Pursuing the Heart of God – Pastor Brian Cassell

Here is a detailed briefing document reviewing the main themes and most important ideas or facts from the provided source, including quotes where appropriate:

Briefing Document: Review of Spring Meadows Church Service (May 10, 2025)

Source: Excerpts from “2025-05-10 – Church Service”

Date of Service: Sabbath, May 10, 2025

Location: Spring Meadows Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Main Themes:

The service on May 10, 2025, at Spring Meadows Church focused on several key themes:

1. Community and Fellowship: The service emphasized the importance of the church community, welcoming visitors, highlighting shared activities, and expressing gratitude for mutual support. This was evident in the opening greetings, announcements, and the special acknowledgements throughout the service.
2. Investment in Youth Ministry: A significant portion of the service was dedicated to celebrating the achievements of the Pathfinder Bible Experience Team and the broader impact of youth programs like VBS, Pathfinders, Adventurers, and Filia. There was a strong emphasis on the spiritual growth and dedication of the young people.
3. God’s Love and the Plan of Salvation: The concept of God’s profound love for humanity, culminating in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, was a central message in the prayer segment and the children’s story. The role of angels in the plan of salvation was also discussed.
4. The Importance of Rest and the Sabbath: The sermon delivered a powerful message about the need for rest in a busy and burdened world, connecting this need directly to the Sabbath as a gift from God for both permanent (in Christ) and periodic (weekly) rest.

Most Important Ideas or Facts:

