Dover Assembly of God
12.1.2019 | Biblical Life Lessons - Heaven - Part I
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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December 1, 2019
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 & Donuts
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministries
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Monday
7:00 pm ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Wednesday
6:30 pm ~ CAROLING @ PROVIDENCE PLACE
Friday
6:30 pm ~ Deacon Board Christmas Dinner
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Saturday Night Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kid's Christmas Play
The R.O.C.K. kids will be doing a short skit for Christmas on Sunday, Dec 15. All parents should have received a letter about this by now. If you have not received it, please see Anna. Also, please make sure your children are here every Sunday as they will be practicing during Children’s Church following their lesson. Kids Christmas Skit dress rehearsal: Sat., Dec. 14, 9:00 am to noon, pizza lunch provided.
Christmas Caroling
We are going to Providence Place on Wednesday Dec 4. We will meet at church at 6:30 and take the church van over.
New Life For Girls - DATE CHANGE
We have had to reschedule the New Life Girls for sometime in the new year. As soon as we get a confirmed date, we will let you know.
Christmas Dinners
As Christmas approaches, various ministries will be having their respective dinners. Please see the dates below and sign up for the dinners you plan to attend.
~ Dec 12 ~ Men’s Ministry will be going to Buffalo Wild Wings @ 6:30 pm
~ Dec 13 ~ Women’s Ministry will be going to Dee D’Agostino’s home @ 6:00 pm
BODY NEWS
Annual Business Meeting
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sun., Jan. 19, one of the items we will be covering is voting for Deacon Board members. The process at Dover Assembly for the election of our Deacon members is to encourage our voting members to submit names of other voting members whom they prayerfully feel would best serve our church and our Lord, Jesus Christ. The church agreed to limit the number of board members to 5 instead of 6 this year as we seek to re-establish the policy of electing 2 new board members per year. This year we have 1 member (Keith Miller) who has reached the limit of (2) 3 year terms and must sit out for one year. Therefore we will need to elect 2 new members to bring our total to 5 board members this year. There are nominating forms at the Information Center. Please write the names of those who you would like to nominate, sign it and place them in the ballot box. We will only consider names of nominees from this ballot box. If you do not put the ballot in this secured box, the ballot will not be valid for consideration. Our nominating committee will review all nominees to determine if all constitutional requirements are met by that candidate. The eligible nominees will be contacted and asked to pray over acceptance or rejection of the nomination. The names of those who accept the nomination are then presented to the church body three (3) weeks prior to the annual business meeting. Nomination ballots will be accepted until Sunday, Dec 8.
Texting
We are continuing to expand the way we share information through texting. If you would like to receive periodic updates, weather cancellations, church information, encouraging quotes, etc. please fill out a blue card in the pew rack with your name and cell number with the word TEXT. Place it in the offering plate, or hand it to an usher and we will add you to our ever-growing list.
Holiday Benevolence
If you would like to contribute to our benevolence fund in order to supply items to families over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, please use the envelopes provided in the pew racks and indicate “benevolence”. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Snow Cancellations
Should we have the need to cancel any of our services due to inclement weather, we will put that information on our Facebook page, our website, and the local TV stations [WGAL-CH 8, CBS 21, ABC 27, FOX 43, CW 15] If you would like to sign up for a TEXT on your cell phone that will indicate the status of our services, please fill out the blue & white card with your name and cell phone number. Please be sure to hand them into our Information Center and we will add you to our list.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Dec 6 ~ Deacon Board Christmas Dinner
Dec 12 ~ Men’s Ministry Christmas Dinner
Dec 13 ~ Women’s Christmas Dinner
Dec 14 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Dress Rehearsal-Lunch provided
Dec 15 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Skit
Dec 18 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Christmas Party
Dec 22 ~ New Life For Girls / Luncheon
Dec 24 ~ Christmas Eve Service
Dec 25 ~ Christmas-NO FAMILY NIGHT
Dec 29 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids in Main Service
Dec 31 ~ New Year’s Eve
Jan 1 ~ New Year’s Day-NO SERVICE
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Dec 1 ~ Dakoda Reed
Dec 2 ~ Leon Conley
Dec 3 ~ Darlene Osborn
Dec 5 ~ Diane Crumrine
Dec 8 ~ Jamie Wible
Dec 8 ~ Dominic Blanchard
Dec 18 ~ Kim Coleman
Dec 24 ~ Gladys Johnston
Dec 30 ~ Mark Crumrine
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 & Donuts
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministries
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Monday
7:00 pm ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Wednesday
6:30 pm ~ CAROLING @ PROVIDENCE PLACE
Friday
6:30 pm ~ Deacon Board Christmas Dinner
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Saturday Night Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kid's Christmas Play
The R.O.C.K. kids will be doing a short skit for Christmas on Sunday, Dec 15. All parents should have received a letter about this by now. If you have not received it, please see Anna. Also, please make sure your children are here every Sunday as they will be practicing during Children’s Church following their lesson. Kids Christmas Skit dress rehearsal: Sat., Dec. 14, 9:00 am to noon, pizza lunch provided.
