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I saw The Great Commission with fresh eyes again today.  Here it is:

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV 2010)

As I read it, the words, “baptizing them” jumped off of the page at me.  The words seemed so forceful, almost violent.  Our Lord commands us to grab people and push them under the water.  It’s kind of scary.  Perhaps you’ve not seen it that way before.  Perhaps, baptism has become a safe religious ritual or a “symbol.”  Maybe its become these things because…