Okay, so I'm gonna go ahead and get started. If you would, turn with me to Romans 7, verse 25. I'm just gonna read that one verse, and then we'll be going to Ruth. But Romans 7, verse 25. Romans 7, verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. We see right there in that passage there is the law of God and the law of sin.

So there are two laws mentioned right there. We have different laws mentioned in scripture, and I had did this message before Walter started into his, but he did a good job, and he's going through some of those details. I'm not, I'm just gonna mention them. But there are many laws mentioned in the scripture as Walter listed them.

Law of Moses, law of Christ, law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, law of sin, law of faith, law of God, law of commandments, law of liberty, We are told in scripture that sin is the transgression of the law. So what law? It's really a transgression against any law, but specifically you can say the Ten Commandments. This law came by Moses, we are told in scripture.

The law was given to prove or to show, to testify to the fact that we have sinned against God. And as Walter said last week, men sinned before the law was given. It was given to prove or to manifest we have sinned against God. Yet there are those who think that they can keep it, even though God has told us numerous times in the scripture that we have not kept his law and we cannot keep his law. But these 10 commandments have with them hundreds of other commandments, not just 10. As I said before, we're told these 10 commandments came by Moses.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John 117. You can say that Christ brought the law of Christ or the law of God. We read in Romans 8, 2, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. So one law made me free from another law. Galatians 3, 21 says, if the law could make someone righteous, then it should have been by the law. That's what it says.

The Ten Commandments to give us life, if it could have been. See, our problem is we are dead in trespasses and in sin. The reason we cannot keep the law is we are dead to God. But the law cannot give us life. It never gives us life. It never sustains our life. Because life, righteousness, does not come by the law. The law could not and cannot give life.

Now to illustrate what I'm talking about, I wanna go to Ruth. But first let me say, Christ is God. God gave the law to Moses who brought it to us. God wrote the law with his own hand, with his own finger on those tablets of stone. Christ, that is God, is absolutely perfect, holy. He's a perfect, holy God. And he, of course, kept the law.

For instance, he certainly loved his neighbor as himself. He died for us when we were sinners and enemies and ungodly people. The law we read cannot give life, but Christ is life itself. So yes, he kept the law, but it did not give him life. He was already life itself. Christ is the next of kin for his people. He is holy, just, and good, and the law is holy, just, and good. But as we have read, there was one thing the law could not do, and that is really what I wanna focus in on this morning. And Jesus Christ fulfilled the law every jot and tittle.

So be turning with me to Ruth, Ruth chapter four. Ruth chapter four. Ruth chapter four, let's go back to Ruth chapter three, I wanna read verse 12 real quick. Ruth chapter three, verse 12, it says, and now it is true that I am thy near kinsman, that's what Boaz says to Ruth. Howbeit, there is a kinsman nearer than I. So we read there, it says, there is a kinsman nearer than I. One that has to be satisfied first.

We hear here at chapel and other places how God does not sweep sin under the rug. There's a reason why our sins are taken as far as the east is from the west. The nearer of kin had to be satisfied. He had to go to that nearer of kin and make things right. We would not be the ones that would satisfy that nearer of kin. We see in Ruth 4 verses 1 and 2.

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. Boaz, or we can say Christ, and his wise counsel gathered everyone together for a very specific purpose. He gathered and put together to give witness to what he was going to do.

This mirror of kin is a type of the law of Moses, but really any law. Christ shows his superiority to some law or him being the source of some laws. 2 Corinthians 3 tells us this. But God throughout time and according to his purpose caused all these things that we read about to happen.

And he also had men write it down. They wrote down the law of Moses and all the words of the prophet, which were God breathed. All of them and all of this pointed to that great one, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. That one who would be and was made a curse and sin for his people.

We read in Romans 3, 21 through 23, but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But Christ is righteous, Christ is life, and he came down that he might redeem them from the curse of the law.

The curse is death. If one were living, they could keep the law of God. The law does not have to redeem one that is living. If anyone kept the law of Moses, they would not come to life, but they would already be living. So yes, in that sense, the law could redeem them because they would deserve it and they could keep his law. But there is no life or light in anyone born of Adam.

