Marietta First Christian Church 

"At the Crossroads"  

Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 

Romans 11:7b – 12

Sermon from November 15, 2009 

Rev. Donna Kremer

 Have you noticed how many movies are released just before the holidays?  It seems that there are almost as many commercials with new movie trailers as there are for jewelry stores!  But I must confess, I’m not much of a movie buff.  My DVD collection is pretty slim – mostly because I usually don’t watch a movie more than once.  This is in sharp contrast to the rest of my family who amuse themselves by throwing around obscure movie lines and then testing everyone else to see who can be the first to identify the movie.  But not me.  If the plot is particularly intriguing, I might watch a second time to try to pick up the hidden clues I missed the first time around.  Or, if a movie stars one of my favorite actresses or actors, I might watch again just to enjoy the performance.

Tom Hanks is one of my all-time favorites because he is such a versatile actor.  Did you see his movie Cast Away?  Tom plays Chuck Noland, a Federal Express engineer whose fast-paced life is ruled by the clock.  Chuck travels the world troubleshooting problems; making sure that our FedEx packages arrive on time.  On his way to Asia , his plane encounters a fierce storm over the Pacific, is blown off course, and crashes into the ocean.  Chuck, the only survivor, is washed ashore on a small island. Marooned, far off the rescue grid, he finds himself against seemingly hopeless odds of survival.  For the next 4 years he ironically has nothing but time on his hands.  

Three items help him keep hope alive during those long, lonely years– a volleyball, a picture of his girlfriend Kelly, and a FedEx package embossed with angel wings.  Chuck eventually rigs a sailboat, makes it past the pounding waves to the open sea, and is rescued by a passing ship.

He returns home, having lost Wilson (the volleyball) at sea, and finds that Kelly has married and moved on with her life.  All that remains is the package with the mysterious angel wings. 

Chuck travels all the way to Texas to deliver it, but finds no one at home.  He leaves the package at the door and drives back down the isolated, dusty lane.  

The movie ends with Chuck at a four-way intersection in the middle of nowhere, alone at the crossroads, unsure of which way to go.  What a powerful visual image.  

Now, I’ve never been to the Middle East , but I picture Moab to be much like that West Texas landscape.  Maybe not so flat, yet still arid and desolate – especially along the border it shares with Israel .  It’s hard to envision Moab as the place to go to escape a famine.  Yet, we’re told that Naomi, Elimalech and their sons left Bethlehem, the City of Bread, crossed the desert and the Jordan River, and immigrated to Moab in search of a better life.  

They must have been pretty desperate.  This journey involved real danger - there were frequent outbreaks of violence along the border between Israel and Moab .  Although there was no fence or Border Patrol, there was a long history of animosity and hatred between these two countries.

You see, the Israelites regarded themselves as God’s “chosen” people.  They despised and rejected foreigners, especially the Moabites.  Nevertheless, despite the risks, this Israelite family crossed the border full of hope for a better life.  And for a while, things seemed to go pretty well.  Their sons married Moabite women – Ruth and Orpah – and ten years passed – just like that - in the span of just one sentence.  

Then, tragedy strikes.  And Ruth finds herself at the crossroads.  Elimalech and his sons have died.  The famine has spread to Moab , and the three widows are destitute.  Naomi, empty and hopeless, decides to pack it all in and return to Bethlehem .  She urges her daughters-in-law to stay behind – to return to the homes of their mothers.  Orpah takes Naomi’s advice and turns back.  But Ruth chooses to leave her homeland and accompany Naomi to Bethlehem .  In one of the most eloquent passages in Scripture, Ruth pledges her loyalty and faithfulness to Naomi.  I think the King James version says it best:  

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.  

At the crossroads, Ruth took a huge risk.  By leaving Moab , she knew that she would not be easily integrated into a society that judged “her kind” so harshly.   She would forever be considered an outsider – an “alien” in a culture very different from her own.  And she would always be subject to suspicion, hostility and harassment from her neighbors.  

Surely, Ruth was aware of the prejudice that awaited her in Israel .  And yet, without any hesitation, she did a new thing – she moved ahead and committed herself to a new way of life.

Once in Bethlehem , Ruth found work in the fields harvesting wheat and barley.  She was a hard worker - v 2:7 tells us –“ she worked steadily from morning until (quitting time,) except for a short rest in the shelter”  Ruth was treated with tolerance, even kindness, by Boaz and his field hands.

