The Congregation of the Lord

And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. - Ruth 2:4-9

    "And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn."

    In these verses we follow Ruth, the Moabite stranger, from the field of Boaz into his house. There are many instructive lessons to be learned from the reception that was given her. In this study, I want to show you some of the privileges and responsibilities of being a part of God’s house as they are illustrated by Ruth’s coming into the house of Boaz.

    RUTH FOUND HER PLACE IN BOAZ’S HOUSE AS

    THE RESULT OF HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD.

    You will remember that she had humbly taken her place as a gleaner in the fields, because that is what God in his law prescribed as a means of the poor continuing to provide for themselves. Being obedient to the Word of God, she was guided by the hand of divine providence to the field of Boaz and then to the house of Boaz.

    That is always the case with God’s saints. If a person walks in the light God has given him, God will give him more light. If you take the Word of God to be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path, if you follow the Book of God, it will guide you in paths of righteousness and lead you to the place of blessedness (Psa. 19:7-11; Psa. 119:9).

    IN THE HOUSE OF BOAZ THE ONLY

    PROMINENT PERSON WAS BOAZ HIMSELF.

    No prominence, honor, or distinction was given to anyone but Boaz. Even the servant who was “set over the reapers” is left nameless in the Scriptures, because he is really not important. He as only a servant.

    So it is in the house of God. Only one person is exalted in the Church of God. Only one person is recognized as pre-eminent in the house of God. Only one name is honored in the household of faith. Honor, recognition and pre-eminence is given to no man but the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. We call no man “holy,” or “reverend,” because no man is. That name belongs only to our God (Psa. 111:9). We call no man “master”, or “doctor”, or “father”, because we are all simply brethren (Matt. 23:6-12).

    WHEN A SINNER IS SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST, HE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEK HIS PLACE IN THE CONGREGATION OF THE LORD.

    Sheep are social creatures. The only time you find a sheep alone is when he is sick or wounded. God’s sheep are social creatures too. Believers need one another. As soon as a person is saved he should, like Saul of Tarsus, join himself with the disciples (Acts 9:27). Every saved sinner ought to be committed to one of “the churches of God”, one of the “churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 11:16; 14:33).

    Some things happen to people immediately when they are saved. As soon as a person is united to Christ by faith, as soon as you trust the Son of God, you are, or you have been immediately…

    Forgiven of all sin by His grace (1 John 1:9).

    Justified from all things by Christ’s righteousness and shed blood (Acts 13:39).

    Born again and made a new creature in Christ (1 Pet. 1:23; 1 John 5:1).

    Given the place of a son in the house of God (1 John 3:1; Eph. 2:19).

    Sinners are born into the family of God, not by natural birth, but by the grace and power of God the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-7). You are born into the church universal, the mystical, spiritual body of Christ. You do not join it.

    However, every saved person ought to seek his or her place in a local church, which is the house of God, the congregation of the Lord, the pillar and ground of the truth. Nothing is more important in the life of a believer than the worship of God in his house (Heb. 10:24-26). Nothing is more detrimental to the lives of men and women who bear the name of Christ than the neglect of God’s house (Hag. 1:4-6; Zech. 8:9-15).

    Two things, and only two things, are required for membership in the House of God. Throughout the New Testament, we see sinners brought into the fellowship of God’s church, seeking and being admitted into that fellowship only if they possessed these two things.

    Those who are received as brothers and sisters in the house of God must believers, they must possess, by their own profession, they gift of faith in Christ. Nowhere in the New Testament were people received into the fellowship of the saints, or recognized as brethren who did not personally profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Everywhere in the New Testament, believer’s baptism was also required for admission into the fellowship of the saints.

    I am aware that most people think these are insignificant, controversial matters, about which we dare not be very dogmatic. That simply is not that case. These are matters of plain, clear revelation, about which we must not compromise. It takes only a casual reading of the book of Acts to see them plainly set before us (Acts 2:41-47; 8:37; 9:18; 10:48; 16:31-33) All who trust Christ are to confess their faith in him by believer’s baptism. And all who come into the house of God professing faith in Christ are to be received without “doubtful disputations” (Rom. 14:1; 15:6-7). The house of God is to be a place where the Lord’s “newborn babes” may receive the love, care, protection, guidance, oversight, instruction and companionship they need.

