Today, we'll discover more about the Redeeming Love of our God through the love story between Ruth and Boaz. This is a strange courtship from our modern perspective, but in the context of the ancient world, it's rich in symbolism and meaning.--The parallels with God's own pursuit of His people is just a rich and something we can only ponder in amazement, as we think about what it means to be the Bride of Christ.

Ruth and Naomi had so many hard life experiences, there was no obvious reason for joy. But God is the God of Restored Joy as we'll see today. Ruth's trust in the God of Israel leads her to discover the overwhelming goodness of God - a God that gives more than we deserve, more than we request and more than we expect.--And on top of all of that, God gives more than we give we well, making it so easy for believers to be truly generous people.

Today, we finish the message by looking at the life of Boaz, the portrait of a godly man. Boaz could have used his wealth and power to take advantage of Ruth and her situation or he could have ignored her plight and gone about focused on more important things. But he doesn't because he too shares some of the character traits of God.

Today, Pastor will show us the God of Renewed Comfort through the exemplary lives of Ruth and Boaz. We'll start with the portrait of a godly woman, as revealed by God through Ruth. She is an amazing lady---Adopted into the Family of God, this Moabitess is worth imitating. And how God comforts her should remind us of how he personal comforts each and every one of His children.

Here we find an inspiring story of God's incredible kindness towards people that would typically be the last to expect it. Woman were at best second-class citizens in the ancient world, yet they are the heroines of this story because God loves men and women equally.--God also loves Gentiles and uses Ruth a Moabite woman - to emphasize His desire that all should be saved. None of this should surprise us, yet to many this doesn't sound like the God of the Old Testament. But it is.

Last week we learned a difficult truth about how God works in our lives. There are times when God enlists difficulty and appoints adversity for His glory and our good. It's worth hearing some of that again so we'll pick up last week's message where Pastor provides extensive biblical support for this controversial idea.-It turns out - its only controversial because we would always prefer to avoid difficult times. God - our good, holy and sovereign God knows what works best.

The Book of Ruth was written about people living during the time of the Judges. The author isn't clear - it may have been Samuel - but whoever wrote it, his goal was to use a compelling story of loss and loyalty, redemption and restoration, to tell us more about God.

Last week, Pastor started teaching us about 10 practical ways to apply the truths we've studied over these many months. This week, he'll conclude this sermon and our study of the Book of Revelation.

As John pens the final verses of his account, we find a kind of synopsis of the book. God, through John, helpfully reminds us of how we should respond to apocalyptic literature.--Today, Pastor will begin to cover 10 practical ways to apply the truths we've studied over these many months. Then next week, we'll conclude this sermon and our study of the Book of Revelation.

When we left off last week, Pastor was telling us about the comforting realities of the New Jerusalem. As Believers, we really do have something to look forward to and the contrast with our current world couldn't be greater.--That, of course, is because this current creation is hopelessly broken. It's a mere shadow of the paradise God originally spoke into being. But when we reach eternity, paradise will be restored. No more pain, no more hunger, no more suffering, no more death - all will be made new.