The Book of Ruth—3

4 Signs You Might Have a Keeper

Today—Dating & Marriage

Start w/ dating: Awkward—Job interview (Wear? Talk about?
End)

Dating awkward—Back in my day—Talk  (1st Date—Arm)

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(Now) Option  Online Dating (Helpful—Many Meet/Marry)
Downside—Turn people commodity  Type person I’m
shopping.

Guy—Attractive—Funny—Driven—Good job.
Strong/Sensitive—Handsome/Humble—Share desserts—Gym
Dances rain—Loves The Notebook—Wears socks w/ face on them.
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Going w/ all this? Continue Study—OT—Book of Ruth.

Moabite Woman—Left Moab for Bethlehem
Committed God of Israel!

This week—Watch Ruth—Widow—Gets know Boaz.

See principles help you—Date Wisely—Strengthen Marriage.

Enjoy this week—Practical—Helpful  Next week—Weird!

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Principle—Instead of just looking  Want to get from someone.
Suggest you look  Want to give to someone.
  You don’t just attract what you want. You tend to attract
what you are.

Continue Ruth 2—Watch—Boaz gets to know Ruth—See?

4 Signs You Might Have a Keeper

 Seeking Character
 Exploring Connection
 Showing Consideration
 Receiving Confirmation

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Context—Boaz—Man of Standing—Loves God
Kind/Generous to Ruth.
10
At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked
him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me
—a foreigner?” Ruth 2:10

May not have the highest self-esteem? Why me?

May have been attractive—Don’t know.
Boaz doesn’t affirm—Outside—Most important—Inside.
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 Seeking Character
11
Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for
your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left
your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a
people you did not know before.” Ruth 2:11
 Heard you left Moab for Bethlehem—Pursue one true God!
Loyal MIL Naomi—Loyal to God—Not a victim—Handout!

Hard worker—Didn’t compromise values—Sell body.

I notice … Your godly character.
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Amy blind date—Similar way—Never seen her—Pre-SM
Character—Girl making fun of me/Amy—Not looks—Character.
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Are you  Person of character? Spiritual Character?

Not Christian name—Serious disciple of Jesus

Bar-hop on Sat—Church on Sun—Bed 2 bed—Spiritual character?

 You don’t build a life of righteousness on a foundation of

sin.

Growing in God’s Word—Don’t just go church—Serving.

Tell the truth—Conform Christ—Not perfect
Being perfected daily.
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Seeking Character—Meet someone—Pay attention!

(Notice friends) Treat family? Waiters? Heart serve? Work ethic?

If they’re jerks—No quality friends—Critical.

Push u sexually—Distract u from God—Not signs godly character.

 When a person shows you who they really are, believe

them.
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Dating—Not helping you get closer to Jesus—Get out of Moab!
 Boaz—Man of Character. Notice R’s character. Explore connect.
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 Exploring Connection

Boaz—Slide—DMs—(Sup!)—Apartment—Netflix/Chill!
Boaz invites her—Lunch date—Connect—Get to know.
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14
At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some
bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” When she sat down with the
harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she
wanted and had some left over. Ruth 2:14

Ruth doesn’t move too fast—Want wife?—Many kids?

Connection  Ladies—You want—Guy who’ll initiate.

Effort—Pursue you—Not your body—You!

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(Amy)  Mixtape
Prayed for her—Her BS—My BS—Get to know her.

Discovering character—Exploring connection.

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 Showing Consideration
15
As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her
gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull
out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to
pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” Ruth 2:15-16

Guarding her dignity—Letting her work—Not handout.

 Make it easy for her—Give extra—Going out way—Bless her!

Giver—Levitical law—Give poor what’s left over.

Not doing to do what law requires—Bless her w/ more!
17
So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the
barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. R
2:17

Ephah  2 weeks’ wages—Worked 1 day—Blessed her w/ more.

Dating—Don’t settle!
Want someone doesn’t just meet expectation  Exceeds!

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Get 2 know Amy—2 jobs—Didn’t eat—Refrigerator
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(Ladies) Put some thought into a date—Cleans car—(Big Mac wrap)

Thought gift—Restaurant (No drive-thru)—Asks questions.
Values you—Walk door—Protects—Prays for you—Honoring.

(Guys) If you want a Ruth?  Be a Boaz—Giver.

Don’t just attract what want—Tend to attract what you are!

Character—Connection—Consideration …

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 Receiving Confirmation

Ruth takes home—Ephah—Mother lode grain—Shows Naomi!

19
Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today?
Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”
Ruth 2:19

Like this guy!  Did this—Good—Honorable—Godly man!

Naomi—Loved Ruth—Prayed for godly husband—Confirming.

 It’s always a good sign when those who love you the most,
like who you like. (Confirmation)

Our family—Big tribe—Strong values! Dating Groeschel kid

Family Dinner Test  Never talked—Everyone knows—Test.

Watching  Mix? Engage? Contribute? Polite? Grateful?

Potential—Collective confirmation—Not—Everyone knows.

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Hopefully—U have Christian comm—Family/Friends—Trust.
Don’t like person you’re dating—Wise to listen!

But I love him—So much potential—Don’t know her like I do!

Be careful—Especially when you’re engaged in premarital sex.
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Bible teaches—Sex is gift.

Reserved—Covenant of Marriage—Man/Woman.

Proverbs 5—Sex is intoxicating (Premarital sex like being drunk)

People look better when you’re drunk.

Love her—Sex—Drunk on sex—Sober up!

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Mom doesn’t like him—Dad doesn’t—Bro doesn’t—Dog.
BF doesn’t—Old BF doesn’t like u—Not likely best—Confirm.
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Ruth shows up sweaty—Not looking best! Boaz sees—Character!

Seeks connection—Shows her consideration—Confirmation.

What if you’re dating? Don’t see these qualities? (Wrong)

Married—Relationship not where should be.
Ruth told Naomi—This man who blessed us—Name is Boaz.
Naomi’s like—Boaz? Relative—The Lord bless him!
20
…He is one of our guardian-redeemers.” Ruth 2:20

Metaphor … Guardian Redeemer.

Relative who protects—Pays for debts—Provides for family/Loss.

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Legally—Boaz is NOT obligated.
Not Elimelech’s brother—Ruth not Israelite.

Boaz doesn’t owe Ruth anything—Chooses give her everything.

Not the LAW—This is GRACE!
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Jesus  Guardian Redeemer!

Protects us—Paid sin debt—Meets all needs.

All things—Good—Takes what’s broken—Makes it new.

If anyone is Christ—New creation—Old is gone.

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No matter—Been—Done—Doing now—Living together.
Struggling in marriage—Heal from a divorce
God is redeeming God!

No sin is too great for God’s grace.

No marriage is too broken for God’s healing.
No relationship is beyond God’s redemption.

Jesus is our guardian redeemer—Loves you—Here.

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