And we'll look at that shortly. But then we read in Ruth 4 verses 5 and 6, we read, Then said Boaz, what day thou buy'st 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. 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. Boaz said to this near kinsman, thou must also redeem Ruth to raise up the name of the dead. Her husband had died and her husband represented her. We know that in Adam all died, so turn with me back over to Romans 5, Romans 5. Keep your place there in Ruth, Romans 5, if you will. And this is very familiar to you all. Romans 5, verses 12 through 15, we're gonna read. Romans 5, verse 12. Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, has abounded unto many. And not as it was, but one man, one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. all died in Adam. The scripture declares it. It said it right there. Being dead in him, we all sinned in him and we do sin.

The law was brought forth to manifest that we are dead and that we cannot keep God's law. A dead man can do nothing. He cannot keep the law and he cannot come to Christ. But also the law cannot give or create life, and the law cannot sustain life, Galatians 3, 21 and 22. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid.

For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. The Law and the Prophets concede, if you will, they conclude, if you will, that Jesus Christ is the only one that can redeem. We read that what Christ has done was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. That's what it said in Romans. And we see it here in type, Ruth 4, verses 6 through 8.

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. 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. The law acknowledges it cannot redeem and we read it in scripture. We know it can't. It cannot give life to the dead. We see that acknowledgement shown here by him taking off his shoe and giving it to Boaz. And all were witnesses to this.

And you can read verses nine through 12 for that sometime in Ruth. The whole of this book speaks of Jesus Christ. The whole of this book is to glorify Jesus Christ. And if anyone is known by Him, they want to give glory to Jesus Christ as well. Because they know He loves them. He proved He loves them. So next, the love of Christ. We read in 1 John 4, 9 and 10, in this was manifested the love of God toward us. Because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love. Not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

What does Boaz tell Ruth in Ruth 3, verses 7 through 13? And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of a 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 him, answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman.

And he said, blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry 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 unto the morning. I just love that. Lie down to the morning. I will take care of this thing. When he comes to us in power, we will hear his word and he will say to us, lie down, rest in me, Joe. I will do where I have done the part of the kinsman because I am your kinsman redeemed. There's no doubt that he will do what he says because of who he is. But that's what the gospel declares unto us. And I believe we can look at Naomi as the gospel as it speaks to us. The gospel is our mother.

Verse 18 of chapter three. Verse 18. Then said she, 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. What does the gospel tell us? Does it tell us to keep the law? No, it says sit still, do nothing, because Christ, he says here, he will not rest until he has finished the thing. We know he has, because we read it in scripture, he says it is finished.

The law could not do that. We read that this nearer of kin drew off his shoe and gave it to Boaz, giving up that right to redeem to Boaz. Because we read that this nearer of kin could not do it because it would mar his inheritance. But what specifically was it that he could not do?

Redeem the dead. And we've talked about laws, Walters went through them, and I hope he still will, I assume, for some more. But we read of several in the Old Testament, but listen to these for a minute. The law of the burnt offering. The law of the meat offering. The law of the sin offering. The law of the trespass offering. The law of the sacrifice of peace offering.

There are those who talk about keeping the law, the Ten Commandments, but they never talk about these laws. They, in fact, bring disgrace to these laws by thinking they can keep the Ten Commandments. By doing this, they are saying they do not need these sacrifices because God gave these with that law. We know these all picture Christ and what he did for his people. So they are, in effect, saying they don't need Christ.

If we could keep his law, why was there any sacrifices mentioned? It, in fact, is mentioned right after he gave the Ten Commandments, right after they start talking about sacrifices. If they kept his law, if we keep his law, we would certainly, as I said, not live, but we would already be living. But the only way you can keep his law if you already have life. But we are all dead in trespasses and in sin. And the scripture says it concludes that we are. But Christ is life itself.

He did what was needed and did this before the whole world. As we see it here in the book of Ruth, he did this at the gate for all to witness, that he satisfied God's holy law completely, not just the commandments is my point here. He gave life to some where the law could not do this. He manifested that love toward us in coming down, being made a curse and sin for us. He actually redeemed us. There in Ruth, kinsman redeemer means this, buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, or purchase us, that's what it means. He did what the law could not and cannot do, he gave us life from the dead. He redeemed us from that curse.

What most in this world do not recognize, and we do not recognize before God comes to us in power, It's not that we will die. We will certainly physically die, there's no doubt about that. But the fact is, we have already died. We're already separated from God. We need to be reconciled to Him. Scripture tells us this and it's been read many times, but yet without the enlightening power of God, we cannot see what it says.

All are dead in trespasses and in sin. That leaves no one out. But we also read it before from John 3, it says, John 3, 16 through 19, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. He that believeth on him is not condemned.

