Conversions In The Book of Acts - IIIb

The Ethiopian Eunuch (8:26-40) Part Two

Having looked at the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch in our last lesson we now turn to some observations concerning what it means to preach Jesus. From Isaiah’s "quotation" (Isa 52:13-53:11), we know it involves teaching. For example how Jesus died for our sins - 1 Co 15:1-3 "My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing. I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say." How Jesus has been exalted by God - Ac 2:36 "Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross."; 3:13-15 "The God that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and our other ancestors worshiped has brought honor to his Servant Jesus. He is the one you betrayed. You turned against him when he was being tried by Pilate, even though Pilate wanted to set him free. You rejected Jesus, who was holy and good. You asked for a murderer to be set free, and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done."; 5:30-31 "You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side, so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven."

From the Eunuch’s "question" (Ac 8:36), we know it includes stressing the importance of baptism. If not why did the eunuch ask, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Perhaps because Philip told him what the Lord had said - Mk 16:15-16 "Then he told them: Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned." The purpose of baptism, as expressed by Peter and Paul - Ac 2:38 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit."; Ro 6:3-4 "Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father"; 1 Pe 3:21 "Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death." As we have seen and will see, baptism is the expected response when one believes in Jesus. This can not be repeated or stressed enough because there are so many in todays time that reject it.

Note the immediacy of baptism. Why did the eunuch asked to be baptized right then ("See, here is water.")? Perhaps because baptism’s purpose is such that one does not want to delay it as it is "for the remission of sins" - Ac 2:38. It is to have one’s sins "washed away" - Ac 22:16. It is an appeal for a clear conscience - 1 Pe 3:21. Indeed, in every example of conversion found in Acts, people were baptized immediately, after just one lesson!

From Philip’s "qualification" (Ac 8:37), we know it requires explaining the necessity of faith in Jesus. One must believe in Jesus as the Son of God - Jn 8:24 "That is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiven. If you don't have faith in me for who I am, you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven."’; 20:30-31 "Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life." Without faith, God won’t do His work in our baptism - Co 2:12 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death." It requires explaining the necessity of whole-heartedness in our faith. God has always required whole-heartedness - Mt 22:37 "Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind." Without it, even those saved are in danger of falling away - He 3:12-14 "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end." Unless "you believe with all your heart", you are not a proper subject for baptism!

Concerning baptism we see that baptism involves water. When the eunuch was baptized... "...both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water" - Ac 8:38
"...he baptized him" - Ac 8:38
"...they came up out of the water" - Ac 8:39
Later, we see the same truth expressed by Peter - Ac 10:47-48 ‘"These Gentiles have been given the Holy Spirit, just as we have! I am certain that no one would dare stop us from baptizing them." Peter ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they asked him to stay on for a few days." We see that baptism involves a burial in water. Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water - Ac 8:38. If sprinkling satisfies the meaning of baptism, it seems strange that Philip would need to go down into the water. Why get wet, when all he needed to do was get a handful of water? Baptism means "to immerse", and such requires the baptizer to get in the water with the one being baptized. Later, Paul describes baptism as a "burial" - Ro 6:3-4 "Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father. "; Co 2:12 "And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death."

We see that baptism is NOT a public confession of one’s faith. Some say that the purpose of baptism is to publicly confess one’s faith in Christ. Especially those who deny that baptism is for the remission of sins. Seeking to provide a reason for baptism, they offer this as an alternative. But the Bible nowhere says this is the purpose for baptism! If the purpose of baptism is to publicly confess one’s faith why did Philip baptize the eunuch? There was no one else around to witness the baptism. They were all alone in the desert. Why didn’t Philip answer the eunuch’s question differently? The eunuch wanted to know what would hinder him from being baptized.
If baptism is a public confession of one’s faith, we would expect Philip to say he must wait until they get to town, find a church, etc. But the purpose of baptism is such that it can be done in public or in private. With thousands present, or with just the one doing the baptizing. Later, we will see that the conversion of the Philippian Jailor also involved a baptism in relative privacy.

With the conversion of "The Ethiopian Eunuch", we are impressed with the simplicity of salvation. With a simple presentation of the gospel, one can be saved after just one lesson. Whether it is preached to large crowds or to just one person, the gospel is indeed God’s power
to save! - Ro 1:16 "I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles." When the gospel of Jesus is truly preached the death of Jesus for our sins will be stressed. The importance of baptism as commanded by Jesus will be mentioned as well. Such that people will want to know "what hinders me from being baptized?" Such that people will want to baptized immediately. The purpose of baptism will be properly understood, knowing that one can be baptized in private just as well as in public. The necessity for a wholehearted faith in Jesus will be emphasized, otherwise one simply gets
wet in baptism! Was your conversion anything like that of "The Ethiopian Eunuch"? When someone "preached Jesus" to you, were you compelled to ask:
"See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" - Acts 8:36
If not, have you considered why not? Could it be that the gospel of Jesus Christ was not shared with you in its fullness...?

If you have not responded to the gospel message as we have just examined and would like to do so, by all means please contact me directly at jnlnewsted@nts-online.net

This study is from The Executable Outlines Series, a collection of sermon outlines and Bible study lessons by Mark A. Copeland . These outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2001