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Well, good morning.
Glad that you guys are here with us today.
If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them to Ruth chapter 4 is where we will be.
As we wrap up this series, a couple things.
Berger kind of alluded to some of this as he was leading with us this morning.
Have you ever walked into work or into your home, and everything that should be happening
normally is not?
All right?
That was us today, okay?
Everything with every piece of technology, every piece of media, everything going on with the
internet was not working correctly.
And so as you maybe were going through check-in or had some different things this morning,
if you're feeling some things that were off, first, let me just say we apologize, and we've
had people working hard this morning to get everything the way that it needs to be.
But more importantly, because I know you guys extend us grace in that, but it reminded me
this morning of just the wonderful team of volunteers that we have, because it affected children's
ministry across the board all the way up into our worship today.
And so just an extra reminder, as you see those greeters, or you see those volunteers at check-in
stations, or small group leaders, or musicians, or people in the booth, or in everywhere in
between, just thank them for what they do and for how they serve, because they had to ratchet it up a
little bit today as we work through some of those.
But we thank each and every one of you for being here today.
Well, we have a change to an announcement that we've been making.
And so if you're a calendar keeper, if you want to make sure you've got everything lined
up, we have been sharing for the last couple weeks that Rick and Tina Nolan, who are part
of Willow Ridge Church, who have been serving for two years on the foreign mission field in
Athens, Greece, working with Afghani refugees, are coming back to the states to continue the
work that the Lord is doing, but doing it in the United States.
And we had talked about having them together with us on Wednesday, June the 8th.
And due to some circumstances with them, with getting housing and everything lined up for
them, that date is not going to work.
And so instead, they will be with us on Sunday, July the 10th.
And so we've moved it about a month away from when we originally had it.
And so we would love to have you be here and be a part of that night to hear all the Lord
is doing, how God has used them.
And then also what they feel the Lord is leading to them, or they know what the Lord is leading
to them for this next chapter and next season in their life.
And so we look forward to having them back with us and being able to worship and continue
on in ministry with us as a church.
And so we'd like to invite you to be with us that evening.
So we are wrapping up our series in Ruth.
We've hit a chapter a week and started off with an introduction.
And so this week we're wrapping this series up and I'm excited to see.
It's been a good reminder for me of what we just sang about, right?
Through all my life, you have been faithful, right?
We don't say, God, through all of my life, I've been faithful to you, right?
We look at God's faithfulness.
And I think sometimes in our life we can get so caught up in the moment, we can get so caught
up in the detail, we can so get caught in the emotion of the circumstance of what's happening
that there can begin to be this feeling or this sense of where is God, where is God's faithfulness?
And as we've read through Ruth, there's those characters in this story that we can feel that,
these individuals who this continues to be where they are, but what we're reminded of
continually through the lives of others is the continued faithfulness of the Lord.
And we're going to see the culmination or the building of that as we wrap up this morning.
So what we're going to do, we're going to read a little bit, talk a little bit, read a little
bit, and then wrap it up here at the end.
So let's go ahead and jump in, we'll read all of chapter 4, we'll start in verse 1.
Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there.
And behold, the Redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by.
And so Boaz said, turn aside, friends, sit down here.
And he turned aside and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders in the city and said, sit down here.
So they sat down.
And then he said to the Redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab,
is selling the parcel of land that belonged to your relative Elimelech.
So I thought I would tell you of it and say, buy it in the presence of those sitting here
and in the presence of the elders of my people.
If you will redeem it, redeem it.
But if you will not tell me that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it.
And I come after you.
And he said, I will redeem it.
So if you were with us last week or reading through this with us, you know there was this pivotal interaction
between Boaz and Ruth on the threshing floor in chapter 3.
Where basically Ruth is saying, I want you to redeem me.
I want you to be the one who marries me, who does this.
But Boaz, being a man of character, Boaz, being a man of integrity, says, but there's someone else.
There's a nearer kinsman that has the rights before I do.
And so the next morning, he gets up and goes to the city gates where the businessmen and where business would be done that day.
And he knows this nearer kinsman would be.
And so he explains the situation to the kinsman.
And he says, if you choose to do this, to purchase Naomi's property, then you will become the redeemer.
And we said at the very beginning of the introduction, this is one of the greatest love stories of all time, right?
And we're hoping in that moment as we read, the guy's like, nah, I'm good.
