Looking at this, this is our second part of characteristics of true love. Just by way of review, two weeks ago, we were looking at Ruth. We were looking at the first six verses. And really what I was trying to show even this week and two weeks ago is actually we've been seeing in Roof that there's actually looking at Boaz. Boaz is now taking action. He wants to marry who? Roof, okay. Finally now he's getting everything rolling, okay. All this time beforehand, it's all the women that were actually doing the primary action between Roof and Naomi. But now for the first time, Boaz is not just reacting. He's now taking initiative to actually going out there to actually now pursuing marrying Ruth, okay? Obviously he wants to marry Ruth not because of anything he would gain from her, but ultimately it is because what? He loves her. And as we saw even two weeks ago, we saw two characteristics last time we looked at this, okay? We're gonna look at two more today, but just to review, last time we saw that true love takes action. True love takes action. That was last time, verses one through four, okay? Because true love is not just saying whispering sweet nothings to someone here. But true love actually takes what? Action okay, that was last time and then that was the first characteristics Then the second characteristics of true love which was covered two weeks ago. It's true. Love is willing to pay the price is Willing to pay the price that is it's in some sense sacrificial. Okay. It's about the others interest and therefore is willing to pay the price That was time versus five to six today. We're gonna be picking this up with two more characteristics How many more characteristics? Two more characteristics of what true love is like. We're going to look at this so that we will start practicing and live them out today, okay? By the way, these two characteristics is not just only for boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. It's not just only for husband and wife. These are the characteristics we must display in terms of how we love all those in our lives. Whether it is what? Our family, our parents, our siblings, our friends, And I would even say co-workers and how much more so even in the church, okay? So these are the two more characteristics. Now last time, the characteristics, some of us said, oh that takes a lot, when you think about it, it's hard work. But today, we're gonna see that it now involves the dimension of others, okay? So if you're taking notes, these are the two more characteristics of true love. Point number one for today's sermon is true love is willing to be accountable, okay? True love is willing to be accountable. We're going to see there's a public dimension of this in verses 7 through 8. 10, okay? True love is willing to be accountable, okay? Verses 7 to 10. True love is willing to be accountable, okay? True love also receives God's blessing. True love also receives God's blessing. This is in verses 11 to 12, okay? Verses 11 to 12. True love receives God's blessing. We're going to talk about that a little bit because I think sometimes, for some of us, we might be willing to be sacrificial, willing to do everything for others, but then all of a sudden, when we're blessed by others, we don't know what to do. But I also want to make a point here of what does that look like, receiving God's blessing. It's not just self-centered, but we're going to be going over these characteristics. So let me repeat again, these are the two characteristics we're looking at for today. True love is willing to be accountable. Verses 7-10. And secondly, true love receives God's blessing. Verses 11-12. Like I said earlier, we're now heading towards the last chapter of Ruth. Everything that we've seen thus far in this love story is now heading towards them being married. In fact, them being married is not just the end of the story because next week we're going to see verses 13 to 21. This love story is going to have great implication. And it's even going to be practical because it's going to be relevant for all of us. Which really fits in nicely as we approach the Christmas season with the story of Jesus Christ. But even today we're going to see hints of that. Of how it's relevant for us because it's related to Jesus Christ. Especially towards the end. But here when we look at this, they're heading towards a roof earlier. of course, approached Boaz in the middle of the night on roof 3. She expresses that she wants him to marry her. And now Boaz takes the action. Verses 1-6, we see the legal drama, the legal court drama, so to speak, of him pursuing wisely, tactically, and yet also with integrity as we went over. He's not just trying to take in a man. He's doing everything that is right. He's not, I don't think he's deceptive at all. In fact, if anything, the more I was looking at it, and even all the details, this is a man with integrity. He's revealed all his cards, but he arranges cards a certain way, okay? And also he does want to marry her. So he does everything with integrity, he does everything with wisdom, and tactically, and all of that, okay? Now we're gonna see the result of this. Verses 7 to 12 is gonna see the result of this, okay? Of his, what the legal proceedings that's happened, because he wants to marry her, okay? So, in light of this, we're gonna see the point number one, is true love is willing to be accountable, okay? I wanna emphasize this point again. I know we covered this even in Roof 3, remember, because Roof 3, earlier is, Roof went in the middle of the night to who? To Boaz, okay? I mentioned earlier before that sometimes people could look at this and say, you know what, there's a place for privacy, right, for relationship. Look at Roof, she went privately and all of this, and they're trying to hide that. But then, you must take a step back and ask, how private is private? And does private always mean forever? Obviously not, because we read in Ruth 3 the details. We even saw when we went to Ruth 3 that even though it was not far from ideal way of trying to propose to someone, Boaz was still trying to do what is right by seeking it, making it as public and involving others as possible. So here we see this emphasized again in verses 7-10 that true love is willing to be accountable. Let me read verses 7-10 again. By the way, I'll probably butcher some Hebrew names, okay? Because I'm the only one when I was in seminary, whether it was Greek or Hebrew, that when I read something, no one else laughed for anyone else's translation