"Consider this: every great story has a rescue. Jack will come to rescue Rose in Titanic. William Wallace will rise up to rescue Scotland in Braveheart. Luke Skywalker will rescue the princess and then the free peoples of the universe in Star Wars. Nemo’s father recuses him in Find Nemo. Neo breaks the power of the matrix and sets a captive world free in the Matrixs. Aslan comes to rescue Naria in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe....“Something has gone wrong with the human race, and we know it. Better said, something has gone wrong within the human race. It doesn’t take a theologian or a psychologist to tell you that. Read a newspaper. Spend a weekend with your relatives. Pay attention to the movements of your own heart in a single day. Most of the misery we suffer on this planet is the fruit of the human heart gone bad. This glorious treasure has been stained, marred, infected. Sin has entered the story and speaks like a computer virus." -John Eldridge

"Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do." -Ruth 3:1-4

" 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. ” -Ruth 3:5-6

"10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich." -Ruth 3:10

"3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." -Philippians 2:3-4

"A kinsman-redeemer promoted the life and fortunes of his family. When families were threatened, the kinsman-redeemer could come to their protection. He might reclaim a field that had been sold in time of financial distress— redemption of property (Lev. 25:25). He might buy a family member out of slavery—redemption of person (Lev. 25:47-48). He might avenge the death of a murdered member of the family-redemption of blood (Num. 35:16-21). He might marry a relative's widow to care for her and have a child—a combination of the other forms of redemption (Deut. 25:5). All these steps toward family protection and solidarity would occur because the bottom line in Israel was supposed to be covenantal faithfulness. Taking care of one's dependents and promoting their full participation in the covenant community took precedence over personal wealth or ambition."

"4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” -Ruth 4:4

The Point: You have a Redeemer who is both able and willing to save you.

"The kinsman-redeemer motif, of course, anticipated Jesus Christ. In Jesus God has not allowed us to suffer loss because of our sin in particular or the effects of the fall in general. He has redeemed us through the blood of his Son who has become our fellow human. Jesus absorbed the cost for our sin and by his resurrection secured an eternal inheritance for us. We who believe in him will be raised from the dead to live with him in the place that he has prepared. We who are poor because of sin are made rich by the poverty of his incarnation (2 Cor. 8:9). The redemption of property and the securing of family in Ruth point ahead to the redemption from sin that is accomplished by Jesus Christ for Old and New Testament saints." -Dean Ulrich

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." -Ephesians 1:7

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:13-14

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." -Colossians 1:13-14

1) Jesus is able to redeem us

"11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." -Hebrews 9:11-14

2) Jesus is willing to redeem us

"17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” -John 10:17-18

"So here’s what the Christmas story is all about: a willing Savior is born to rescue unwilling people from themselves because there is no other way. Jesus was willing to leave the splendor of eternity to come to this broken and groaning world. He was willing to take on human flesh with all its frailty. He was willing to endure a lowly birth in a stable. He was willing to go through the dependance of childhood. He was willing to expose himself to all the hardships of life in this fallen world. He was willing to submit to his own law. He was willing to do His Father’s will at every point. He was willing to serve, when he deserved to be served. He was willing to be misunderstood and mistreated. He was willing to endure rejection and gross injustice. He was willing to preach a message that would cause him personal harm. He was willing to suffer public mockery. He was willing to endure physical torture. He was willing to go through the pain of His Father’s rejection. He was willing to die. He was willing to rise and ascend to be our constant advocate. Jesus was willing…You see, it’s not just the Christmas story; rather the entire redemptive story hinges on one thing: the eternal willingness of Jesus!" -Paul Tripp

1) Ask: Who is my redeemer?

2) Run to Jesus your Redeemer

"16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." -Hebrews 4:16