Turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter
1. 2 Timothy 1 verse 1 says, Call an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God according to the promise of life which
is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, my dearly beloved
son, grace, mercy, and peace. From God the Father, in Jesus
Christ our Lord. Grace, mercy, and peace. Those are gracious words. Those are such gracious words. Beautiful, comforting, encouraging
words. brought mercy and mercy brought peace from God to his people. Peace from God, peace by God,
peace with God. That is what creates peace in
the hearts of God's people. Those three words are the summary
of salvation. That is the summary of salvation,
grace, mercy, and peace. It has been said that the definition
of grace is Getting what you don't deserve. Receiving something that you
did not earn. Being gifted what you are not
owed. Grace is a gift. Grace is a gift. A gift of kindness. A gift of
favor. And it has been said that the
definition of mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting
what we don't deserve, but we haven't earned. And mercy is
not getting what we do deserve, not getting the punishment we've
earned or the outcome that is owed to
us. because of compassion. Mercy
comes from compassion. Mercy is a showing of compassion. Mercy is a deliverance or a redemption
because of compassion. And I want us to look for a minute
at grace and mercy. And in that, I believe we'll
see and find peace. The grace of God to sinners and
the mercy of God to sinners brings the peace of God to sinners. And I pray that grace, mercy,
and peace will be brought to us. I pray that it'll be brought
to every person here. A couple of weeks ago, we had
a message on growing in grace, and we saw that God's grace was
sovereign grace, Our brother just read where the
Lord said, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. It's
sovereign grace. It's free grace. It's sacrificial grace. You know,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, he became
poor that you might be rich. It's saving grace. And it's sufficient grace. And
it's the same with mercy and it's the same with peace. And with that in mind, I want
us to see an example of all three of those things in a wonderful
account. I personally enjoyed this so much. The Lord fed me
with this and blessed me with this. And I'm very, very thankful
for that. Turn with me to Ruth chapter
two. Page 374 in my Bible, Ruth chapter
2. In this account, a woman named
Naomi left Bethlehem, Judah, which is the house of bread. That's what it means. She left
with her husband, a man named Elimelech, and her two sons,
Mahlon and Kylion. And they moved from Bethlehem,
Judah. And you know, our Lord was born
in Bethlehem. Well, they moved from Bethlehem
to an idol worshiping land called Moab. And Naomi's sons married two
idol worshiping women from Moab. One of the women was named Ruth. And Naomi's husband died. And
then her two sons died. And Naomi ended up going back
to Bethlehem Judah, a broken, empty, destitute woman. She left full and she came back
empty, completely empty. And with her, she brought one
of her broken, empty, destitute daughter-in-laws Ruth. And they came back as strangers,
heathens, outcasts, with no other option than to
become beggars of food. But chapter 2 verse 1, Ruth chapter
2 verse 1 says, Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man
of wealth of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. Here's the thing about it. Here's
the but. Naomi had a kinsman. There was
a man. There was a man. When it comes
to the grace, mercy, and peace of salvation, it always begins
with a man. It always cries, thank God for
that man. When you get to the end of all
that, after grace, mercy, and peace are finished, you cry,
thank God for that man. That's what you cry. Thank God for that man. Chapter
2, verse 1, Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man
of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. Boaz represents
Jesus Christ. Ruth represents his people. Verse two says, and Ruth the
Moabitess said unto Naomi, let me now go to the field and glean
ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. Ruth said to Naomi, let me go
see if I can beg, go find somewhere to beg to receive something that
I do not deserve, and I have not earned, and I'm not owed. Let me go see if I can find grace. Verse 3, And she went and came
and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and her hap, it
just so happened, sovereignly, predestinatedly, graciously. Her hat was to light on a part
of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. What that means is she didn't
find grace, grace found her. That's what it means. Verse four, 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. It's the sinful heathen idol
worshiper. 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.' Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the
ground and said unto him, why have I found grace in thine eyes? That thou shouldest take knowledge
of me, seeing I'm a stranger. Why have I found grace in your
eyes? That's a question that all of
God's people can relate to. Seeing that I'm a sinner. Seeing
that I'm a sinner, seeing that I'm so wretched, seeing that
I'm just as bad as the worst sinner on this earth. We could