except for mine. I guess mine is really like, maybe I'm so like not confident that I just kind of blah, blah, blah, all of that, right? Okay? And this is the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption of the exchange and the exchange of land to confirm any matter. A man removes the sandal and gives it to another and it was a matter of attestation in Israel. So the close relative said to Boaz, buy it for yourself. And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses today. I have brought from the hand of Naomi all that belong to Elimelech and all that belong to Chilion and Maulon. Moreover, I required Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Maulon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on its inheritance so that the name of the deceased would not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birthplace." You are witnesses today, okay? You see in verses 7 to 8 that the near relative, after all these discussions, remember back then, Rufus, remember the context, Rufus is a widow. Back then there was no social security. One of the ways to take care of those who are widows is what? They marry someone within the brother that's unmarried, that's still living at home according to Deuteronomy 25. Okay, living with the parents. You marry someone, an unmarried brother. So that you will be taken care of and so that the genealogy and the names will continue to be what? To be propagated with the last name. Genealogies matter, okay? Now that might be a strange custom to us today, but remember what I say. Remember that custom is also that day. There's no welfare, there's no social security, there's none of that. So this is a practical way is things involves family and clan to take care of others, okay? So here when you look at this, the near relative, the one that's more closer, that has more of a right to marry Ruth, now you're gonna see after all these legal discussions that we've covered from two weeks ago, the near relative now legally refused to be the Redeemer in verses 7 to 8. Verses 7 in Hebrew is pretty cool in the sense that verbs show sequence of action. One of the reasons why I don't think Genesis 1 is just allegory. It's just allegory, it's symbolic, it's not actual sequential history. You guys ever hear that? Six day, oh, we don't believe six day creation. One of the reasons why I do believe is because of the way the Hebrew use of the number, first, second, third, fourth, in terms of the day. It's literal days, 24 hours. And the other one is actually the verbs are all sequential, okay? Sequential narrative action, like this happens, then this, then this, then this, okay? In Hebrew, in verses seven, there's actually the verbs, it's actually a different kind of verb, which actually is saying, A, pause, hearing the story real quick, let me give some background. Maybe the best way to think of it is almost like, you ever watch a movie sometimes, and all of a sudden it has flashback, or sometimes it reveals further details, and then it comes back, and you're like, oh, that was a long time, how come this story is, I said nothing happened, picking up to this previous scene, is that giving background. Same thing in verses seven. It interrupts the court proceeding with all the details, or a parenthetical comment about this ancient legal custom, okay? In verse 7, what it's describing here is describing a custom. You see that very clearly because in the first part of verse 7 and the last part of verse 7, it says, hey, we're giving you information is what? A custom of former times. When it says former times, I think it reveals that this roof was written way after the event that this takes place. That the author has explained this was a custom. So when you see this, don't be surprised explaining all this, okay? In verses 7, here you see that it says that back then when there's ever a legal matter, when things involving two things, whether redemption of land or anything to confirm. Do you guys see the part to confirm any matter? That is to say legally this is the case. Back then they did not have a notarizing thing. So how do you legally quote-unquote notarize thing? Back then it's this custom. A man removes his sandal and what? gives it to another, okay? This was proof then that this was now a legally settled matter to confirm that, okay? Now this practice, as it says in this verse, it says apparently this is for any legal thing. But we only see this in the Old Testament one time. Removing of sandals to say this is legal action. That's actually in Deuteronomy 25. We don't have to turn there. Verse 7 to 10, that's actually describing a marriage. that if what happens if your husband dies, the woman marries someone that is within the person's family, in the sense, from that parent's household. Anyone that lives in the parent's household that is unmarried, okay, so it's not promoting polygamy, that is unmarried, that's still living in the parent's house, this is the one you get the pull from. And then, of course, it goes on to the rest of the clan members, and that kind of stuff, or relatives, okay? But when it says this, it's saying all legal matter, okay? So this is, I think, the best way to think of it is like, How is it today we make something legal? We put our what? Signature, okay? Our John Hancock on it, okay? But back then, this is what they do. And even more official thing, what do you do? You get it what? Notarized, right? Any of you guys ever had to get things notarized, and then you're wondering, oh, where is it to get things notarized, right? Last time I had anything notarized, went to AAA, I don't remember, I think it was for someone's wedding stuff or something, I don't remember, right? And you get it what? Notarize okay, you have a signature all of that so back then the process of that to make it very very official More than just two or three witnesses to make it even more more official right like I'm saying like usually it's our signature But there's some things that are so serious. You don't just get your signature. You have to go get it what? notarized with the signature, okay? So that equivalent of notarized is what? Switching what? Sandals. So later on, they say, hey, you are this, and then it fits you, and this is the other pair. Does that make sense, okay? I imagine if you're a business guy that do a lot of notarizing back then, you probably have a lot of different kind of sandals that you wear, okay? So here we see, this is what was going on. So verses 8 then gives, with this background, then in verses 8 it