But he doesn't.
He doesn't.
Instead, he says, okay, then I will redeem him.
And in our hearts, got to kind of be like, oh, no.
This isn't what we thought.
This isn't what we expected.
This isn't what we hoped for.
And so let's look at verse 5.
And then Boaz said,
The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead and his inheritance.
And then the redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance.
Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging.
To confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other.
And this was the manner of attesting in Israel.
So when the redeemer said to Boaz, buy it for yourself, he drew off his sandal.
Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses in this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi, all that belong to Elimelech, and all that belong to Chilean, and to Malan.
And so, also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Malan, I have brought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place.
You are witnesses this day.
And then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses.
May the Lord make the woman who was coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.
May you act worthily in Ephraim and renowned in Bethlehem.
And may your house be like the house of Perez and Tamar who bore Judah, because the offspring of the Lord that will give you by this young woman.
And so Boaz tells him, you know, if you are the kinsman redeemer, then here's what this means.
You take Ruth as your wife.
And I don't know why, something with inheritance, something's going on there, but this guy's like, look, if that's what, I'm not looking to get married, right?
And so he passes.
And now Boaz and Ruth can get married.
What we've longed for, what we've hoped for, as we've seen this story take all of the ups and downs of what it's going through.
But then at the end, we begin to see, as they look forward, of the hope of offspring.
It's been a key theme throughout this entire book that we've studied.
The hope that comes, the hope that will be found, the future that is promised, because an offspring will be born.
And so verse 13.
So Boaz took Ruth, she became his wife, and he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.
And God telling the story of redemption.
And God blesses Boaz and blesses Ruth.
And that's where our hearts rejoice.
There's more to the story.
There's more in the story of redemption.
There's this story of Naomi.
And toward the end, in these last few verses,
the story kind of shifts
from Boaz and Ruth
to back to Naomi.
The one who at one point in time
had described herself,
had changed her name to Marah
to reflect the bitterness
that was in her heart.
Look at verse 14.
Then the women
said to Naomi,
Blessed be the Lord
who has not left you
this day without a redeemer.
And may his name
be renowned
in Israel.
He shall be to you
a restorer of life
and a nourisher
of your old age.
For your daughter-in-law
who loves you,
who is more to you
than seven sons,
has given birth to him.
And then Naomi
took the child
and laid him on her lap
and became his nurse.
And the women
of the neighborhood
gave him a name
saying,
a son has been born
to Naomi.
And they named him Obed.
And he was the father
of Jesse,
the father of David.
Naomi,
who's gone on this
rollercoaster
of experiences,
rollercoaster
of emotions,
and what we've even seen
within her life,
this rollercoaster
of faith.
From the very beginning,
in evidence of the things
that she said
that's come out of her mouth,
we know that Naomi
is a follower of God.
Naomi knows God.
Naomi knows about God.
But Naomi,
who just like so many of us,
has had such a difficult time
navigating herself
through the plan
that has been laid out
before her
by the Lord
to trust him
as she walks through that.
And what we see
in this story,
what we see
in this book
is a story
of setbacks,
of hope,
of tragedy
and despair,
of joy
and of strategies
all culminating
to one.
But I want to say
this to you
as we kind of draw
all that we've been studying
these last five weeks
from the book of Ruth.
When we look at Naomi,
when we look at Ruth,
when we look at Boaz,
when we see this story
that's unfolding,
if we think about it,
okay,
and we take away
some of the context
of the names
and the individuals,
if we take away
maybe some of the specifics
of the details
and we just look
big picture
at the story
that's unfolded
before us,
it's not necessarily
a truly unlikely story.
It's not a story
that would be
uncommon for others
to experience
or uncommon
maybe for you
or I
to walk through
with our families
in our lives
and here's what I mean
by that.
This family
from the very beginning
of what we talk to
begins by going
through some hardships.
Go through a famine.
Has your family
been through a hardship?
This family
as they begin
as we navigate
through this story,
they experience death.
Has your family
experienced death?
The death
that they experience
in some parts
is expected
and by expected
I mean
an older generation
died?
Have you walked
through that?
And in some cases
it's unexpected.
A mother
buries
her sons
and while less common
when I look
through the ministry
that God's
allowed me to have
over the last
20 years
when I perform
funerals
it's not always
grandpa or grandma.
