Dover Assembly of God
5.23.2021 | Ruth - Week 5
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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May 23, 2021
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donut Fellowship
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministry
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday
21 in 21 PRAYER & FAST DAY - LAST DAY!
6:30 pm ~ Family Night
Thursday
6:30 pm Prayer Night
Saturday
10:00 am ~ Herbert Caldwell Viewing
11:00 am ~ Herbert Caldwell Funeral Service
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Our VBS theme is LEGOS and is scheduled for July 11-14. Before we order curriculum and begin advertising, we need excited volunteers. If you are able to commit to this tremendous outreach opportunity, please sign up in the upper foyer. Online registrations are now open at doverassembly.com/vbs
BODY NEWS
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study - Are You A Fan?
Join us on Wednesday evenings as we study the book “Not A Fan”. Let’s challenge ourselves as Christians!
Prayer Warriors!
Our 21 in ‘21 Prayer and Fast will end this Wednesday, but we challenge you to keep praying and trusting for those who need Christ.
Our prayer nights will continue on the 2nd and 4th Thursday evenings at 6:30. God is on the move and we don’t want to miss what He is going to do!
Keep praying!
Isaiah 40:31 tells us this: Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'
Keep pressing in!
Movers Needed!
Gladys Johnston will be packing up her furniture on Saturday, June 5 and could use a bit of help to get things onto the truck. Corey and Heather will be there loading the moving van and could use a bit of help. Time will be provided once they have details together. Please sign up in lower foyer if you can help!
Outreach
Thank you to Dick, Diane, Anna, Phil, Juliet who helped pass out the outreach packets to our community this past Thursday. Thank you also to Dick, Diane, Mark, Anna, Marlene, and Judy who helped to assemble those packets!
Next Steps ~ our next outreach to our Dover Community will be to pass out VBS fliers and Lego kits and invites to the neighborhood inviting them to our VBS July 11-14. We will also reach out to the apartments behind Jim and Nena's with our VBS invites.
Our Deepest Sympathies
To Deborah & Carl Dobbins, Brad & Brandon Caldwell and the entire family at the loss of their son and brother Herb Caldwell. May God’s peace fill your home during this difficult time. Funeral service will be held at the church, this Saturday, May 29 at 11:00 am. Viewing will begin at 10:00 am.
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donut Fellowship
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministry
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday
21 in 21 PRAYER & FAST DAY - LAST DAY!
6:30 pm ~ Family Night
Thursday
6:30 pm Prayer Night
Saturday
10:00 am ~ Herbert Caldwell Viewing
11:00 am ~ Herbert Caldwell Funeral Service
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Our VBS theme is LEGOS and is scheduled for July 11-14. Before we order curriculum and begin advertising, we need excited volunteers. If you are able to commit to this tremendous outreach opportunity, please sign up in the upper foyer. Online registrations are now open at doverassembly.com/vbs
BODY NEWS
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study - Are You A Fan?
Join us on Wednesday evenings as we study the book “Not A Fan”. Let’s challenge ourselves as Christians!
Prayer Warriors!
Our 21 in ‘21 Prayer and Fast will end this Wednesday, but we challenge you to keep praying and trusting for those who need Christ.
Our prayer nights will continue on the 2nd and 4th Thursday evenings at 6:30. God is on the move and we don’t want to miss what He is going to do!
Keep praying!
Isaiah 40:31 tells us this: Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'
Keep pressing in!
Movers Needed!
Gladys Johnston will be packing up her furniture on Saturday, June 5 and could use a bit of help to get things onto the truck. Corey and Heather will be there loading the moving van and could use a bit of help. Time will be provided once they have details together. Please sign up in lower foyer if you can help!
Outreach
Thank you to Dick, Diane, Anna, Phil, Juliet who helped pass out the outreach packets to our community this past Thursday. Thank you also to Dick, Diane, Mark, Anna, Marlene, and Judy who helped to assemble those packets!
Next Steps ~ our next outreach to our Dover Community will be to pass out VBS fliers and Lego kits and invites to the neighborhood inviting them to our VBS July 11-14. We will also reach out to the apartments behind Jim and Nena's with our VBS invites.
Our Deepest Sympathies
To Deborah & Carl Dobbins, Brad & Brandon Caldwell and the entire family at the loss of their son and brother Herb Caldwell. May God’s peace fill your home during this difficult time. Funeral service will be held at the church, this Saturday, May 29 at 11:00 am. Viewing will begin at 10:00 am.
