TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Only two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther. Ruth s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God s people were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth s story of faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all wrong things right again. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years; then Naomi s sons died. Naomi heard that the Lord had provided His people food during the famine, so she decided to go back to Judah. Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth said, Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God (Ruth 1:16). So Naomi and Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together. Naomi permitted Ruth to gather fallen grain in a field. The owner of the field was Boaz, a relative of Naomi s late husband and a family redeemer. Boaz noticed Ruth and told her she could safely gather grain in his field. At Naomi s urging, Ruth sought to be redeemed by Boaz. Boaz bought back the land Naomi and Ruth had lost when their husbands died, and he married Ruth. They had a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David. God gave Ruth a foreigner a special place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. As you teach kids today, introduce them to Jesus, our Redeemer. He bought for us salvation, paying the price with His very own blood. LESSON OVERVIEW/SCHEDULE Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Transition Time Welcome time Activity sheet/table Centers Session starter (10 minutes) 1
Lesson Countdown Introduce the session (1 minute) Timeline Map (1 minute) Big picture question (1 minute) Sing (5 minutes) Key passage (4 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Discussion starter video (3 minutes) The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Prayer (5 minutes) Table Time Timeline map (1 minute) Bible story review (10 minutes) Large Group Review / Activities Key passage activity (5 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY/OVERVIEW Ruth and Boaz Ruth 1 4 Naomi lived in Bethlehem in Judah with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons. At that time, the people of Israel were ruled by judges like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. There was a famine in the land, so it was difficult to find enough food to survive. Elimelech and Naomi decided to go to Moab and live there for awhile. While they were in Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi s sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years, then Naomi s sons died. Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth were all alone. The famine had ended in Judah, so Naomi decided to return. Orpah and Ruth went with Naomi, but Naomi encouraged them to return to their families. The women were very sad to leave each other. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God, Ruth said. So Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law at the beginning of the barley harvest. Naomi gave Ruth permission to go into the fields and gather fallen grain. She happened to go to the field of Boaz, a good man from the family of Naomi s late husband, Elimelech. Boaz saw Ruth in his field. He had heard how kind Ruth was to Naomi, staying with her after her 2
husband died and leaving Moab to travel back to Bethlehem with her. Boaz told Ruth to stay in his field where she would be safe. Boaz made sure Ruth had enough food. Ruth gathered plenty of grain in the field. She returned to Naomi and told her about Boaz. Boaz is one of our family redeemers, Naomi replied. A family redeemer was someone who would help his close relatives if they were in trouble. Naomi knew Boaz would take care of Ruth, so she encouraged Ruth to stay in his fields. Naomi wanted to make sure Ruth had a husband to care for her, so she gave Ruth special instructions. Ruth put on her best clothes and laid down near Boaz s feet. In this way, Ruth showed Boaz that she hoped he would marry her. Boaz was surprised to find Ruth at his feet. You are a family redeemer, she said. Boaz promised to redeem Ruth, which meant he would buy back the land that Naomi sold after her husband died, and he would marry Ruth. He gave Ruth grain and sent her back to Naomi. Boaz bought back the land that had belonged to Naomi s husband and sons, and he married Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed. Naomi took care of Obed. When Obed grew up, he was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David. Christ Connection: Boaz was a family redeemer. That means he would help his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross. TRANSITION TIME Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Welcome time Tip: As kids arrive this is a great time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. Arriving Activity: Types of Grains bowls different types of dry grains Allergy Alert sign Fill several bowls with different types of dry grain. Consider grains like corn, rice, oats, barley, 3
