September 17, 2023 – Ruth 3

Lesson Date: September 17, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Ruth 3:1-18

AIM: To lead students to discover from Ruth’s experience some basic steps toward redemption, and to evaluate their own lives to determine if they are saved and encourage them to take the message of redemption to others.

Before class: Read the notes on Ruth 3 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the word “Redeem” on the board.  Get enough Gospel tracts for your anticipated attendance.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Redeem” written on the board.  Tell the students we often hear the word redeem in sermons and Sunday School lessons.  Ask: “What does “redeem” mean?”  After allowing time for some responses, tell the class that the basic meaning of the word redeem is to buy back.  Tell them other dictionary definitions include the following: “to free from captivity by payment of ransom, to release from blame or debt, to free from the consequences of sin.”[i]

Ask everyone to turn to Romans 10, and then ask a volunteer to read Romans 10:13.  Tell them this is a very familiar verse of scripture that is often included in Gospel tracts and sermons.  Comment that Romans 10:13 gives us the wonderful assurance that whoever sincerely calls on the name of the Lord Jesus for redemption (salvation) will be redeemed (saved).

Ask: “Do you know what the next verses say?”  Read Romans 10:14-15.  Ask: “What does verse 14 say about people calling on the name of Jesus for salvation?” (they can’t call on Him if they don’t believe in Him, and they can’t believe in Him unless someone tells them about Him).

Stress the fact that telling people about Jesus, through personal witnessing, preaching, teaching, and even over the Internet, is essential for them to come to faith in Christ.  Ask: “To emphasize this fact, what does verse 15 say about those who spread the Gospel?” (it says their feet, with which they carry the Gospel to others, are beautiful).

