Crisis in a crisis

by Sonny Villagonzalo
on 12 July 2020

1. The Crisis of the Circumstance.

RUTH 1:1-2
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.

DEUTERONOMY 11:16-17

16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods
and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD’s anger will burn against you,
and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will
yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD
is giving you.

2 CHRONICLES 7:13-14

13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command
locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my
people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2. The Choice in the Crisis.

RUTH 1:1-2
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a
man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went
to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was
Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons
were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah.
And they went to Moab and lived there.

a. A Crisis of Faith.

MARK 9:17-20
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is
possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes
him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his
teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but
they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how
long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the
boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it
immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and
rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

MARK 9:21-27
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From
childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to
kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “ ‘If
you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me
overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to
the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he
said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The
spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so
much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by
the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

b. A Crisis of Decision.

RUTH 1:1-2

1 So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons,
went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2The man’s name was
Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons
were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah.
And they went to Moab and lived there.

PSALM 105:16-17

16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their
supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them - Joseph,
sold as a slave.

RUTH 1:6
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to
the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her
daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

Crisis in a crisis

by Sonny Villagonzalo
on 12 July 2020

1. The Crisis of the Circumstance.

RUTH 1:1-2
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.

DEUTERONOMY 11:16-17

16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods
and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD’s anger will burn against you,
and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will
yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD
is giving you.

2 CHRONICLES 7:13-14

13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command
locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my
people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2. The Choice in the Crisis.

RUTH 1:1-2
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a
man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went
to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was
Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons
were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah.
And they went to Moab and lived there.

a. A Crisis of Faith.

MARK 9:17-20
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is
possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes
him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his
teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but
they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how
long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the
boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it
immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and
rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

MARK 9:21-27
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From
childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to
kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “ ‘If
you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me
overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to
the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he
said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The
spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so
much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by
the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

b. A Crisis of Decision.

RUTH 1:1-2

1 So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons,
went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2The man’s name was
Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons
were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah.
And they went to Moab and lived there.

PSALM 105:16-17

16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their
supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them - Joseph,
sold as a slave.

RUTH 1:6
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to
the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her
daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.