It's been sons
and daughters
and grandsons
and granddaughters.
It's been adults.
It's been kids.
A family
that experiences
death
have you experienced
that?
It's a story
of love lost
and story
of love
found.
It's the story
of some
of those
who through
their faith
rise above
their circumstances
and it's some
that allow
their circumstances
to be all
consuming
and bring them
down.
It's the story
of a baby
being born.
Now here's
what makes us
at the very
beginning of this
begin to look
at this different
and this is good
and this is right
and this is what
we do.
You see
when you
and I
open God's
word
we open it
with an
expectation
right?
As a believer
and follower
of Jesus Christ
and knowing
that every
word from
Genesis to
Revelation
is true
is powerful
is living
is transformative
is the word
by which
through the hope
of Christ
that we are
saved
but when we
open God's
word as
believers
and so five
weeks ago
when we said
open up to
Ruth
we're going
to study
this
that you
and I
as followers
of Christ
what we
came to
was an
expectation
of two
things
number one
we expected
as we read
through this
even in the
midst of these
ordinary events
of life
for extraordinary
things to
happen
and we see
that in this
story
we see
extraordinary
events
unfold
before us
as we
read this
and as we
teach this
and as we
dive into
this in our
quiet time
we see
extraordinary
events
and we
expect that
no one ever
opens the
Bible
that's a
follower of
Christ
and says
this is
about to
be boring
we expect
extraordinary
events
because of
the second
reason
when we
open up
God's
word
we expect
to see
the hand
of God
at work
and we
do
it's what
we've talked
about from
day one
from moment
one
in this
study
is that
everything
that happens
we're
continued
and reminded
about the
hand of
God
and how
God is
working
through
things like
famine
and death
and through
things like
gleaning
from a
field
and a
threshing
room
floor
and an
encounter
at a
gate
and
everywhere
in between
but if
we were
to read
this story
out of
the context
of scripture
we might
miss that
we might
miss that
if we
didn't
bring
an
expectation
of the
extraordinary
we might
miss that
if we
didn't
bring
an
expectation
of looking
for the
hand
of
God
and so
what I
want to
say this
morning
what I
want us
to do
as we
read
through
this
is to
remind
ourselves
what I'm
going to
call
the miracle
in the
ordinary
the miracle
and the
ordinary
you see
in the story
of Ruth
there's no
parting of
the sea
in the story
of Ruth
there's no
miraculous
healing
in the story
of Ruth
there's no
slaying of
an
impotentable
force
there's no
manna that
falls from
heaven
but what
we see
is the
working hand
of God
in Ruth
and Naomi
all through
it
all through
from the
very beginning
go back
and think
through
from verse
one
without the
famine
there is
no journey
to Moab
without Moab
there is
no Ruth
without the
death of
Naomi's
husbands
and sons
there's no
desperation
in return
to Bethlehem
with no
desperation
there's no
need for
Ruth to
glean from
the fields
if there's
no fields
and there's
no Boaz
and Ruth
meeting
and if
Ruth and
Boaz
don't meet
then there
is no
marriage
and with
no marriage
there is
no Obed
and that's
the miraculous
working hand
of God
even in
events of
life
that other
people would
tell you
are ordinary
but we can
see the
extraordinary
hand of
the Lord
working
and moving
through that
and God
took
what would
be the
ordinary
events
and he
made
them
extraordinary
and I
want to
ask you
this
in our
own
lives
in our
own
lives
do we
stop and
give praise
and honor
and glory
in the
events of
our life
that seem
ordinary
and do we
look for
the active
working
hand
of the
Lord
in every
moment in
our life
and then
praising for
it
the other
day I was
sitting at a
red light
I was
sitting at
the red
light
if you
take the
two notch
that intersects
with South
Lake
six
and you
come to
that red
light
down at
the very
end
where there's
the CVS
and there's
the roses
and there's
all that
if you've
never
