In the Great Commission, we are tasked with making disciples and baptizing them. The Exodus story powerfully shows that this has always been God’s plan. But just as there is much more to the Exodus story than moving through the parted waters, there is much more to the Great Commission. The freedom that comes from piercing the waters of baptism should be celebrated as the Spirit-enabled beginning of an incredible journey marked by learning to obey all that Jesus taught.
The theme of this week’s service is formation. That might not be a word we use every day – but it is something that God is doing in our lives every day whether we realize it or not. Formation means that God has big plans for our lives, but he needs to mold us or form us into the kind of person who can accomplish his will.
Our God expects reverence and respect from us as we enter his presence and spend time with him. Even though Jesus came and gave us confidence in going before the Lord, we need to continue to have a heart that respects and reveres him.