• Welcome and Community: The service began with a warm welcome from the Abraham family, who have been attending Spring Meadows since 2015. They initiated the call-and-response of “How are we today?” with the answer “Blessed,” and “What is today?” with the answer “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
• Announcements Highlighting Church Activities: Several upcoming events were announced:
• VBS is requesting natural-looking Christmas trees and volunteers are needed on Sunday, May 18th (8 am-2 pm) to help set up, including moving a large cabin onto the stage.
• Beach Vespers with two baptisms will be held that evening at 6:30 pm (note: $20 parking fee, carpooling encouraged).
• The last Filia (worship for young families) of the year will be the following Friday with a potluck dinner.
• World Adventure Day on May 17th will feature the Adventure Club leading the entire worship service. Pathfinder and Investiture will also take place in the afternoon.
• Celebration of the Pathfinder Bible Experience Team: The Spring Meadows Pathfinder Bible Experience Team was recognized as national champions. Leaders Joel and Norm, along with team members Jonathan, William, and Xander, shared their experiences. Key takeaways from their sharing included:
• The team’s dedication involved studying the word of God together through in-person and Zoom practices, sometimes up to 3-4 hours a week.
• The experience motivated young people to study the Bible daily, with one member (William) waking up at 5 am to read.
• Team members described the experience as one of the best they’ve had, fostering closeness to God and each other.
• Leaders praised the parents and the church for their tireless support, prayers, love, and donations, without which the achievement would not have been possible.
• The team had memorized the books of Romans and First Corinthians for the competition.
• The books for next year’s PBE are Isaiah chapters 1 through 33.
• The team was presented with a small token of appreciation, including a plaque and medals, but the “greatest prize ever is of course hiding God’s word in your heart.” Norm emphasized, “the word of God is going to last forever.”
• Baby Dedication: Anelise Bell Makalua, daughter of Rachel and Ryan Makalua, was dedicated to God.
• Anelise’s name means “graced with God’s bounty.”
• She was born on December 15, 2024, weighing 5 lbs 12 oz.
• She has an older sister, Adonia (who prayed for a little sister), and an older brother, Ezra (who promised to protect both sisters).
• Anelise’s favorite songs are “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Joyful We Adore Thee.”
• Her grandparents were thanked for their support, particularly for their expertise in putting Anelise down for naps.
• The parents declared their recognition of Anelise as a gift from God, their gratitude, and their promise to provide a positive Christian influence and opportunities for her spiritual growth.
• The congregation also promised to support the parents and family with love, wisdom, and a nurturing church atmosphere.
• Anelise received a certificate and a prayer blanket from the quilting ministry, symbolizing God’s grace and love surrounding her.
• The Mark 10:13-16 passage, where Jesus welcomed and blessed the little children, was read during the dedication. The Elder noted that “Jesus blessed every child that came into his contact.”
• Children’s Offering and Lesson: Children helped collect the offering, which was designated for famine and disaster relief through ADRA. The children’s story focused on the concept of mothers’ love and support, using the analogy of a sponge absorbing goodness.
• Children shared things their mothers do for them, including helping, cooking, making them happy, cleaning, hugging when scared, making lunch, taking care of them, and helping with homework.
• The speaker emphasized that mothers pour their love and goodness into their children like water into a sponge, and this enables the children to grow and eventually pour into others.
• Proverbs 1:8 was referenced: “a child should listen to mother’s instructions.”
• All mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and those who have been like mothers (aunties, Sabbath school teachers, etc.) were asked to stand and were presented with a flower and a bookmark by the children in celebration of Mother’s Day weekend.
• Prayer Segment: Led by Mike, the prayer segment emphasized God’s immense love for humanity, referencing John 3:16.
• The speaker discussed the angels in heaven who “excel in strength,” noting they had to be held back during Christ’s crucifixion because they struggled to witness His suffering.
• This was used to illustrate the depth of God’s love and the pre-planned nature of the plan of salvation.
• The speaker highlighted the belief that “time is short” and that current events indicate Christ’s soon coming.
• The prayer included thanks for the plan of salvation, angels who excel in strength, and the assurance of God’s love. It also included petitions for those suffering from health issues and those unable to attend the service.
• Sermon on Rest and the Sabbath: The sermon, based on Matthew 11:28-30 and Matthew 12:1-12, explored the concept of rest in a world experiencing chronic fatigue.
• Yawning was used as an example of a contagious human behavior, symbolizing a widespread need for rest.
• The Greek word for rest in Matthew 11:28, “ana puo,” was broken down to mean “to stop again,” implying periodic stopping.
• The analogy of climbing Mount Everest was used to illustrate the difficulty of life and the necessity of rest stops (camps) for survival, highlighting that the only true destination and satisfaction at the top is Jesus.
• Quoting John Mark Comer, the sermon stated that “The solution to an over busy life is not more time…instead it’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters,” which is Jesus.
• Jesus is described as “gentle and humble in heart,” not intimidating but drawing us to Him through love. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light.”
• The sermon connected Matthew 11:28-30 directly to the Sabbath narratives in Matthew 12, arguing that the Sabbath is Christ’s gift for experiencing both permanent rest in salvation and periodic rest weekly.
• The concept of “need supersedes creed” was introduced based on Jesus’ response to the Pharisees regarding His disciples gleaning grain on the Sabbath and David eating consecrated bread. This emphasizes that human suffering and need are more valuable than man-made laws or traditions.
• The sermon addressed four areas of fatigue that the Sabbath helps with:
• Physical fatigue: It restores our pace, citing statistics on sleep deprivation in America. “He gives his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2 was quoted).
• Emotional fatigue: It refreshes our hearts. The Mandarin word for “busy” meaning “heart and kill” was mentioned. Over-busyness leads to restlessness, angst, anger, anxiety, disillusionment, and depression.
• Financial fatigue: It refreshes our perspective, referencing statistics on financial stress and the “paycheck to paycheck” reality for many Americans. The Sabbath is presented as a day of financial rest, reminding us that God is our provider. The connection to the final crisis being over finance, commerce, and the Sabbath was also mentioned.
• Spiritual fatigue: It renews our relationship with Jesus. The Message translation of Matthew 11:28-30 was read: “‘Are you tired, worn out, burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you will recover your life… Learn the unforced rhythms of grace… Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.'”
• Practical suggestions for experiencing Sabbath rest included reading Matthew 11:28-30 at the beginning of the Sabbath and reading/applying the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). The speaker interpreted the phrase “The Lord make his face shine upon you” as God looking at us with joy, peace, love, and grace, similar to a mother looking at her newborn baby.
• The sermon concluded by urging attendees to put their hope in Jesus, find permanent peace in salvation, and experience periodic rest on the Sabbath, turning their faces towards Him as He is always looking towards them with grace.
• Closing Hymn and Prayer: The service concluded with the hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns” and a closing prayer reinforcing the themes of praising God, finding rest in Jesus, seeking His face, and being blessed and protected throughout the coming week.

Overall Impression:

The service at Spring Meadows was a dynamic and community-focused gathering with a strong emphasis on both nurturing the spiritual lives of its members, particularly the youth, and addressing the practical needs of individuals in a fast-paced and often challenging world. The celebration of the Pathfinder team highlighted the fruits of dedicated ministry and the power of God’s word in young lives. The baby dedication was a touching reminder of God’s gifts and the church’s role in supporting families. The sermon provided a timely message about the restorative power of rest, anchored in the biblical concept of the Sabbath and the love of Jesus Christ. The service demonstrated a blend of traditional worship elements with relatable contemporary illustrations and practical application.