goes on and says, the closer relative says to Boaz what? Buy it for yourself and he removed his sandals. It's unfortunate. I think most of our versions say buy it for yourself. The Hebrew verb just mean acquire. I don't think Boaz put any money down to have roof and also the property of those that were dead. I think the way you acquired that is to be married. The Hebrew verb is just really just to acquire. But the means you have to pay is you have to marry who? or agree to certain things that the land will be passed to that guy's family, lenience, with that guy's last name, so to speak, with the firstborn of that kid, okay? We covered all that custom last time, two weeks ago, but I want to emphasize here, this man is the near relative, legally refused to be the redeemer. After knowing all the costs, after all these things, he saw that he would not gain anything. He finally made a decision saying, hey, you redeem it. He affirmed it with words, but he also did it with what? With action. What was his action? He removed his what? Sandals. And gave it to who? To Boaz, okay? To Boaz. To say this is the case, okay? Now I think it's interesting, one of the commentaries I read was saying verses 7. Now usually when we, in English, what do we normally do? We usually say something, the action, and then later on we what? Parenthesis after it, right? And then we explain it, right? But if you look at the order of verses 7 to 8, which comes first? The explanation of the action or the description of the action? Which came first, verses 7 and 8? Oh, I'm talking about the removal of sandals. Which came first? The description of what is going on, or the action that's described first? Which one did you guys say? Yeah, the explanation came first. Usually in English, we usually describe the action and then we explain the action, right? One of the comments here I read actually said this is to build up for climax. I actually disagree. I think more likely what's going on here is he's making this as, the author's trying to make this as anti-climatic as possible, right? Because when you read this, you know the description, okay, and it says, okay, switch, and it's, oh, okay, I already know. I think what he's trying to do here is, I actually think what the author is trying to do is actually trying to make it that the focus wouldn't be on this man. Even the part that's climatic of giving it away. He's trying to make it as anti-climatic as possible to make it what? To be as a foil. To say the biggest action, the biggest action is actually the biggest noble action that we should pay attention to is that is that Boaz is willing to be what the kinsman redeemer okay I think it's trying to actually in terms of literary device what he's trying to do syntactically is trying to say even when this action is a turning point he's trying to make as anti-climatic as possible by giving you the description so okay so it's almost like okay when you see the change of sound you're like oh okay I already know what that was all about okay so that the focus would be who on Boaz, because even though this man's word, when you look at him saying, he gives his right away and say, you redeem it, the more of the words that are recorded is that of who? Boaz, okay? In fact, Boaz is, in fact, after this verses eight, this man exits the stage. You don't hear from him ever again, nor do we know his name. And like I mentioned last week or two weeks ago, this is fascinating because this is a book that mentions everyone's name, right? It mentions even though Ruth's husband and brother-in-law, does it mention it? Even though they're dead, they don't have to mention it, but they did. The dead husband, it just mentioned real quick, of Naomi's husband. It could have just said, oh yeah, that's the husband, but it mentioned the name. Then it mentioned, by the way, even her other, Ruth's sister-in-law, does it name her too? Roof chapter one, Oprah. Remember how Oprah, when she was born, her name was actually supposed to be Oprah, but then they switched it to some other biblical name, Oprah. So in light of that, in light of all these people's names, even though they're side characters, but the only side character that's not named individual is this man here. Other than the servant that was talking to Boaz. But here, he's not mentioned, even though he plays a critical role, and I think this is a juxtaposition, that this is a man who's all watching out for his own name, his lineage, to be protected. Yet we don't remember Him. But here is this Boaz, who's willing to wish everything, even willing to say, you know what, my lineage, my kids, if one of them became more well-known and it's not my last name, so to speak, from my clan, that's okay. Yet he still remembered. You see the contrast. Sacrificial love, sometimes we humanly think, oh, it's to our disadvantage. But sometimes God reverses that. So when you look at this man exit the stage, then you see, that Boaz was willing, legally, to be the Redeemer. Look with me in verses 9. He is willing to be the Redeemer. It says, Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, You are witnesses today. I have brought from the hand of Naomi all that belong to Elimelech and all that belong to Chilion and Mel. Okay? Looking at verse 4, you see now the transition to Boaz. Okay? By the way, this is Boaz' last speech in this book. Okay? Which later, I want to even make the point, as much as Boaz is important, I think he's not even the main character. Actually, we'll see even later on as the story switches to Naomi. And yet, Naomi, how imperfect she is. Why would there be a focus on Naomi? Beginning with Naomi and ends with Naomi. I actually think the main character in this whole story is actually God and His providence. When Boaz speaks, notice who did he address. It says the elders and all the people, okay? Elders, remember he grabbed 10 elders. By the way, everything he does is disproportionately overkill. How many witnesses do you need to have in order to make something legal? Remember the Old Testament? Two or three. And he grabs how many elders? 