Influence Ruth and Naomi

WELCOME

Ice Breaker:

In 10 minutes - Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and answer the following questions. Your answer only counts if it’s different from everyone else’s.

1.       Name a TV show featuring a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship.

2.       Name a mother in the Bible.

3.       Name a word used to describe mothers.

WORSHIP

WORD

Ruth 1:16-17

¹⁶ 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.  ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deals with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

The book of Ruth is the account of a love story, and the key personalities in this book are Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Its purpose was to demonstrate the kind of love, and faithfulness that God desires for us. There are many interesting things you can learn from this book, but for the purpose of our series NEXT we will just focus on Naomi and Ruth.  Like, what did Ruth saw in Naomi that she wants to stay with her, and what influence Naomi has to Ruth that made Ruth stay loyal to her?  

1.       Naomi move forward.  Ruth 1:6

⁶ When she (Naomi) heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

Naomi, whose name means “sweet” or “pleasant,” is an Israelite woman from Bethlehem. Early in the story, she becomes a widow when her husband and her two sons die suddenly. As she wrestles with the loss, she asks to be called “Mara,” which means “bitter.” But  Naomi did not remain in defeat, she didn’t allow her past to hold her back but believed there was life still to be lived and move forward in that confidence. Throughout the story, Naomi begins to see God’s providence in her life.  This must have influenced Ruth to stay with her.  Key: Don’t Let the Past Hold You Back   

2.       Naomi demonstrates faith in action. Ruth 1:7

⁷ With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

Naomi showed remarkable faith as a believer, she demonstrated faith when she left  the place where she had lived and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah, her home. In faith she  believe that God was who He said He was, and faith to believe that God would provide for her and her daughter-in-laws. Key: Examine your Faith.

3.       Naomi demonstrated Great Character. Ruth 1:8

^8” Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the LORD show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me.”

It wasn't an easy life for Naomi. She lived in poverty in a wicked nation. She suffered the loss of her husband, a very difficult circumstances to say the least. However she did not saw these as reasons to hold on to her daughter-in laws. She wants them to go and find new life and prayed that they may receive kindness from God. Key: Value Great Character

Ruth maybe is the main character of this story, and Naomi stayed in the background when Boaz entered the picture, but we believed that Naomi’s influence in the life of Ruth make her to say our main text today. Please READ our text AGAIN!   

Life Group Discussion

1.       When was the last time you disagree with your mom? What happen?

2.       How would you describe Ruth’s attitude towards Naomi as you read again our main text?

3.       As a mom, can you think of how will you influence our younger generation? (Not necessarily your children.)  

4.       Think about something you can do for your mother tomorrow (Mother’s Day) Ask each one in your group to share if they have one.

WORK

1.       Continue to invite people to your Life Group and to our Sunday Worship Experiences.

2.       Don’t forget to Cross Roads this week.