But he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is coming to the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Men by nature, as they're born in Adam, love darkness rather than loving Jesus Christ. Man by nature will not and cannot believe Jesus Christ.

What is it exactly they will believe, those that do believe? that he is the Redeemer. And there's at least a couple of things that consist of this, that consist, this consist of, but there could be more. But first you have to realize you need redeeming and that Jesus Christ is the only one that can do it.

Why does it not say, why did not God have Ruth go to the nearer of kin first and try to get redemption there? Because it cannot redeem. The law for which it pictures could not redeem her. Only one can redeem. The kinsman, Redeemer, and Ruth in type was sent directly to Boaz. Ruth was sent directly to Boaz. That's how the account goes. Not the nearer of kin in that passage. And he manifest his love to us being made like unto his brethren so that he might suffer death in our place. Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he had flesh, skin, and bones. He got hungry. He could sweat. He wept. What is the result of his work?

Ruth 4.13.

Ruth 4.13.

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. Ruth here did not go back to that nearer of kin once Boaz had redeemed her, now did she? We see nowhere that Ruth disrespected that other nearer of kin, but she did not interact with him because she was married to Boaz. She loved Boaz and Boaz loved her, so much so they had a child.

Romans 7-4 we read, Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. The child of God will be in love with Jesus Christ, because he gave them life, not the law. And I cannot tell you exactly what that looks like, that a believer will love Christ. All I can do is really give you some from Scripture. That's the best place to go.

Song of Solomon 6.3, I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. He feedeth among the lilies.

Song of Solomon 7.10, I am my beloved's and his desire is toward me.

And then Song of Solomon 5.8, I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love.

The child of God, once Christ has come to you in love and power to show you who he is, you will not be able to get away from him. You will be lovesick for him. There will be times that you may drift. Your mind may go somewhere else, but He will remind you time and time again that He loves you and He gave Hisself for you.

Your affections, although they will certainly not be perfect, and I only say that because we have this flesh. Because, I mean, whatever God gives, it's perfect, and you can count on that. But because of this flesh, it will take credit sometimes for what God does. Or it'll say that something's God's and it's not of God. So I'm not always sure if what I am doing is pleasing to God. But if it's done according to scripture, according to what God says honors Him, and I know this, the sacrifice of our lips is what God has us to do. We give glory to God for all He has done. Because if He has not done it, it will not be done. The whole point to this message is this. The law cannot do anything for me. First of all, I cannot do what's required by the law. I'm already guilty of sin against it. But second, the law cannot give life. That is, either create life or sustain life in me. It wasn't meant to.

But Jesus Christ fulfilled the law every jot and tittle, Matthew 5, 17 and 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. everything we read of in the scripture as it concerns the law of Moses and everything else, it all pointed to him. He was that one that was come to fulfill all things concerning the law and the prophets, not just the commandments is what I'm trying to point out.

He obeyed the law certainly, but he also gave to the law what was required, his life. The soul that sinneth it shall die. And I've said this many times, but this is just glorious to me. He took that for his people. But then he raised from the dead, justifying all those whom he did this for. I've done all things right in Christ Jesus. Because of him and what he has done, Joe, by him.

Romans 3 31 we read, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid, yea, we establish the law. By believing Jesus Christ and what he has done, we establish the law, not keep it, but establish it. We believe by faith and that faith is given by God. It is the faith of Jesus Christ, him who authored it and perfected it. We establish it by the belief of faith. And I mean by that, that the faith given us causes us to see and believe what Jesus Christ did. We acknowledge that all the law and the prophets pointed to him as the life giver and the life sustainer. No one will see salvation apart from Him.

Romans 7.25 says, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Give me Jesus. Jesus is my beloved, my redeemer, and my friend. He gives us what will sustain us, just like Boaz did with Ruth, verses 15 through 17.

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. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all the men 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.

Don't give me the law, which declares it cannot redeem me. Only He can sustain me, and He does, because His desire is toward me. And if you were in Him, it's toward you. Give me Him, whose name is above every name, and cause me to bow down to Him. Amen.

Dear Lord God, forgive us of our sins, dear Lord. We too often look to other things. Just seems like all the time, dear Lord, we're on to something else and forgetting about you, dear Lord, but we know you are faithful. You're faithful and you take care of us, dear Lord. You do what's needed. If we need anything, we know you will give it to us. And we thank you, dear Lord, for all these things. We ask in Christ Jesus' name, amen.