Sunday, March 29, 2009

What Must I Do To Be Saved

Acts 16:30-33

In Ac 16:30-33 we find a familiar passage:

Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.”

A passage in which Paul is confronted by the Philippian jailor who asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This is a most important question. Salvation from sin is our greatest need - Ro 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The answer must be according to the Word of God. The answer given is often limited to what is mentioned in Ac 16:31 “And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."’ Using this text as an answer is without consideration of all that is said in the context; without noting what is taught elsewhere in the Scriptures. If one asks “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, how should we reply? Shall we limit our response to the words of verse 31?

Let’s, consider first of all what is not mentioned; the need to repent of sin. Nothing is said about the need to repent. Yet Jesus wanted repentance to be preached in His name - Lk 24:46-47 “and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” And so the apostles often preached the need to repent of sins. As did Peter in his first two sermons - Ac 2:37-38 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 3:19 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,”. As did Paul in his sermon in Athens - Ac 17:30-31 “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."’ -- Shall we conclude that repentance is not necessary because it is not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor?

In our text, nothing is said about the need to confess. Yet Jesus taught of the necessity of confessing Him before others - Mt 10:32-33 “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Note, although the word “confess” is not in this text, it is implied.) And so the apostles often mentioned the importance of confessing Christ. Confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus leads to salvation - Ro 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God leads to abiding in God - 1 Jn 4:15 “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” -- Shall we conclude that confession is not necessary because it is not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor? We would be mishandling the Scriptures to suggest that simply because repentance and confession are not mentioned in Ac 16:31 that they are not necessary to salvation.

But now let’s consider what is mentioned, such as believing in the Lord. We are told of the need to believe on the Lord - Ac 16:31 “And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."’ This is consistent with what Jesus Himself taught. Believing in the Son is key to having eternal life - Jn 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins - Jn 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."’ And so the apostles often proclaimed the importance of faith in Jesus. That one might have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” That believing with the heart leads to righteousness - Ro 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” -- Without question faith is imperative to salvation, because of what the Bible says about it.

Also mention in the text is that they were baptized. We notice that the jailor and his family were baptized immediately - Ac 16:33 “And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” This is similar to what we read elsewhere in several cases of conversion. 3000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized as soon as he saw water - Ac 8:35-38 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” Paul was encouraged not to delay - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'”

Why were they baptized immediately, even when it was after midnight? Peter said it was for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Paul was told it was to wash away sins - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'” Paul later wrote that it was a cutting away of the body of sins - Co 2:11-13 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Peter later wrote that it saves us through the resurrection of Christ - 1 Pe 3:21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”. -- When one sees what is revealed about baptism in the New Testament, we can understand why it was received as soon as possible by those who heard the gospel.

Why does Paul only mention faith in answer to the question in verse 31...? Because the answer takes into consideration one’s spiritual state or condition. For the jailor, he first needed to be told to believe in Jesus. For the 3000 on Pentecost, they already believed by the time they asked their question, so faith is not even mentioned (but implied nonetheless!). What answer should we give to those who ask “What must I do to be saved?”.... Our answer depends upon what the state the person is in:

1) If they have yet to believe in Jesus, then the need to believe in Him - Ac 16:30

2) If they believe in Jesus, then the need to repent, confess, and be baptized for the remission of their sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16; Ro 10:9-10; Ga 3:26-27

Our answer should entail all that is found in the Word of the Lord:

1) Paul proceeded to speak the word of the Lord to the jailor and his family - Ac 16:32

2) Such evidently included the need to be baptized immediately - Ac 16:33

A proper answer to “What must I do to be saved?” will take into consideration both the spiritual state of the inquirer and all that that the Word of God reveals on the subject. Have you responded to what the Bible teaches regarding salvation in Christ...? If not and you want to please write me at jimnewy@gmail.com or call me at 806-256-3820 leaving a message on the answering machine.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Walking in The Fear of The Lord - Part Two