name some very famous names of sinners on this earth, and I'm
just as bad as they are. Why have I found grace in your
eyes? She was a sinful, heathen, outcast
beggar. But Ruth found grace in the eyes
of Boaz. She found favor in the eyes of
Boaz, and she abundantly received from Boaz what he didn't have
to give to her, and what he didn't owe her. It just sovereignly,
freely, abundantly pleased Him to give it to her. Look at verse
14. And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime
come thou hither and eat of the bread and dip thy morsel in the
vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers,
and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat and was sufficed
and left. That means she sat at his table
and he served her. Verse 15, And when she was risen
up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean
even among the sheaves, and reproach her not. And let fall also some
of the handfuls of purpose for her. And leave them that she
may glean them and rebuke her not. He told his reapers, you
let her pick and scrape from anywhere that she wants to pick
and scrape from. And He said, as you're going
through the fields, if she's behind you, if you look back
and you see her behind you, you reach in and you grab handfuls
and just drop it on the ground. You just leave it for her. Verse 17, So she gleaned in the
field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned. And it
was about an ephah of barley, And she took it up and went into
the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and
she brought forth and gave to her that she had reserved after
she was sufficed. And her mother-in-law said unto
her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day, and where wroughtest
thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she showed her mother-in-law
with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom
I wrought to-day is Boaz. And Naomi fell out. Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law,
blessed be he of the Lord who hath not left off his kindness
to the living and to the dead. Naomi said unto her, the man
is near of kin unto us. One of our next kinsmen. Blessed be God who has not left
off his kindness. God has not left off his favor.
God has not left off his grace. He sent you to the only man who
has the right to redeem you. That's what one of our next kinsmen
means. One that hath right to redeem. Naomi said, Ruth, there is a
debt that we owe and we can't pay it. We are trespassers. We are trespassers. As beggars,
we don't have any right to anything. Everywhere we go, everything
we do, we're trespassers. And we will never be forgiven
our trespasses unless we are redeemed. We need to be bought
back with a price. Naomi said, Ruth, we need mercy.
We need compassion and mercy. We need for Boaz in mercy to
redeem us. Oh, that he would have compassion
and redeem. Chapter three, verse one says,
then Naomi, her mother-in-law said unto her, my daughter, shall
I not seek rest for thee that it may be well with thee? She
said, Ruth, I want peace for you. This is what I want. I want
you to have peace. Therefore, I want mercy for you. I want pardon from all trespass
for you. You go beg that man for redemption. Beg him to, in compassionate
mercy, deliver you from the condition you're in. Verse two, now is
not Boaz of our kindred with whose maidens thou wast? Behold,
he went with barley tonight in the threshing floor. Wash thyself,
therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and
get thee down to the floor. But make not thyself known unto
the man until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall
be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where
he shall lie, and thou shalt go in and uncover his feet, and
lay thee down, and he will tell thee what thou shalt do." She
said, you go in humbly. You go into his feet. And any
soul who comes to Christ needs to come to his feet. Verse five,
she said unto her, all that thou sayest unto me, I will do. And
she went down unto the floor and did according to all that
her mother-in-law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk
and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the
heap of corn and she came softly and uncovered his feet and laid
her down. And it came to pass at midnight
that the man was afraid and turned himself, and behold, a woman
lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And
she answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy
skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman. What a picture that is of a child
of God crying, Lord, cover me in your blood. This is what I
need. I need mercy. I need mercy. I need redemption. I need compassion from you. Cover
me in your blood. You're the only one who can redeem
me. Grace gave me your life. Mercy will redeem me from my
death. God be gracious and merciful
to me. Deliver me from going down to
the pit. I need a ransom. Verse 12, this is what Boaz said
to her in reply. Now it is true that I am thy
near kinsman, albeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. This
is the law of God, this is God's holy law, this is God's commandment
to all men and women who are under that law, bound by that
law. He said, Terry this night and
it shall be in the morning that if he will perform unto thee
the part of a kinsman well. Let him do the kinsman's part.