taken that
direction
and gotten
that red
light
let me just
say something
about that
red light
you can
take a nap
at that
red light
right
I've
eaten a
five course
meal
there
right
I wrote
a paper
sitting there
one day
all right
it takes
a while
now
I'm sitting
there at
that red
light
and I feel
my phone
vibrate
well I know
that I've been
sitting there
for a while
but I'm
thinking I've
at least
got another
30 minutes
so let me
check it out
and see what's
going on
and I
realized it
was a
message
I was
like you
know I'll
just sit
here with my
foot on the
brake and
just respond
now probably
not the
best thing
the best
timing to
do but
that's
what I
did
and then
all of a
sudden
I heard
that gracious
noise
that says
will you
please go
right
and I
look up
sorry
and as
I take
off to
go
a big
old truck
comes blazing
through that
intersection
right
was it
chance
we don't
believe in
chance
was it
dumb luck
because I
shouldn't have
been on my
phone and I
should have
activated the
settings right
that cut it
off when I
start moving
I know
that
we don't
believe in
that either
or was it
the providential
hand
of God
in that
moment
to spare
my life
and in that
moment
we praise
him
here's what I
find as I
read through
the details
of this story
particularly
is you and
I we spend
way too
much time
asking God
where he's
at
and asking
God why
he has done
nothing
instead of
focusing on
all that he
has done
looking for
it in our
lives
and then
praising him
for it
when it
happens
and all
of the
ordinary
events
that happen
and take
place
to praise
the Lord
and understand
the miracle
of that
in our
lives
right
the miracle
in the
ordinary
because here's
the thing
it's not
ordinary
at all
it's
extraordinary
that the
creator
of the
heavens
and the
earth
in every
moment
the savior
of our
soul
the redeemer
of our
life
is with
us
knows us
and loves
us
and do we
praise him
for it
I'm reminded
also as we
study through
this
book
the pursuits
that we
have in
life
and I
want to ask
you this
this morning
is your
life marked
with the
pursuit
of pure
joy
or is
your life
marked
with the
pursuit
of fleeting
happiness
I read
an author
this week
who said
the life
of the
godly
is not
a straight
line to
glory
but they
do get
there
I want to
read that
to you
again
the life
of the
godly
is not
a straight
line to
glory
but they
do get
there
let's keep
up with
the theme
of driving
and talk
about that
some more
okay
I've never
driven past
the state
of Mississippi
like Mississippi
Arkansas
that's kind
of as far
as I've been
haven't been
any farther
than out there
I would love
nothing would
warm my heart
than for me
and my wife
to get in
and drive
all the way
across the
country
head all
the way
up the
west coast
drive all
the way
back through
I would
absolutely
love to
do that
nothing
would
pain
my wife
more
than to
get in
a car
with me
and drive
all the
way
across
and it's
not that
it's me
it would
be you
too
right
like she's
not the
car rider
that's not
joy for
her
she would
be like
cool
you drive
to Dallas
I'll meet
you there
all right
and then you
drive to
Los Angeles
I'll meet
you there
like that's
more her
speed on
a plane
so I
haven't
driven
past that
but my
dad one
time this
early on
in my
marriage
my dad
took a
job
in Nebraska
it was
seasonal work
he'd go out
there and
work for
six to
eight months
and then
he'd come
home to
North Augusta
and on his
first route
to Nebraska
I'd kind of
call him
every day
and ask him
how his
trip's going
and I knew
it was going
to take a
really long
time because
my dad
doesn't like
to go over
55 miles
an hour
so he had
like three
weeks to
get there
so every
day I'm
calling him
and he
finally kind
of hit the
last leg
of his
tour
and it was
gonna be
the Iowa
to Nebraska
to where
he was
going
and so I
called him
when he
got to
Nebraska
and I
said hey
dad how
did your
trip go
and he
said well
son I'm
gonna tell
you
I didn't
see trees
I didn't
see mountains
I didn't
see people
all I
saw from
Iowa to
