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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

 

Love stories: loyalty and abundance

The love story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz hints at God’s abundant love for us.
(Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17)

 

Context

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

  • The story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz is a love story that, like the story of the train driver and the suicidal young woman, doesn’t exactly sound like the best premise for a traditional rom-com. Ruth and Naomi’s back story is tragic. Naomi was, and Ruth is, an immigrant into a foreign land; they are both widows, poor and without good means to support themselves. Except, of course, for the love they have for each other. That love, demonstrated by Ruth in her loyalty to Naomi, has already won the younger woman favour and respect from Boaz (Ruth 2:11). Now the story picks up pace, as Naomi encourages Ruth to seek further attention and help from Boaz (Ruth 3:1-5). Boaz responds with abundant generosity: six measures of barley (Ruth 3:10-18) and then marriage (Ruth 4:1-13)! Perhaps he was obliged in custom to take on the estate and the new wife with it, once the other kinsman had declined. But it’s noticeable – to Naomi (Ruth 3:18), as well as the reader! – that he does so with joyful enthusiasm. Boaz, a man of faith, had earlier wished upon Ruth a “full reward from the LORD, the God of Israel” (Ruth 2:12). In the end, it comes to her through him. But also to him and to us. Ruth and Boaz are blessed with a son, Obed, restoring Naomi to society, and, through the generations of their family line, enabling us all to be restored to relationship with God through Jesus. Love, freely and willingly given, can bring hope, restoration and renewal into any situation, however bleak. And when God’s love is involved, the impact can be truly above and beyond expectations.
  • Suffering and need are always with us, especially in times of conflict, but so too are chances to make a difference. That might be through financial giving to bodies like DEC, or innovative fundraising like the many things people do for Children in Need each year. But we can also give through prayer; through political action; through spending time listening to someone, or being by their side as they go through difficulties; or through practical support like helping with filling out forms, cleaning, gardening, or even just a smile. These are all ways that we too can give generously, like Boaz – and in the gospel reading, the widow with her offered coin (Mark 12:41-44) – and faithfully, like Ruth and Naomi. With God’s grace, too, we can give as Boaz did, not just to those ‘like us’ but also to those who are, like Ruth and Naomi, the foreigner, the refugee, the poor, the widowed, the disadvantaged in our communities and world today.
  • Don’t we all long to feel, give and receive the kind of abundant, loyal, self-giving love that we see in this week’s readings from Ruth and Mark? That longing often reveals itself beautifully in popular music. A couple of tracks I’ve heard today while writing particularly resonated for me. The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” talks of strong, loyal, supportive love: “I’ll stand by you | Take me in, into your darkest hour | And I’ll never desert you | I’ll stand by you”. It’s being covered posthumously by Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud for this year’s Children in Need charity single. And on Radio 2’s playlist this week is Lady Blackbird’s “Like a Woman”: “And when I make a sacrifice | Big or small, I do it twice | For you, I’ll bend, so you can stand | And love you just like a woman” (my emphasis). If a woman like Ruth, Naomi, or the widow in the temple, or a man like Boaz, can love so loyally and so abundantly, perhaps we can too – and oh, how very much more can God love us!

 

Questions for discussion

  • Have you ever received unexpected generosity or loyalty, from loved ones, acquaintances, or even strangers? If you can’t think of a personal story, can you think of such stories from books, tv, or film, or in words from a song or poem? How do these stories make you feel? Do they make you want to do anything in response?

  • Do you always give in the same way? There’s nothing wrong with that, but occasionally it’s good to try something new, or at least to evaluate our habits. What ways do you give now and what other ways can you think of, perhaps through sharing your thoughts with others? Could you try something new?

 

Rebecca Froley was the launch editor for the Roots website and has worked in online publishing for 20+ years. Currently job seeking following redundancy, she worships at a Baptist church in the London Borough of Sutton and helps with the young people and mission group.

 

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

Your news feed this week will have been full of events in America. The new president in the United States is Donald Trump and emotions are running high as everyone looks ahead for what this will mean for different communities in the US and around the World. America has always played a role in world affairs and people in the Middle East and Ukraine will be waiting anxiously for President Trump’s approach to their situations.

Today is Remembrance Sunday. We are remembering times when nations including Britain and the USA came together to stand against injustice and oppression. This was costly for nations who took action, for the individuals who gave their lives, and the communities who grieved those they lost.

Our readings today remind us that we’re called to give. God blesses us so that we are able to give away sacrificially to others. We give thanks to God for his goodness, for the example of others who have made sacrifices - up to their very lives, and we have to ask what is God asking us to give this week and in the years to come.

 

Steve Taylor shares the job of joint-vicar of St Paul’s CofE Church, Harrow with his wife, Ali. They share their home with their youngest child, two cats and numerous fish.

 

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