10 okay he wants to make everything right he even wants that that shoe right by the way he's his legal overkill to secure the right to marry his wife Ruth is not it just doesn't stop there now what does it say he addressed all the people you guys see that part who's the people very likely this would have been a legal proceeding okay legal proceeding where what people are walking around going to work and then they see what's going on and they stop and they're listening. Okay, back there. By the way, farming for us today, we often think of farms as what a house in the Midwest, someone owns that property, he has a nice house and a nice red bar next to it. And then all that land is his back in the way they did farming because there was a lot of war, the time of judges, there's a lot of fighting, there's a lot of enemies fight. So people live for protection inside the city because the city wall protects them right then during the day they go out and do farming okay so that was the ancient near east way of doing farming in this time period so these guys were going to their work going to their property and they're stopping hey what's going on here and they're stopping seeing this and by the way does he say hey don't mind your own business right you'll go away right okay uh ben and ben chung earlier in the fall went with myself i think maybe he'll appreciate this more In the country we went to, well unnamed, is it's a more, I think that culture is more, I think it's interesting, everything you do, people publicly look. Did you feel that way? Like they're observing everything. Almost to the point you're like, for us as Americans, we feel kind of, maybe a little uncomfortable, like, huh? Everything, like almost with admiration, they're just looking at every single thing you're doing, right, with that. So this is what it is. But notice, this is not westernized, individualized way of relationship. He didn't say, hey, go away, mind your own business, right? He didn't say that. But with now all this, what does he do? With all the people gathering, watching, besides the village elders, he now calls them as what? Witnesses. He involves them even in his courtship process, in his process of marriage, okay? Which again, again, my main point is that true love is willing to be accountable. It's not just hyper-private ties. It's willing to do what is right before others. He calls them as what? Witnesses. By the way, how many times did He say, you are witnesses? Verses 9 to 10? Twice. In beginning of His dialogue and in the end in verses 10. In other words, that's kind of like the frame for everything He says. He's saying this, when he says your witnesses, he's saying is this, it's like the legal overkill, right? Instead of two or three judges, he has 10, okay? He also get it notarized, so to speak, by asking for the guy, you know, the guy giving his what? Sandals, okay? Then on top of that, he says, hey, all you people, if ever anyone dispute about this property is mine, and also more importantly, that I'm married to Ruth, you are my witnesses. I can call you and say you today have seen what has happened, okay? Which is incredible, okay? In verses 9 he talks about acquiring the rights to Boaz' property, relative's property. Verses 10 about the widow, that he's going to marry her. Why does he mention about property first? Remember the way when he did his legal proceeding? Remember how we talked about two weeks ago. If he went and just said, hey, I want to marry Ruth first, even though that's his main desire. And then, oh, by the way, I also get the slam. People could easily say, whoa, you had an ulterior motive for why you want to marry. So he comes straight up front, uploading up front by saying, hey, there's property involved. And also, I want to marry that. So there's no misunderstanding of his way of trying to hide or be sneaky about things. So because he talked about this first, that's why he talked about property. But really, I think the verse emphasized, in the other Indonesian church when I was preaching, someone asked me, like, oh, there's so many things here. It seems like it's just like, where's the love? Love, there's so much evolving of others and everything public and all of this thing you're saying. Where's the love? Is it really to marry her? I would say, yes, look with me in verses 10. Verses 10, he says now. I have acquired Ruth, the Moabitess, the widow of Mahalon, to be wife. Now there is other dimension involved. But here you see, I think there is emphasis in something we might miss in the English. In the Hebrew, the word Ruth is actually moved up front. It's moved up front even though it's an object for emphasis. And by the way, he could have just said, I'm going to marry Ruth. But notice he goes on to describe Ruth as who? More description. Yeah, the Moabitess, the widow of Maalon, okay? Now we already know this, okay? By the way, if you look at verses 9, remember he said he acquired the property of three individuals. Ruth's father-in-law, Elimelech, and Chilion and who? Okay, the order is interesting. Okay, put your pinky or thumb. Okay. Remember whose name mentioned first e C and I'm gonna just initial because I can't pronounce things. Okay The more I say Chile, I think of I want to eat chili. Okay, so E C M. Okay, the order is what? E C M. Okay, the order is interesting. Put your pinky or thumb here and turn with me real quick to rule chapter 1 rule chapter 1 Ruth chapter 1 specifically in verses 4. I want to say verse 4. Okay. The order of the two sons is what? Malon and Chilion. Okay. So which comes first? Is it ECM or CM? No, it's what? MC. Okay. MC. Look with me also as well. Look with me also as well, if you look with me in... Where did it go? I can't find my notes. So the primary order is actually M and C, okay? Why does it actually name the other way around? With Roof, Chapter 4. Go back, remember with Boaz's speech? You guys know, I think the reason why is this. He switches that order so that he could talk about who? The former widow of who? Ruth was the former widow of who? Turn back with me to Ruth chapter 4. Verses 10, the widow of Malcholon. He reverses the order so that it's dramatically pulled and said, okay, by the way, now that we're talking about this man, M, Malcholon, I'm also getting his wife. He names her and describes her, okay? So his real motivation, okay, let me be clear, is actually he does want to marry her. It's not just to get land, okay? But then he also shows, also it's more than just land, there's a public commitment. So public commitment number one, he's gonna be husband of Ruth and he's telling people and he wants them to be involved and public commitment number two he's also going beyond there's also maintaining the name of the dead right as it says in order to raise up the name of the deceased of his inheritance so the name of the deceased will not be cut off from the brother okay this is the same pass on the family name so to speak because their first child