DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
Our Mission: To win, build and send Department of Defense leaders to live for Jesus Christ
14-18 October 2002
OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
#2 RUTH  LOYAL LOVE (RUTH 1-4)
[The theme of the Book of Ruth is loyal love. What is so powerful about Ruth is that she is not a
Jewess, one of God’s chosen people, yet she manifests loyalty and faithfulness. Based on God’s
loyalty and faithfulness to us, His children, we can manifest these qualities to those around us.]
1. Which person in your life has modeled loyalty to you? How?
Read Ruth 1:1-18
2. Ruth made a choice to be loyal to her mother-in-law. How was this contrary to what
common sense might dictate?
3. What evidence do you see that her decision was not just a family thing, but motivated by
her relationship with God? What lesson can we learn from this?
4. How did her hard circumstances impact Naomi (whose Hebrew name means “pleasant”)?
What can we learn from her honesty and vulnerability?
Read Ruth 2:1-12
5. How do we see Ruth’s pledge of loyalty backed by her actions?
6. What do we learn about God’s commitment to Ruth and Naomi in this passage? How do
we see his loyal love (Hebrew “hesed”) demonstrated?
Read Ruth 4:13-17
7. In 4:14 Boaz is referred to as a kinsman-redeemer, which requires some explanation. Due to a
Jewish custom, Boaz does not have the right to marry Ruth. By virtue of Elimilech’s death, the
right to marry Ruth and purchase the land belonged to another relative. When this relative
refused the right, Boaz purchased the land and took Ruth as his wife. He became a “kinsmanredeemer.” This act foreshadowed the greatest of all acts of “hesed,” Christ ’s death on the cross
when God purchased (redeemed) us from sin and death.
10. In the end we see how the loyal love of Ruth, Boaz and God has transformed Naomi. How
has God’s loyal love transformed your life?
11. To whom would God have you demonstrate his loyal love this week in your discipleship
group? In your office? In your family?
For the next ten weeks we’ll be writing out our Faith Journeys in seeker-friendly language.
Each week one person will read his/her story and ask for the group’s feedback. Read the
attachment “Writing Out Your Faith Journey” and write out yours this week.