2:12? Boaz commended Ruth for her godly character – even as a Moabitess, a member of those who had no godly heritage. She has wisely come under Naomi’s care – and in turn, according to Boaz,she had learned to come under the protection and refuge of the living God. The Psalmist said it well, too. In Psalm 17:8 (and others!), he writes, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings…”.

Ruth – through the insight of Naomi – was to seek Boaz to be her kinsman-redeemer. And the Lord Jesus desires to be that Redeemer for us! Philippians 2:6-8says, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made inhuman likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

CONCLUSION

In Ruth 3:1, Naomi says to Ruth, “should I not try to find a home for you?” The word“home” is the Hebrew word for “rest”. She is saying,“ shouldn’t I try to find rest for you, a place where you are no longer wandering, no longer going from field to field? Shouldn’t I try to find, well, a husband for you?”

In Ruth 3:18, Naomi instructs Ruth to “wait”, because Boaz will not rest – there it is again – until the matter of Ruth’s redemption is settled.

In Matthew 11:28,the Lord Jesus said, “Come unto Me all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus is the true Kinsman-Redeemer. There is none like Him.

But He doesn’t force His love upon us. Nor do we have to wear “come hither”perfume on to gain His attention. Rather, He simply asks us to “learn of Me.” Find out for ourselves that He alone is worthy of our eternal trust.

Ruth needed rest.You and I need rest. We hunger for rest. God has placed in each of our hearts an eternal hunger for substance, for truth, for rest –knowing full well that He alone is the One Who can provide that rest.He alone would send His one and only Son to earth at Christmas time.Baby Jesus would have a body and a mission – His Father’s business – to go to the cross for our sins, that “whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 Is the Lord Jesusyour Kinsman-Redeemer? He invites you today to “come unto Him”.

Close in prayer

Anapology from Frank Becker: I’ve been unable to update the web site properly because I was in the hospital for four days, and am still not recovered. I hope to catch up soon.

Week Fifty-One, 2018

THE CRADLE, THE CROSS AND THE CROWN

By John Grant

She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

 Like a three-legged piano stool which requires all three legs tostand, the Christian faith rests upon three Biblical events…….The cradle, the cross and the crown. Jesus was born in an obscure manger, suffered a painful and humiliating death upon a cross and then received His crown as He gloriously ascended into heaven.

 At this season, we celebrate the first of those three faithfoundations. The Christmas message is relevant, revolutionary and reassuring to us today. It can be summed up in three words: a cradle, a cross and a crown.

 What a difference the baby born in Bethlehem’s manger 2,000 yearsago makes to our world today. The educational systems He has inspired, the social reforms that His teachings have instituted, and the transformation of families and lives that have come about as a result of a baby born at Bethlehem! The whole world was thinking of Caesar. The whole world was thinking of Rome. But in God’s eternal plan, He was thinking of a baby in a manger in the little tiny town of Bethlehem.

 The central message of Christmas is that Jesus Christ, by Hisdeath and resurrection, can transform both individuals and society. At the cradle, He was in the stall of an animal. At the cross, He wore a crown of thorns. But when He comes again, it will be as Commander in Chief of the armies of Heaven.

 He will take control of this war-weary world and bring the peace that we strive for and long for. A new world will be formed, a new social order will emerge. Sin will be eliminated. Tears will be wiped from every eye. Disease shall be no more, and even death will be eliminated from the human scene. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and war shall be no more.

 This is the promise of Christmas. This is our hope. This is theChristmas star that lights our darkness. This is the assurance that a new day is coming, through the Messiah, whose name is called by Isaiah the prophet, “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

This is God’s gift of Christmas: the cradle—His Son; the Cross—His life; the crown—His coming kingdom.

This faith of ours, it all begins with Christmas.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Ken Whitten’s words on stability:

Stability Comes When We Are Sensing God’s Presence

Stability Comes When We Are Trusting In God’s Power

Stability Comes When We Are Resting In God’s Promises

When I Become Unstable – I Remember the Stable

— o —

Thoughts of President George H. W. Bush:

Hatred controls the container in which it is held.

Die young, but do it as late as possible.

Never be defined by failure.

When death comes, life is not ended; it is just changed.

— o —

WATCH:

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny!

— o —

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right,persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

— o —

If you leave earth and travel to the nearest star traveling at 150,000 miles per hour, it would take 18,000 years to arrive at your destination.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Unlike the gifts beneath the tree, God has planted unique abilities into all of us and we forget to open that package! DwightShort

Don’t mistake God’s silence with His absence in your life. Ken Whitten

Those who travel the high road of humility aren’t slowed by heavy traffic.

Senator Allen Simpson

If you don’t know where you are going you will be lost when you get there. Yogi Barea

When you recognize where God is working you can join Him in what He is doing.