Book of Ruth / Character Series – Summer 2023
Pathways to Character Sermon Series: How to build a character of integrity
Few of us would argue that western society is facing an integrity crisis. Whether it’s politicians who are indicted for breaking the law, churches and government who tried to abolish a culture and heritage through a program of residential schools, police forces accused of racism and brutality, price-fixing by supermarkets or entrepreneurs and royals accused of sex with minors the list goes on and on.
And the question is, how did we get here? What prompts individuals and institutions to make choices based more on self-interest than the common good? Choices for personal pleasure and gain even as they come with harmful consequences for the most vulnerable?
In our summer 2023 sermon series we studied the characters in Book of Ruth and learned how we can, by following their example, develop a character that protects us from the temptation to compromise our values, and help us make life-giving rather than life-destroying choices. Character that is Christlike in that it only seeks the welfare of others before ourselves.
This Sunday we are turning the tables…and our members become our speakers! Three people from the congregations of St. Paul’s and St. Stephen’s (who are worshipping together this summer) will share their reflections on our “Pathways to Character” sermon series. Come find out how the characters in the Book of Ruth have challenged and/or inspired them to be people of Christ-like character.
This Sunday we will conclude our sermon series on character as we finish our study of the Book of Ruth. When Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem she decided to return to the bosom of God….and now at the close of this book we see that she holds her grandson, who will become an ancestor in the lineage of Jesus no less, nursing at her bosom. It is a full-circle moment that represents a reversal of the sad state of affairs at the beginning of the story. A widow becomes a wife. A barren womb is filled. A childless widow becomes a grandmother. A bachelor finds a bride. Blessings upon blessings born from God-honoring choices made day by day.
God can change our story too. If right now you have shattered dreams, emptiness, loneliness, or hardship, walk with God daily and follow the teachings of Jesus. In daily obediencee and relationship with him, you will see transformation, and in your transformation, you will shine like a light in our culture. If we develop a Christ-like character we can show that there are those in our society who can be trusted — people who rely on God’s wisdom and ways; who seek to serve rather than be served; who choose humility over pride; and who sacrifice time, money and possessions for the welfare of others. As trust is rebuilt, so too will our families, neighbourhoods, workplaces…and yes, even our churches.
Deception. Broken campaign promises. Marriage vows betrayed. These are but a few of the violations of trust that we are experiencing in our modern contemporary culture. Over the last several weeks we’ve been asking, “How did we get here?” Why do we increasingly view each other with suspicion rather than friendliness? Why do the most vulnerable in our society feel neglected or abused rather than cherished and protected? These are all character failures, a casualty of which is trust.
So this Sunday we will look at how trust can be built (or re-built). How can we put back together the fractured pieces of our families, neighbourhoods, workplaces and society? As we study the person of Boaz in the Book of Ruth, we’ll see some character traits that can set us on the right path.
This Sunday we will be continuing our sermon series on character by studying the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. This week we will consider the value of humility as part of a Godly character.
Humility is often best tested when it is placed under strain…when circumstances are tough or when no one is watching. As Ruth comes to Boaz in the middle of the night, she is humbly asking for his hand in marriage. Will he offer her the protection and security she is seeking, or will he use his power and prestige to take advantage of the situation for his own pleasure?
In our #Metoo culture, we have seen far too often that men with power victimize women who don’t. But to live a life of integrity that aligns with God’s life-giving values means we place others needs ahead of our own because we know that all we have and are gifts from God. As the late Pastor, Timothy Keller wrote, “We are not meant to be moral achievers. In Christ we are at once sinful and lost, yet accepted. I am so bad he had to die for me and so loved he was glad to die for me. This should lead us to a deeper humility as well as a deeper confidence, without either snivelling or swaggering.”
I don’t know about you, but I’d like to live with such a deep inner confidence of my value in Christ’s eyes that I am free from the need to boast of my achievements, to point out others’ shortcomings, so I feel superior or to use people for my own ends. If this is your desire also, I hope you’ll join us Sunday!
Last week we began to talk about how our contemporary society is caught in the grip of an integrity crisis. We often put our needs ahead of others, we seek to BE served rather than to serve. What’s feeding this self-centredness? How did we get here? Why is it that neighbourhoods are becoming either isolated silos where everyone keeps to themselves and minds their own business or else battlegrounds where neighbourhood block parties turn into places of death as guns are drawn. Why is physical violence or bullying increasingly preferred to constructive dialogue? Why it is that we view each other more with suspicion than friendliness? Lots of questions, fewer answers.
We seem to be at a time in history when society has normalized unethical behavior. At times, it feels like almost anything goes. The lines between right and wrong have been blurred, leaders’ actions are not matching their words, and accountability is lacking. This Sunday we’ll explore this modern predicament by looking at an ancient story that has lessons for us today. Lessons that teach us how we can develop a depth of character that responds with love, even in the face of challenging circumstances.
Our world today seems in the grip of an integrity crisis.
Whether it’s politicians who are indicted for breaking the law, churches and government who tried to abolish a culture and heritage through a program of residential schools, police forces accused of racism and brutality, price-fixing by supermarkets or entrepreneurs and royals accused of sex with minors the list goes on and on.
And the question is, how did we get here? What prompts individuals and institutions to make choices based more on self-interest than the common good? Choices for personal pleasure and gain even as they come with harmful consequences for the most vulnerable?
This Sunday we’ll start a series of new messages that looks at how we can develop good character that can withstand temptation and avoid life-destroying consequences as we study the Book of Ruth.