Nebraska
was corn
just corn
for hours
upon hours
all I
saw
was corn
so I
get to
my hotel
after one
of the
most boring
drives
of corn
stalks
that I've
ever experienced
in my life
and I
get to
my hotel
and he
said son
right beside
the hotel
was a
restaurant
and it
said two
beautiful
words
country
buffet
right
and he
thought that's
what I'm
gonna do
and he
said I've
been gonna
have this
craving
after a
day of
driving to
seeing
corn
I wanted
some corn
on the cob
I wanted
sweet corn
I wanted
corn
casserole
I wanted
corn
bread
if they
make
corn
pudding
I want
the
corn
pudding
if there's
a corn
protein
dish
I wanted
corn
like the
drive was
boring
but I'm
thinking
corn
right
so I'm
gonna go
and get
me
some
corn
he said
so I
walked
in
and you
saw it
it was
like
like an
old school
with me
all right
golden
corral
like just
laid out
he said
buddy
they had
steak
at a
country
cooking
they had
nachos
but there
was not
one
single
piece
of corn
on that
buffet
right
he said
I was just
devastated
that's all
I wanted
was corn
but dad
how was
the drive
so it was
easy
but it was
boring
this past
spring break
we share
with you guys
that we went
to the
mountains
and I
asked
everybody
in my
family
what they
wanted to
do
over
spring
break
and
Aaron
had
the
things
she
wanted
to
do
Grace
had
he
wanted
to
do
but
Emma
wanted
to
see
a
waterfall
every day
wanted to
go see
a waterfall
so I found
a waterfall
that we were
going to go
see
that we could
go to
that we could
walk
and walk
behind
and everybody
on the internet
said this is
where you'll get
the prettiest
pictures
and all that
kind of stuff
and so I
pulled up
on my
google maps
on my phone
the route
from our
cabin to where
this mountain
is
or this waterfall
is
and it
says
that
it's
only
about
10
miles
away
but
will
take
about
40
minutes
to
get
there
I
should
have
thought
through
that
a little
bit
better
but I
didn't
all right
so we
get up
that morning
we get
some
breakfast
and we
head
out
and we
drive
through
the mountains
now
a couple
people may
or may
not have
gotten
a little
car sick
right
we were
stopped
several
times by
road
construction
crews
and at
least
five
times
I
almost
ran
off
the
road
for a
couple
reasons
number
one
it was
pretty
right
like
I
want
it's
weird
I
want
to be
controlled
and drive
but I
want to
look at
stuff
too
and it's
a bad
combination
so a
couple
times
was
that
but then
a
couple
times
I
realized
like
that
caution
take
this
turn
at
15
miles
an
hour
is
not
a
suggestion
right
like
it's
a
really
good
idea
do
that
and I
want to
tell you
that drive
was terrible
it was
terrible
we're like
are we
ever
going
to get
there
another
road
construction
crew
are we
ever
going to
get
there
dad's
right
two
tires
hit
gravel
right
are we
ever
going
to
get
there
but
when
we
got
there
the
drive
was
worth
it
when
we
got
there
no
one
complained
about
being
car
sick
no
one
complained
about
losing
cell
phone
reception
no
one
said
I
can't
believe
this
took
us
40
minutes
no
one
complained
about
my
driving
until
we
started
headed
back
here's
what I
want to
say
why do
I
tell
these
random
two
stories
your
life
and
my
life
are
a lot
more
like
that
ride
through
the
mountains
than
the
journey
through
the
plains
it's
filled
with
highs
and
lows
difficult
seasons
and
turns
some
sickness
here
and
there
but
in
the
end
the
road
that
the
Lord
leads
us
down
why
not
simple
and
safe
is
worth
it
it's
worth
it
and
the
beauty
about
that
road
is
God
using
it
and
doing
something
in
us
through
it
I
know
some
of
you
right
now
are
dead
in
the
middle
of
the
season
of
the
journey
through
the
mountains
and
you're
like
Bo
an
open
road
with
nothing
but
corn
would
be
a
breeze
right
now
and
I
know
that
I've
been
on
those
hard
mountain
roads
too
right
now
we
feel like
we've
got a
little
bit
of
rest
from
one
personally
so
I
know
another
one
might
not
be
too
far
ahead
but
about
these
journeys
here's
what
we
see
in
James
chapter
one
starting
in
verse
two
count
it
all
joy
my
brothers
when
you
face