their firstborn it's not gonna be they're gonna from legally it's gonna be said this is what the lineage of Melon and eliminate okay With that okay, so as application. I want to say is this true. Love will be accountable to others So I want to encourage you as application when you do want to marry. I hope you do desire to involve what? Others okay in the pursuit of marriage, okay? In the pursuit of marriage. I hope you do want to involve who others in your courtship, okay? When I was interested with Nancy when the first thing I was really looking forward to is actually inviting her to wear to our church. Now, it was like, okay, she'll still go to Calvary Chapel, she'll go to, you know, the Burton's Church. I was also hoping to see her in her, what, natural habitat of her church. So on Friday nights, after driving UCLA, two hours traffic, I was always excited Friday nights, because why? All the traffic, the more closer, I was getting more happier, right? Most of us, we, ah, more, looking forward to what? Seeing her at her church, so to speak. What is it like, okay? So in courtship, you also want others to be, what, involved. So that, right, people could easily be fooled, yes? We ourselves could be easily fooled. I know I could easily be fooled. This is where we need the input. We need what? Each other, okay? To interpret things, okay? So it's harder to fool everyone else, okay? The more people involved, the better. So you see in the courtship, you do want others to be involved, okay? Also, the input of others is important. Also, I do want to mention this, eloping. You guys know what I mean by eloping? That means getting in a big fight usually, and then running away and marrying someone, okay? Good idea or bad? I think for myself, just the limited experience of seeing certain individuals that have elope, maybe my sample size is not big enough, usually, it probably is what? Not a good idea, okay? Even the quality of marriage. If it means they're gonna fight everyone else, everybody, I'm talking about everyone, all the parents are against it, their friends don't think it's wise, and then you still go ahead, it's often what? Very problem, yeah, disasters, okay? When the guy says to a girl, he says, you know what? I'm a rebel of a cause. Everyone is wrong. You know, my pastor at church is wrong. My youth pastor is wrong. My parents are all wrong. And your parents are wrong. And my school is wrong. And everyone else is wrong. What do you guys think? Maybe this guy could possibly be wrong too, okay? So you want to be careful, okay? You want it to involve others also as well. You want to involve others. For the sake of wisdom. I know sometimes people say, marriage is just a piece of paper. But I don't think so. I think it is important. I think some of the important things in life, we what? We do go through the legal process that do involve what? The government and others' recognition. True or not, right? When you have a kid, adoption. You ever see those Facebook videos or I don't know, maybe on Twitter or whatever else too, right? Where some kid is in the foster care and then they say, oh, you're adopted, they're processed. And what do the kids do? They cry, right? Or the parents, you know, the kid comes up with the form and say, hey, I really want you to adopt me. They cry and all that, right? Now you might just say, how many of you just look at that and say, oh, that's just a piece of paper? He's already the foster parent anyway. But the name, the process is important. Why? Because it's a recognition that this is something important. This is something so loving. We want to go through the process. But why is it then we come to marriage and say, oh, it's so hyper-privatized, right? I think perhaps that's one of the reasons why we're in the marriage crisis that we are in today. But you see the importance of this. True love is willing to be accountable. And that involves not just only to do the good times or the bad times, but also even to celebrate, which now leads to number two. True love also receives God's blessing, okay? We're flowing in from true love, is willing to be accountable. It's not just only to say, hey, this is good, this is bad, but also when there is a good thing, we rejoice, right? We rejoice, okay? I always encourage people, even in church sometimes people say, oh, marriage, if I do everything right, barely, I could just get court wedding, right? I don't need to get married with a church. It's true. People could be, I would say, are legitimately married to God if they do a court wedding, where there's only a judge there, or just fill the form or whatever else. That's still legitimately a wedding. You don't have to go to church to be married. You guys know that? You guys don't have to be in the church. And I would always say it's a separate institution. Which came first? Marriage or the church? What do you guys think? Marriage was the first covenant in Genesis 2. Before the invention of the church with Jews and Gentiles in Acts 2. Before the church, there was always marriage. It's a separate institution. But at the same time, is it good to be married with the church? Yeah, there is a blessing with that. It's good to be married with family members and everyone being there. It also brings inviting God's blessing. I also encourage people sometimes when they do want to do legal, I'm not against it in and of itself, I don't think it's a sin. But I also say, just make sure, even something small, even if it means everyone just get a piece of cake. You don't have to cater with in and out, that's fine, with all that, but there's a sense of others just being there. You don't want to be later on you regret it, that you didn't. Just to others, to bless others, and also to be blessed by others. So point number one is true love is willing to be accountable. Let's go to point number two. receives God's blessing, okay? True love receives what? God's blessing, okay? And talking about this love, um, and talking about this love, one of the good things, uh, let me just, before we even go further, I know sometimes, uh, we're a small church, when people get married, one of the things I love about our church in the past is when people get married, people in our church gets involved by what? Helping, okay? Here in our church, if you are a member, if you get married, I know sometimes people talk about honorium. My policy is saying, hey, I'll do your wedding for free. Because why? I'm just, we're a small church. If you marry, that's plus one, right? And then kids, plus even