bulgur, farro, kasha, quinoa, and wheat berries. Allow the kids to look closely and feel the different textures of the grain. Encourage them to guess what the grains are. Say Grain was a very common food for the Israelites. Today we will see how a little grain made a huge difference in a woman s life. Activities/Table Centers (5 minutes) Table Centers (Miscellaneous Activities) Grain Counter activity sheet / Bible Story Coloring Sheet, 1 per kid markers, colored pencils, crayons Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say Today s Bible story is about a redeemer, a person who is willing to pay a price in order to get something back from someone else. Session Starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Gather It Gather It instructions masking tape paper strips or other small items Form groups of two or more kids. Tape a start line for each group. At an equal distance from each line, make a pile of any small items. You might use paper strips, paper clips, craft sticks, or cotton swabs. Make sure each team has an equal number of items. Line up the kids single file. Explain that each team must gather as many items as possible; however, each member of the group may only bring back one item at a time. Once the first kid retrieves an item and returns to the start line, the next kid in line will do the same. The goal is to see which team can gather the items the fastest. Say The key to winning this game was to gather as quickly as possible. Today, you will meet a woman who gathered grain to feed herself and her mother-in-law. Option 2: Grain Snack popcorn paper towels Allergy Alert sign Provide the kids with some popcorn. Explain that a common food item in Bible times was parched or roasted barley, which was barley cooked over a fire. When finished, some of the barley would look like partially popped popcorn. Allow the kids to eat the popcorn. Say Today, we will meet a woman named Ruth who was offered parched or roasted grain by someone who later took care of her and her entire family. Transition to large group 4
LESSON Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Suggested Theme Decorating Ideas: Place a desk on one side of the stage or teaching area. Place a single desk lamp on the desk (doesn t have to be plugged in). Scatter manila file folders, sticky notes, pens, and other office supplies on the desk. Create a Detective Agency sign and post it behind the desk. Countdown countdown video (on provided DVD with lesson videos and worship) Show the countdown video as you clean-up table centers, set up classroom chairs for lesson and set it to end as large group time begins. Introduce the session (1 minute) Bible [Large Group Leader enters the room with a Bible.] Leader Hello there! I ve been asked to help you become certified Bible Investigators. Do you know what those are? Well, there are all kinds of investigators. There are crime investigators, private investigators, background investigators, and many more. An investigator studies something very closely until he figures it out. For the next few weeks, we are looking for clues in the Old Testament that lead us to Jesus. God wanted us all to see Jesus in His Word from the very beginning, so He left plenty of clues. Timeline Map (1 minute) Timeline Map (small group visual pack copies provided for Table Time Review) Leader Let s start our investigation with our Bible story for today. Sometimes we find clues in verses. Other times, the clues are in groups of verses that make a story. There s nothing like a good story. The Bible is full of stories, and they are all true. Today s story is called Ruth and Boaz. Big picture question (1 minute) Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? - 11x17 poster provided Leader The truth is, every story in the Bible points us to Jesus. The Old Testament shows us that we need God to save us from sin. The New Testament tells about how God sent His Son to 5
live, die, and rise from the dead to take the punishment for our sins. The New Testament also tells us about the beginning of the church and how Jesus will one day return for His people, those who trust Him in faith. Jesus did all of this so we could be forgiven of our sin. It s all in your Bible. Who has a Bible today? Awesome! A good Bible investigator always has a Bible. Here comes the next clue. It s our big picture question. Who is our redeemer? Sing (5 minutes) Worship Song: Center of It (on provided DVD) Leader Does anyone know what a redeemer is? A redeemer is a person who is willing to pay a price in order to get something back from someone else. See if our new theme song gives you some hints for the answer to our big picture question. Sing together Center of It. Key passage (4 minutes) Key Passage Poster: 1 Samuel 2:35 (provided) Worship Song: Raise Up (on provided DVD) Leader Jesus is the center of all things. The beginning, middle, and end of God s story is all about Jesus. That leads us to our key passage for the next few weeks. Show the slide or poster of the unit s key passage, 1 Samuel 2:35. Lead the boys and girls to read the verse together. Leader The Bible mentions some faithful priests, but only one that serves as Priest forever. His name is Jesus. Sing together Raise Up. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Ruth and Boaz video (on provided DVD) Bibles, 1 per kid Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster Leader It s time for our Bible story, the story of Ruth and Boaz. Let s turn in our Bibles to the Book of Ruth. Remember to listen for the answer to our big picture question. Who is our redeemer? Show the Ruth and Boaz video, or choose to tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. For a shorter version of the story, read only the bolded text. Leader Elimelech and Naomi left the land God had promised His people because they didn t have food to eat. However, life in Moab was not any better. Elimelech and their two sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, by themselves. Naomi heard that there was once again food in Judah, so she decided to go back to Bethlehem. Naomi thought Orpah and Ruth would be better off with their own families, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi. Ruth said she wanted to remain in Naomi s family and serve Naomi s God. Naomi and Ruth arrived when the barley was ready to eat. God had instructed His people to always leave behind some of their grain for those who were poor. Ruth went to the field of a 6
