Dancing with God

Sunday Sermon
May 3rd 2009
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton: This is an introductory Sermon to the Book of Ruth

Sermonic Scripture:ESV Ruth 1:16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

Sermonic Theme: The Providence of God

Sermonic Subject: Trust God with your life.
(Faith in God)

Sermonic Tension: In life, you may experience a tremendous amount of negativity.

Sermonic Sentence: God will provide

Sermonic Background: By any standards the Book of Ruth is a classic short story. It has been called the most beautiful short story ever written. It deals with a plot that naturally emerges through conversations between the major characters: Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. The setting of the book is the time of the judges. The period of the judges was between the initial conquest of Palestine under Joshua and the establishment of the monarchy under Saul. It was a time of moral and political chaos in Israel. There was no strong central government or leader, the people repeatedly turned away from God, and neighboring peoples constantly harassed and invaded the disorganized nation (Judg 2:14-15; 21:25).

Providence The idea of providence is implicit in any notion of God as the Supreme Being. An adequate definition of the idea of God requires his over lordship of the history of all that is. Nevertheless, the Christian doctrine of the providence of God rests not upon such metaphysical speculation, but on the teaching of the Bible. Providence is the beneficent outworking of God’s sovereignty whereby all events are directed and disposed to bring about those purposes of glory and good for which the universe was made. These events include the actions of free agents, which while remaining free, personal and responsible are also the intended actions of those agents.

Providence thus encompasses both natural and personal events, setting them alike within the purposes of God. Providence from the Latin providere, “to provide.” The word “providence” does not occur in the Bible. It refers, however, to three biblical concepts: (1) in theology, providence is the general foresight, love, and care of God for people. Romans 8.28 reads: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Providence can also refer to the idea that. (2) God has divinely ordained or preordained certain events, or that. (3) The universe is under God’s control so that ultimately good will is produced. Providence is the loving care and governance that God exercises over the created universe. The traditional picture of providence is one in which God, as an omniscient, omnipotent and perfectly good being, has exhaustive knowledge of the past, present and future, and exercises his power to ensure that every event that occurs is part of his perfect plan. Some have recently questioned such a view of providence by arguing that it does not do justice to human freedom. According to a revised view, God knows all the possibilities and knows what responses he must make to ensure that his goals are achieved. The issues raised by providence are closely linked to the problems raised by predestination and the compatibility of divine foreknowledge and human free will.

Sermonic Skeleton:

I. Hear Life’s Music
a. The tempo of life's music is selected by God
b. The length of life's music is determined by God

II. Follow God’s Lead
a. God leads us with His omniscience
b. God leads us with His omnipresence
c. God leads us with His omnipotence

III. Hold Onto God’s Hand
a. God has plans for your life
b. God has people for your life
c. God has provision for your life