Ruth 1

Sermon Notes:

1) The Road of the Bereaved, 1-5

2) The Request to Leave, 6-13

3) The Resolve to Cleave, 14-18

4) The Report of Grief, 18-22

5) The Reason to Still Believe, 22b

Reflection questions:

1. What does it look like to believe in God’s Sovereignty but not in His goodness? What does it sound like? (Feel free to see Naomi’s examples in vv. 8, 20-21.)

2. Has your bitterness ever made you doubt God’s goodness to you? Has your bitterness ever driven people away from the God you say you love? Has your bitterness ever driven your friends away from you?

3. What can help us to stop feeling bitter and hopeless about our circumstances? See the following passages that start out bitter and end with hope: Psalm 77 (especially vv.7-15); Psalm 73; Lamentations 3 (especially vv.13-27).