"Linked For Life"

By Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn

(Ruth 1:1-18)

[1] In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. [2] The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. [3] But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. [4] These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, [5] both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

[6] 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.

(NRSV)

INTRODUCTION:

A guy called the police and said, "Officer, my mother-in-law just tried to run over me with her car!" "Are you sure that it was your mother-in-law?" asked the officer. "Absolutely," the man said. "I'd recognize that laugh anywhere." (1)

Some comedian once said: "Behind every successful man is a proud wife and a surprised mother-in-law."

No this isn't going to be a mother-in-law bashing sermon. For one thing, I love my mother-in-law very much. And for another, this passage of scripture is about one of the greatest mother-in-law, daughter-in-law relationships of all times. It is the story of Ruth and Naomi. They had a very special relationship. During a famine, the Jewish family of Naomi, her husband and two sons went to Moab. The boys grew and married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. In the ensuing years, all three husbands died. And Naomi decided to pack up and go back to Israel.

It was at this juncture that we find the depth of love which Ruth had for Naomi. Naomi, in essence, tells both of her daughters-in-law that they are free of any obligation, to go about their own ways and leave her. Orpah goes back but Ruth says (vss 16-17):

"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. 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!"

Ruth expressed a deep abiding love for Naomi that went far beyond any bond from the marriage. It was a deeply personal relationship that linked these two women for life.

I. THOSE LINKED WITH US:

A. Do you know anyone like that? Do you have folks, other than family, with whom you are linked for life? I can think of a couple such as Bob Core. He was my pastor, mentor, close friend and second father. I could talk to him about anything.

Then there's Lisa White. I know without a doubt that we are linked for life. In 1986, Jacky, Lisa and Jaclyn moved into the community and started attending the Church I was serving. It wasn't long before they were involved in almost every aspect of the church. I was there when their son, Jay, was born and when he had to have two different surgeries. Jacky and I got to be pretty good friends. But they had never joined the Church. Lisa was all ready but Jacky still had ties to his home Church, a Baptist Church. Part of his reluctance was his parents' feelings.

During Holy Week of 1988, we had a Revival and Jacky made a decision. He and Lisa planned to go celebrate Easter with his parents and tell them that they were going to join the Church and have the children baptized. They didn't make it. On Good Friday, they were hit head on by a drunk. Jacky never made it.

A young mother of two, whose pelvis was broken in four places, not knowing her husband was dead, called the only number she could remember, the parsonage. Her words to me were, "Preacher, We've been in a wreck. I'm in the emergency room of the Buffalo Hospital. Jacky is still pinned in the van. Please come get my babies." Mary and I called the prayer chain and then rushed to Buffalo where not only did I have to tell Lisa her husband didn't make it but I had to call both sets of parents.

We calmed the kids down. They got to come in and see that Mom was OK. I rode with Lisa in the ambulance to the hospital in Tyler. Mary rode with another couple from the Church who carried the kids. Other friends took our car home.

Lisa didn't get to go to the funeral. So, we took pictures and Mary and I held the children while Jacky's pastor and his father, conducted the funeral. Over the next year, we visited Lisa in Tyler a number of times. She finally moved back to Groesbeck. Jay celebrated his second birthday without a father but with a huge Church family surrounding him. We had Sunday night services and there were many Sunday nights when I would finish preaching while holding Jay in my arms. Then he'd help me lead the last hymn.

On Easter Sunday, one year later, Jacky and Lisa's entire families gathered as this 26 year old young woman made one of the greatest professions of faith I have ever witnessed as she came forward to join the Church and have her children baptized.

B. Since that time, Lisa and her family have been linked to the Strayhorns as much as if we were blood relatives. When Lisa eventually met another man and decided to remarry, his pastor and I conducted the service.

And even though we live in different parts of the country now, we are still linked. The day Mary's mother had her open heart surgery in Springfield, MO., I walked into the hospital cafeteria to get a cup of coffee and who should I see but Lisa, who is now a pharmacist's assistant at that hospital. I knew she and Terry had moved to that area but had no idea that she was working there. When we left, Lisa checked on Mary's mom a couple of times a day. She even called and let us know how she was doing.

She calls me her big brother and I refer to her as my little sister. We are inextricably linked together for life, not only through the events of the tragedy and triumphs but through the triumph of our faith in God. We are family. But like Ruth and Naomi, much much more than family.

II. WE ARE LINKED TO OTHERS:

A. Each of us has people like that in our lives. People who have shaped us and people whom we are shaping. We may not even know the influence we have on others but we do. We have saints and we are saints for others. We are saints for each other. And when we "love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And love our neighbor as ourselves," we are living as those saints, we're living as God intended us to live. And we are being the best stewards that we can be.

We are saints together. And we are linked together. Nowhere is that made more apparent than in the service of Baptism when we take vows to uphold one another through prayer and through leading such a life that others can see the presence of Christ in us.

B. Today we celebrate the saints in our lives who have gone to their reward. Their memory reminds us of our call to be faithful. Their memory reminds us to be good stewards of our faith by living the love of God and our love for God "with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And by loving our neighbor as ourselves." In other words, we are called to be God's saints today.

CONCLUSION:

Let us be good stewards of this great gift God has given us by being the modern day saints we are being called to be. Come this day and remember.

1. Parables, Etc. Feb, 1985