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The CALL of DISCIPLESHIP
The MESSAGE of the CROSS
DREAMS of MESSIAH’S RULE
Peter REBUKED JESUS – PITY YOURSELF!
Jesus REBUKED Satan
Take up your cross and follow me!
RUTH – OLD TESTAMENT DISCIPLE
1. FACING the UNPLEASANT TRUTH
UNPLEASANT (Bitter) vs PLEASANT (Sweet)
Naomi lays out the harsh, painful reality.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. (Ruth 1:8-14)
2. AT a CROSS ROAD
D-DAY – Decision day
How do we make our choices?
Do we always say PLEASANT is better than UNPLEASANT?
EASY is better than HARD?
PLEASURE is better than PAIN?
MORE is better than LESS?
LAUGHTER is better than SORROW?
LIFE is better than DEATH?
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4)
3. COUNTING the COST (Two Daughter-In-Laws)
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1: 14-18)
“Return to a LAND of POSSIBILITY, where your DREAMS can come TRUE.
Don’t follow me into this LAND of IMPOSSIBILITY, where your DREAMS will be left UNFULFILLED.
Return to a LAND of LIGHT, where you SEE your PROSPECTS are GOOD.
Don’t follow me into this LAND of DARKNESS and UNCERTAINTY.
Return to a LAND where you will FULFILL your DESTINY, and once again be a WIFE and become a MOTHER. There is GLORY & FULLNESS there!
Don’t follow me into this LAND of SHAME, the SHAME of WIDOWHOOD, a LAND of BROKEN DREAMS, no children to call your own.”
The CHOICE of ORPAH – (Back)
SAVING LIFE instead of LOSING IT
HOLDING ON instead of LETTING GO
Orpah returns to the PROSPECT of a HAPPY life, but to her gods as well.
Turning BACK > The RICH, YOUNG RULER
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. (Proverbs 13:7)
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. (Ecclesiastes 5:13)
The CHOICE of RUTH
Ruth abandons the PROSPECT of a HAPPY life, but cleaves to God.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:24,25)
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:1718)
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:22-24)
… Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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. (Hebrews 12:1,2)
4. REWARD of OBEDIENCE
The OTHER SIDE of the CROSS
Husband (Boaz) Son (Obed) Grandson (Jesse) Great Grandson (David)
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Philippians 3:7-10)
… We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. (Psalm 66:12)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
At the CROSS ROAD will we CHOOSE the CROSS?
Or will we LOVE our LIFE in this WORLD?
Will we be like ORPAH or like RUTH?