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May 23, 2021 - Week 5 - Rev. Jeff Bender
Two weeks ago, as we left off in our study of Ruth, Naomi had told Ruth to do what we might consider today to be a bit weird.
While a bit strange to us, it was not to Ruth, so she agreed.
She probably had no idea where this was going.
Can you imagine what is going thru her mind at this point? “Did I misread Boaz”? “Did I make up in my own mind that he is paying attention to me?” “Maybe he doesn’t like me at all?” “And this is just one huge mistake.” And a thousand other reasons to doubt her actions.
Have you ever felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in your lives to step out and attempt something you thought was weird?
And you probably had the same questions in your mind. “Did I misread God.” “Am I making this up myself?”
Can you imagine what is going thru her mind at this point? “Did I misread Boaz”? “Did I make up in my own mind that he is paying attention to me?” “Maybe he doesn’t like me at all?” “And this is just one huge mistake.” And a thousand other reasons to doubt her actions.
Have you ever felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in your lives to step out and attempt something you thought was weird?
And you probably had the same questions in your mind. “Did I misread God.” “Am I making this up myself?”
Remember also that Naomi told Ruth to change her clothes, and we said that she was probably still wearing mourning clothes.
It was time for Ruth to put the past behind her and move on.
This is not to suggest that we don’t experience a time of intense mourning and loss, because we obviously do.
But in going to Boaz (as we said he is a type of Christ) we also go to Christ and ask him to replace the times of mourning with the possibility of God doing something new.
We have to give that loss / mounring to Christ, and allow him to re-dress us.
To take the weighty clothes of mourning, unforgiveness, anger, fear, pain, hurt and replace them with a garment of praise.
It was time for Ruth to put the past behind her and move on.
This is not to suggest that we don’t experience a time of intense mourning and loss, because we obviously do.
But in going to Boaz (as we said he is a type of Christ) we also go to Christ and ask him to replace the times of mourning with the possibility of God doing something new.
We have to give that loss / mounring to Christ, and allow him to re-dress us.
To take the weighty clothes of mourning, unforgiveness, anger, fear, pain, hurt and replace them with a garment of praise.
When we come to Christ, we want to leave all these garments behind. And allow the Holy Spirit to help us.
So Ruth does as Naomi said.
So Ruth does as Naomi said.
How many like the Peanuts cartoon? My favorite is Snoopy. One of his favorite quotes is: “Life is full of rude awakenings.”
The Bible also has a few rude awakenings.
Adam fell asleep and woke up to find himself to be married to a woman that up to that point didn’t exist.
Jacob woke up and found out he married the wrong woman.
Now Boaz woke up to find Ruth laying at his uncovered feet.
God is not without a sense of humor.
The Bible also has a few rude awakenings.
Adam fell asleep and woke up to find himself to be married to a woman that up to that point didn’t exist.
Jacob woke up and found out he married the wrong woman.
Now Boaz woke up to find Ruth laying at his uncovered feet.
God is not without a sense of humor.
So Boaz goes to sleep, he is feeling good but the wording doesn’t appear to mean he was drunk. He falls asleep and it doesn’t tell us how much time elapsed, but it says he woke up in the middle of the night.
So we can assume a few hours have passed. I wonder if Ruth was awake the whole time?
I kind of think she would be, and if so, what is she thinking? This is crazy, what if he doesn’t wake up, what if I scare him and he thinks I’m a wild animal or an enemy and kills me? Or he just tells me to get lost?
Have you ever had these type of thoughts while following God’s leading? God calls you to do “X”, you start doing it, and while you are waiting for God’s promised results, you are thinking:
“This is crazy, God didn’t really tell me to do this? What if I fail at it, What if people tell me to get lost?”
Sometimes living for God, requires waiting for God’s promises to show up.
That’s called living by faith.
So we can assume a few hours have passed. I wonder if Ruth was awake the whole time?
I kind of think she would be, and if so, what is she thinking? This is crazy, what if he doesn’t wake up, what if I scare him and he thinks I’m a wild animal or an enemy and kills me? Or he just tells me to get lost?
Have you ever had these type of thoughts while following God’s leading? God calls you to do “X”, you start doing it, and while you are waiting for God’s promised results, you are thinking:
“This is crazy, God didn’t really tell me to do this? What if I fail at it, What if people tell me to get lost?”
Sometimes living for God, requires waiting for God’s promises to show up.
That’s called living by faith.
Ruth was operating in faith because up to this point she surely didn’t see anything happening.
But she trusted in God.
