Restoration Community Church

GCL - Pretending and Performing

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues our sermon series through the Gospel-Centered Life. In this episode, Chris shares ways that we "shrink the cross" by pretending and performing. We make ourselves out to be something we are not and we minimize God's holiness by thinking it is a level we can attain by our own effort.

Passages: Colossians 1:21-23

GCL - The Cross Chart

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church begins our sermon series through the Gospel-Centered Life. In this episode, Chris seeks to help us increase our awareness of God's holiness and the sinfulness of our lives. By being honest with our brokenness, the cross which connects the gulf, will loom larger in our lives.

Passages: Colossians 1:3-6; 2 Peter 1:3-8

The New Creation

Dave Bindewald, director of the Center for Play and Exploration gave the message this week. He shared from Revelation chapter 21 which describes the new creation. He encouraged us to expand our vision of what heaven will be like in that age to come. 

Passage: Revelation 21

Four Different Views on the Millennium

Pastor Chris Ansell of CityReach Church Swissvale looks at a difficult portion of Scripture in the book of Revelation, Christ's millennial reign. He breaks down four different ways that Christians have interpreted this passage over the years. Regardless of which position we land on, this doctrine is not an essential to the faith, and therefore we should show grace and generosity to those who might hold a different position than our own.

Passage: Revelation 20:1-15

NCC 20 - Who is the Redeemer?

Pastor Chris Ansell of CityReach Church Swissvale returns to the New City Catechism. This week he investigates the identity of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Through the precious blood of Jesus, he redeemed us, setting our worth, and displaying his love for us.

Catechism: Who is the Redeemer?

A: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin himself.

Amazing Grace

Mike Pierson, Chaplain at the Washington County Jail, fills the pulpit of CityReach Swissvale. Mike looks at God's amazing grace through the experience of one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus. He reminds us that there is no distance we could travel away from God, that he wouldn't welcome us back in an instant.

Passage: Luke 23:32-43

Being Known By God

Bobbi Perkins, University Minister at Bellefield Presbyterian Church, fills the pulpit of CityReach Swissvale. Bobbi examines what it means to be known by God. God sees all of our flaws and has accepted us through Jesus Christ. She encourages us to name our shortcomings before God and to create safe spaces so that others can find that freedom as well.

Passage: Hebrews 4:14-16

The Genealogy of Jesus

Andy Moore, University Minister at Bellefield Presbyterian Church, fills the pulpit of CityReach Swissvale. Andy looks at the intro to the gospel of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus. There is rich content in stories of the people named, but Andy encourages us to not only see this as the genealogy of Jesus Christ, but as as well.

Passage: Matthew 1:1-17

Moving Towards Jesus

Pastor Chris Ansell of CityReach Church Swissvale encourages us to rethink how we think about following Jesus. Instead of a bounded-set framework where we decide who is in and who is out, he encourages us to focus on a centered-set perspective which focuses on proximity and direction towards the source of Jesus Christ. He uses two stories involving Mary and Martha to showcase different avenues for this to happen in our lives.

Passage: Luke 10:38-42; John 11:17-27

P.S. We apologize for the static, we had some technical difficulty on Sunday with our equipment.

Lament - Psalm 77

Shaq Hager, co-pastor of Garden City Church fills the pulpit of CityReach Swissvale. Shaq looks at a Psalm of lament and provides insight into how the Psalms give us permission to cry out to God when our experience in the world doesn't match our expectation of our experience of God's kingdom.

Passage: Psalm 77