We’ve all had it happen. You clip that coupon out of a flyer and you hang it on the fridge. It dangles there and looks you in the face for a month or so until you finally decide to use it. And as you do, you notice it, the expiration date. Just the other month Margie and I had gotten a buy one get one free coupon for a local Mexican food restaurant and the day we decided to go, I realized that it had just expired. Bummer. We tossed it in the trash and ate at home. No tacos that day. Defeat can come in many forms.
I feel like I grew up in the golden age of coupons. I remember helping mom clip coupons out of the Sunday paper and when we were done, we would have a huge stack. Mom had this little expandable organizer with lots of dividers and she would organize them carefully for the big day when they would finally be used. Many stores would offer “double coupon” days, and what a day it was. That rare $1.00 off coupon could now net you $2.00 off said item. What a deal. I remember many trips where mom saved the family well over $100 by wise use of those coupons.
But when you think about coupons, a certain process must happen to use them. First you must receive the coupon. Second you must see value in the coupon or else you will just trash it. And lastly, you must use the coupon. And when you use a coupon there is a curious word associated with the process...redeem.
To redeem simply means to buy back. The manufacturer issues the coupon hoping to pique your interest in their product. Usually coupons are issued to bolster sales of new products or to increase sales of mature products that have waned in their volume. As you perceive value in that coupon you will take it to a store, purchase the product and then the store will “buy back” or redeem that coupon for the value printed on it. Pretty simple right? Of course, the key in this process is value. Their must be a perceived value from the recipient and the retailer. Without value from both parties, the redeeming process breaks down.
Today in Ruth chapter 3 we see a beautiful picture of redeeming. Ruth is a widow from a foreign country and as a result has zero rights to her husband's inheritance in Bethlehem. Recall that she was married to Elimelech and Naomi’s son, Mahlon, now deceased. In the U.S. today she would be eligible to inherit all that was her late husbands. But not in this day and not in this culture.
But God is a God of justice and He makes provision for all. Buried way down in the recesses of the book of law, Deuteronomy, lies the kinsman-redeemer clause. (Deut 25:5-9) This clause provided for widows, allowed for provision of inheritance, and kept family land in the family. But the process required something of two different parties.
Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, is fully aware of exactly whose field Ruth has been gleaning in and encourages Ruth to make it known to Boaz that she is willing to claim him as her kinsman-redeemer. You see, the law states that if a woman is widowed, she can lay claim to her late husbands next of kin. Since Boaz is a relative of her late husband, he is eligible to be her kinsman-redeemer. As a result of this process, the two can marry and it will renew Ruth’s status and inheritance. It would “buy back” Ruth out of her current hopeless situation as a widowed foreigner that could not own land. But remember that in the redemption process there must be perceived value from both parties. If Boaz is to redeem Ruth, He must see value in her. He must pursue the process of redemption as much as she does.
In a beautiful scene that could easily be Shakespearean inspired, Ruth is instructed by Naomi to go to Boaz where he is working and announce her intentions; that she desires him to become her kinsman-redeemer. You see, in order for the redemption process to occur, Ruth must first make her intentions known. She realizes her desperate need for a redeemer, realizes that Boaz is the only one that can do this for her, and realizes that if she doesn’t make her intentions known, the redemption will never advance.
Ruth goes to Boaz after he has finished a long day of threshing wheat on the threshing mill floor. He has a belly full of dinner, some wine, and lays down for a good nights sleep. She, in a posture of absolute submission, lays at his feet as he sleeps. He stirs in the night and realizes her presence. And in a beautiful moment we see this moving exchange between the two.
“At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.” Ruth 3:8-11
Look at the exchange closely. Ruth makes her intentions known. She needs a kinsman-redeemer, Boaz is that redeemer, and she goes to him. She goes to him in absolute humility. She lies at his feet as his servant and asks for his goodness to fall upon her. She asks for him to spread his wings of protection and goodness over her. And Boaz responds in love. He calls a blessing down upon Ruth for her humility, respect, and honor before him. He praises her that she did not merely want to marry for looks or money, but valued the aspect of total redemption under God’s law. And as a result, he promises all that she asks. His promise is absolute.
Folks, there is no more beautiful picture of redemption. God has laid out a scene of redemption that is full of love, mercy, grace, and humility. And in this beautiful image, we get an awe inspiring picture of what our redemption through Jesus Christ looks like.
First, we must realize our dire need for a redeemer. We are sinners, lost in our sin before a righteous God. Our works and deeds to do good and right are as filthy rags before God. (Isaiah 64:6) Our best is far from the perfect that God requires to be in His presence. As a result of our sin, we need a redeemer. And because of that, we must claim Him. We must make our intentions known to our redeemer. We must go to Jesus in great faith and ask him to redeem us. We must claim our redeemer.
And as we call upon Jesus to redeem us, He is faithful to do so. And folks, the work of redemption is the work of Jesus. Jesus came to this planet to redeem. He hung on the Cross to buy back the lost. He was raised again three days later to redeem us from the eternal death of our sin. His sweet everlasting redemption saves us from the eternal separation from Almighty God that we truly deserve. As He redeems us, He buy us back out of our slavery to sin, and He spreads His wings of protection and provision over us. We do not go after the things of this world like selfish-pride, money, power, and self-gratification, we realize that they are hollow and meaningless. Only Jesus can truly redeem.
And the most beautiful part of the story is the picture of the value of redemption through Jesus. You see, out of true and absolute love, Jesus redeems us even though we have no intrinsic value to offer him. We cannot give him perfection. We cannot give him good works. We cannot give him righteousness. We cannot buy his redemption, we cannot barter for it, and we cannot beg for it. He offers His redemption out of His love, His mercy, and His grace.
Today if you have not experienced the powerful redemption of Jesus, make today that day. You no longer need to live a life pained with pride, anger, frustration, and bitterness. You can instead experience a redeemed life that is full of peace, freedom, goodness, and joy. You no longer must live a life that lacks direction, purpose, and satisfaction. You can instead enjoy a life that is full of God’s vision, wisdom, and purpose. Ask Jesus to be your redeemer and rest in His grace as He covers you in His wings of love. Today is the day, don’t wait any longer to claim your redeemer.
Praise God for Jesus Christ, the redeemer of the world.
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