trials
of
various
kinds
for
you
know
the
testing
of
your
faith
produce
steadfastness
and
let
steadfastness
have
its
full
effect
that
you
may
be
perfect
and
complete
lacking
in
nothing
you
see
I
told
you
earlier
I
asked
you
what
are
you
pursuing
pure
joy
or
fleeting
happiness
fleeting
happiness
it
comes
and
it
goes
because
it's
tied
to
emotion
it's
tied
to
the
moment
and
we
as
Christians
God
gives
this
to
us
we
get
to
have
this
right
there's
beauty
in
the
moment
when
it's
happening
and
you're
overjoyed
and
happiness
is
there
like
being
happy
is
not
bad
for
a
Christian
it's
a
beauty
of
the
life
that
we
get
to
live
in
but
here's
the
thing
it
comes
and
it
goes
because
it's
connected
to
an
emotion
it's
connected
to
a
circumstance
but
pure
joy
while
still
a
feeling
that
we
can
live
in
and
experience
is
not
rooted
in
a
circumstance
but
it's
rooted
in
the
Lord
and
that's
what
we
see
in
the
life
of
Naomi
and
the
life
of
Ruth
both
facing
the
same
difficult
journeys
both
facing
the
same
difficult
battle
but
one
whose
heart
is
trusting
the
Lord
in
the
pursuit
of
joy
that
will
work
in
her
and
create
in
her
and
produce
a
steadfastness
in
the
Lord
and
lastly
what we
want to
look at
in
this
these
passages
is
the
work
of
grace
in
the
province
of
God
look
back
at
Ruth
4
verse
18
now
these
are the
generations
of
Perez
and
Perez
fathered
Hezron
and
Hezron
fathered
Ram
and
Ram
fathered
Amenadab
and
Amenadab
fathered
Nashon
and
Nashon
fathered
Salmon
and
Salmon
fathered
Boaz
and
Boaz
fathered
Obed
and
Obed
fathered
Jesse
and
Jesse
fathered
David
and
at the
end of
this
we can
celebrate
King
David
all of
this that
built
through
all of
this in
creating
the
lineage
what we
see here
in verse
22
at the
end
is
and
Obed
fathered
Jesse
and
Jesse
fathered
David
and
so we
could look
at that
if it
just
ended
there
and
say
well it
was
worth
it
wasn't
it
was
worth
it
because
look
at
what
it
brought
and
look
at
what
God
did
that
you
take
a
woman
who
had
to
flee
because
of
a
famine
and
go
into
a
foreign
land
and
experience
all
she
had
to
experience
and
that
but
the
beauty
if
you
study
genealogy
is
the
genealogy
doesn't
end
there
and
if
you
were
to
look
and
turn
with
me
if
you
have
your
Bibles
with
you
look
at
Matthew
chapter
one
and
I'm
not
going
to
read
all
but
I
do
want
to
say
if
you
notice
right
at
the
top
the
genealogy
of
Jesus
Christ
the
genealogy
of
Jesus
Christ
as
Matthew
tells
his
gospel
he
says
listen
hey
I'm
going
to
let
you
know
the
lineage
of
Jesus
the
genealogy
of
Jesus
and
I
want
to
read
this
morning
verses
two
through
six
Abraham
was
the
father
of
Isaac
and
Isaac
the
father
of
Jacob
and
Jacob
the
father
of
Judah
and
his
brothers
and
Judah
the
father
of
Perez
and
Zerah
by
Tamar
and
Perez
the
father
of
Hezron
and
Hezron
the
father
of
Ram
and
Ram
the
father
of
Amenab
and
Amenadab
the
father
of
Nashon
and
Nashon
the
father
of
Salmon
and
Salmon
the
father
of
Boaz
by
Rahab
and
Boaz
the
father
of
Obed
by
Ruth
and
Obed
the
father
of
Jesse
and
Jesse
the
father
of
David
the
king
and
David
was
the
father
of
Solomon
by
the
wife
of
Uriah
and
we
could
go
and
continue
to
read
and
read
and
read
and
what
we'll
find
are
the
names
of
people
that
God
used
that
he
created
for
his
purpose
you
see
the
story
of
Ruth
is
the
story
of
all
of
the
things
that
we've
mentioned
but
it's
what
we
began
with
week
one
in
our
introduction
it
all
leads
to
Jesus
it's
the
story
of
his
family
it's
the
story
of
these
men
and
women
over
the
course
of
time
being
used
by
the
hand
of
God
to
go
all
the
way
through
so
that
one
day
what
will
be
born
by
the
Virgin
Mary
is
a
child
named
Jesus
who
is
God
in
flesh
and
who
would
die
on
the
cross
for
our
sins
who
would
raise
to
life
and
give
us
new
life
if
we
had
time
and we
don't
this
morning
but if
we have
time
we could
go through
the story
of
Jesus's
family
and I
don't know
about you
but
we've
all got
those
family
members
right
like I'm
not the
only
one
I got
a lot
of
them
and
sometimes
I
think
that I
am
one
of