Acts 9:31

But how does one develop the proper fear of the Lord without going to the extreme of earlier generations...? Developing the fear of the Lord comes through the Word of God! Just as “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Ro 10:17), the same can be said for the “fear of the Lord”! Notice Deu 31:10-13, where the children of Israel were told to gather every seven years to read and hear the Word... (“And Moses commanded them, "At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess."’). The purpose? “...that they may learn to fear the Lord”! As one reads the Word of God, they should gain a healthy degree of the “fear of the Lord”. Consider the words of Paul in Ro 2:4-11 “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” Or how about the words of Peter in 2 Pe 3:7-14 “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

The Word of God, properly used, maintains a proper balance. To avoid extremes, we must read all of God’s Word. Some read only those portions that will reveal God’s love and mercy, and have no “fear of the Lord”. Others emphasize the “fire, hell and brimstone” passages, and know nothing of God’s everlasting lovingkindness. One develops an attitude of permissiveness that belittles God’s holiness and justice. The other develops a psychosis of terror that forgets God’s grace and compassion. Even in the passages noted above, the context of each speaks much of God’s grace and forgiveness for those who will repent! So we must be careful how we use the Word of God, but use it we must!

The Psalmist said...

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all [them that are] about him.” (Psa 89:7)

Why do we need to fear the Lord? To be sure we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”! The warning is necessary, for as it is written in Hebrews:

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].” (He 4:1-2)

Again...“Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Hebrews 4:11)

With the proper fear of the Lord, we will “work out our salvation”, we will “labor...to enter into that [heavenly] rest”!

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Co 7:1)

Are you “perfecting holiness in the fear of God”?


Sunday, March 15, 2009

Walking in The Fear of The Lord

Acts 9:31

In writing about the early church, Luke recorded:

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” (Ac 9:31)

Note that they were “walking in the fear of the Lord”! In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul told them:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” (Ph 2:12)

The concept of “fear and trembling” in connection with God is not a popular concept today.... People prefer to hear about God’s love, longsuffering and mercy. Sometimes, when we point out God’s righteous indignation, holiness, and justice, people reply

“My God is not like that!” The emphasis on God’s love and mercy today is probably an reaction to the “hell, fire, and brimstone” preaching of another generation. But could it be that we have gone to other extreme...? An extreme where there is no concept of “fear and trembling” as it relates to the Christian? Could this be why many Christians are apathetic in their service? Could it be that we have forgotten Whom we should fear if we are negligent in our service? – Mt 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” In this lesson, I hope to accomplish three things.... Define the “fear of the Lord”; point out why the “fear of the Lord” is important to the Christian and suggest how we can develop a healthy “fear of the Lord” without going to one extreme or the other.

We begin by defining the “fear of the Lord”. The word “fear” in the Hebrew, is the word yir’ah and is used in the Old Testament to describe: fear, terror, an awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear) and fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety. The Greek word is phobos, and it is used to describe: fear, dread, terror or that which strikes terror.

In connection with the fear of the Lord, it is often defined as “reverence” or “awe”, which is fine as far as it goes.... But I wonder if this definition truly goes far enough.... For though the terms “reverence” and “awe” imply a place for “trembling”, do most people make the connection? The fear of the Lord should include a place for “trembling”…. Even as Paul indicated in Ph 2:12, by combining “fear and trembling” (“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”). The Greek word for “trembling” is tromos and means “a trembling or quaking with fear”. Just as one would likely tremble in the presence of one who could take our life, so Jesus taught us to fear the Lord - Mt 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

A proper fear of the Lord would then include “reverence and awe...” - “being afraid to offend God in any way” - Hendricksen. A trembling and quaking if one knows they have offended God and have not obtained forgiveness! - He 10:26-27 “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”, 30-31 “For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”; 12:28-29 “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

The value of such an attitude is seen as we continue on and now notice the importance of the fear of the Lord. From the book of Proverbs, we learn:

1. The “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of knowledge - Pro 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

2. The “fear of the Lord” will cause one to hate evil - Pro 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”

3. The “fear of the Lord” will prolong life - Pro 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”

4. The “fear of the Lord” provides strong confidence and is a fountain of life - Pro 14:26-27 “In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.”

