If you have attended Wildwood over the past 5 Sundays, you may have noticed a difference in the way we have ended our worship services. As a benediction (send off with a blessing) to our services we have stood together and recited the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. We started doing this during our “Task Unfinished” missions emphasis week, so you probably thought it made some sense. But why have we continued it for a few weeks after?
Well, reciting this verse together is very intentional. It is no accident. It is our reminder that we have been commissioned, not just collected by Jesus. It is our declaration that we are a part of a movement of God into the future, not just a museum commemorating the past. As we end our worship services each week, we are not ending our relationship with God “until we meet again.” No, we are continuing to follow Jesus and live for His glory as we walk into the world on mission with Christ. The Church is the Body of Christ … and that Body does not just live in buildings or “sanctuaries.” Stating this together reminds us of this.
This Sunday at Wildwood is a Baptism Sunday. Three times a year, we take a Sunday to hear the stories and witness the water baptisms of our people. Each person being baptized has already been saved by the grace of God, but their water baptism is simply a celebration of what God has done in their lives. It is also a response to the command of Jesus to His followers in the Great Commission. We are to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…” As people begin to follow Jesus, we are to baptize them! And on Sunday, we will do just that. 17 people will be baptized across our 3 morning services (8:30, 9:45, 11:00). As is our custom on Baptism Sunday, we will not have any of our children, student, college, or adult classes meeting, but we will be “all in” the worship services to worship together. Hope to see you Sunday … and bring friends!