Christmas Caroling
We are going to Providence Place on Wednesday Dec 4. We will meet at church at 6:30 and take the church van over.
New Life For Girls - DATE CHANGE
We have had to reschedule the New Life Girls for sometime in the new year. As soon as we get a confirmed date, we will let you know.
Christmas Dinners
As Christmas approaches, various ministries will be having their respective dinners. Please see the dates below and sign up for the dinners you plan to attend.
~ Dec 12 ~ Men’s Ministry will be going to Buffalo Wild Wings @ 6:30 pm
~ Dec 13 ~ Women’s Ministry will be going to Dee D’Agostino’s home @ 6:00 pm
BODY NEWS
Annual Business Meeting
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sun., Jan. 19, one of the items we will be covering is voting for Deacon Board members. The process at Dover Assembly for the election of our Deacon members is to encourage our voting members to submit names of other voting members whom they prayerfully feel would best serve our church and our Lord, Jesus Christ. The church agreed to limit the number of board members to 5 instead of 6 this year as we seek to re-establish the policy of electing 2 new board members per year. This year we have 1 member (Keith Miller) who has reached the limit of (2) 3 year terms and must sit out for one year. Therefore we will need to elect 2 new members to bring our total to 5 board members this year. There are nominating forms at the Information Center. Please write the names of those who you would like to nominate, sign it and place them in the ballot box. We will only consider names of nominees from this ballot box. If you do not put the ballot in this secured box, the ballot will not be valid for consideration. Our nominating committee will review all nominees to determine if all constitutional requirements are met by that candidate. The eligible nominees will be contacted and asked to pray over acceptance or rejection of the nomination. The names of those who accept the nomination are then presented to the church body three (3) weeks prior to the annual business meeting. Nomination ballots will be accepted until Sunday, Dec 8.
Texting
We are continuing to expand the way we share information through texting. If you would like to receive periodic updates, weather cancellations, church information, encouraging quotes, etc. please fill out a blue card in the pew rack with your name and cell number with the word TEXT. Place it in the offering plate, or hand it to an usher and we will add you to our ever-growing list.
Holiday Benevolence
If you would like to contribute to our benevolence fund in order to supply items to families over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, please use the envelopes provided in the pew racks and indicate “benevolence”. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Snow Cancellations
Should we have the need to cancel any of our services due to inclement weather, we will put that information on our Facebook page, our website, and the local TV stations [WGAL-CH 8, CBS 21, ABC 27, FOX 43, CW 15] If you would like to sign up for a TEXT on your cell phone that will indicate the status of our services, please fill out the blue & white card with your name and cell phone number. Please be sure to hand them into our Information Center and we will add you to our list.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Dec 6 ~ Deacon Board Christmas Dinner
Dec 12 ~ Men’s Ministry Christmas Dinner
Dec 13 ~ Women’s Christmas Dinner
Dec 14 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Dress Rehearsal-Lunch provided
Dec 15 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Skit
Dec 18 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids Christmas Party
Dec 22 ~ New Life For Girls / Luncheon
Dec 24 ~ Christmas Eve Service
Dec 25 ~ Christmas-NO FAMILY NIGHT
Dec 29 ~ R.O.C.K. Kids in Main Service
Dec 31 ~ New Year’s Eve
Jan 1 ~ New Year’s Day-NO SERVICE
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Dec 1 ~ Dakoda Reed
Dec 2 ~ Leon Conley
Dec 3 ~ Darlene Osborn
Dec 5 ~ Diane Crumrine
Dec 8 ~ Jamie Wible
Dec 8 ~ Dominic Blanchard
Dec 18 ~ Kim Coleman
Dec 24 ~ Gladys Johnston
Dec 30 ~ Mark Crumrine
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Week 12 - December 1, 2019 - Pastor Jeff Bender
We have been talking lately about what God says about certain issues that we face in our lives. We mentioned godliness, fear, resentment, the cost of being a Christian.
