Oak Pointe Church • Novi

A New Master Scripture: Romans 6:8-14 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church The Christian life has never been for the faint of heart – not in the first century and still not in the twenty-first century. Doubt, sadness, and temptation are as present as ever, waging war internally, harassing our souls, and seeking to snuff out our faith. So how do we escape the constant assault of sin on our hearts and minds? Romans chapter six has an answer for us this week.

The New Life of Grace Scripture: Romans 6:1-7 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church In 1911, Julia H. Johnston penned the lyrics to the hymn, Grace Greater Than Our Sin. The chorus is quite simple: Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin. That last line causes so many Christians to wobble in their faith. The operative word is “all.” Do you believe that God’s grace exceeds ALL your sin? To see us move from merely newish to genuinely made new, Pastor Jon challenges us this weekend to match up two critical facets of the Christian life.

New or New-ish? Week 2

Only Sinners Welcome Scripture: Romans 5:1-11 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church Are you made new? Or are you just new-ish? That’s the central question of Pastor Jon’s series that begins this weekend in the book of Romans. Even though Jesus came to make all things new – including you and me – our transformation from old to new can be slow and shallow. But how we view ourselves is the catalyst to real change. Coming to grips with the depth of our sin allows the gospel to transform our lives profoundly.

Worship Over Worry Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 Speaker: Caleb Middleton, The Rock Middle School Ministry Pastor We all begin a new year with the very best of intentions. This will be the year of breaking bad habits, being more intentional with our time and money, getting in shape, or completing neglected projects. So we launch the year with our new calendars, journals, to-do lists, financial budgets, and workout plans, all focused on being better at doing things. Similarly, as we consider deepening our relationship with God in 2023, our tendency is to move toward tasks. But what is behind this drive toward doing? How can we make sure that in doing things for God, we don’t neglect what is actually better – being with him?

New Ending Scripture: Luke 2:22-35 Speaker: Adam Schultz, Adult Ministries Pastor We wrap up our All Things New series with the story of someone closer to his end than his beginning. Promised he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Messiah, Simeon had patiently waited in Jerusalem for that opportunity. He believed into old age that God had this particular encounter prepared for him. As Americans, we don’t wait well. But we can learn from Simeon that God has purposes for our perseverance.

All Things New - Christmas Eve

New Understanding Scripture: Luke 1:67-80 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church This Advent season, we’re looking at five new things Jesus brings us with his coming. In week one, we looked at new joy through the lens of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. In week two, through Mary’s song, we explored the new power that comes from magnifying the Lord. This weekend through the prophecy of Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, we’ll discover how the Incarnation brings us a new understanding of our own story. It’s week three of All Things New!

New Power Scripture: Luke 1:46–56 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church Why are songs so memorable? Is it the notes that grip us? Is it the lyrics that capture us? Actually, it’s both. The weight of a story combined with the emotion of music can stir our souls deeply. Songs are powerful! But true power comes from something else. We discover that something through Mary’s song this weekend as we continue our Advent series All Things New.

New Joy Scripture: Luke 1:39–45 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church The Gospel of Luke provides incredible detail about the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. In our Advent series, All Things New, Pastor Jon will explore the intricacies of the nativity story from Luke 1–2 and note the new things that can make a marked difference in how we celebrate the coming of our Savior. This week, we’ll marvel at the joyful interaction between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her relative, Elizabeth, who was also expecting a unique child. The power of God’s coming kingdom is displayed as their two children meet for the very first time.

Harvest Time Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church "Harassed and helpless." Does this describe you? And are these sentiments magnified by the sense that no one notices or cares? When Jesus saw the crowds in Matthew 9, this was precisely what he perceived — a mass of humanity, distressed and overwhelmed. But he didn't turn a blind eye or begin avoidance maneuvers. He saw them — just as he sees you — and his compassion turns to action. As we conclude our Outsiders In series, Jesus invites us to move with him toward the harassed and helpless today.

Fame and Opposition Scripture: Matthew 9:27-34 Speaker: Adam Mashni, 707 High School Ministry Pastor Desperation is a great motivator! We’ll try almost anything if we’re running out of options. This week, desperate people come to Jesus, sometimes bringing their friends. As Jesus heals and drives out demons, his fame grows. People are amazed, and some even believe, but not everyone is happy about it. These varied responses lead to critical questions about what belief accomplishes in us.

Why Women Flock to Jesus Scripture: Matthew 9:18-26 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church In this week’s passage from the book of Matthew, we witness Jesus heal two women. The younger, the daughter of a synagogue leader, had died. The older suffered from a chronic condition lasting years. Having heard such stories many times before, we may be overly familiar with Jesus’ power to resurrect the dead and heal the sick. But when we observe the cultural context in which these miracles took place, a powerful lesson emerges that both women and men need to receive.

The Unexpected Kingdom Scripture: Matthew 9:14-17 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church Are you someone who likes change? Or do you prefer the way things were? Often, our answer depends on the lens through which we look. Last week in Matthew 9, we saw the Pharisees ask Jesus' disciples about the company he was keeping. This week, John the Baptist's disciples approach Jesus regarding his own disciples' behavior. While legitimate, each question belied how the different parties saw the situation. But Jesus' explanation brings clarity, and his vivid illustration provides a larger lesson for everyone, including his followers today!

The Call of Matthew Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13 Speaker: Rick Barry, The Rock Middle School Ministry Pastor If you’ve ever picked sides in a game of dodgeball, you know how this typically goes. The first chosen are the best athletes available or the best friends of the team captains. Those selected in the middle are merely mediocre. By the end, captains might not even want the remaining few. But Jesus does just the opposite when choosing teams. As we press onward in our Outsiders In series, we see the Lord extend a call to the last person anyone would pick to be a disciple. If you at all feel unworthy to be a follower of Jesus, this message is for you!