man named Boaz. She gathered the fallen grain left behind by his workers. Boaz noticed her and gave her extra food. He also made sure no one was mean to her. It turns out Boaz was a relative of Naomi, and he had the power to buy back the land she and her family left behind when they moved to Moab. However, he would also have to marry Ruth. Boaz was amazed by how Ruth took care of Naomi. Naomi told Ruth to put on her best clothes and go see Boaz to see if he would marry her. Ruth wanted to marry him, and it turns out Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, too. Naomi and Ruth were all alone without anyone to help them take care of the things they needed. Boaz chose to save them. He became their redeemer. When it comes to sin, we need help, too. We need someone to redeem us. That s what Jesus did. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Salvation is Jesus rescuing us from sin. Jesus paid the price for our sin so we wouldn t have to. Ask the following review questions: Why did Elimelech and Naomi leave Bethlehem? (a famine, Ruth 1:1) What happened to Elimelech and Naomi s two sons? (They died, Ruth 1:3-5) What did Ruth say when Naomi told her and her sister-in-law to go back to their families? (She would never leave her and would make Naomi s God her God, Ruth 1:16) Who redeemed Naomi and Ruth? (Boaz, Ruth 4:9-10) Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Discussion starter video (3 minutes) Unit 10, Session 1 - Discussion Starter Video (on provided DVD) Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? - 11x17 poster provided Leader Boaz redeemed Naomi and Ruth. Would you have done the same? Watch this video. Show the Unit 10 Session 1 discussion starter video. Leader What would you do in this situation? Boaz redeemed what Naomi and Ruth had lost. That still doesn t compare to what Jesus did for us. Jesus gave up His place in heaven and died for our sin. God raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him power to redeem us. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use Scripture and the guide provided with this session to explain to boys and girls how to become a Christian. Assign individuals to meet with kids who have more questions. If this is not possible, encourage boys and girls to ask their parents, small group leaders, or other Christian adults any questions they may have about becoming a Christian. Prayer (5 minutes) Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? - 11x17 poster provided Show the big picture question slide or poster. Leader Did you notice the big picture question and answer? Who is our redeemer? Jesus is 7
our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Help the kids learn the big picture question and answer by choosing a kid to play the part of a redeemer. When you ask the question, only this kid may answer for the rest of the kids. Repeat with a new redeemer each time. Before transitioning to small group, make any necessary announcements. Lead the kids in prayer. Pray that God will help us see Jesus as the redeemer of our lives. Dismiss to small groups for Table Time The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. 8
TABLE TIME LEADER Session Title: Ruth and Boaz Bible Passage: Ruth 1 4 Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Key Passage: 1 Samuel 2:35 Unit Christ Connection: God used people and visual elements in history to give us pictures of Christ. Bible story review (10 minutes) Bibles, 1 per kid Timeline (small group visual pack extra copies provided for Table Time Review) Big Picture Question: Who is our redeemer? (11x17 poster provided in classroom) Tip: Divide children into small groups for table time. Each group should include an adult leader at the table. Encourage the kids to find Ruth 1 in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say Ruth is in the Old Testament. It is one of two books named after a woman. The other is Esther. Ruth is part of the division called History. Use the small group visual pack to show kids where today s Bible story is on the timeline. Have a leader or guest storyteller tell the Bible story as if speaking to wedding guests. Invite the kids to hum the wedding march (dum-dum-da-dum) every time they hear the names Ruth and Boaz. Say I see you are guests at this wedding, too. It s a wonderful couple. They actually remind me of another married couple from the Bible. Would you like to hear about them? It s a beautiful story about Ruth and Boaz. It all started when Naomi, her husband, and their two kids left Bethlehem because there was no food there. However, life in Moab was difficult, too. Naomi lost her husband and two sons. Ruth was married to one of those sons. It seemed like they would not have a happy ending. Naomi finally realized she should go home to Bethlehem, where things were better again. Naomi told Ruth to go back to her family, but Ruth said Naomi was now her family. When Naomi and Ruth got to Bethlehem, they had no money and no food. Ruth agreed to go find food. She came to a field where the barley was ready to eat, so workers were collecting it. They always left some behind for people like Naomi and Ruth. The owner of the field noticed Ruth right away. That s when Ruth met Boaz. Boaz was a good man who took care of his family members. Guess what? Naomi was in his family. Boaz told Ruth she could come collect food from his field any time. He even ordered the workers to leave some of the best grain behind. Ruth put on her prettiest outfit and went to let Boaz know that she wanted to marry him. Boaz wanted to marry her, too. By marrying Ruth, Boaz became her redeemer. He saved her from a life of being poor with no hope. Boaz also redeemed Naomi. He bought back the land she left behind when her husband died. 9