    The house of God, the Church of God, ought to be like the house of Boaz, an attractive, pleasing haven for weary strangers. When Ruth came to the house of Boaz, she found it to be a household of generous, kind, gracious people. She was attracted to the house, not because of its greatness, grandeur and gold, but because of the grace displayed in the people who dwelt there. We preach grace - The free gift of God’s best to those who deserve his worst. Let us make certain that we practice grace. If the grace that we proclaim with our lips is not practiced in our lives, it is not likely that we will see much result from our preaching. Love one another. Forgive one another. Bear one another’s burdens. Be kind to one another. Rejoice with one another. Put away envy, jealousy, and peevishness. In other words, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30). The church of God is not here to entertain sinners on their way to hell; but we are here to serve the souls of eternity bound sinners for the glory of God. We offer no attractions to the flesh. But we do offer two attractions to weary strangers: a message of grace and a fellowship of grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    THE PERSON WHO GETS THE MOST ATTENTION IN THE HOUSE OF GOD SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE ONE WHO NEEDS THE MOST ATTENTION.

    When Boaz came to Bethlehem to greet his reapers and to sit with them in his house, two things stand out. First, Very gracious salutations were given by Boaz to his servants and by the servants to Boaz (v. 4). The words, “The Lord be with you” and “The Lord bless thee,” contain all that could be desired by us. Boaz (the type of Christ) pronounced all the blessings of grace upon his servants (typical of God’s saints in this world). Then, those servants so blessed of God as to be his servants blessed Boaz, wishing him alone to be exalted.

    Second, a very gracious condescension was made (v. 5 - Boaz condescended to look upon Ruth and ask, “Whose damsel is this?” There were many, many maidens in the fields; but Ruth was the newcomer. Ruth was the stranger. Ruth was the one who needed attention. And she got it. This question was put to “his servant that was set over the reapers.” He represents the pastor, the gospel preacher, whose responsibility it is to know the people to whom he preaches, to know what they need, and to give account of them to God (Heb. 13:17; Jer. 3:15).

    BOAZ TOOK GREAT CARE TO PUT RUTH AT EASE IN HIS HOUSE.

    He seems to have gone out of his way to make her feel welcome, at home, and comfortable. Knowing she was a stranger, knowing she probably felt very uncomfortable, he took care to make her comfortable - “Hearest thou not, my daughter?” As we have seen, he spoke to his young men about her in her presence; and he spoke directly to her for her comfort. So it is with our Lord (Isa. 40:1-2). In his house, he speaks about chosen sinners in their presence. Then he speaks directly to them by the power and grace of his Spirit, applying the Word effectually to his own; and he does it for the everlasting comfort of their souls..

    THE TITLE WHICH BOAZ GAVE TO RUTH IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.

    “My Daughter” - This title placed her upon the footing of the highest privilege and greatest blessedness in the household. Even so, all who come to God by faith in Jesus Christ are the children of God (Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:4-6 Gal. 3:26 4:6; 1 John 3:1). All the rights and privileges, all the possessions and prospects of the house of God belong as fully to the youngest and weakest member of the family as to the oldest and strongest. This title, “daughter”, also indicates a permanent relationship. When we talk about the family of God, we are talking about a family circle that will never be broken. God will never disown his own. He will not let us leave them. No enemy can ever carry them away, not even one of them!

    BOAZ’S FIRST WORDS TO RUTH INDICATE THAT WHICH OUR GOD REQUIRES AND EXPECTS, AND DESERVES FROM ALL HIS CHILDREN (vv. 8-9).

    The house of Boaz was something separate and distinct from all the other houses of the land, and he was determined to keep it that way. He told Ruth what her service and occupation was to be. He said, Glean in my fields and drink at my wells - “Go not to another field.” He even told her who her companions were to be. - “Abide by my maidens!” It mattered not whether they pleased her. They pleased him. It was her duty to love them, to serve them, and to serve Boaz with them. The lessons for us should be obvious. –We who are born of God are to separate ourselves from the people of this world, particularly from their ways and their religion, and devote ourselves to the people of God (2 Cor. 6:14-18; 1 John 4:21; 5:1). As she gleaned in his fields, drank at his wells, and followed after his maidens, Boaz promised Ruth all the protection of his wealth and power in his house (Heb. 3:6).

    If we have been given the privilege of a rightful place in the house of our God, let us carefully fulfill our own place in the house. Let us make our companions these people. We must endeavor not to drop your part of the load. Let us seek to serve, not to be served. And let us always take care to give special attention to those who need special attention.