Ruth: Ruin and Redemption

This Sunday (April 19) we begin our new sermon series in the book of Ruth. This short story is rich with themes relevant to our situation these 3000 years later. Where is God when the economy collapses? Where is God at the loss of a loved one? Where is God in poverty, racism, exclusion and a bleak future? Through the story of Naomi and Ruth we see the unexpected working of God's gracious providence leading his people to his good purposes.

John Piper writes of the book of Ruth:
“Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.”  (A Sweet & Bitter Providence, p. 101).

Schedule:
April 19 : Shortcuts to Nowhere (Ruth 1:1-5)
April 26 : Returning (Ruth 1:6-22)
May 3 : Under the Wings of God (Ruth 2:1-17)
May 10 : From Famine to Fullness (Ruth 2:17-23)
May 17 : A Late Night Proposal (Ruth 3:1-18)
May 24 : Redeeming Ruth (Ruth 4:1-12)
May 31 : A Legacy of Grace (Ruth 4:13-22)

For Further Study:
John Piper, A Sweet & Bitter Providence
Sinclair Ferguson, Faithful God
Bible Project video on the book of Ruth (below)