Perhaps the best part of the story is that Ruth and Boaz had a baby named Obed. Naomi raised Obed as if he was her own son. Obed later became the grandfather of one of the greatest kings ever, King David. Is that a happy ending or what? Actually, it s not the real happy ending. You see, Jesus was in the family of David. Jesus came and redeemed us from sin. That s the real happy ending to this love story. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say So, does anyone know the answer to our big picture question? Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. LARGE GROUP REVIEW AND ACTIVITIES Key passage activity (5 minutes) Follow My Directions Instructions Key Passage Poster: 1 Samuel 2:35 (provided) dry erase board and marker Make sure the key passage, 1 Samuel 2:35, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verse together. Say God was explaining that a line of future priests would be faithful to Him, and He would use them. However, an eternal priest would come. That priest is Jesus. Read the verse together a few more times until the kids are familiar with it. Invite the kids to read the verse together while following your directions. Encourage them to read it with their left eye closed, with their eyes peeking through their fingers, and with their mouths covered. Make up your own directions and continue as time allows. Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Redeemed Twister game mat Place the Twister game mat on the floor. Invite the children to remove their shoes and place them on the corners of the Twister mat, to help hold the mat in place. Invite the kids to gather around the outside of the playing mat. Explain that when you say go, each kid must find a colored spot on the Twister mat and stand on it. Once you give the go signal and all the kids are standing on a spot, randomly call out one of the colors. Invite kids who are not standing on the color to sit on the outside edge of the mat. Replay with the remaining kids. When you have a handful of kids, allow each kid still in the game to redeem one of the kids eliminated by letting 10
those chosen return to the game. Play one more round. Then let all the kids rejoin and play again. Say What did it feel like to be able to redeem someone who was out of the game? They couldn t play again unless you chose them. Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Option 2: Grain Basket Grain Basket printable, 1 per kid heavyweight paper hole punch brads, 2 per kid scissors, 1 per kid Make copies of the grain basket printable on heavyweight paper. Distribute a copy to each child. Encourage the kids to cut along all the dotted lines. Each kid should have one strip of paper and a box that looks like a tic-tac-toe board. The piece with the instructions and title may be discarded after the activity. Set aside the strip of paper. Punch out the marked holes, and fold along all the lines of the mini squares toward the center square. This should form a basket. Line up the holes on each side and use brads to attach the strip of paper to the basket, making a handle. Say Ruth likely collected grain in a bag or a basket. God used the grain as a way to introduce her to Boaz, who would become her redeemer. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Prayer and Clean-Up (5 minutes) Say Let s say our big picture question and answer one last time. Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. If time remains, take prayer requests. Pray, thanking God for sending Jesus as our Redeemer. Pray for each child by name, asking God to help the kids understand how they have been redeemed from their sin. Clean-up room. 11
Instructions: In today s Bible story, Ruth went looking for food but found something far more important. Unscramble the code below to find out what. Look for the bag with the correct number of grains in each row. Place the letter under the correct bag on the line above the matching number at the bottom of the page. LifeWay a person who is willing to pay a price in order to get something back from someone else UNIT 10 Session 1 Younger Kids Activity Pages 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources. Hints of Christ
Ruth and Boaz Ruth 1 4 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources. LifeWay
Family Journal Page Hints of Christ Draw names to assign each family member another family member to serve secretly during the week. At the end of the week, record the ways family members served one another. Discuss Boaz s role as a family redeemer. Review the Christ Connection and celebrate that Jesus redeems us from our sin. Session Title: Bible Passage: Preschool Key Passage: Big Picture Question: Christ Connection: Boaz helped his close relatives. Boaz was a family redeemer. He bought back what his relatives lost. Jesus is our Redeemer. He bought our salvation from sin by dying on the cross. Kids Key Passage: Big Picture Question: Christ Connection: Boaz was a family redeemer. That means he would help his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross. OK TO PRINT
And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. 1 Samuel 2:35 OK TO PRINT Hints of Christ