Matthew 21:1-11     NT p. 21 or 1207

[1] When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

[2] saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.

[3] If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately."

[4] This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

[5] "Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

[6] The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;

[7] they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

[8] A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

[9] The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

[10] When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?"

[11] The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." [NRSV]

Ruth 1:6-19     OT p. 235 or 328

[1] Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food.

[7] So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah.

[8] But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

[9] The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud.

[10] They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."

[11] But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?

[12] Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons,

[13] would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me."

[14] Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

[15] So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

[16] But Ruth said,
"Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.

[17] Where you die, I will die--
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!"

[18] When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

[19] So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, "Is this Naomi?"

[NRSV]

INTRODUCTION:

This morning we've read the most moving mother-in-law story in the Bible. It's the paradigm for all relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. Of course, we don't usually follow that paradigm. That's why comedians have so much fodder for their jokes about mothers-in-law. Let me share a couple of the less volatile examples.

One guy reports his mother-in-law said to him, "I'll dance on your grave." And he responded, "I hope you do. I'm being buried at sea."

Behind every successful man stands a devoted wife and a surprised mother-in-law.

Adam and Eve were the happiest and luckiest couple in the world, because neither of them had a mother-in-law.

Sometimes you can't tell if a man is trying so hard to be a success to please his wife or to spite his mother-in-law.

One comedian said, "My mother-in-law is a well balanced person. She's got a chip on BOTH shoulders." (1)

I've got to tell you that, personally, I can't tell any mother-in-law jokes. I've got the greatest mother-in-law in the world. She calls me her third son. And I just love her to death.

Consequently, I have the privilege of knowing first hand how Ruth must have felt. Because it's obvious from this passage that Ruth deeply loved her mother-in-law Naomi. It was that love for Naomi that has endeared Ruth to the church for ages. It was that love for Naomi that endeared Ruth to God as well. And because of who Ruth was, God was able to use her not only as an example of love and loyalty but as a player and an instrument in God's plan of redemption for the world.

Let's look at the attributes of Ruth and see how they pertain to our lives. But since this is Palm Sunday, let's also look at how God used Ruth to prepare the way for the Triumphal Entry of the King; the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Let's look at RUTH'S LOVE AND LOYALTY, THE REDEMPTION FOR AND THROUGH RUTH, and then THE IMPLICATIONS FOR US.

I. RUTH'S LOVE AND LOYALTY:

A. RUTH'S LOVE AND LOYALTY are the things that legends are made of, as the saying goes. Her love and loyalty to Naomi, her mother-in-law, is legendary. So much so, that a book of the Bible is dedicated to her. She and Esther are the only two women whose names show up on books of the Bible, so, you know right away that these two women are special.

Thank heaven Ruth's love for Naomi wasn't as fleeting as the guy who wrote a love letter to his girl friend. "Sarah, I love you so much. I would climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest shark infested ocean or do battle with the most ferocious animals alive just for one of your kisses. Love, Tom. P. S. I'll be over Saturday afternoon if it doesn't rain."

Ruth and Naomi had something special. One of the things that bound them together was their grief. Naomi had lost her husband and both of her sons, one of which was Ruth's husband. That loss drew them together.

But it was more than the loss which bound them together. The other daughter-in-law went home when given the opportunity. But not Ruth. Her bond with Naomi went deeper. Her bond was based on love. And not just love for Naomi but I also think it was a growing love for God. Naomi's God. The God of Israel.

B. One of the things Ruth's love for Naomi tells us is just how special Naomi must have been. And I think Naomi shared the history of Israel and how good God was to the Israelites. I think she told them all the stories that we've read. Creation, the flood, the call of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The story of their slavery and deliverance from Egypt. And of course, she couldn't tell the story without telling about the Passover and wandering in the wilderness and finally crossing the Jordan into the promised land.

She probably even spent time describing the beauty of Israel. And her hometown, Bethlehem. And in the telling, Ruth not only fell in love with Naomi but with her stories, her hometown and her God. How else do you explain the deep rich meaning of her declaration?

"Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.

[17] Where you die, I will die--
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!"