them
right
that
people
tell
the
stories
about
the
story
of
Jesus's
family
let's
just
say
it's
not
G
rated
it's
not
clean
it's
not
pretty
it's
filled
with
rebellion
and
sin
it's
filled
with
men
and
women
who
have
been
told
from
the
very
mouth
of
God
the
plan
that
God
has
for
them
and
while
knowing
the
plan
that
God
has
for
them
and
for
their
life
they
still
choose
less
the
story
of
Jesus's
family
are
about
those
who
chose
adultery
murder
theft
prostitution
and
more
but
the
story
is
but
God
they
chose
all
of
these
things
but
in
the
faithfulness
because
in
all
my
life
in
spite
of
what
I've
done
in
spite
of
what
I've
chosen
in
spite
of
what
I've
thought
in
spite
of
what
I've
said
but
in
all
my
life
you
have
been
faithful
and
in
all
my
life
in
the
ups
and
downs
and
the
highs
and
lows
and
the
tragedy
and
the
suffering
and
the
joy
and
the
happiness
in
all
of
those
Lord
you
have
been
so
good
and
that's
what
we
see
we
see
the
picture
of
grace
in
the
providence
of
God
and
in
the
providence
of
God
in
these
stories
he
displays
his
grace
continually
over
and
over
again
see
none
of
them
deserved
it
none
of us
deserve
it
but
God
in
his
providence
says
watch
what
I
do
maybe
today
you
and
I
need
to be
reminded
of the
costly
grace
of
God
the
costly
grace
of
God
that
was
freely
given
to
us
I
say
it's
costly
because
the
grace
we
receive
it
cost
something
it
cost
Jesus
his
life
but
we
say
that
it's
free
because
it's
been
given
to
you
and
I
because
we
can't
pay
for
it
and
it
shows
what
we
sing
and
what
we
trust
and
what
we
can
hope
for
in
the
goodness
of
God
would
you
pray
with
me
Lord
we
come
to
you
this
morning
Lord
I
just
thank
you
so
much
for
your
faithfulness
to
your
people
thank
you
Lord
for
your
faithfulness
to
your
word
that
you've
done
what
your
word
says
you
do
and
that
you
will
do
what
you
promise
you
will
do
Lord
I
thank
you
for
this
wonderful
story
that
at
the
end
what
we
see
is
it's
not
just
the
one
who
did
it
all
right
that
gets
redeemed
but
it's
the
one
who
doubted
it's
the
one
who
struggled
it's
the
one
who
had
weaker
faith
Lord
and
they're
both
redeemed
and
their
redemption
is
found
in a
baby
in a
boy
Lord
may
this
story
remind
us
about
the
redemptive
plan
that
you
have
a
redemption
that
is
not
found
through
good
behavior
good
works
a
redemption
that
is
not
found
through
a
pure
lineage
of
our
own
a
redemption
that
is
not
found
through
the
religious
works
that
we
muster
up
to
do
but
a
redemption
is
found
through
your
son
redemption
is
found
at a
great
cost
to
you
a
redemption
is
found
from
those
who
get
more
right
and
those
who
get
more
wrong
Lord
I pray
this
morning
as we
read
this
as we
journey
through
we would
know
through the
drawing of
your
spirit
Lord
bring
us
to
our
redeemer
Jesus
Lord
I pray
for us
in here
this
morning
Lord
as we're
going on
the journey
of life
that you've
set
before us
when we
face the
bumps in
the road
when we
face the
hazards
in the
road
when we
face where
the road
turns
and takes
us
down a
path
that we
would not
choose for
ourself
Lord
I pray
that in
that
Lord
that we
would
know
whether it's
cancer
or criticism
whether it's
life
or death
Lord
you're doing
something
with it
you're
building
up
something
in
us
a
faithfulness
Lord
that we
can't do
on our
own
a
faithfulness
that's
built in
the seasons
of life
of trusting
you
and seeing
your
faithfulness
or
what
you're
going
to do
so
Lord
whether it's
the person
this morning
that needs
to take
the first
step of
faith
in a
relationship
with you
or Lord
whether it's
the seasoned
saint
that needs
to surrender
over
the battle
in their
life
Lord
that today
may our
lives
be marked
in the
trusting
of your
plan
for our
lives
and the
pursuit
of it
thanks again
for listening
to the
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Church
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podcast
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to this
week's
message
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