more. It's like, okay, right? But that's not the only advantage. It's not just purely, you know, ministry. It's really a joy, okay? It's a joy, okay? It is really a joy. I know some churches even say, well, if you're getting married, there's a fee for charging here using 900, and also there's a fee for me that you have to give at least 200. Now, I'm not against that. Big churches, sometimes you need to have some kind of process, right? You can't, every single Sunday getting married, sometimes you need some process with that, okay? But at the same time, it is a joy. It is a joy to see other people involved with the ceremony, okay? In various ways. And sometimes it's a blessing, okay? Because you don't want to have all your mom sitting, watching your red envelopes, right? How many of us would want to do that? How many of us would want to get all, okay, your siblings to do everything with that, right? You want them to be attended and enjoy. Sometimes the church member, and by the way, I always encourage people sometimes like, oh, why are we helping others? Well also, well maybe your day when it comes, we would like to what? Do the same, okay? But we're here to love and to serve. That's one blessing from that. But let's go on to point number two. True love is willing... to also receive God's blessing. We've already covered is willing to pay the cost, is willing to be accountable, is willing to take action. But the other side also is equally important to say that true love is willing to receive God's blessing. How many of us get awkward when someone praise us? Raise your hand if you feel awkward in some places I do okay, but I want to go over actually I think as we grow as Christian There's four thing that's very important in terms of relations to others. There's four things. That's very important We need to know how to receive criticism what? Biblically yes We also need to know how to give criticism biblically, yes? We also need to learn how to give compliments biblically, yes? We can't use flattery, right? For instance, that's sin. Flatter them to take advantage of them or to whatever, right? For your own selfish motive. Nor do we also thank them as if they're God, right? We thank God for them, right? So we need to also know how to give compliments, what? Biblically. And also the last part, probably the hardest part of us is that we don't really think about this. Of all that part, we know we need to take criticism, we know we should give criticism biblically because of certain things, we know we should give compliments to others and encourage others, but the last part sometimes is something we might not even really think through about thinking biblically, is we need to also know how to receive what? Compliments and blessings. Biblically. Some of us think, okay, to receive that means always to reject it. But we're going to see, is that necessarily the case? Look with me. We're going to be looking in verses 11 to 12, okay? Verses 11 to 12 is we're going to see that true love receives blessing, okay? Sometimes some people don't know what to do when others want to bless you. But true love also means receiving God's blessing. Let me read verses 11 to 12. All the people in the court and the elders said, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel, and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman. Verses 11-12 now switches. The last time Boaz speaks in verse 10, that's the end. He won't see him speak again. Of course, he's going to be still involved. He's going to describe that he's going to have a son, that kind of thing. But in verses 11, now it transitions. through another character. By the way, if you notice in this short passage, there's a switching of characters. Switching one character and boom, exit the stage. We don't see him again, right? With the New York kinsmen, boom, he's gone. And then now, Boaz speaks and boom, that's his last speech, he's gone. And now it's transition to the people. The people whom he called, just witnesses. Now they're responding. And really, verses 11 to 12, they're presenting their prayers, okay? Or they're publicly saying what they're hoping God would do, okay? While Boaz asked the people to be witnesses, now the people says what? The response in verses 11 says, we are witnesses. They're saying, we will be witnesses and we are thankful, we're glad to be part of it. But it doesn't stop there. Here is this town where things are more communal, perhaps more than we're used to. You're gonna see the people wishing three kinds of blessing upon Boaz, or upon this marriage. Three blessings are mentioned, how many? Three, okay. I love the order, it's interesting. Of all, the way of the blessing, when someone's married, what do you guys usually say? When someone's married, you guys say what? Congratulations to who? To Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so. Fill in the blank. Joel, Michael, whatever else, okay? With that, okay? And then, most of us don't really think about the kids, right? Well, maybe we do. Some people play games, right? One wedding, I was like, guessing when would the baby come? With that, okay? So we think about the kids, too, and all that, okay? But I love the order. The people's first response in verses 11 is, to bless Ruth. Even though Boaz was there, the first person the people blessed is Ruth. It says, all the people in the court and all the elders said, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your home like Rachel and Leah, both whom built the house of Israel. You see the people in the midst of all this, even though Boaz is there, they didn't say congratulations Boaz first, right? Or may God bless you Boaz. They start saying the woman, okay? You know why? I think the reason why is because her character, even though she's a foreigner, she has everything against her. They don't like... The Jews don't like Moabitess, okay? Can we say this? They fought wars with them. They also were really interesting origin people. They came about by what? Incest, okay? Lot's incest, right? The daughters took advantage of her, right? You remember Ruth 3? That would have been really almost like, at that point in the story, if you're a Jew reading it the first time, you would have been like, like, you know, like the genealogy, they always do this, they're taking advantage of man. Oh, she doesn't. She's actually a godly woman, okay? She follows this widow, mother-in-law, taking care of her. So right away, they right away bless her first. What an interesting reputation, right? Remember earlier