Rio Vista Church Sermons

The mission we're on is one of God's truth lived out and spoken out by us, in a world full of people who have trouble acknowledging that truth even exists. What do we value more than Jesus and the truth of his word that leads us to him and to life?

God is our refuge and rest. A beautiful concept, a familiar statement, but do we truly believe it? David reveals in Psalm 62 why life necessitates this beautiful concept to be lived out, and challenges us to ask "What do we pour our heart out to?"

Jesus faced the devil’s greatest temptations, willingly suffered to sympathize with our tears, and pressed on through that suffering while refusing to let go of the faithful promises of God.

Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount by prompting us to examine ourselves so we might be able to answer the question: Are we in, or are we out? Are we doing life together with him, or are we not? The answer is in the fruit.

When Jesus famously said that we should not judge others lest we be judged ourselves, what did he mean? When he said ask and it will be given to you, did he mean we’ll get ANYTHING we ask for? Tom Hendrikse answers that, and more, in this week’s message.

At Rio, we define your "treasure" as your time, your talents, and your money. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that treasure is that which directs our hearts. Where we invest our treasure is where our hearts will be.

Jesus cautions against practicing righteousness to gain the approval of men. The blessed life, which is a life lived in relationship with him, seeks the approval of God. If you seek man's approval, you may get it, but that's all the reward you'll have.

Jesus teaches in his Sermon on the Mount about the kingdom of heaven, which can only be found through faith in him. It exists in the hearts of his people right now, we don't have to wait until we die to live in it.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus describes the blessed life. That begins in a relationship with Him. Tom Hendrikse reveals how each Beatitude is another facet of the blessed life that we find in Jesus.

Tom Hendrikse reflects on the anticlimactic way the story ends for the Apostle Paul. Because, Paul's story wasn't about Paul, and our stories aren't about us. If we're living a life in mission, the story that’s being told THROUGH us is the story of Jesus!

The life Jesus lived on earth was one marked by sacrifice, self-denial, and suffering. Tom Hendrikse reveals that pattern in the story of Paul’s journey to Rome to stand trial before Ceasar and explains that we will have it in our lives also.

The life lived in mission is a life of separations. We separate ourselves from everything we would cling to in this world, to live the life that God has planned for us, in light of the life that is to come.

A life lived in mission is one where every part of it belongs to God and follows the pattern of the life of Jesus. Even when we are waiting for deliverance, we have to know it will come, because this life is not the only life there is.

The life in mission is one in which the gospel is demonstrated through our lives, how we care for one another and how we care for the weakest among us. But sometimes, we’re called to speak this gospel out loud, to share it in words with others.

Life in mission is living as one who has been set free. Freedom comes from the gospel and is real even if our present circumstances say otherwise. Tom Hendrikse challenges us to take the gospel and its mercies to a world that desperately needs to be free.

The Apostle Paul, on his way to Jerusalem, stopped in a city about 30 miles from Ephesus. There he called the elders from the church at Ephesus to come meet him, and he gave them what amounts to his last will and testament.

We are called to lay down our lives after the fashion of Jesus, to do what he did. To take his message and gospel mercies to the world. That mission requires us to forsake our idols, to turn away from those things that we, in truth, have turned to.

What do you need to know in order to be saved? How does God prove himself and show that his message of salvation is true? Tom Hendrikse takes up the question of the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism of Jesus, and signs and miracles.

The apostle Paul worked to change the ancient city of Corinth from the inside out, by transforming its people. And that's how we can change our own city, by living the mission every day, in everything we do -- including our jobs.

To restore the peace of God and bring his order to a world of chaos, you begin with this: You must know God and have a relationship with him. Matt Lomenick brings a message about Paul in the city of Athens and the sermon on Mars Hill to illustrate this.

On this Independence Day Weekend, Sam Kastensmidt delivers the message that the gospel and the church is the only hope of a nation.

To accomplish anything great, you must sacrifice. There is nothing more worthy of our sacrifice than the mission. God sacrificed his own son and while he may not call us to make a sacrifice like that, he WILL require sacrifice from us at some point.

Life is Mission means ALL OF LIFE. The problem is our desire to compartmentalize our lives and offer God the pieces we think he should have, keeping the rest for ourselves and keeping God out. This week Tom shows us that even our FAILURES are mission.

If we're honest, being a parent is equal parts awesome and terrifying. In this message, Pastor Tom Hendrikse poses the question "What are you raising your children to be? A great doctor, lawyer, or athlete? Or a great follower of Jesus Christ?"

The council of elders in the first church decided that the church stood for FREEDOM. Freedom from religious law, yes, but Tom Hendrikse tells us we stand for freedom TO something as well — the freedom to live in mission, giving our lives to Jesus.