Canaan Fellowship

Your God My God: A Journey from Bitterness to Blessing

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Canaan Fellowship
Canaan Fellowship
Your God My God: A Journey from Bitterness to Blessing
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Bill Teubl introduces the Book of Ruth as a story to illustrate concepts of being loved by God, loving God, and loving one’s neighbor. The sermon focuses primarily on the first two chapters, drawing lessons from the characters’ experiences with loss, bitterness, and finding favor. Bill emphasizes that God’s love is demonstrated even in seasons of discipline and routine, and that receiving His favor requires accepting His people and His sacrifice.

  • [01:14] Bill introduces the Book of Ruth as a framework for understanding God’s love and our love for Him and our neighbor.
  • [15:55] The famine and family’s move to Moab illustrate a season where God’s provision is lean, warning against wandering from the Lord.
  • [17:35] Marrying unbelievers (as the sons did) weakens our love for and trust in God.
  • [20:24] The death of all the men is seen as a form of God’s disciplinary judgment, which is painful but for our good.
  • [21:44] Rejecting God’s discipline leads to bitterness and a distorted, negative view of God.
  • [23:27] Naomi’s counsel for her daughters-in-law to return home, while flawed, shows a spark of sincere care for their well-being.
  • [27:41] Ruth’s famous declaration (“your people shall be my people, and your God my God”) shows she sees something in Naomi’s God worth staking her life on.
  • [28:49] To fully receive God’s love and blessing, we must also accept His people as our own; we cannot love God without loving our brothers and sisters.
  • [32:01] Naomi’s request to be called “Mara” (bitter) upon returning to Bethlehem demonstrates the fruit of rejecting God’s discipline.
  • [33:51] Ruth’s initiative to glean while seeking “favor” (Ruth 2:2) illustrates that we should look for God’s grace, not just rely on our own work.
  • [37:53] Boaz sharing bread and wine with Ruth is a picture of communion; receiving God’s favor means receiving His sacrifice on our behalf.
  • [40:49] The routine of the harvest season shows that God also demonstrates His love in times of stability and routine, not just crisis.
  • [44:22] We must be faithful in seasons of blessing to share with others, as these seasons can be short.

Scripture References

  • Ruth 1
  • Ruth 2
  • Ruth 3
  • Ruth 4
  • Hebrews 12
  • John 1
  • Isaiah 43
  • Romans

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