Holy Week Worship Schedule
Join us on a journey as we retrace Jesus's steps, beginning with his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his trial and execution, and finally, the empty tomb and his Resurrection on Easter. Throughout the week, we offer special services designed to help us immerse ourselves in the story and gain a fresh perspective on these significant events.

Week 2 - Naomi - TKW

May 14, 2017 Speaker: Mark Schulz Series: The Gospel of Ruth

Topic: Gods Love Scripture: Ruth 1:1–5, Ruth 1:19–21

Naomi’s slide into disaster matches Job’s. Each of the first 5 verses goes from bad to worse. A natural disaster turns her into a refugee. Her husband’s death makes the future of family dependent on her son’s marriages, which are probably marginal considering the bride price they would have available. Any return home to Bethlehem seems to have become unthinkable. The bareness of Ruth and Orpah and the death of both sons is the final blow. Let’s take an honest look at her suffering and how it detaches her emotionally and spiritually so that we can understand the suffering of others and the impact of loss of connection on ourselves, too.
• Loss of belonging… the move to Moab labels her as a refugee
• Loss of husband
• Loss of children… her Social Security/Pension
• Loss of status
• Loss of faith?
Where does Naomi’s story take us? It calls us to look closely. It tells us that details count. It tells us the primary relationships in our lives are fundamental to our wellbeing and our faith, our ability to trust God. It makes us ask, is our connection to God only possible when life goes well? (Satan’s proposition about Job).

We see the importance of the Ezer role to the people we are connected with and the dangers of isolation. Job had three friends who questioned his faithfulness and laid the blame for suffering on him. Naomi, depressed and wanting to be left alone with her misery has Ruth demonstrating God’s faithfulness. What a tangible difference this is for Naomi’s story.

More in The Gospel of Ruth

May 28, 2017

Week 4 Boaz - TKW

May 28, 2017

Week 4 - Boaz - TGT

May 21, 2017

Week 3 - Ruth - TGT