Restoration Community Church

Craving Justice

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church concludes an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for justice. Soon after the birth of the promised Messiah, King Herod attempts to strike out against this threat to his job security by slaughtering infants in the town of Bethlehem. The wait for true justice is not yet over.

Passages: Matthew 2:13-18; Jeremiah 31:16-17; 2 Peter 3:9

Craving Love

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for love. Dr. Larry Crabb says that in our relationships we look for two elements, security and significance. We examined how human relationships ultimately fall short of this need and only God can truly fulfill us.

Passages: 1 John 4:7-8; Psalm 36:5; Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 54:10; Romans 5:6-8; John 4:10; Galatians 4:4-5

Craving Joy

Michael Thornhill of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for joy. Is it possible to experience the joy of the Lord in the midst of our struggles? Much like "walking and chewing gum" at the same time?

Craving Peace

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for peace in the world. It doesn't take long to look around and find places of strife, violence, and disorder. As we wait in the season of Advent, we wait for Jesus to return to give us peace, not just the absence of violence, but true shalom.

Passages: Psalm 120:6-7; Isaiah 9:6-7; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-16; John 14:27; John 16:32-33; Matthew 5:9; Isaiah 2:4; Romans 12:17-18

Craving Hope

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church begins an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for hope in the world. Trauma, illness, conflict, many things can cause us to despair. How does the sign of Jesus give us hope that we are not alone?

Passages: Job 2:9; Job 19:25; Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:21-23; John 16:33; Psalm 42/43:5

It’s Just a Matter of Time

Our friend, Dave Bindewald, delivers the message at Restoration Community Church this week. He explores why Christians should never make claims like "things will always be this way" or "it is never going to change." In the faithfulness of God, even when hope is difficult, transformation will occur.

Gratitude in Seasons of Suffering

Our friend, Michael Thornhill, delivers the message at Restoration Community Church this week. Looking at the history of the book of Lamentations, he encourages us to see how gratitude can help us gain perspective amid suffering.

Passages: Lamentations 3:22-23

Tithing 101

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church explores the biblical concept of tithing. Is tithing required for believers under the New Covenant?

Passages: Genesis 14:17-20; Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21; Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Malachi 3:8-9; Matthew 23:23; Luke 18:9-14; Matthew 19:23-24; Luke 6:20, 24; Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:10

NCC24: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church returns to the New City Catechism for this week's message. This is question 24 of the NCC:

Q: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?

A: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.

Passages: Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:21; Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 5:11; John 3:16; Hebrews 10:14

God’s Provision and Paul’s Contentment

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church concludes an 8-week look at Paul's letter to the Philippians. At the close of the letter we see Paul thank the Philippians church for their financial support of him. We look at themes of gratitude and contentment.

Passages: Philippians 4:10-23; Proverbs 30:8-9