we talked about Ruth Brie. She's called what? A virtuous woman. You guys know the part in Proverbs 31? A virtuous woman, who can you find? That word only appears one time for a woman in the Old Testament name. You know who she is? It's Ruth. No one else has described this in the Old Testament except for Ruth. She is known by her reputation, by others in the town, her good reputation. But notice the way she gained her reputation is not by associating with the high and mighty and the movers and shakers of the day, but with the lowly, with her own mother-in-law, elderly mother-in-law taking care of her. And this is why the people wishes God to bless her. They acknowledge that she will be going to Boaz's home, And I love this. It says that she would even build the house of Israel. They're saying, hey, we pray to God that she would not just bless your family, but the nation as well. Wow. What a prayer request. And they're praying this for who? A Moabitess, a foreigner. A foreigner who this other man didn't even want to marry, okay? But what an incredible blessing. It is interesting, they also mention an example of what they're saying, who your blessing would be like. What are the two names mentioned, by the way? Rachel, Leah, okay. They're saying, hey, we hope she would also have faith like Rachel and Leah. Now I know I've covered, preached three different times in our church about frustrations of marriage with Rachel and Leah. Yeah, that's part of the story. But the other side is they actually had true faith. Turn with me, put your pinky or thumb here. Turn with me to Genesis 31 verse 16. Genesis 31 verse 16. I'm turning there because when it says Rachel and Leah, we're asking, in what sense are they saying? Are they saying, oh, a bad marriage or a difficult marriage, frustration? No, I don't think that's what they're referring to. I think they're referring to a window in Genesis 31, 16 of their faith. Genesis 31, verse 16 says this. Surely the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children. Now then, do whatever God says to you." Okay? This is when Jacob finally leaves Laban, his manipulative father-in-law, right? He leaves and they're what? Speaking. Rachel and Leah in verses 14 is speaking. Saying, hey, you know, we're going to go with you. And there's an acknowledgement of God is the one that gave all things, okay? So, in speaking about this, I think it's also interesting. Rachel and Leah, were they originally Jews also as well? No. They're married to Jacob, who later is known as the father, known as Israel, and the father, it's Abraham, yes. But they're not from, they're relative of Abraham, but they're not from the line of Abraham. Which is very appropriate, because what? Ruth, is she from the lineage of Abraham? No, she's a relative is somewhere down the line. But same way, they're saying, you know what? This is not the first woman that also married someone and also had faith in God. They're saying, you know what? We hope she will be blessed and she will be blessed spiritually to build the house of Israel, just like Rachel and Leah contributed with their 12 kids. Well, you know, of course, there's a drama of that. But at the same time, became the 12 tribes were saying, hey, we hope Ruth will be a blessing Not just to you, Boaz, but to be a blessing for the nation. Let's go see the second blessing. The people wishes God to bless Boaz materially, verses 11. It says in the second half, verse 11, and may you acquire wealth in Ephrata and become famous in Bethlehem, okay? I do think all material blessing comes from God. James 1 makes it clear, right? All good things come from who? God the Father, okay? All good things, all good things, your health, your iPhone, yes, maybe you did work, but all that, but even all the technology, the wisdom to make all that, it came from God, originated from God. Your material blessing to acquire that is also from God, or someone giving it to you, is ultimately from God. So I do think we can pray to God for God to bless others. Now, I don't think this is prosperity gospel. What makes prosperity gospel and praying for the material blessing of others is one becomes an idol, right? One becomes a formula that God has to bless me or else when reality is we don't deserve anything from God because of our sin. But we should pray for that. We can't pray for that. But also realize God can give and take away. Does that make sense? Here they're praying also asking for wealth for who? Boaz and even praying for him to be famous in Bethlehem. I hope in the back of your mind you're thinking, did all these things come true? Let's go now to the third blessing. The people wishes God to bless their offspring. So they've already blessed the wife, the husband. The last part of verse 12 is they're hoping God to bless their offspring. Verse 12 says, Moreover, may your house, that is your family, be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring whom the Lord will give you by this woman. Have you noticed there is so much Old Testament reference? When they each have to describe a blessing, they also go back to the Old Testament and say, God bless them. And it was telling Boaz, I hope God will bless you like this, Rachel and Leah. But now, who is the other person? Two names mentioned in verse 12, Old Testament names from Genesis. Who are their names? Verse 12? Tamar and Perez. You remember Tamar? That's an interesting story. Genesis 30. By the way, paying attention to where the story takes place is very important, okay? Where's the story of Tamar having a child? Perez. What chapter in Genesis? You guys remember? Genesis 38. Remember that weird chapter? You know that weird chapter where they didn't give Tamar, the son, to be married and then she dresses up as a woman of ill repute and then did things with Judah and then they had a kid. So the wrong preaching is to preach like, be like Tamar. That's not the way to preach, okay? You must preach it contextually. Genesis 38, that's where it takes place. What chapter is next to it? Genesis 30, what? Nine, and what? You guys know what Genesis 39 is? You know why Genesis 39 is famous? Probably more people know about Genesis 39. I think more preachers have preached Genesis 39 than Genesis 38. Because Genesis 38 is just weird, right? Genesis 39 is famous because that's the story of Joseph in Potiphar's house. What did she do? What did he do? Pottery Friar's wife grabbed him, yes? What did he do? He ran away. What a juxtaposition, right? What a contrast. One man runs away from temptation. The