Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Christ who includes All
Ruth 4: 1-10VVerse 8a: Therefore, the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.”
The Book of Ruth is figurative forerunner of the gospel story. God’s plan of salvation of lost humanity is effectively depicted through this book. It may briefly be explained like this: A destitute and miserable Ruth (picture of a world accursed by sin) is redeemed by Boaz (picture of Jesus Christ). Boaz also happens to be the great grandfather of King David in the lineage of Jesus.
Through the Old Testament and New Testament eras, God weaves His plan for redemption of the world He crated through non-traditional ways. God included Jacob, who deceived his father Isaac, Moses, the stutterer to lead Israel, David the youngest of his brothers to be King, are all examples of His method of working out His plan. If we analyze the earthly life of Lord Jesus Christ, we can see the same pattern. Lord Jesus selected His disciples from the poor fishermen community and such low stratas of the society. Jesus spend His time ministering to the down-trodden of the society. His call to the weary – “Come to me all who labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest”- (Matthew 11:28) is symbolic declaration of His preference. The upper class and the religious sects constantly accused Jesus of associating Himself with tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus’ response was:
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”- Matthew 9:13.
Lord Jesus taught His disciples through parables. Most of these parables were carved out of the cross section of the contemporary society. The parables also high-lighted how He treated the characters of the story. For example, in the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’, Jesus deliberately portrays the Pharisee and the Levi as selfish unmerciful characters and the Samaritan, who is an outcast of the Jewish society, as unselfish and compassionate.
All through His earthly ministry, Lord Jesus questioned the religious leaders of His day regarding the real meaning of their ceremonial rituals. He confronted them by healing many marginalized people on the Sabbath. Lepers, blind, deaf, mute, paralyzed and many such afflicted who were considered born in sin by the society, found welcoming refuge in the presence of Lord Jesus. His compassion towards them set aside all the ceremonial laws and He chose to heal them of their infirmities and diseases. In Matthew 8:3, we read the account of Jesus reaching out and touching a leper and healing him. Such an act would render Jesus ceremoniously unclean, nevertheless His compassion for the leper was so great that He risked being ceremoniously unclean.
There are several other such examples in the Gospels of how Jesus interacted with the community. Samaritan woman at the well, Zacchaeus on the Sycamore tree and the woman who anointed Jesus with rare perfume are some of them. In all these cases, Jesus took interest in the outcasts of the society and included them to His fold encouraging them with His kind words of approval.
Moabites were always looked down upon by Israel because of their genesis. God who is concerned about all the people He created, regardless of their race, ethnic origin, gender, social status or their sinful nature, chose Ruth to be included in His plan of redemption of the world. He accomplished it through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
It must be emphasized that Jesus never condones sinful behavior. He pardoned the woman who was caught in adultery but sent her home with the words ”Go and sin no more” – John 8:11.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should shape our perspectives to suit the outlook of our Savior. After all, what is our qualification, that He looked at us mercifully in our hopeless and helpless state, took pity on us and redeemed us by His blood to be a part of His Kingdom. As the blessed hymn writer Isaac Watts writes:
‘Love so amazing, so divine Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Through the Old Testament and New Testament eras, God weaves His plan for redemption of the world He crated through non-traditional ways. God included Jacob, who deceived his father Isaac, Moses, the stutterer to lead Israel, David the youngest of his brothers to be King, are all examples of His method of working out His plan. If we analyze the earthly life of Lord Jesus Christ, we can see the same pattern. Lord Jesus selected His disciples from the poor fishermen community and such low stratas of the society. Jesus spend His time ministering to the down-trodden of the society. His call to the weary – “Come to me all who labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest”- (Matthew 11:28) is symbolic declaration of His preference. The upper class and the religious sects constantly accused Jesus of associating Himself with tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus’ response was:
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”- Matthew 9:13.
Lord Jesus taught His disciples through parables. Most of these parables were carved out of the cross section of the contemporary society. The parables also high-lighted how He treated the characters of the story. For example, in the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’, Jesus deliberately portrays the Pharisee and the Levi as selfish unmerciful characters and the Samaritan, who is an outcast of the Jewish society, as unselfish and compassionate.
All through His earthly ministry, Lord Jesus questioned the religious leaders of His day regarding the real meaning of their ceremonial rituals. He confronted them by healing many marginalized people on the Sabbath. Lepers, blind, deaf, mute, paralyzed and many such afflicted who were considered born in sin by the society, found welcoming refuge in the presence of Lord Jesus. His compassion towards them set aside all the ceremonial laws and He chose to heal them of their infirmities and diseases. In Matthew 8:3, we read the account of Jesus reaching out and touching a leper and healing him. Such an act would render Jesus ceremoniously unclean, nevertheless His compassion for the leper was so great that He risked being ceremoniously unclean.
There are several other such examples in the Gospels of how Jesus interacted with the community. Samaritan woman at the well, Zacchaeus on the Sycamore tree and the woman who anointed Jesus with rare perfume are some of them. In all these cases, Jesus took interest in the outcasts of the society and included them to His fold encouraging them with His kind words of approval.
Moabites were always looked down upon by Israel because of their genesis. God who is concerned about all the people He created, regardless of their race, ethnic origin, gender, social status or their sinful nature, chose Ruth to be included in His plan of redemption of the world. He accomplished it through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
It must be emphasized that Jesus never condones sinful behavior. He pardoned the woman who was caught in adultery but sent her home with the words ”Go and sin no more” – John 8:11.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should shape our perspectives to suit the outlook of our Savior. After all, what is our qualification, that He looked at us mercifully in our hopeless and helpless state, took pity on us and redeemed us by His blood to be a part of His Kingdom. As the blessed hymn writer Isaac Watts writes:
‘Love so amazing, so divine Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Prayer
Dear Lord, give us an understanding heart to include the helpless, afflicted and the outcasts in our life. Enable us to share their pain and anxieties. Give us courage and wisdom to work out solutions for such problems facing us today. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28.
Abraham Mammen, Sehion Mar Thoma Church, Texas
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church