Rio Vista Church Sermons

Pastor Sam Kastensmidt reflects on what it means to love our neighbors and faithfully live as followers of Christ. As we celebrate God's faithfulness to our nation, we're reminded to fix our hope not on earthly kingdoms, but on Christ and His unshakable kingdom.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse shows us that Jesus has authority over everything that holds power in our lives, including sickness, sin, evil, nature, and even death. As we behold our King, we're invited to bring every burden to Him, trust His authority, and follow Him so that others may come to know Him as well.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse explores Jesus’ challenging call to examine our own hearts before judging others. As we learn to approach people with humility, wisdom, and dependence on God, we're invited to trust our Father, who delights in giving good gifts and transforming even the people and situations that seem impossible to change.

Pastor Charlie Halleran reminds us that our lives are always being shaped by what we value most. Jesus invites us into a deeper way of living—one where trust replaces anxiety and our hearts are formed by the priorities of God's kingdom.

Student Ministry Director Will Buschmann walks through the Beatitudes, showing how the blessed life Jesus describes is ultimately a picture of Jesus Himself. As we see Christ in the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers, we're invited to embrace the values of His kingdom and let our lives shine as salt and light in the world.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse walks through Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, revealing how the enemy twists our appetites, circumstances, and understanding of God’s Word in an attempt to pull us away from trust and obedience. As Jesus resists every temptation and remains faithful where we so often fail, we’re invited to surrender our hunger, our fears, and our worship fully to Him.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse explores the message of John the Baptist and the road that leads to Jesus: repentance. More than feeling sorry for what we’ve done, repentance invites us to honestly confront who we are, allow Jesus to transform us from the inside out, and bear the kind of fruit that comes from a changed life.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse explores the journey of the wise men, who followed the light of Christ with hearts ready to worship and surrender. We’re invited to consider what we may still be holding onto and whether we’re willing to lay it down before the true King.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse leads us through the story of Jesus’ birth in Matthew 1, showing how encountering Jesus reshapes everything and calls for wholehearted surrender. When we truly see Him, we’re willing to joyfully give up anything to have Him, and like Joseph, we’re invited to trust God, lay down what stands in the way, and embrace the One who is better.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse walks us through the story of Samson in Judges 16, reminding us that there is always hope, it’s never too late, and there is always a point! Even in Samson’s lowest moment, we see a God who is still working and still strengthening. We’re invited to surrender our own way and trust the Lord who can bring new life from broken places.

Pastor Mason Brown walks through the story of Samson and Delilah, revealing how compromise starts with impulse, grows through a refusal to be taught, is protected by isolation, and hardens into pride. As we see Samson’s strength vanish, we’re invited to turn from empty wells, step into authentic community, and pursue the life God truly offers.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse reflects on the story of Samson in Judges 14, where desire and impulse lead him to pursue what is “right in his own eyes” instead of God’s will. Even in human failure, we see God still at work, confronting what stands against Him and calling His people to faithfulness. This message invites us to examine what we are pursuing, reject the lies that there is no hope or it is too l...

Pastor Tom Hendrikse invites us to imagine what it would be like to encounter the risen Jesus face to face. In John 20, as Jesus stands among His disciples, we behold the reality of the resurrection and consider how His presence changes everything.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse reflects on the end of David’s life, where gratitude rises from a lifetime of experiencing God’s saving presence and faithful work. As David looks back, we’re invited to consider what we’re looking for, what we’re remembering, and how we can recognize and give thanks for God’s hand in our own story.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse explores what it looks like to trust God when you feel trapped in a cave, surrounded by impossible odds. Through Psalm 142 and David’s restraint in the wilderness, we’re invited to cry out to God, trust His presence, and wait expectantly for His deliverance in HIs timing.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse walks through the wilderness of betrayal, where David turns to God in the midst of deep relational pain. Through Psalm 54, we’re invited to bring our own wounds to the Lord, appealing to His name, trusting in His power, and resting in His justice when trust has been broken.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse looks at David’s time in the wilderness and how fear, desperation, and uncertainty became the setting for deeper trust in God. Through Psalm 34, we’re invited to learn how to pray in the wilderness by praising the Lord, remembering His goodness, and trusting that He is near to the brokenhearted and working good even in our hardest moments.

Pastor Sam Kastensmidt leads us through Psalm 52, showing how David responds to betrayal and violence by anchoring himself in the steadfast love of God. When evil seems to have the upper hand, we’re invited to become like a planted olive tree, trusting that God’s covenant love outlasts every moment of darkness.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse opens our Lenten journey by exploring why God leads His people into the wilderness and what He intends to form in us there. As we learn from Psalm 59, we’re invited to trust Him as our refuge, surrender to His shaping work, and seek Him through prayer, fasting, and personal worship.

Pastor Brian Brookins unpacks Philippians 4:10–20, revealing that true contentment isn’t found in abundance or diminished by need but learned through dependence on Christ. As we explore the secret, practice, source, and goal of contentment, we’re invited to trust God’s provision, hold our desires loosely, and anchor our joy in the One who strengthens us in every circumstance.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse reminds us that the ‘weird stuff,’ properly understood, is simply normal Christianity, especially when it comes to spiritual warfare and freedom. As we confront unforgiveness, ungodly beliefs, generational sin, and unhealthy ties, we are invited to stand firm in Christ’s victory, resist the enemy, and put on the full armor of God through confession, authority, and prayer.

Pastor Charlie Halleran continues The Weird Stuff by addressing spiritual oppression, possession, and freedom through the victory of Jesus. As Scripture reveals Christ’s triumph over the powers of darkness, we’re invited to take comfort in belonging to Him, close the door to the enemy’s influence, and live in the freedom He has already secured.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse invites us to see beyond what is visible as Scripture reveals a spiritual reality filled with God’s presence and care. Through stories of healing, angelic protection, and unseen battles, we’re reminded that Jesus, the King of Angels, has come to rescue us, and that no matter what we face, we are never alone.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse helps us understand that what often feels like the ‘weird stuff’ of Christianity is actually normal, biblical faith—especially when it comes to spiritual opposition. By looking at who Satan is, what he’s up to, and how Scripture calls us to respond, we’re invited to submit ourselves to God, resist the accuser’s lies, and walk in the freedom of truth.

Pastor Tom Hendrikse helps us rethink the ‘weird stuff’—reminding us that gifts like tongues, healing, and prophecy aren’t strange, but expressions of the Holy Spirit’s real and present work in the church. As we look at Scripture and wrestle honestly with our expectations, we’re invited to trust the Lord who still speaks, believe for more, and open our lives to the Spirit’s power today.