November 11, 2018

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for November 11th : Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Psalm 124 Theme: God provides in the midst of tough times Ruth: Ruth is an important part of the story of salvation. She is a foreigner, but she is one of the few women listed in the Hebrew genealogy. She becomes the mother of Obed, who is the father of David. She has a very interesting story which starts with her first husband dying, and she stays with her mother in law during tough times. When things get better, they both return to Bethlehem. Being that they are widows, they have no way to take care of themselves. So Naomi slyly introduces Ruth to one of her husband’s relatives. Ruth gets married and they both live happily ever after with a permanent place in history. Mark: This is another important stewardship story. Even though Jesus is very close to God, he is not close to the Pharisees. He feels that they are taking advantage of the people, and are sometimes very insincere. He feels that lot of them are doing religious work for the recognition. So, when a poor woman comes into the temple and gives everything that she has to God, Jesus is impressed. He says that she gave most, even though it was monetarily a little; because she gave from her hear. She gave sacrificially. She was sincere in her offering to God. Jesus lifts her up as an example of how we should give – we should give from our heart – the place of our abundance. Questions: Who are the important women in your family history? What can you learn from their lives? When has God turned a bad situation into a good one for you? Who are the people who give all that they have to God today? What motivates you to give to God?