But if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will
I do the part of a kinsman to thee. As the Lord liveth, lie
down until the morning. And she lay at his feet until
the morning, and she rose up before one could know another.
And he said, let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Also he said, bring the veil that thou hast upon thee and
hold it. And when she held it, he measured
six measures of barley and laid it on her and she went into the
city. He gave her a promise of mercy. That's what he did. He
gave her a covenant promise token of mercy. Verse 16, and when
she came to her mother-in-law, she said, who art thou my daughter?
And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she
said, These six measures of barley gave he me, for he said to me,
Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. Then Naomi said, Sit still, my
daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall. For the
man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this
day. Naomi said, Ruth, according to
his covenant promise, mercy will come to you today. The man will not be at rest until
he finishes this transaction today. That is what you call
the good news of the gospel. Today is the day of salvation. This man is about to do something
to redeem you to himself. That was said to God's people
the day Jesus Christ willingly allowed those soldiers to nail
him to a cross. Stand still. Sit still. This thing will be finished today. In grace he gave his life, in
mercy he took our death. In a transaction with the holy
law of God, that's what it was. All of that happened on the cross
of Calvary. Chapter 4, verse 1 says, Then went Boaz up to
the gate, and sat him down there. And behold, the kinsmen of whom
Boaz spake came by, unto whom he said, Ho, such a one, turn
aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye
down here. And they sat down. And he said
unto the kinsmen, Naomi, that is come again out of the country
of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's. And I thought to advise thee,
saying, buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people.
If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it. But if thou wilt not redeem
it, then tell me that I may know, for there is none to redeem it
beside thee, and I'm after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
And that's what the law says. You abide by this law, you can
enter into heaven. Yes, I will accept that person
right on in. Verse five, then said Boaz, what
day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must
buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. You're going
to have to take that center with her. If you redeem Naomi, you
have to take that idol worshiping center with her. Verse six, and
the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my
own inheritance. Redeem thou my right to thyself,
for I cannot redeem it. The law cannot redeem one sinner
from this earth. The law cannot say to one sinner
in this world, well done, enter in. The law is too holy, the
law is too just, and we are too sinful. It just cannot be done. Verse 7, now this was the manner
in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing. For to confirm all things, a
man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. And
this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto
Boaz, buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. Our
Lord humbled himself. Our Lord came down. In mercy, he came down. And in
his coming down to us, he paid every penny, he paid every ounce
of the debt that his people owed. In humiliation and in shame,
he took all of their heathen, outcast, trespasses, and he paid
the price for them in full. He died in their death. He was cut off in their separation. He was forsaken in their condemnation. And in that, they were redeemed.
In that, they were accepted. By His compassionate, tender
mercy, they were redeemed. Verse nine says, And Boaz said
unto the elders and unto all the people, you are witnesses
this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all
that was Chilon's and Malon's of the hand of Naomi. Moreover,
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Malon, have I purchased to
be my wife. to raise up the name of the dead
upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off
from among his brethren and from the gate of his place. You are
witnesses this day. And all the people that were
in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. The Lord make
the woman that has come into thine house like Rachel and like
Leah, which too did build the house of Israel, and do thou
worthily in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem, and let thy house
be like the house of Phares, who Tamar barren to Judah, of
the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman."
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And when he went in
unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women
said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee
this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer
of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age, For thy daughter-in-law,
which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath
borne him." The grace of Boaz and the mercy of Boaz brought
the peace of Boaz. By his grace and mercy, she had
peace. And that's the picture and the
story of every soul given to Christ. The one who David represents. Verse 16, Naomi took the child
and laid it in her bosom and became nurse unto it. And the
women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, There is a son
born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed.
He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are
the generations of Phares, Phares begat Hezron and Hezron begat
Ram and Ram begat Amenadab and Amenadab begat Nashon and Nashon
begat Salmon and Salmon begat Boaz and Boaz begat Obed and
Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David, who is the picture of
Christ, our grace giver. our mercy supplier, our prince
of peace. Grace, mercy, and peace be unto
thee. If it is, it will all be through
that man. If it is, if grace, mercy, and
peace is unto us, it will all come through the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray it will for his sake.
Amen.