Now we’re going to change it up a bit. We’re going to tackle the light-hearted issue of what happens when we die.
Specifically, heaven.
We have preached on hell before but never heaven. There are countless scriptures that allude or describe heaven.
I’m not sure how much we think about it. In fact it probably only crosses our mind when someone we know passes away. And we might hear it in the funeral message.
And I’m sure we all have some kind of image in our minds about it, so let’s see what God says about heaven. I’m going to look at it a bit differently. I’m going to ask a question and see what the Bible says about that question.
If you google “questions about heaven”, you’ll get a ton of responses. Some biblical, some not. So hopefully we can limit the confusion.
Now we’re going to change it up a bit. We’re going to tackle the light-hearted issue of what happens when we die.
Specifically, heaven.
We have preached on hell before but never heaven. There are countless scriptures that allude or describe heaven.
I’m not sure how much we think about it. In fact it probably only crosses our mind when someone we know passes away. And we might hear it in the funeral message.
And I’m sure we all have some kind of image in our minds about it, so let’s see what God says about heaven. I’m going to look at it a bit differently. I’m going to ask a question and see what the Bible says about that question.
If you google “questions about heaven”, you’ll get a ton of responses. Some biblical, some not. So hopefully we can limit the confusion.
1) DOES THE BIBLE SAY A LOT ABOUT HEAVEN?
The Bible started out with the very first verse talking about heaven and near the end of Revelation.
The Bible started out with the very first verse talking about heaven and near the end of Revelation.
Jesus, in Matthew alone mentions heaven 70 times.
In John, he talks about rooms, mansions, and that we will be with Him.
In John, he talks about rooms, mansions, and that we will be with Him.
2) WHEN WAS HEAVEN CREATED?
Well, it was not created, it like God always was. When we think of the word heaven, we probably look to Genesis 1:1.
Well, it was not created, it like God always was. When we think of the word heaven, we probably look to Genesis 1:1.
The word “Heaven” in this sentence means physical sky.
Not the place we think of. It also can mean “the space of the universe”.
Not the place we think of. It also can mean “the space of the universe”.
It literally means “atmosphere”.
Those would be the “2 heavens”.
Now we come to what we are talking about today . . .
Those would be the “2 heavens”.
Now we come to what we are talking about today . . .
This is the only reference that shows heaven as God’s dwelling place.
In this same story, Paul shows that heaven and paradise are linked.
In this same story, Paul shows that heaven and paradise are linked.
If heaven is God’s dwelling place, John tells us that it has always been.
So, the answer is that it was not created. It has always been.
The Bible then tells us that the first 2 created heavens will be gone, but not the 3rd heaven.
The Bible then tells us that the first 2 created heavens will be gone, but not the 3rd heaven.
The atmosphere, universe and sky will all be destroyed, but God’s eternal home will not.
3) WHERE IS HEAVEN?
It is where God lives.
It is where God lives.
Since the Bible tells us that God cannot be contained to a certain space or time, then it goes that neither can heaven be given a specific place or dimension.
Eternity by definition is outside of our time and space. So heaven is not some set of coordinates that we can locate on the Hubble telescope.
Regardless of what Time magazine or anyone else tells you, you can’t spot or see heaven from here. It is outside our physical universe.
If the universe is going to be destroyed then God’s Heaven cannot be in our universe. So to spend time and energy thinking about where it is and trying to find it is a waste of time.
Regardless of what Time magazine or anyone else tells you, you can’t spot or see heaven from here. It is outside our physical universe.
If the universe is going to be destroyed then God’s Heaven cannot be in our universe. So to spend time and energy thinking about where it is and trying to find it is a waste of time.
4) WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
It is not a bunch of clouds that we will sit on. It will have tangible, physical structures.
It is not a bunch of clouds that we will sit on. It will have tangible, physical structures.
It will have vineyards that produce wine.
It is also referred to as a country with cities.
It is a place of perfection with nothing but joy! We all know the verse . . . Revelation 21:4 . . .
Right now, everyone will have a reason or 2 to cry. Everyone will experience death-either their own or those they love.
When we experience death or loss, we mourn. No more.
And we all have or will experience pain.
All the things that make life difficult and unhappy will be taken away.
All the reasons we have now to not enjoy our blessings-gone!
All that remains will be joy.
When we experience death or loss, we mourn. No more.
And we all have or will experience pain.
All the things that make life difficult and unhappy will be taken away.
All the reasons we have now to not enjoy our blessings-gone!
All that remains will be joy.
5) WHAT WILL WE SEE IN HEAVEN?
Because Heaven is beyond our human words and minds to comprehend, what the Bible tells us is what we are able to understand.
And these examples are not all there is. These are just a few of the many descriptive verses about heaven.
a) You will see Jesus in His glory.
Because Heaven is beyond our human words and minds to comprehend, what the Bible tells us is what we are able to understand.
And these examples are not all there is. These are just a few of the many descriptive verses about heaven.
a) You will see Jesus in His glory.
b) We will see and participate in worship:
Before we read the next few verses, think about when we are in a huge convention center and you have hundreds or thousands or men or women worshipping . . .
Before we read the next few verses, think about when we are in a huge convention center and you have hundreds or thousands or men or women worshipping . . .
So, is it ONLY worship in heaven? Will all we do is sing? Or have one continuous church service?
That sentence assumes that church services are boring and who wants that for eternity?
No it’s not one long service. It also assumes there will be nothing else to do.
But we’ll get to that part later.
That sentence assumes that church services are boring and who wants that for eternity?
No it’s not one long service. It also assumes there will be nothing else to do.
But we’ll get to that part later.
c) The images will be something like we see in a good sci-Fi movie with CGI
Talking about the Great City of Jerusalem . . .
Talking about the Great City of Jerusalem . . .
In short, heaven is a place that is very hard to describe in our language or understanding.
God allows us a glimpse so we can be excited about what our future holds.
God allows us a glimpse so we can be excited about what our future holds.
Why study about heaven? Isn’t it enough to just wait until we get there?
I believe God allows us this glimpse so that we do have something better to look forward to.
There’s a saying: If you are a believer, earth is the closest you’ll get to hell. If you do not believe, earth is the closest you’ll get to heaven.
Everyone who is living will at some point have discouragement, pain, suffering, heartache and death.
When we find ourselves in those places, we should take some time and think about what is promised to us . . .
I believe God allows us this glimpse so that we do have something better to look forward to.
There’s a saying: If you are a believer, earth is the closest you’ll get to hell. If you do not believe, earth is the closest you’ll get to heaven.
Everyone who is living will at some point have discouragement, pain, suffering, heartache and death.
When we find ourselves in those places, we should take some time and think about what is promised to us . . .
We send our kids to school. And for the most part they don’t like it. Some may even hate it because of the work, the harassment, bullying, whatever they face.
But we send them to prepare them for a better future. We allow them to “suffer” because we know that when school is done for them, the amount of hardships they experienced will pale in comparison to the benefits they receive because of their education.
The 12 years of school is minimal compared to the rest of their lives.
So the hardships we face here while they are difficult, are easier to endure when we think about what is waiting for us.
If this life is the best that Christianity can offer then we are in trouble.
If there is nothing to look forward to, then why serve God?
But we send them to prepare them for a better future. We allow them to “suffer” because we know that when school is done for them, the amount of hardships they experienced will pale in comparison to the benefits they receive because of their education.
The 12 years of school is minimal compared to the rest of their lives.
So the hardships we face here while they are difficult, are easier to endure when we think about what is waiting for us.
If this life is the best that Christianity can offer then we are in trouble.
If there is nothing to look forward to, then why serve God?
Heaven is the future reward for us as we trust Christ in this life.
Thank you for joining us!
If you haven't already, be sure to check out our website and follow us on social media @doverassembly! Have a great week!
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