Restoration Community Church

The Spiritual Disciplines - Meditation

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church begins a new sermon series looking at the spiritual disciplines. We will be following the disciplines as described in Richard Foster's book. "Celebration of Discipline." This week the focus is on meditation. Meditation allows us to slow down enough to hear the voice of God and obey it.

Passages: James 5:17-18; Matthew 14:13; Luke 11:24-26; Psalm 19:1

Q&A Sunday - Angels

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church addresses another Q&A Sunday where participants can submit questions. This question involves our understanding of angels.

Question: "What is the role of angels in our interactions with them today? In the Old Testament they appear often as messengers and now we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Do we rely on them less for messages from God?"

Passages: Ezekiel 1:4-14; 10:9-15; Revelation 4:6-8; Psalm 99:1; Ezekiel 28:14; Hebrews 13:2

Let My Words Be Few

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church welcomes in the New Year challenging us to use this time to reorient ourselves to greater worship of God. Looking at the praise that comes from the living creatures in Revelation 4, what words or phrases would we use to celebrate the glory and character of God?

Passages: Revelation 4:6-8, Philippians 2:12-13

Advent - Love

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues the Advent season with a message about Love. In English we have on primary word (love) which covers a range of emotions. I might say "I love burritos" but that isn't the same love that I feel for my wife or children. Considering the Greek understanding of love, we examine the manger, to see the unconditional, sacrificial love of God on display.

Passages: Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 33:20-21; Psalm 136:26; Zephaniah 3:17; Exodus 34:6-7; John 3:16; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Advent - Joy

Andy Moore of Bellefield Presbyterian Church and the CCO fills the pulpit to continue our series through Advent. Andy preaches on the message of joy that was brought, not to the political elite, but the peasants, the shepherds with the birth announcement of Jesus Christ.

Passages: Luke 2:8-20

Advent - Peace

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues the Advent season with a message about Peace. In English, our context for peace is often the absence of conflict. In the Hebrew understanding, peace (shalom) meant far more; a wholeness and healing of the way things ought to be.

Passages: Isaiah 9:6; 35; 2:2-4; 41:1-4; 53:5; John 14:27; 16:33

Advent - Hope

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church kicks off the Advent season with a message about Hope. Much of the Christian life is waiting; the Old Testaments saints waited for their Messiah, we wait for the second coming of Jesus. In this season we pause our rhythms to remember the waiting of the past to help bolster our resolve to wait in the present, for God's future coming glory.

Passages: Isaiah 40:1-5; Isaiah 9:2-7; Isaiah 61:1-2; Revelation 19:11-13

I AM the Vine

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church concludes our series looking at the seven "I AM" statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. The final statement is, "I AM the vine." With this statement Jesus reminds us of our need to be continually connected to him as the source of life.

Passages: John 15:1-11; Psalm 80:8-11; Matthew 21:33-44

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues our series looking at the seven "I AM" statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. The sixth statement is, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life." The context of this statement is Jesus comforting his disciples that he is leaving to prepare a place for them with the Father. Even though there are strong exclusive claims to his statement, the scope of who is invited to follow Jesus as the way is universal. All are invited to participate with him.

Passages: John 14:1-14

I AM the Resurrection and the Life

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues our series looking at the seven "I AM" statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. The fifth statement is, "I AM the resurrection and the life." Jesus pairs this statement with his most epic miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead. In this encounter we see Jesus' outrage and fury at the intruder, death.

Passages: John 11:17-27; John 11:33-46