Christmas Hope: Ruth

12/10/21 • 24 min

Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

Life has its difficult seasons and when the trials and challenges drag on with no end in sight, it’s easy to wonder if God cares. Sometimes we even question if continued faithfulness is worth the effort. Join Groundwork for an Advent reflection on the story of Ruth, the third woman named in Jesus’ genealogy. Ruth faced many trials in her life that left her very vulnerable. But in her story, we’ll discover how God uses the simple faithfulness of both her and Boaz to ensure the continuation of the Messiah’s family tree. Together, we’ll remember that God does not forget his people and that he chose to enfold faithful foreigners into his family in order to bring forth his salvation plan for the entire world.

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Christmas Hope: Rahab

Do you ever question why God would want you in his family? Do you ever feel like you just don’t belong or that you’re too messed up to bother saving? These feelings are difficult any time of the year but can be particularly acute during the Christmas season. Join Groundwork for an Advent reflection on the story of Rahab. Rahab is the second woman named in Jesus’ genealogy. She was a prostitute, she wasn’t an Israelite, and she was seemingly as unworthy of belonging in God’s family as one could get. Yet, Rahab is called by name in Jesus’ family tree. Join us in discovering biblical truths about faith, deliverance, and belonging in Rahab’s story. Together, we’ll find encouragement for our own faith in this unexpected story of God’s grace.

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Christmas Hope: Bathsheba

Life is messy. No matter how hard we try, it’s impossible to be perfect. This can be so hard and uncomfortable at Christmas when we want everything to feel cheerful and bring back warm fuzzy memories, but the reality is, our stories are filled with sin and brokenness: mistakes, missteps, and moments when our best simply was not enough. Join Groundwork for an Advent reflection on the story of Bathsheba, the fourth woman referenced in Jesus’ genealogy. Through the story of “Uriah’s wife,” Bathsheba, we witness the traumatic results of King David’s sin and we are invited to take an honest look at our own experiences of brokenness. Together, through Bathsheba’s story, we’ll remember why Jesus needed to come, seek the truth of God’s abundant forgiveness, and celebrate Jesus’ coming at Christmas.