Oak Pointe Church Podcast

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.

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!

Authority To Forgive Sin Scripture: Matthew 9:1–8 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church Have you been in the presence of someone almost famous? What was your experience? Were you underwhelmed, or did that experience exceed your hopes? As we begin Matthew 9 in our series Outsiders In, the reputation of Jesus precedes his presence. People are anticipating something special upon his arrival. But when a few men lower their paralyzed friend down through a roof, Jesus says and does things even the crowd and religious leaders don’t expect. It reminds us that Jesus is far more than a healer. 

What Does Jesus Have To Do With Me? Scripture: Matthew 8:28-34 Speaker: Brent Buttermore, Missions Pastor After Jesus calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee, he and the disciples arrive on the opposite shore and immediately encounter two demoniacs. What happens next is not surprising – Jesus drives the demons out of the men. Less predictable is the destination of the demons and the community's response. The contrast displayed in the reaction of the two healed men challenges us to consider how well we receive the presence of Jesus.

The Storm In The Boat Scripture: Matthew 8:23–27 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church You’ve probably seen a YouTube video of a celebrity masquerading as someone else. Maybe it’s an old dude with grey hair dunking on the young guys in a pick-up basketball game or a motley-looking but great-sounding band busking in the New York subways. They appear among ordinary people in everyday environments, but everyone is shocked and awed when their identity becomes known. The experience the disciples had one evening with Jesus compares. When they all got in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee, he appeared to be their rabbi and teacher. But a dangerous storm revealed him to be someone far different. Like the disciples, the story also makes us ask, “What kind of man is this?”

Easy Discipleship  Scripture: Matthew 8:18-22  Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church  We typically ascribe outcome-based definitions to the terms "easy" and "hard." When we can do something ourselves, we say it's easy. If we're unsure of our success, we call that hard. But the stuff we believe is manageable often shows we don't know what we don't know.  This week in our Outsiders In series, Jesus is on the move when he interacts with a couple of fellows misguided in their understanding of discipleship. They quickly discover Jesus holds a much higher view of what it means to truly follow God.

A Restored Humanity Scripture: Matthew 8:14-17 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church “Those people!” Have you ever uttered this phrase as an exclamation or in a sentence? E.g., “I don’t know what’s wrong with those people.” When we observe the manifestation of human brokenness and its ramifications, it is easy to lose all faith in humanity. When that brokenness invades our home, it is hard not to feel downright defeated. This week we see Jesus perform what is perhaps the smallest of his miracles – the abatement of a simple fever. Yet, this act reveals what heals the ills of all humanity. It promises the immediate impact felt in Peter’s house can also be a reality in our homes.

An Outsider’s Faith Scripture: Matthew 8:5-13 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church Football season has arrived! It's a time for fans to tune in on weekends and cheer for their alma mater or favorite team. But for some, football goes way beyond appointment viewing. Because there are fans, and then there are "the faithful." They're at every game, home and away, wearing team colors. They know the starters, the bench players, and the recruits. They show up early, leave late, and replay game highlights. Their faith in the team seems amazing. In week two of the Outsiders In series, we'll see a man approach Jesus, who wore a different type of uniform. He asks an expected question backed by unexpected conviction, giving us a glimpse of what having true faith really means.

Willing and Able Scripture: Matthew 8:1-4Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church This week, Pastor Jon kicks off our Fall Series entitled Outsiders In: Jesus’ unique authority to make all things new. Over the next few months, we’ll study more closely Matthew 8-9, the miracle chapters, observing how Jesus established his divine authority through his connection with those living on the margins of society. With each interaction, his fame grew as people recognized his divine identity. It all starts when Jesus is approached boldly by a man with leprosy. What would this great teacher do in such an awkward encounter? Of course, Jesus heals him, but how he does so indicates our deep need to be healed as well.

The Hopelessness of Nihilism Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12 Speaker: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor of Oak Pointe Church It used to be junk mail. Now it’s spam. We’re talking about the daily detritus that floats into your postal box or email inbox that you don’t want, didn’t ask for, and has no value for your life. So we’ve developed the habit of purging without even looking. But in a rush to discard all the dross, something important might get tossed. As our summer series in Ecclesiastes closes, we discover that not everything is meaningless. Indeed, there is something significant for us to hold on to as the Teacher winds down his reflections.

The Striving of Productivism Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 Speaker: Adam Mashni, 707 High School Ministry Pastor Have you ever opened the app store of your preferred computer or phone platform and looked for productivity apps? You probably didn’t have to look far! There are dozens of calendars, to-do lists, time blockers, habit trackers, note takers, mind mappers, text editors, file organizers, and focus tools. All pledge to make you more efficient, productive, and valuable. But is that an empty promise? In this week’s passage of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher tells us there’s a time for productivity. But a deeper look reveals a profound truth about all of our work under the sun.

The Pressure of Perfectionism   Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 Speaker: Charlie Koopman, Worship & Creative Arts Pastor   Once considered a positive trait, perfectionism is on the rise in our culture. Unsurprisingly, anxiety, fear, and depression are at an all-time high. Despite what is on display in so many curated Instagram feeds, being flawless is an unrealistic goal, an illusion driven by the need to manage every aspect of our lives tightly. Again this week, we look through the lens of the "Teacher" in Ecclesiastes to wrestle with the question: Can I ever really have control of my life?