What a wonderful declaration of love and loyalty. It went beyond the bond of connection through marriage. It went to the very heart and soul of their relationship.

II. THE REDEMPTION FOR AND THROUGH RUTH:

A. It was that love and loyalty to Naomi that brought about the redemption of Ruth, Boaz, Rahab, Israel and eventually us. You see, there was REDEMPTION FOR AND THROUGH RUTH.

The redemption FOR Ruth came through her faith in Naomi's God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our God. Ruth was willing to take risks, she was willing to take that leap of faith and believe in a God of whom she had only just heard because she loved and trusted Naomi. That love and that trust had far reaching spiritual and historical repercussions.

For Ruth, it meant she was part of the family of faith and part of the community. Naomi's stature made sure of that on one level. But on another level, Ruth was one of those Moabite women. Look back at Deuteronomy 23:3. There you'll find an edict declaring: "No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the Lord."

If they couldn't be admitted to the assembly of the Lord, it probably meant that a faithful practitioner of the faith couldn't marry one either. So, Ruth came in as an outcast. But her faith in God and her love for Naomi was used, by God, to redeem her. And not just her but eventually, all of Israel.

B. This all took place through the love of a lonely man, Boaz. Boaz knew what she was going through. Although he seemed to be well respected, he an outcast of sorts. He was Rahab's son. Remember Rahab? She was the prostitute who hid the Israelite spies at Jericho. She helped them escape and as a result, she and her house were saved. She became a favored individual. She had a son, Boaz.

Even though Rahab became part of the community. Her membership was probably only tenuous at best. And that of her illegitimate son was even less secure. Sort of like folks who've just moved into a close knit community. While being welcomed, their still not fully part of the community. Sometimes even after ten years, they're still the new folks in town.

That was both Ruth and Boaz. They were welcome but they were still those out of towners, those other people who just got here. So, these two outcasts who felt only semi part of the community fell in love and got married. And God redeemed them, completely, showing once again that God uses the least likely for God's glory. That's what this is all about, God's glory.

For you see, God was preparing the people of Israel for their King, on two levels. First, Boaz and Ruth become the Great Grand Parents of David, the greatest and most beloved king of Israel. And David became the ancestor of both Mary and Joseph. And we know who came from Mary and Joseph, don't we? Jesus, the Messiah, the King of Kings, who would be born in the very town that Ruth and Naomi settled in, Bethlehem.

So, you see, God was preparing the way for two kings. An earthly king, David. And our Heavenly King and Savior, Jesus. What a connection for Palm Sunday. The day we join in singing with all the others and celebrate Jesus' Triumphant entry into Jerusalem, we also celebrate the love and loyalty of Ruth and the love and marriage of Ruth and Boaz.

Both have become days that lead to and help establish our Salvation

What a connection. Ruth and Naomi make a triumphant entry into Bethlehem.

What a connection. The ones rejected become instruments of redemption.

What a connection. Bethlehem, the birthplace of both the lineage of David and the Messiah.

What a connection. Bethlehem, which means: "House of bread" becomes the leavening for the loaf that will rise to become "The Bread Of Life," Jesus himself.

What a connection. Who would have thought that a Moabite widow and the son of a prostitute could ever amount to anything. Isn't God's Grace good? Isn't God good?

III. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR US:

A. Of course, that brings us right up to the "So what?" factor. Or the "What's that got to do with me?" syndrome. Well, for one thing, it reminds us that God IS in charge. No matter how we try to fool ourselves, God is really running this show. It also reminds us that God can and DOES use the least likely people for God's greatest work. Why? for the same reason God used Gideon and the 300 soldiers we read about last week. So, God will get the glory.

And what that has to do with us is that "It is a call to ministry."

It tells us to reach out, to risk and become involved in the lives of others. Especially the lives of those who seem to be the least likely for God to use. They might very well be the Ruth and Boaz of our generation. Who knows.

It tells us to risk and become involved in the life of the Church because YOU might the Ruth or Boaz of this generation and all God is waiting for you to do is turn to God like Ruth idd. Or maybe God wants to use you like Naomi, to simply tell the story, your story of how God has impacted your life. The story of how God has moved in the life of God's people.