But tolerance is not the same as respect.  Ruth was never called by her given name –she was always referred to as “That Moabite woman” or “That foreigner.”  She clearly was an outsider, not one of “them.”  Her future well being was anything but assured.  

And so, are we really surprised when Naomi instructs Ruth to clean up, put on her best party dress, and present herself to Boaz on the threshing floor – in secret – in the middle of the night?  Now, the details of the encounter are shrouded in the ambiguity of the language – but we can still easily pick up on the suggestive sexual overtones.  Yet – Ruth asks no questions and does as Naomi tells her.  What’s up with that?  

In this day and age, it’s not unusual for a woman to propose marriage.  However, in Ruth’s culture, it was totally unacceptable for a woman to seduce a man and make herself available for marriage.  Her behavior would most certainly have caused a scandal.  Ruth would have been run out of town --- or worse.  Why, then, was she willing to take such a risk?  Why?  Because God was present on the threshing floor that night.   

Only God could take such an awkward, compromising situation and turn it completely around.

So, instead of taking advantage of Ruth that night, Boaz did the honorable thing – he sent her off with a blessing.  He married Ruth, redeemed her adopted family, and produced a son, an heir.  This is more than just a story with a happy ending.  The outcome is more significant than just a secure future for a foreign-born widow and her beloved mother-in-law.  Much more is at stake here.  

The story of Ruth forever transforms our notions of God’s “Insiders” and “Outsiders.”  And it leaves us to ponder the question “Just who are the chosen ones of God?”  This morning’s scripture passage from Romans clearly tells us that the chosen are “those who let God pursue His interests in them.”  Israel ’s quarrelsome, self-centered ways resulted in God bestowing His favor upon the Gentiles.  Like Ruth.  Like us.
 

Ruth made a decision back at the crossroads in Moab , to let nothing separate her from Naomi.  To accept the God of Israel as her God.  To trust the Holy Spirit.  She kept her word.  And this woman –a foreigner – an outsider by all accounts – was chosen by God to be the great-grandmother of King David, a forebearer of Jesus Christ.  Ruth created a new life – but even more – she created a New Story – one where even an “outsider” is raised up by God and is given a place in God’s plan of salvation.  In her commentary on Ruth in The New Interpreters Bible, Kathleen Robertson Farmer writes:  

“When it comes to the issues surrounding diversity, there is NO place for human limitations.  When it comes to moving ahead into God’s future, openness is essential.  We have placed many “holds” on our thinking, placed there by our cultural conditioning.  We have many “limits” around our boxes when it comes to allowing others full access, full rights, and the full privilege of our group, our space, and our congregation.”

Today, we need to be reminded that God often chooses “the other” to help carry out His purposes in the world.  Here at Marietta FCC, we find ourselves at the crossroads.  This is a critical and pivotal time in the life of our congregation.  We are faced with an aging membership, stagnant growth, and dwindling financial resources.  We are surrounded by a largely immigrant community that speaks another language – a foreign language.  Some of us see our neighbors as “them” – “the other” - the Moabites in our midst.  

Like Ruth and Boaz, we are challenged to learn how to mix and merge our two distinctly different cultures so that life might happen, for our congregation to experience a new birth.  But – “Wait just a minute,” you say.  “We are a friendly, welcoming church family.  We make room at our table for the stranger.”  Yes, we do -- but we are called to move beyond hospitality, beyond tolerance.  Guided by the example of Ruth, we are called to move boldly ahead into the future, trusting the Holy Spirit - keeping in mind that God’s ultimate intention is for the whole Church to be One Body.  One Body.  We proclaim it outside - on our sign – but, deep down – inside - do we really live it?

Yes, we are truly At the Crossroads.  Behind us is “the way we’ve always done it” – the safe route, the comfortable way.  Ahead of us is the opportunity to “do a new thing”, to “write a new story,” to “create new life in Christ.”  Which direction will YOU choose?    Amen  

Invitation:  If today you find yourselves at the crossroads, I invite you to join with us here at First Christian Church Marietta.  You do not need to walk alone - we will take this journey together.  Come join Pastor Rob and me as we stand and sing our Hymn of Invitation #133 – I See a Church.

Benediction:  Extraordinary God of ordinary people, be with us at the crossroads of decision.  May we leave this place and venture out of our comfort zone, trusting in the Holy Spirit to work among us in new and unexpected ways.  Help us to embrace the stranger, “the other” and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.     AMEN