Ask: “Do you know how to tell someone how they can trust Jesus Christ for salvation?”  Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is How to Be Redeemed.  Tell them as we study Ruth 3, we will discover from Ruth’s experience some basic steps toward redemption, and we will also evaluate our own redemption.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the students that we are studying the Old Testament book of Ruth, in which a young Moabite widow made a lifelong commitment to her mother-in-law, leaving her homeland to settle in the Jewish town of Bethlehem.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Amazing Grace; we discovered examples of God’s grace in Ruth’s life, and thanked God for the amazing grace He has extended to us.).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Ruth 2:10).
   • Remind the class that Ruth continued gleaning in the fields of Boaz throughout the barley harvest and the wheat harvest (mid-April through mid-June).
2. Ruth was Guided Toward the Redeemer.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:1.
     • Ask: “What did Naomi desire for Ruth?” (the rest and security ancient women could only experience by having a husband to care for and provide for them).
     • Key truth: Naomi cared about Ruth.
     • Tell the students Jesus told us, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mark 12:31).
     • Tell them witnessing is the greatest expression of care and love for another person.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:2.
     • Key truth: Naomi told Ruth there was a Redeemer.
     • Tell the class this reminds us of the verse we read at the beginning of class: “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).
     • Ask: “Why do you think Ruth would want Boaz to be her redeemer?” (he had shown grace, kindness, and love to her).
     • Tell the class the Bible says, “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
   • Read Ruth 3:3-4.
     • Ask: “What did Naomi tell Ruth to do?” (wash, perfume, and dress herself, go to the threshing floor, and lie down at the feet of Boaz after he went to sleep).
     • Explain that this behavior seems strange to us, but it was in strict accordance with ancient protocols for asking for redemption from a relative.
     • Key truth: Naomi told Ruth how to be redeemed.
     • Tell the students one of the many things the Bible says about how to be redeemed is, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9).
     • Explain that when we tell people how to be redeemed, we tell them to admit their sin and their need for redemption (salvation), to believe that Jesus can save them, and to turn away from their sins and come to Him by faith.
   • Summarize: Because of her love for Ruth, Naomi told her there was a redeemer available, and guided her toward her redeemer. In the same way, we should love people enough to tell them about Jesus.
3. Ruth Approached the Redeemer in Faith.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:5.
     • Ask: “What did Ruth say?” (that she would do everything Naomi told her to do).
     • Ask: “Why do you think Ruth said this?” (because she believed Naomi).
     • Key truth: Ruth believed Naomi’s witness.
     • Tell the students the Bible says, “When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13).
     • Stress the fact that in order to be saved, a person must believe the witness of the Gospel.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:6.
     • Ask: “What did Ruth do?” (she went to the threshing floor and did all that Naomi told her to do).
     • Ask: “Would Ruth have done that if she didn’t believe Boaz could redeem her?” (no).
     • Key truth: Ruth believed Boaz could redeem her.
     • Tell the class the Bible says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36).
     • Tell the students in order to be saved, we must believe that Jesus can save us.
   • Read Ruth 3:7-9.
     • Ask: “According to verse 7, what did Ruth do?” (she lay down at the feet of Boaz, just as Naomi had instructed her).
     • Ask the students to imagine the fear Ruth must have felt, creeping secretly in the dark into the threshing floor full of men, and lying down at the feet of Boaz.
     • Ask: “What happened in verse 8?” (at midnight Boaz was startled out of his sleep and found a woman lying at his feet).
     • Ask: “According to verse 9, what did Ruth say when Boaz asked who she was?” (she identified herself and boldly asked Boaz to spread his skirt over her, as an outward symbol of his willingness to redeem her).
     • Key truth: Ruth took a bold step of faith.
     • Tell the class the Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
     • Stress the fact that in order to be saved, a person must take a bold step of faith, placing their complete trust in Jesus Christ.
   • Summarize: Ruth believed Naomi’s witness and believed Boaz could redeem her, so she took a bold step of faith, placing her trust in Boaz. In the same way, to be saved we must believe the Gospel witness, believe Jesus can save us, and boldly place our faith in Jesus.
4. Ruth was Accepted by the Redeemer.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:9-10.
     • Ask: “What did Ruth ask Boaz in verse 9?” (she clearly asked him to spread the end of his garment over her as a sign that he would redeem her).
     • Explain that the word translated skirt in this verse is the same word translated wings in Ruth 2:12.
     • Ask: “Based on his response in verse 10, do you think Boaz understood what Ruth was asking?” (yes, he clearly understood).
     • Key truth: Boaz understood Ruth’s desire for him to be her redeemer.
     • Tell the students Jesus said, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him” (Matt. 6:8).
     • Stress the fact that God knows our need and knows our desire for salvation.
   • Ask everyone to look back at Ruth 3:10.
     • Ask: “How did Boaz feel about Ruth’s desire for him to be her redeemer?” (he was overwhelmed that she would choose him, rather than one of the younger men).
     • Key truth: Boaz was overjoyed that Ruth came to him for redemption.
     • Tell the class the Bible says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
     • Stress the fact that Christ died to save sinners, and He is happy when people turn to Him for salvation.
   • Read Ruth 3:11-13.
     • Ask: “Did Boaz agree to redeem Ruth?” (yes, unless the nearer kinsman chose to do so; either way, Ruth would be redeemed).
     • Key truth: Boaz accepted Ruth.
     • Tell the class that Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37), and the Bible also says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).
     • Stress the fact that Jesus accepts everyone who comes to Him by faith.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Ruth 3:14-15.
     • Ask: “What did Boaz do for Ruth in verse 15?” (gave her a large amount of grain).
     • Key truth: Boaz gave Ruth earnest of her ultimate redemption.
     • Tell the students the Bible says, “In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14).
     • Explain that when we come to Jesus by faith for salvation, He gives us the earnest of the Holy Spirit, who lives within every believer.
   • Read Ruth 3:16-18.
     • Tell the students that Ruth returned home to her mother-in-law, told her what Boaz said, and showed her the grain he gave as earnest of her redemption.
     • Ask: “What did Naomi tell Ruth in verse 18?” (she could rest secure in the assurance that Boaz would follow through with her promised redemption).
     • Key truth: Ruth received assurance of her redemption from Naomi.
     • Tell the students the Bible says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
     • Stress the fact that when we come to Jesus by faith, God wants us to know for certain that we are saved.
   • Summarize: Boaz understood Ruth’s desire for redemption and was happy that she came to him, he accepted Ruth, and he gave her an earnest gift of her promised redemption. In the same way, Jesus understands our desire for salvation, He is happy to save us, He accepts us, and He gives us the earnest of the Holy Spirit living within.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is How to Be Redeemed.  Tell them that from the experience of Ruth we discovered three basic “steps” in the process of being redeemed, which are:

1. Being guided toward the Redeemer (told about Jesus).
2. Approaching the Redeemer by faith.
3. Being accepted by the Redeemer.

Tell the class that everyone who has ever been saved was guided toward Jesus through the Bible, Gospel preaching, a Gospel tract, or the witness of a believer.  After being guided toward Jesus, they came to Jesus by faith, and they were accepted by Jesus.

Tell the students that all of us can be involved in guiding people to Jesus, the Redeemer.  Give everyone a Gospel tract, and briefly explain the main divisions in the tract.  Tell the class our world is full of people who need to be redeemed, but to be redeemed they must be told about Jesus.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “Have you been redeemed by Jesus?  If not, would you like to be?”  Tell them they must admit and turn from their sin, and turn their lives over to Jesus by faith.  Ask: “Do you know anyone who needs to be redeemed by Jesus?  Who can you guide toward the Redeemer?”  After a moment of silence, voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Tell everyone to keep the Gospel tract in their pocket or purse, and look for opportunities to give it to someone who needs to be redeemed by Jesus.

Offer to stay after class to speak with anyone who might have questions about accepting Christ.

[i] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redeem