100:00:00,120 –> 00:00:09,860We’re looking together at what is one of the most beautiful stories in all of the Bible200:00:09,860 –> 00:00:13,680and I’ve been drawn to it for at least three reasons.300:00:13,680 –> 00:00:20,200First because it is a story about ordinary people that every single one of us can relate400:00:20,200 –> 00:00:21,200to.500:00:21,200 –> 00:00:27,360Second because it is a story about our extraordinary God.600:00:27,520 –> 00:00:29,000And you know, when you bring ordinary people700:00:29,000 –> 00:00:35,240and extraordinary God together, you know what you get is a story of redemption.800:00:35,240 –> 00:00:37,820Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin900:00:37,820 –> 00:00:38,820Smith.1000:00:38,820 –> 00:00:40,560Glad you could be with us today.1100:00:40,560 –> 00:00:45,560I’m David Pick, a little bit croaky but hanging in there and Colin, what is the message we’re1200:00:45,560 –> 00:00:46,560going to hear today?1300:00:46,560 –> 00:00:53,180We’re going to look at the beautiful story of the Book of Ruth, the story of two women1400:00:53,180 –> 00:00:56,400and how God wonderfully provided for them.1500:00:56,439 –> 00:01:01,020And one of the things that I find so compelling about this story is that it really is a story1600:01:01,020 –> 00:01:02,320of ordinary people.1700:01:02,320 –> 00:01:07,580You know you look at some of the stories in the Bible, Jonah’s adventures on the inside1800:01:07,580 –> 00:01:12,900of a giant fish, Abraham and Isaac, Moses parting the Red Sea.1900:01:12,900 –> 00:01:17,599You may find yourself saying, I can’t imagine ever being in a position that these folks2000:01:17,599 –> 00:01:25,160were in, but the story of Ruth and of Naomi is a story that everybody can relate to.2100:01:25,160 –> 00:01:27,040It’s a story about a family.2200:01:27,040 –> 00:01:29,080It’s a story about loss.2300:01:29,080 –> 00:01:34,519It’s a story about God’s wonderful redeeming provision and his great kindness even in the2400:01:34,519 –> 00:01:39,459hardest of circumstances, it is a beautiful story and I’m so glad that we’re going to2500:01:39,459 –> 00:01:43,000be able to immerse ourselves in it over these next days.2600:01:43,000 –> 00:01:47,860So, we’re gonna be in the book of Ruth today so join us in your Bible if you can.2700:01:47,860 –> 00:01:51,239The first five verses as we begin the message, Loss.2800:01:51,239 –> 00:01:52,239Here’s Colin.2900:01:52,320 –> 00:02:00,459Now there are two ways to approach a story like the story of Ruth that is before us today3000:02:00,459 –> 00:02:03,019and in these coming weeks.3100:02:03,019 –> 00:02:10,759One is to stand with each of the characters in their loves and in their joys and in their3200:02:10,759 –> 00:02:16,360tears and then their sorrows as they move progressively through each stage of their3300:02:16,360 –> 00:02:18,199journey.3400:02:18,199 –> 00:02:25,880The other of course is to start with the big picture, to see how the story ends and so3500:02:25,880 –> 00:02:32,880better to be able to understand what is actually going on along the way.3600:02:32,880 –> 00:02:40,300And I want us to do both of these things during this series and so today I want us to see3700:02:40,300 –> 00:02:44,919both how the story begins and also how it ends.3800:02:45,800 –> 00:02:53,440And of course that’s appropriate for Christian believers, because we know how our story ends.3900:02:53,440 –> 00:02:58,639We know that because God has revealed it to us.4000:02:58,639 –> 00:03:04,339In Jesus Christ, whatever the sorrows and loss that you are experiencing right now,4100:03:04,339 –> 00:03:10,860in Jesus Christ your story does not end with tears and loss.4200:03:10,899 –> 00:03:17,940Your story in Jesus Christ will end with fullness of joy in your Father’s house where all4300:03:17,940 –> 00:03:22,339tears will be wiped away from your eyes.4400:03:22,339 –> 00:03:28,899God has told us how our story ends and He has told us how our story ends so that we4500:03:28,899 –> 00:03:36,179may be able to live with hope when we face sorrow and when we face loss along the way.4600:03:36,240 –> 00:03:41,960Now we’re looking together at what is one of the most beautiful stories in all of the4700:03:41,979 –> 