But she trusted in God.
The previous verse suggests that he knew it was a woman, and the word “YOU” in the Hebrew is a feminine term, so he knew the person was female.
Notice Ruth’s response, she was not using the term Moabitess, but servant.
She was making a new beginning.
How you refer to yourself helps to shape who you’ll become.
If you say you’re a loser, then you probably will be.
We need to know what God calls us. We’re his loved children.
So the whole garment thing, to spread or cover someone means that you are claiming that person for yourself.
Talking about the nation of Israel:
She was making a new beginning.
How you refer to yourself helps to shape who you’ll become.
If you say you’re a loser, then you probably will be.
We need to know what God calls us. We’re his loved children.
So the whole garment thing, to spread or cover someone means that you are claiming that person for yourself.
Talking about the nation of Israel:
Elijah was claiming Elisha to be his replacement.
The term “garment” is actually the word for “wing”
She wanted to be under the protection of Boaz (again, type of Christ) we want to be under God’s wing of protection.
Notice that she said you are A redeemer, not MY redeemer.
Seems as though she knew of another, so she couldn’t lie about it. He was A redeemer, but there was also another in front of him.
Notice that she said you are A redeemer, not MY redeemer.
Seems as though she knew of another, so she couldn’t lie about it. He was A redeemer, but there was also another in front of him.
Boaz takes note of her kindness. Remember he know about her desire to help Naomi and the hard work she put in and how her character showed in her work ethic and life style.
He is saying that her desire to have him as a redeemer was even kinder than what she exhibited before in her care for Naomi.
It appears that he is much older than her and for her, it wasn’t the age difference, it was his treatment of her.
We see a mutual showing of kindness and character by both Ruth and Boaz. Her character and kindness, made Boaz take note of her.
And his character and kindness caused Ruth to want him regardless of age over other younger men, rich or poor.
And the term for young men is actually “choice ones”. That could apply to other people that could be redeemers or men of means.
So she was choosing Boaz over what the world would consider a “better catch”.
When we come to service Christ, we do so because of the nature and character of Christ and the love of God.
When we follow him, the world may think that we are missing out on a “better catch” than Jesus, but as Ruth finds out, Boaz and Jesus are the better catch.
Ruth was passing on what the world thinks is best to go to what God is providing for her.
We are often times called to pass on what the world would say is best for us in order to allow God to provide something better.
And he pronounces a blessing on her.
He is saying that her desire to have him as a redeemer was even kinder than what she exhibited before in her care for Naomi.
It appears that he is much older than her and for her, it wasn’t the age difference, it was his treatment of her.
We see a mutual showing of kindness and character by both Ruth and Boaz. Her character and kindness, made Boaz take note of her.
And his character and kindness caused Ruth to want him regardless of age over other younger men, rich or poor.
And the term for young men is actually “choice ones”. That could apply to other people that could be redeemers or men of means.
So she was choosing Boaz over what the world would consider a “better catch”.
When we come to service Christ, we do so because of the nature and character of Christ and the love of God.
When we follow him, the world may think that we are missing out on a “better catch” than Jesus, but as Ruth finds out, Boaz and Jesus are the better catch.
Ruth was passing on what the world thinks is best to go to what God is providing for her.
We are often times called to pass on what the world would say is best for us in order to allow God to provide something better.
And he pronounces a blessing on her.
It appears that Ruth’s actions were seen as a proposal of marriage.
Using the covering of the garment, Ruth was asking Boaz if he would cover her with his blanket, which meant him taking her for himself.
And with this verse, he agrees with that action or meaning. It also appears that Boaz had been doing some homework on Ruth.
He already knew of another redeemer. How or why would he know or care about that if he weren’t already interested in her?
So even before Ruth came to him, he was doing what was necessary to draw her to himself.
Sound familiar? God is the one who draws us to himself.
He is the one who initiates it, he sets things up all in the desire that we come to know Him.
Using the covering of the garment, Ruth was asking Boaz if he would cover her with his blanket, which meant him taking her for himself.
And with this verse, he agrees with that action or meaning. It also appears that Boaz had been doing some homework on Ruth.
He already knew of another redeemer. How or why would he know or care about that if he weren’t already interested in her?
So even before Ruth came to him, he was doing what was necessary to draw her to himself.
Sound familiar? God is the one who draws us to himself.
He is the one who initiates it, he sets things up all in the desire that we come to know Him.
God does his homework on us because he wants us to chose him.
Boaz did all he could do, but Ruth had to make the choice.