It tells us to risk, especially if we see ourselves as the outcasts of the story. Those lonely and cut off. It challenges us to risk putting all of that loneliness, isolation and fear into the hands of God so God can redeem it and YOU for God's work.

B. This story tells us to expect the unexpected from God. In the classic book Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan describes a man with a rake gathering sticks and straw off the floor. This man is so obsessed with his task that he gazes permanently downward, never noticing that standing behind him is a shining figure holding out a golden crown.

We can easily become obsessed with our daily routine, closing our eyes to the unexpected gifts of God and God's Grace.

I remember talking to a friend one time after we had both traveled to a meeting in Glen Rose at the Camp, early one spring. I commented on how beautiful the fields looked and how green everything was getting. His words were something to the effect, "I didn't even notice, I was wrestling with my sermon."

Now I can understand wrestling with your sermon, I do that on occasion. But what I couldn't fathom, was how he could have missed the beautiful sermon being preached by God through nature that day.

God is all around us. God's presence can be seen and felt in every aspect of life and even in the least likely places through the least likely people. All we have to do is pay attention, look and listen.

CONCLUSION:

Back in September of 1990, I heard about two women who are residents of the Southeast Senior Center for Independent Living in Englewood, New Jersey. Their names are Margaret Patrick and Ruth Eisenberg. Margaret is black and Ruth is Jewish. Both are accomplished pianists and were esteemed piano teachers. Five years before this story, each suffered a crippling stroke.

Margaret barely survived. She spent months in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, finally regaining movement on her left side. Her right side is still paralyzed. She says often in halting speech, "I am happy to be alive."

Ruth Eisenberg is a wisecracking wit, and she now laughs about that moment when she suffered the stroke and lay on the floor of her apartment undiscovered for two days. Ruth recovered but she does not have the use of her left side and is confined to a wheelchair.

The two women met after both were referred to the center. They soon learned of their mutual love for the piano. One day they sat down at the center's ancient green piano, and Margaret's long black fingers moved back and forth over the left side of the keyboard. Ruth's shorter, stronger white fingers carried the melody on the right side.

They sat close together and leaned toward one another. Margaret's right hand draped limply around Ruth, Ruth's left hand lay motionless on Margaret's right knee. Their first attempt was Chopin's "Minute Waltz in D" and it was truly a revelation to both.

Since then they have developed an extensive repertoire and have performed for countless senior centers, veteran's home hospitals and have been featured on television shows. One newspaper writer dubbed them "Ebony and Ivory." They are an inspiration to all who know them and have heard them play. Says Margaret, "I never thought God could use us the way He is doing. We are so happy and we thank God every day." (2)

These two women have what Ruth and Naomi had and God is using them in unexpected ways. They are an inspiration to other stroke victims, to those who love and care for them, to other senior citizens and to everyone who hears about them. And especially to those who have the good fortune to hear them.

God is doing the unexpected in their lives. Just as God did with Ruth and Naomi. And just as God did with Jesus that first Palm Sunday. Nobody expected the procession of people into Jerusalem and the Temple for Passover to be any more than that. But God knew it would be something more. God allowed one person to look up and speak up about who Jesus really was. And the crowds went wild.

"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

From procession to parade, that's what happened that day. One person looked up and spoke up and the Triumphal Entry of the King of Kings into the Holy City began. God was doing the unexpected. And God continues to do the unexpected in our lives through Christ.

From procession to parade; from Moab to Bethlehem, God was Preparing For The King.

Where have you seen God in the unexpected? What is God preparing you to do? Be ready.

1. http://www.motherinlawstories.com/mother-in-law_jokes_page.htm (Who would have thought there was such a thing?)

2. Parables, Etc. (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), September, 1990. From a sermon by Don Shelby, 1st Methodist Church, Santa Monica, Submitted by Don Maddox, Sherman Oaks, CA.

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WordSearch Bible Study Program

The Interpreter's Bible, Volume II, (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1953)

The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume II, (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1995)