00:03:46,860Bible, and I’ve been drawn to it for at least three reasons.4800:03:46,860 –> 00:03:53,199First because it is a story about ordinary people that every single one of us can relate4900:03:53,199 –> 00:03:54,880to.5000:03:54,880 –> 00:04:00,899Second because it is a story about our extraordinary God.5100:04:00,899 –> 00:04:05,500And you know, when you bring ordinary people and our extraordinary God together, you know5200:04:05,740 –> 00:04:13,300what you get is a story of redemption, and that’s the very heart of what this story is5300:04:13,300 –> 00:04:14,300all about.5400:04:14,300 –> 00:04:18,959So we’re gonna look at these three things today as we look at how it begins and how5500:04:18,959 –> 00:04:20,019it ends.5600:04:20,019 –> 00:04:24,899First then this is a story about ordinary people.5700:04:24,899 –> 00:04:31,100Now, many of the stories in the Bible of course are about unusual people who do remarkable5800:04:31,100 –> 00:04:32,799things.5900:04:32,799 –> 00:04:41,160We read about Abraham offering his son on an altar, Moses leading God’s people out6000:04:41,160 –> 00:04:47,320of Egypt, David slaying a giant by the name of Goliath.6100:04:47,320 –> 00:04:52,480And we read these stories with a sense of wonder but sometimes we may think to ourselves6200:04:52,480 –> 00:04:59,440when would I ever do anything remotely like any of these people?6300:04:59,440 –> 00:05:09,179But everyone can relate to this story which is about the lives, the loves and the losses6400:05:09,179 –> 00:05:13,500of one ordinary family.6500:05:13,500 –> 00:05:19,239The story begins telling us when it took place.6600:05:19,239 –> 00:05:26,839Verse 1, in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.6700:05:26,940 –> 00:05:34,239and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab he and his wife and6800:05:34,239 –> 00:05:36,040his two sons.6900:05:36,040 –> 00:05:44,579Now these days of the judges where this story took place were really terrible times.7000:05:44,579 –> 00:05:48,739If you know the story of the book of judges, you will remember that this was a period where7100:05:48,739 –> 00:05:55,760God’s people repeatedly turned to idols, and when they did, they were overpowered by7200:05:55,760 –> 00:05:59,839enemies who invaded and then oppressed them.7300:05:59,839 –> 00:06:04,600When that happened God’s people cried out to him for help.7400:06:04,600 –> 00:06:08,959That’s always the first instinct of a believing person by the way isn’t it?7500:06:08,959 –> 00:06:13,279We may forget the Lord when things are going well, but when we’re in trouble our first7600:06:13,500 –> 00:06:19,279instinct is to call out to God and ask him for help.7700:06:19,279 –> 00:06:24,059And when God’s people asked him for help what he did was he raised up judges, they7800:06:24,059 –> 00:06:30,579were really military leaders who drove out the enemies from the land, and peace was restored7900:06:30,579 –> 00:06:32,640for as long as the judge lived.8000:06:32,640 –> 00:06:37,399But when the judge died, what happened repeatedly was that God’s people turned to idols again8100:06:37,480 –> 00:06:43,320and then enemies invaded the land, and you were back to the start all over again.8200:06:43,320 –> 00:06:48,679So God’s people throughout the time of the judges were just lurching from one crisis8300:06:48,679 –> 00:06:51,959to another.8400:06:51,959 –> 00:06:55,279And if you think about that you may think, well this is perhaps a story that speaks to8500:06:55,279 –> 00:06:59,420our day as well.8600:06:59,420 –> 00:07:03,119This is a story that speaks to our time.8700:07:03,119 –> 00:07:10,079Days of the judges were days of desperately flawed leaders, none of them had a lasting8800:07:10,079 –> 00:07:13,019impact for good.8900:07:13,019 –> 00:07:17,920They did some good and then it all got washed away.9000:07:17,920 –> 00:07:26,440And people, God’s people lived with a profound sense that life in the promised land should9100:07:26,440 –> 00:07:30,720be better than this.9200:07:30,920 –> 00:07:35,380It’s a story that speaks to our times because it was in the days of the judges when the9300:07:35,380 –> 00:07:37,040judges ruled.9400:07:37,040 –> 00:07:42,600Notice what happened there was a famine in the land.9500:07:42,600 –> 00:07:43,600Wow.9600:07:43,600 –> 00:07:47,700A famine in the promised land.9700:07:47,700 –> 00:07:55,040This is the land that God gave to His people, a land flowing with milk and with honey.9800:07:55,079 –> 00:08:02,519And notice that this famine was of all places in Bethlehem.9900:08:02,519 –> 00:08:08,200Bethlehem simply means the house of bread, and the little town of Bethlehem was given10000:08:08,200 –> 00:08:14,940its name clearly because the fields in that immediate area were particularly fertile.10100:08:14,940 –> 00:08:19,500A famine in Bethlehem.10200:08:19,500 –> 00:08:21,920Why was there a famine?10300:08:22,700 –> 00:08:28,239Well, the first thing that comes to our mind is that God must have held back the rain.10400:08:28,239 –> 00:08:34,119And, indeed, that could be the reason for the famine that is stated here.10500:08:34,119 –> 00:08:36,239But there could be another explanation.10600:08:36,239 –> 00:08:41,539In the book of Judges, so from this time in which the story is set, we read these words10700:08:41,539 –> 00:08:45,020in Judges chapter 6, verse 3.10800:08:45,020 –> 00:08:51,299Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the people10900:08:51,380 –> 00:08:58,179the east, would come up against them—they would encamp against them—and devour the11000:08:58,179 –> 00:09:06,299produce of the land, and leave no sustenance in Israel.11100:09:06,299 –> 00:09:15,200They would come like locusts in number, so that they laid waste the land as they came in.11200:09:15,200 –> 00:09:19,580Now can you imagine the frustration?11300:09:19,580 –> 00:09:29,559If year after year, you planted your field, you raised your crop, and just before harvest,11400:09:29,559 –> 00:09:37,919the enemy came in, like locusts, possibly burning your fields, trampling them down,11500:09:37,940 –> 00:09:43,460destroying your crop, and that happened, leaving you hungry.11600:09:43,460 –> 00:09:49,640Year after year.11700:09:49,640 –> 00:09:56,020And one reason for thinking that the famine may have been because the crops were destroyed11800:09:56,020 –> 00:10:04,419by enemies, is that, while there was famine in Bethlehem, there clearly was food in Moab,11900:10:04,419 –> 00:10:15,400and Moab, as the crow flies, is only less than 50 miles from Bethlehem.12000:10:15,400 –> 00:10:22,919So the book of Ruth begins by telling us that one family, finding themselves in this desperately12100:10:22,919 –> 00:10:29,900frustrating situation, they made a decision.12200:10:29,900 –> 00:10:35,960In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land and a man of Bethlehem12300:10:35,960 –> 00:10:45,159in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.12400:10:45,659 –> 00:10:52,419So this family then, as you think about the location, they left their fields in Bethlehem,12500:10:52,440 –> 00:11:00,059took a journey round the north edge of the Dead Sea and then they went down south until12600:11:00,059 –> 00:11:03,460they arrived in Moab.12700:11:03,460 –> 00:11:12,580Now, here we come to a question that will affect how we understand and apply this story12800:11:12,580 –> 00:11:15,020and here’s the question,12900:11:15,500 –> 00:11:22,820Did Elimelech make a mistake when he moved to Moab?13000:11:24,140 –> 00:11:30,780Should he have stayed in Bethlehem and simply trusted God to provide?13100:11:30,780 –> 00:11:35,159You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colleen Smith in a message called,13200:11:35,159 –> 00:11:37,099Loss, Based on The Book of Ruth.13300:11:37,099 –> 00:11:42,340It’s part of our series, Ordinary People, Extraordinary God and if you ever miss part13400:11:42,419 –> 00:11:46,380of the series, don’t forget you can always come online to catch up and go back and listen13500:11:46,380 –> 00:11:51,380again by coming to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.13600:11:51,380 –> 00:11:55,159You can also find Pastor Colleen’s messages as a podcast, and those are on all the main13700:11:55,159 –> 00:11:56,340podcast sites.13800:11:56,340 –> 00:11:58,559Search for Open The Bible UK.13900:11:58,559 –> 00:11:59,840Back to the message now.14000:11:59,840 –> 00:12:00,900Here’s Colleen.14100:12:00,900 –> 00:12:09,159Now here we come to a question that