other man, well, he does not. He gives in. Okay? But yet, despite this, in Genesis 30, God still redeems him because the Messiah will come from the lineage of who? with Judah. Okay? With Judah. Here when it says, may your house, in verses 12, be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. This is actually referring here. Think about this, right? They should have given, Judah should have given one of the sons to marry her. But he doesn't do what is supposed to be God's way. But now you see, this is similar in the story because of what? There's also the attempt to marry someone off, or marry a clan member, right? But now they do everything properly with the case of Boaz. But they're bringing that up, not to say it's equally the same, but to say may God still bless the same way they bless in that same kind of situation. So you see in all of this, if you look in verses 12, does all your versions say offspring? Or any of your versions say seed? Any of your versions say seed? All your virgins say offspring. Raise your hand if all your virgins say offspring or children. Verse 12. Roof 4, okay? Thank you. Yeah. The little footnote says seed. The Hebrew word for seed. is one of the most incredible words. I think it is a messianic prophecy. It goes back to the first time it's mentioned in Genesis what? 315. The seed will come from Eve, okay? By the way, you are introduced to the greatest hero of all when it says the seed will crush what? Satan's head. So when you read Genesis 3, you should be expecting who? The seed, right? That's going to reverse the curse and everything else. You don't say, oh, you're trying to see a seed. Oh, it's just a child. Oh, it's just a seed, right? You're looking for this great story, but every time everyone disappoints, right? You're like, oh, like Abraham is going to have the Messiah. The seed will come from them. You're like, okay, which one of Abraham's kids? Is it Isaac? Oh, whoa, whoa, he's not perfect either. Then you're like, oh, the seed is going to go to Isaac. You're excited the whole time, right? Then you're going to go after Isaac as who? The lineage of Jacob, right? Then you're, oh, you're excited? Which one? And you find out it's Judah in Genesis 49, that's where it leaves. All these references to seed. So I think this is what he's saying here, what they're praying for. They're not just praying for a God, may you have a lot of kids, you know, may you be maybe written in the Bible. I think they're going beyond there. They're praying, Lord God, may the Messiah, may the seed come from your line. I think one thing we can learn from here is true love receives God's blessing. When we receive it, sometimes we don't shoot it down. When someone gives us a true compliment of what God's working through you, I don't think it's necessarily godly either to say, no, that's not true. Someone says, you know what, I've seen you grow. And you really have been growing. No, that's not true. I'm not growing. I'm a wretch. You know, by the way, false humility is sometimes a form of pride. So the best way is to say, yes, praise the Lord for what God is doing. But one of the things you should learn from this story is that when you do receive God's blessing from others, it's not just only for yourself, but it's also for them. When you receive that blessing, it's a flow towards who? Towards others. Okay, the best way of true love when you receive blessing from others is a means to what? Bless others. Okay is a way of blessing others Do you guys realize that do you guys hear what I'm saying? Though when you receive blessing from others true love means after we see that this also means to further bless what? Others, okay I know I preach about this before, especially those who are couples, I always encourage people to have a budget. To have a budget. And even that budget to live what Randy Alcorn has taught, the treasured principle of what? Give, save, spend. I think with that, when you do that, you're much more happier. Because if you're about spending, buying everything for yourself, true happiness and satisfaction, it does not come from what? from going to the biggest church of all in America on Sunday, Walmart and Target, okay? So it does not come from happiness, okay? It's like drinking salt water, it will never be satisfied. But it is to give. But I also want to encourage you guys is this. So my wife and I, the way we live our life is this. We live by our budget of what we make every month, our church salary. But sometimes in our life, there's a windfall. You guys know what I mean about windfall? Sometimes, I don't know, you get an inheritance. Sometimes you get an inheritance. Sometimes people just decide to bless you, or sometimes you just get a bonus at work, or whatever else it is. Have you ever thought about what to do with the blessing? Because I actually do. My wife actually says, okay, if the Lord blesses with this, we're actually going to give this percentage to this cause. You know, if the Lord, you know, of course, if He doesn't, that's okay. But if there is, boy, Lord God, we would want to really help that orphanage more. Or we would really want to help this person with their situation, right? So when you receive God's blessing, make it a point to what? The biblical thing is to receive. This thing, when they're praying, God bless Boaz, that you might be rich and be famous in Bethlehem. Did he became famous in Bethlehem? Yes, obviously we're talking about Him today, 2,000, 3,000 years later, right? Or 3,100 years later, we're talking about Him. In 4047 North Durfee Avenue, El Mani, 91372. We're not in Israel. Let's look at the other one. God blesses Ruth. Did God bless Ruth? Yeah, she was married. She's taken care of. Then the last part. Did God bless them with kids? Yes, we'll see that next week. But did God bring about the Messiah, the seed? Yes. And that blessing they receive is also a blessing towards others. It's all a blessing for all of us that the seed has been given 2,000 years ago, was born. Born in Luke chapter 2, right? Through the Virgin Mary. born, and even early on, people have already wanted to kill Him. And eventually they will, 33 years later, on the cross, for our sins, to save us from our sins. And Jesus is the greatest example that true love receives God's blessing and then pour it upon others. Because we receive the greatest blessing of all. Christ, who's came on earth to die for our sins. Have you trusted in Him? And have you lived a life of thanksgiving for Him? I hope so. Let's close in a word of prayer.