Advertise on podcast: Rio Vista Church Sermons

This week, Pastor Mason Brown continues our Why the Family series by exploring Jesus’ surprising teaching in Mark 3 about what it truly means to belong to God’s family. As Jesus challenges our assumptions about family relationships, we’re reminded that following Him takes priority over every earthly relationship and that God’s family is open to all who place their faith in Him.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse begins our new Why the Family series by exploring God's design for the family and why it is such a precious and important gift. Through Genesis 2, Deuteronomy 6, and Ephesians 2, we're reminded that family is central to personal and spiritual formation, and we're challenged to treasure our families, place the gospel at the heart of our homes, and embrace our responsibility to love and serve one another as members of God's family.

As we celebrate 25 years of Pastor Tom and Beth Hendrikse’s ministry at Rio Vista Church, Pastor Sam Kastensmidt looks to 1 Kings 12 and Matthew 11 to contrast the harsh leadership of King Rehoboam with the humble, servant-hearted leadership of Jesus. Through this contrast, we’re reminded that biblical leadership is rooted in humility and service, ultimately pointing us to Jesus, the King who gave Himself for His people.

As we celebrate 85 years of Rio Vista Church, Pastor Tom Hendrikse looks to Exodus 33 and reminds us of the truths that have carried us through generations: God is our goal, and Jesus is our mission. As we remember God's faithfulness in the past, we're challenged to seek His presence above His blessings, depend on His strength, and offer ourselves, our gifts, and our future to Him as we faithfully carry the gospel into the generations ahead.

This week, Pastor Sam Kastensmidt continues our Investing in Eternity series by exploring what Scripture teaches about tithes, offerings, and the spiritual discipline of generosity. Because everything we have belongs to God—and because He has already given everything for us in Christ—we’re invited to give freely and joyfully, using what He has entrusted to us to draw nearer to Him, bless others, and invest in what lasts for eternity.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse begins our Investing in Eternity series with Jesus’ parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16, challenging us to rethink how we use what God has entrusted to us. Because what we have now doesn’t truly belong to us and won’t last forever, Jesus calls us to see and seize the opportunity we have today to invest our resources in what will last for eternity.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse concludes our Jesus Over Everything series in Colossians 3, showing us what it looks like when Jesus isn’t simply part of our lives, but is our life. Because we have been made new in Christ, we’re called to set our minds on Him, put off the old self, put on the character of Jesus, and let Him transform everything we say and do.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse continues through Colossians 2, showing us that when Jesus is over everything, He gets the final word over what we believe, what we do, and what we fear. Because Jesus has forgiven our sin, canceled our debt, and triumphed over every power and authority, we can stop trusting in our own performance and instead root our lives in Him.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse continues through Colossians 1, showing us that Jesus really is over everything—the One who created all things, holds all things together, and gave Himself for us on the cross. Because we were created for Jesus, not simply to make Him a part of our lives, we’re challenged to trust Him with what we’re trying to hold together and surrender every part of our lives to Him.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse opens Colossians by exploring what it means to truly know Jesus and live a life transformed by Him. When Jesus is over everything, what we know about Him changes how we live—shaping our faith, producing love, and calling us to surrender our whole lives to the One who has rescued, redeemed, and forgiven us.

This week, Bethany Christian Head of School, Erik Most, explores Jesus’ words in John 14:6—“I am the way, and the truth, and the life”. As the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus brings us to the Father, fully reveals God to us, and gives His people life now and for eternity.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse closes our study of Matthew by looking at the resurrection of Jesus in Matthew 28. Jesus Christ is actually, physically, and literally risen from the dead, and that changes everything. So the question is simple: What are you going to do with that?

Pastor Sam Kastensmidt walks through the Passion of Christ in Matthew 26–27, inviting us to see the cross not only as the place of Jesus' physical suffering, but as the ultimate display of His love through betrayal, rejection, and sacrifice. As Jesus willingly gave up everything to redeem His people, we're challenged to respond like Mary of Bethany—with wholehearted worship, surrender, and gratitude for the Savior who considered us worth the cost.

Teaching Elder, David Richardson, walks through Jesus' parables, inviting us to examine the condition of our hearts and consider how we are responding to His Word. As we see the incomparable worth of God's kingdom, we're invited to turn to Christ today and ask Him for a growing passion to see others come to know Him.

Pastor Charlie Halleran walks through Jesus' parables, challenging us to consider the condition of our hearts and how we respond to His Word. As we see the surpassing worth of God's kingdom, we'll be invited to turn fully to Christ and ask Him for a growing passion to reach those who don't yet know Him.