will affect how we understand and apply this story.14200:12:09,159 –> 00:12:11,460And here’s the question.14300:12:11,460 –> 00:12:20,659Did Elimelech make a mistake when he moved to Moab?14400:12:20,659 –> 00:12:27,520Should he have stayed in Bethlehem and simply trusted God to provide?14500:12:27,520 –> 00:12:38,479Now, some commentators absolutely castigate Elimelech and Naomi for moving to Moab.14600:12:39,320 –> 00:12:50,059This was, some say, abandoning trust in God, backsliding, direct disobedience to a biblical command.14700:12:50,059 –> 00:12:57,440They should have stayed in a land that God had promised to bless and trusted God to provide.14800:12:57,440 –> 00:13:04,039There are many who make that case and make that argument and produce various verses from14900:13:04,039 –> 00:13:07,580the Old Testament law in support of it.15000:13:08,440 –> 00:13:18,440But, there are many examples of faithful believers moving in times of famine or other particular15100:13:18,440 –> 00:13:19,440trouble.15200:13:19,440 –> 00:13:26,760So, in Genesis in chapter 12, you have Abraham went to Egypt in a time of famine.15300:13:26,760 –> 00:13:31,880In Genesis 26, Isaac went to Gerar.15400:13:32,000 –> 00:13:38,280In Genesis 46, you have Jacob, of course, joining and the whole family joining Joseph15500:13:38,280 –> 00:13:43,099who was the means of God’s provision in Egypt during a time of famine.15600:13:43,099 –> 00:13:52,580In 1st Samuel chapter 22, David took his father and his mother to Moab and the King of Moab15700:13:52,580 –> 00:14:01,500protected them while David was on the run with the King Saul seeking to take his life.15800:14:02,599 –> 00:14:09,640There’s an occasion in 2nd Samuel chapter 8 where Elijah the prophet says to a Shunammite woman,15900:14:09,640 –> 00:14:14,039now there’s going to be a famine here and so you ought to go to another country in order to take16000:14:14,039 –> 00:14:25,159refuge and supremely our Lord Jesus Christ was taken to Egypt by Mary and by Joseph when King16100:14:25,159 –> 00:14:35,719Herod was seeking to destroy him. Now the Bible makes no comment on the family’s move to Moab.16200:14:35,719 –> 00:14:45,479It simply tells us that this is what they did. Now a similar question arises over the marriage16300:14:46,440 –> 00:14:57,640and child. Was this not a breaking of the Old Testament law? God has made16400:14:57,640 –> 00:15:06,280clear beyond question in both the Old and the New Testaments that His people should not marry16500:15:07,080 –> 00:15:14,760those who do not believe. But it is perfectly possible that Orpah and Ruth16600:15:15,799 –> 00:15:23,159professed faith in the Lord. After all they had clearly come under the influence of Naomi.16700:15:24,119 –> 00:15:33,239And even though Orpah turned back, as we will see later in the story, the fact that Ruth and Orpah16800:15:33,239 –> 00:15:39,080accompanied Naomi on her return to the Promised Land seems to indicate that they had made some16900:15:39,880 –> 00:15:48,359profession of faith in the living God. One of the most helpful commentaries I have found on17000:15:48,359 –> 00:15:58,119the Book of Ruth is by Ludwig Lavater. Lavater was a Swiss theologian who served in Zurich17100:15:58,119 –> 00:16:05,719during the 16th century. And I mention that because the 16th century was a pretty harsh time17200:16:05,719 –> 00:16:12,919in which many people said some pretty harsh things. And with that background I was struck17300:16:12,919 –> 00:16:17,960by and found Lavater’s comments to be especially helpful. He asks the question,17400:16:19,080 –> 00:16:24,599did Ilimelech do right in migrating to Moab with his family? And then he answers,17500:16:25,960 –> 00:16:33,479one can argue both sides. So if you’re really big on one side of the other, you know,17600:16:33,479 –> 00:16:39,559don’t bother sending me an email, because I’ll just say, that’s fine, one can argue both sides.17700:16:41,479 –> 00:16:46,440Then he lays out the arguments on both sides over several pages, and then he says this,17800:16:48,840 –> 00:16:51,559when the scriptures do not accuse men,17900:16:53,000 –> 00:16:58,440neither ought we to accuse them. And when matters are ambiguous,18000:16:59,080 –> 00:17:03,960we should rather