Ruth - Week 2

Question 1

The sermon highlights Naomi's decision to return to Bethlehem, describing it as a move back to her "haven" and potentially a "first love." When have you experienced a "spiritual famine" where you felt distant from God? What steps did you take, or what steps are you considering, to "return" and reconnect with Him?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:6-7 (Naomi's decision to return upon hearing God provided food)

• Jeremiah 2:13 (God lamenting Israel's forsaking Him, the "fountain of living waters")

• James 4:8 ("Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.")

• Hosea 6:1 ("Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.")

Question 2

Naomi persuades Orpah and Ruth to return to their homes, and Orpah eventually makes the "rational, practical choice." Discuss a time when you faced a crossroads between a seemingly logical or comfortable path and one that required a deeper trust in God. What factors influenced your decision?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:8-14 (Naomi's urging and Orpah's decision to return)

• Matthew 6:33 ("But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.")

• Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.")

• Luke 14:26-27 (Jesus speaking about the cost of discipleship and prioritising Him above all else)

Question 3

The sermon asks, "When we walk in the presence of God, should we be fearful?" How does knowing God is "all-knowing" impact your perspective on navigating uncertainty and the "unknown" paths in life?

Suggested Verses:

• Psalm 23:4 ("Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.")

• Isaiah 41:10 ("Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.")

• Romans 8:38-39 ("For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.")

Question 4

Ruth's declaration in verses 16-17 is a powerful statement of loyalty. What specific phrases from her vow stand out to you, and why? How does her commitment challenge your understanding of loyalty in relationships, both with people and with God?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:16-17 ("But Ruth replied, 'Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.'")

• Joshua 24:15 ("But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.")

• Matthew 22:37-39 (The greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbour)

Question 5

The sermon introduces the Hebrew word "Hesed" (חֶסֶד) as "steadfast love, loyal love, covenant love, unfailing kindness, mercy, and faithfulness." How does Ruth's actions toward Naomi demonstrate this "hesed"? Can you think of examples of "hesed" in your own life or in the lives of others you know?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:16-17 (Ruth's unwavering commitment as an example of hesed)

• Psalm 136:1 ("Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love [hesed] endures forever.")

• Lamentations 3:22-23 ("The steadfast love [hesed] of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.")

Question 6

"Hesed" is described as a love that "acts, that endures, that fulfils obligations even when costly or inconvenient." When has demonstrating "hesed" towards someone required a significant cost or inconvenience from you? What was the outcome?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:18 (Naomi realising Ruth's determination, implying the costly choice)

• 1 John 3:16 ("By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.")

• John 15:13 ("Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.")

• Romans 5:8 ("But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.")

Question 7

The sermon states that our "hesed" towards others is a reflection of God's abundant "hesed" towards us. How does understanding God's "hesed" for you motivate and enable you to show similar loyal love to others, even those who might be difficult to love? (Referencing Matthew 18:21-35, the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, might be helpful here).

Suggested Verses:

• Matthew 18:21-35 (The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, illustrating the connection between receiving and giving forgiveness/mercy)

• Ephesians 4:32 ("Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.")

• Colossians 3:12-14 ("Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.")

Question 8

Upon returning to Bethlehem, Naomi expresses deep bitterness, renaming herself "Mara" (bitter) and feeling that "the Lord has afflicted me." How can personal pain and feelings of emptiness "nullify God's sovereignty" in our minds? What are practical ways to shift from a posture of bitterness to one of trust, even in difficult circumstances?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:20-21 (Naomi's declaration of bitterness)

• Job 1:21 ("And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'")

• Psalm 42:11 ("Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.")

• Philippians 4:6-7 ("Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.")

Question 9

Naomi's bitterness highlights a contrast with Ruth's steadfastness. How can we, like Ruth, choose the "path of faith" and respond differently to our circumstances, even when our pain makes it hard to see God's plan?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:18 (Ruth's determination)

• Hebrews 11:1 ("Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.")

• 2 Corinthians 5:7 ("for we walk by faith, not by sight.")

• Romans 12:12 ("Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.")

Question 10

The sermon concludes with the hopeful sign of the barley harvest beginning. How does this subtle detail offer a glimpse of God's providence and new beginnings, even in the midst of Naomi's despair? How does this remind you that even in difficult times, God is always at work bringing about new seasons?

Suggested Verses:

• Ruth 1:22 ("So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.")

• Lamentations 3:22-23 ("The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.")

• Isaiah 43:18-19 ("Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.")

• Ecclesiastes 3:1 ("For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.")