1

Ruth came to Bethlehem with Naomi

2

[Ruth 1:16]

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.

Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.

Your people will be my people and your God my God.

3

There was a great famine when Judges ruled over Israel.

It was very difficult for Bethlehem in the land of Judah because of the famine.

4

In Bethlehem there was a family named Elimelek.

They lived in Bethlehem with the land God gave them.

But when it was difficult to live because of the famine, they moved to Moab with

all their possessions. Moab was a land of people who did not serve God.

5

The name of Elimelek's wife was Naomi, and the names of two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Not long after they settled in Moab, Elimelek died.

Naomi lived with her two sons in Moab without a husband.

6

The two sons of Elimelech grew up and got married there.

The two sons chosen were women living in Moab in the land of the Gentiles.

They were a woman named Orpah and Ruth.

7

When they left Bethlehem and settled in the land of Moab about ten years ago,

disaster came to their family. It was the death of both Naomi's two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. Naomi has lost her husband and two sons.

8

Naomi, who was saddened, heard one news.

It is the news that the famine had ended in Bethlehem and it became a good harvest.

Naomi decided to return to her hometown again.

9

Naomi's two daughters-in-law were accompanied by her to return home.

Naomi, on the way, told her two daughters-in-law.

“Let each of you return to your mother's house.

May God be with you and give you a new husband and a new home.”

10

The two daughters-in-law, who heard these words, cried out loudly.

“No. we will go with you to your country.” But Naomi persuaded her two daughters-in-law.

11

Of the two daughters-in-law, Orpah did as Naomi said.

She bowed to Naomi and said goodbye to her own home,

but Ruth, the other daughter-in-law, was not leaving.

12

Naomi told Ruth. “Go back to your country like Orpah.”

But Ruth told Naomi of her determination.

“Do not tell me to leave you or to follow you, but I will follow you where you go,

and I will live where you live, your people are my people, your God is my God.

I will die in the place where you die, and I will be buried there. If I do not keep this oath,

the LORD may bring a terrible punishment on me, but only death can separate us.”

13

Ruth wanted to be a people of God that her mother-in-law believed.

She decided to leave Moab to serve the false god and go to the land of God.

And she pledged to keep the remaining mother-in-law alone until the end.

14

Naomi went back to Bethlehem with her knowing that Ruth had a firm mind.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, the entire village was loud.

"Really Naomi is back," and the villagers greeted her.

15

“Do not call me Naomi, for God has made me sad, so call me Mara,

and I have many things that I have left, but the LORD brought me back to naught.

God Almighty has given me great pain, but how do you call me Naomi?”

16

Naomi went to Moab to live better with her husband, but returned to her hometown

of Bethlehem, largely failing and becoming empty-faced.

No matter how good a plan we have, we must learn from Naomi that if God does not help us, the plan will never succeed.

17

But Ruth made a totally different choice. Ruth returned to Bethlehem following Naomi, desiring to be a people who believed in God rather than his own benefit.

Ruth's choice was to make God more important than anything else.

Like Ruth, who met through today's message, we must also strive to live with the faith

that holds God most precious. Let us be people of faith who choose to do what God pleases.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)