believe better things about men.18100:17:05,959 –> 00:17:12,839Now friends, that is a very important principle of Biblical interpretation and of life.18200:17:14,680 –> 00:17:23,079Where there is doubt about another person’s actions, love chooses to believe the best.18300:17:23,319 –> 00:17:30,199the best. Remember the words of Jesus, with the measure you use18400:17:32,920 –> 00:17:36,280it will be measured to you.18500:17:38,359 –> 00:17:41,560So if you’ve heard that and if you believe it, you will always want18600:17:41,560 –> 00:17:45,400in life to use the most generous measure that you possibly can.18700:17:45,560 –> 00:17:50,040Writing in the 19th century another fine commentator George Lawson18800:17:50,040 –> 00:17:53,560makes a similar point in regards to18900:17:53,560 –> 00:17:57,959the marriages of Mallon and Chilean. He says this,19000:17:58,599 –> 00:17:59,719He says this,19100:18:08,199 –> 00:18:09,640In other words, that they’d converted to19200:18:09,640 –> 00:18:11,260faith in the living God.19300:18:15,939 –> 00:18:16,939And then he says this,19400:18:28,060 –> 00:18:36,579Christians are called to a life of love.19500:18:37,599 –> 00:18:40,520We’re called to love all people and19600:18:40,520 –> 00:18:43,119especially to love one another.19700:18:44,420 –> 00:18:46,780Loving means that we will take the19800:18:46,780 –> 00:18:49,160most generous view that we can of19900:18:49,160 –> 00:18:51,119the words and actions of others,20000:18:51,319 –> 00:18:53,660that we are to think the best off them.20100:18:53,699 –> 00:19:00,719Hello, I was greatly helped some20200:19:00,719 –> 00:19:05,119years ago by a kindly word from a20300:19:05,119 –> 00:19:07,119dear friend following a sermon that20400:19:07,119 –> 00:19:08,099I preached.20500:19:09,760 –> 00:19:15,040I had spoken on the leper who said20600:19:15,040 –> 00:19:18,540to Jesus, if you are willing, you can20700:19:18,560 –> 00:19:20,739run away from the prison.20800:19:20,739 –> 00:19:24,979And I had drawn attention to the word if.20900:19:24,979 –> 00:19:25,599Doubt.21000:19:27,099 –> 00:19:29,400Here’s a man who’s not sure if he believes.21100:19:31,920 –> 00:19:34,939And my friend said.21200:19:34,939 –> 00:19:37,160That’s not the most generous21300:19:37,160 –> 00:19:40,040view of that verse.21400:19:40,060 –> 00:19:43,239It might have been that he was simply21500:19:43,239 –> 00:19:46,579submitting himself to the will of Christ.21600:19:46,599 –> 00:19:49,160If you are willing.21700:19:49,160 –> 00:19:52,199You will make me clean.21800:19:52,199 –> 00:19:56,319I had not taken the most generous view.21900:19:56,319 –> 00:19:59,739And he simply said to me.22000:19:59,739 –> 00:20:01,780What we owe to others in life?22100:20:01,780 –> 00:20:06,339We also owe to characters in the Bible.22200:20:06,339 –> 00:20:08,859And it works the other way.22300:20:08,859 –> 00:20:11,979What we owe to characters in the Bible.22400:20:11,979 –> 00:20:14,839We also owe to others.22500:20:14,920 –> 00:20:20,959In life never assume the worst, always think the best and less compelled by evidence to22600:20:20,959 –> 00:20:24,199the country that cannot be put in a better light.22700:20:24,199 –> 00:20:28,560Now, why would I take time over this today?22800:20:28,560 –> 00:20:36,839Well, one reason is that we all know what it is to look back at decisions that we made22900:20:36,839 –> 00:20:41,359and wonder if we did the right thing.23000:20:41,680 –> 00:20:50,319You know this in your life as I know it in mine – did I make the right decision?23100:20:50,319 –> 00:20:57,640Was that an act of faith or was it an act of folly?23200:20:57,640 –> 00:21:01,699But do you see that the focus of this story that we are going to follow in these coming23300:21:01,699 –> 00:21:08,459weeks is actually to not on whether Elimelech made the right decision, it’s on how God23400:21:08,760 –> 00:21:14,900brings blessing to His people in every circumstance of life.23500:21:14,900 –> 00:21:19,420Whatever the decisions you may have made.23600:21:19,420 –> 00:21:26,420So don’t waste your time and your energy reassessing the decisions of your life in23700:21:26,420 –> 00:21:28,119the rear view mirror.23800:21:28,119 –> 00:21:32,359What is done is done.23900:21:32,380 –> 00:21:40,699Have faith in God who works in all things for the good of those who love him.24000:21:40,699 –> 00:21:47,660What that means is that God works for our good when our decisions are wise, and God24100:21:47,660 –> 00:21:53,819works for our good when our decisions should have been wiser.24200:21:53,819 –> 00:21:56,739One commentator says very beautifully.24300:21:56,739 –> 00:22:02,599God’s kind providence covers even our mistakes.24400:22:02,599 –> 00:22:05,459Aren’t you thankful for that?24500:22:05,459 –> 00:22:10,739God’s kind providence covers even our mistakes.24600:22:10,739 –> 00:22:17,560That’s why you don’t need to live your life in regret and second guessing.24700:22:17,560 –> 00:22:25,819Because you have a God who works for your good, whether your decisions in the past were24800:22:25,819 –> 00:22:30,579or whether they should have been wiser.24900:22:55,920 –> 00:23:00,619That’s people just like you, and if you already do that, we want to send you a big thank-you.25000:23:01,020 –> 00:23:03,540If that’s something you’re considering doing in the future,25100:23:03,699 –> 00:23:07,280if you’re able to set up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible,25200:23:07,479 –> 00:23:12,819in the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of £50 or more,25300:23:13,099 –> 00:23:18,699we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book The Case for Easter,25400:23:19,000 –> 00:23:22,839plus the booklet, Six Days That Changed the World by Colin Smith25500:23:23,199 –> 00:23:27,540and a lovely Open the Bible tote bag, bookmark and pen.25600:23:27,959 –> 00:23:33,119All of that if you’re able to begin supporting Open the Bible financially this month.25700:23:33,819 –> 00:23:36,520Colin, what do you think makes this book so useful?25800:23:36,819 –> 00:23:40,819Oh, well, its author, Lee Strobel, was a journalist for the Chicago Tribune25900:23:40,819 –> 00:23:45,339when he began exploring the Christian faith and in The Case for Easter,26000:23:45,339 –> 00:23:51,640he actually retraces his steps showing the biblical evidence that led him to the conclusion26100:23:51,680 –> 00:23:54,260that Jesus really rose from the dead.26200:23:54,439 –> 00:23:59,020It’s a fascinating book because he interviews experts who help us26300:23:59,020 –> 00:24:01,859to sort through the Bible’s evidence for the Resurrection.26400:24:01,859 –> 00:24:07,880So, for example, he interviews a medical doctor to help us examine the evidence26500:24:07,880 –> 00:24:09,099that Jesus really died26600:24:09,099 –> 00:24:13,439and a psychologist to help us see that Jesus appearances26700:24:13,439 –> 00:24:16,439could not have been simply hallucinations.26800:24:16,599 –> 00:24:19,739So the Case for Easter really helps Christians26900:24:19,739 –> 00:24:22,199know why we believe in the Resurrection27000:24:22,199 –> 00:24:25,439and it can provide a wonderful pathway to faith27100:24:25,520 –> 00:24:28,979for someone who’s beginning to explore the truths of Christianity.27200:24:28,979 –> 00:24:33,260Well, we want to send you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Easter,27300:24:33,260 –> 00:24:36,959plus the booklet Six Days that changed the world by Colin Smith,27400:24:36,959 –> 00:24:41,920plus, of course, a lovely open the Bible tote bag, bookmark and pen.27500:24:42,260 –> 00:24:46,260If you’re able to set up a new, direct debit to the work of Open the Bible,27600:24:46,280 –> 00:24:51,660this month in the amount of £5 per month or a one-off gift of £50 or more.27700:24:51,900 –> 00:24:55,319Full terms and conditions and to give online come to our website27800:24:55,319 –> 00:24:58,119openthebible.org.uk27900:24:58,420 –> 00:25:01,800For Open the Bible, Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick28000:25:01,979 –> 00:25:04,459and I hope you’ll join us again next time.28100:25:08,260 –> 00:25:11,319We’re looking at one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible,28200:25:11,339 –> 00:25:12,900the story of Ruth.28300:25:12,939 –> 00:25:16,400It’s all about ordinary people, our extraordinary God28400:25:16,400 –> 00:25:18,959and it’s a story of redemption.28500:25:18,959 –> 00:25:21,520Find out more next time on Open the Bible.