God did all he can do, now we have to make the choice.
Boaz did all he could do, but Ruth had to make the choice.
God did all he can do, now we have to make the choice.
Boaz was caring about her reputation.
All it would take is this one thing to have her character ruined.
She left while it was still dark and no one saw her.
Even though this was an innocent event, one wrong impression or a gossip telling lies, could ruin her.
Christians need to be careful where we find ourselves.
The things we intend and do appear to be innocent, but do our actions give others the wrong impression and the enemy ammunition against us and the Lord?
There is an anonymous quote that says: “A reputation takes years to build but only a moment to destroy"
All it would take is this one thing to have her character ruined.
She left while it was still dark and no one saw her.
Even though this was an innocent event, one wrong impression or a gossip telling lies, could ruin her.
Christians need to be careful where we find ourselves.
The things we intend and do appear to be innocent, but do our actions give others the wrong impression and the enemy ammunition against us and the Lord?
There is an anonymous quote that says: “A reputation takes years to build but only a moment to destroy"
The Bible never gives an explanation of this, but there are several opinions on what this means.
Since the bible doesn’t tell us, all of these are merely guesses and we cannot lay much stock in them.
a) This was a bride gift for Naomi
b) A recognition intended for Naomi thanking her for setting him up with Ruth
c) Ruth would be seen carry grain so if she were caught, it would look like she was just gleaning.
d) Simply a gift from a man to a woman whom he hoped to marry
e) Boaz didn’t want his prospective bride working the fields like a poor laborer.
Suffice it to say, she went home with enough grain for over 2 weeks.
She wouldn’t have to glean for a while.
Since the bible doesn’t tell us, all of these are merely guesses and we cannot lay much stock in them.
a) This was a bride gift for Naomi
b) A recognition intended for Naomi thanking her for setting him up with Ruth
c) Ruth would be seen carry grain so if she were caught, it would look like she was just gleaning.
d) Simply a gift from a man to a woman whom he hoped to marry
e) Boaz didn’t want his prospective bride working the fields like a poor laborer.
Suffice it to say, she went home with enough grain for over 2 weeks.
She wouldn’t have to glean for a while.
This verse, while trying to sound like a legit question, is actually not a good translation. The phrase “how did it go” could also be written: “who are you”.
And the jury is out on the correct meaning. How did it go is a generic way of translating this verse.
Whose are you is a more specific question with a different meaning attached. The question implies to Ruth “are you Ruth the Moabitess” or “are you Mrs Boaz”?
Another way would be: “are you still Mahlon’s widow, or Boaz’s bride”.
Are you living in the unchangeable past, or are you looking towards the future?
Ruth experienced a lot of hardship in her life. She lost her father in law, her husband, she left her family and everything knew in the hopes of finding the true God.
God was now in the process of re-writing her future.
Naomi wanted to know are you ready to accept what God has for you or are you still not able to overcome the hardship?
Our past is our past, none of which we can change. Our future isn’t written yet and God has a design for you if you’re willing to let him take the past away.
We don’t forget the past, we just don’t live there.
If Ruth wasn’t willing to let the past go, she would not have experienced what God had in store for her in the future.
And the jury is out on the correct meaning. How did it go is a generic way of translating this verse.
Whose are you is a more specific question with a different meaning attached. The question implies to Ruth “are you Ruth the Moabitess” or “are you Mrs Boaz”?
Another way would be: “are you still Mahlon’s widow, or Boaz’s bride”.
Are you living in the unchangeable past, or are you looking towards the future?
Ruth experienced a lot of hardship in her life. She lost her father in law, her husband, she left her family and everything knew in the hopes of finding the true God.
God was now in the process of re-writing her future.
Naomi wanted to know are you ready to accept what God has for you or are you still not able to overcome the hardship?
Our past is our past, none of which we can change. Our future isn’t written yet and God has a design for you if you’re willing to let him take the past away.
We don’t forget the past, we just don’t live there.
If Ruth wasn’t willing to let the past go, she would not have experienced what God had in store for her in the future.
Whatever God has in store for our future, it’s not going to get here any faster by worrying about it or trying to help God out in getting it here.
Ruth had to just wait, and trust that Boaz would work it out.
Most times we just have to wait until God works it out.
Because just like Boaz, God will not rest until the matter is settled for us.
Ruth had to just wait, and trust that Boaz would work it out.
Most times we just have to wait until God works it out.
Because just like Boaz, God will not rest until the matter is settled for us.
Thank you for joining us!
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