Oak Pointe Church • Novi

Ruth: Meditations on God's Kindness Ruth 2:17-23 Certain retailers have a policy for when large merchandise is purchased, and it can’t fit into a bag. For example, you want to buy a vacuum: you take it to the register in its large box and pay for it. To prevent the customers from getting harassed at the door, cashiers will place a sticker on the item purchased that says, “Paid in Full.” With t...

Ruth: Meditations on God's Kindness Ruth 2:1-17 Sitting on a farm in Northern California is one of the world’s largest corn mazes. Boasting 42 acres of corn, visitors flock to the farm year after year to have a go at the challenging maze. Upon entering the maze, the path feels sporadic and random at best; guests don’t have the proper perspective to see that an intricate design has been carved...

Ruth: Meditations on God's Kindness Ruth 1:8-22 There is a common expression that asks the question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” Someone who says the glass is half-empty is said to have a negative outlook. They only see what’s missing or lacking, they have a generally pessimistic perspective. The other side is someone who looks at that same glass and declares that it is “half-full”...

Ruth: Meditations on the Kindness of God (Part 1) Ruth 1:1-7 As one of our primary senses, hearing comes from a complex system that turns sound waves into something meaningful in our brain. Starting with the outer ear, sound waves are collected and funneled towards the eardrum in the middle ear. From there, tiny bones called ossicles transmit and amplify the vibrations into the inner ear. Inside t...

Daniel: Patterns As We Speak to God Daniel 9:15-23 A recent survey of 2,000 Americans sought to learn about their criteria for asking for help when starting something new. The results showed that 73% don’t ask for help until they feel it is absolutely necessary, and 13% admitted that they never ask for help. Of that same group, 53% said they feel held back from reaching certain goals in their live...

Daniel: Patterns of Praying to God Daniel 9:1-14 Cause and effect: the principle of causation; the direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result (Merriam Webster).When we put water into a freezer, we are not surprised when it comes back out as a solid block of ice. When we then put the block of ice out in the summer sun, we are not surprised when it returns to its li...

Daniel: Patterns of Praying to God Daniel 9:1-11 There was a woman who needed help on her health journey. She had tried to do all the “right” things but was frustrated in her lack of progress. Seeing ads for a well-known weight loss app, she decided to give it a try. After downloading the app, she worked her way through all the questions; she finally finished and was ready to see their predicted d...

The Spirit and the NationsIsaiah 42:1In the troubled, crime-ridden city of Metropolis, citizens felt defeated and had little expectation of their plight improving. Lex Luthor had his rich & powerful hand in everything, including the police. Who could ever deliver them from their peril? They knew they were a lost cause. That is, until a certain extraterrestrial, caped being flew into town. Embl...

Baptism, Fullness, and Faith Colossians 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22 One of the oldest, most-exclusive groups in existence are the Freemasons. Their fraternity dates back to the Middle Ages and originally included stone cutters. To become a freemason member, there are extensive requirements and rules that must be followed. One such rule is that it is not allowed for current members to discuss any lodg...

Baptism: Why Did Jesus Command It? Matthew 28:18-20 Most of us really enjoy a good comeback story. Especially when it comes to sports. When your team is down all season and all hope is lost, but then suddenly they pull out a win right when it counts and take the championship title, it fills you with immense joy and excitement. You’ll walk around proudly wearing your team jersey as you identify wit...

The Lord’s Table & Idolatry 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

A Better Motive and Identity Acts 16:13-15 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church Studies all throughout history have unanimously reportedthat every human has a mother. In fact, those same studies all say that if you do not have a mother, you are in fact, not here. Due to this overwhelming evidence, it is a safe conclusion to say that everyone is impacted by mothers. All joking asi...

One of our favorite student events of the year is almost here— Student Takeover ! Join us tomorrow  as our students lead everything  at church—and we mean everything. From greeting and handing out donuts to leading worship, sharing testimonies, and more, it’s a day where students step up, serve, and lead. It’s an amazing opportunity for our church family to witness and participate in our students’...

A Piece of Fish and Death Undone Luke 24:36-43 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church History is comprised of moments that have altered the course of humanity – singular yet pivotal events that have redefined our reality. Even in our lifetimes, we’ve experienced the horror of 9/11, the shockwave of a global pandemic, and the victory of technological breakthrough, each of which has...

The First Meal of the New World Luke 24:28-35 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church What do Easter, a disastrous first date, and strangers sharing a meal together have in common? One key ingredient. Tomorrow morning is the most important day in the history of all creation. Bring your neighbors, family, coworkers, friends, enemies, strangers, and your postman because they need to h...

They Stood at a Distance Luke 23:49 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church Join us on Good Friday as we come together in reflection and reverence to remember the sacrifice our Savior made for us on the cross. It will be a time of worship, gratitude, and remembrance of the hope we have because of His death.

The Table of Risk Luke 22:14-30 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church Meals can be some of the most memorable events in our lives, especially when they are centered around important events. For God’s people of Israel, there was one meal in particular that was celebrated every year with the purpose of looking back and remembering. The Passover was the greatest act of deliverance in...

Little Man, Big Change Luke 19:1-10 Teacher: Blaine Dennison, Congregational Care Pastor at Oak Pointe Church A study performed in 2021 by the Pew Research Center revealed that 41% of Americans have experienced some form of harassment online, with 75% of those saying the abuse took place on social media. It’s clear that communication between humans has been impacted significantly by the internet,...

Joy at the Father's Table Luke 15:11-32 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church It can be a very intimidating experience walking into a new place for the first time, whether it’s a church, classroom, work, gym, party, etc. The anticipation creates a highly anxious state of mind because one of the top questions on our mind is, “What will they think of me?” We feel like the outsid...

The Man Who Eats with Sinners Luke 15:1-10 Teacher: Brent Buttermore, Kids Pastor at Oak Pointe Church A 3-year-old little girl lost her beloved Muddles one day. She was in tears, heartbroken when it was time for her nap and her sweet stuffed kitten Muddles wasn’t there to comfort her. Assured by her mother that they would find Muddles, the toddler eventually fell asleep while the mother frantical...

There's Still Room Luke 14:15-24 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church If you have ever thrown an event that requires a guest list and invitations, there are two lists running in your mind: the guests you want to come, and the guests who you hope can’t make it. The former are the ones that you are close with, or you know will be the life of the party; the latter are maybe the...

Seating Charts and Guest Lists Luke 14:7-14 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church Ancient Rome utilized the dining table as a means for gaining social, political, and economic advantages. The host of an opulent dinner party would be an elite Roman citizen, and their goal was to showcase their wealth and sophistication by bringing out the best in class from food to entertainment. T...

Tension at the Table Luke 14:1-6 Teacher: Blaine Dennison, Congregational Care Pastor at Oak Pointe Church Stubbornness is a character quality that can be a strength or weakness, but in most situations it’s a stumbling block. Frederick Nietzsche said, “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.” In other words, the way something is done is more important...

Servants of Jesus Luke 12:35-48 Teacher: Caleb Middleton, High School Pastor / Student Director at Oak Pointe Church Here is, perhaps, an all-too familiar scene: you have left your teenaged children at home while you and your spouse attend an event together. You wrote down specific instructions on chores they were expected to do while you’re out, and that when the chores are finished, they can pla...

Meals with Jesus Luke 10:5-7 Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church When you look up the word peace, the first definition given is: “freedom from disturbance; tranquility.” This can be applied in a lot of ways, but one area it relates to is the people around us. Our American culture can be pretty hostile when it comes to certain controversial topics; a common mindset is, “If you’re...