5. The “fear of the Lord” prompts one to depart from evil - Pro 16:6 “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.”

6. The “fear of the Lord” leads to a satisfying life, and spares one from much evil - Pro 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

7. The “fear of the Lord” is the way to riches, honor, and life! - Pro 22:4 “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.”

Without the fear of the Lord we close ourselves to the treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge! We will flirt with evil and be corrupted by it. Our lives are likely to be shortened by our refusal to heed God’s word (e.g., suffering sexually transmitted diseases because we did not heed His Word on sexual relationships). We will not come to know the love of God that gives us assurance and confidence of our salvation. When fallen into sin, we will not be motivated to repent and turn to God! We will not be motivated to truly “work out our own salvation”! Without the fear of the Lord, we cannot please God (Isa 66:1-2 “Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”). Only the person who “trembles at His Word” has God’s promise to receive His tender mercy! (Psa 103:17-18 “But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.”).

In part two of our lesson we will look at how one develops the proper fear of the Lord without going to the extreme of earlier generations...?

Sunday, March 08, 2009

What It Means to Preach Jesus - Part Two

Acts 8:35

Let us also be careful to note what we learn about preaching Jesus from Philip’s qualification, the necessity of faith. We will examine the qualification of faith, heartiness and repentance in the second part of this lesson. We also learn of the immediacy of baptism. The Ethiopian was anxious to obey; Philip was willing to accommodate him - Ac 8:38 “And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” Why the urgency? Why not wait until they got to town, or to a church? Others were baptized immediately, even after midnight - Ac 16:30-33 “Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” The reason for such urgency is clearly taught elsewhere. Baptism is for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'” We experience the working of God, and put on Christ - Co 2:12-13 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”; Ga 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” -- Preaching Jesus therefore calls upon people to be baptized quickly! From The Eunuch’s Question, the importance and immediacy of baptism, clearly taught elsewhere is implied.

Let us also be careful to note what we learn about preaching Jesus from Philip’s qualification, the necessity of faith. Philip’s response to the eunuch’s question qualified who should be baptized - Ac 8:37, “If you believe...you may”. Faith is a necessary prerequisite to baptism, which precludes infant baptism. Indeed faith is necessary to salvation - Jn 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."’ Through faith we can have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Baptism is a working of God when our faith is present - Co 2:12 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” -- Preaching Jesus therefore demands faith in Jesus before baptism!

Let us also be careful to note the necessity of heartiness. Philip required a wholehearted faith - Ac 8:37 “If you believe with all your heart, you may” Baptism without such faith renders one simply wet! The sort of hearty sincerity God has always required. By the children of Israel under the Law - Mt 22:37 “And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” By the partakers of Christ today - He 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” -- Preaching Jesus therefore requires more than just mental assent before baptism!

Preaching Jesus certainly involves more, including:

1). Preaching repentance, though such is not mentioned in our text - Lk 24:45-47 “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

2). Preaching the resurrection of Christ, though such is not mentioned in our text - Ac 17:30-31 “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."’

Yet from the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, preaching Jesus must include:

1.) Preaching about the suffering and exaltation of Christ.

2.) Preaching the necessity and immediacy of baptism by a sincere believer.

Today, many do not preach Jesus as Philip and the apostles did.... They ignore baptism altogether, or render it insignificant. They call upon people to pray, when apostolic preaching called for people to be baptized. Has Jesus truly been preached to you, as Philip preached Jesus to the Eunuch? - Ac 2:36-38 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'”

Sunday, March 01, 2009

What It Means to Preach Jesus - Part One

Acts 8:35

It is not uncommon today to hear people say “Let’s just preach Jesus...!” Often this statement is given in response to those who preach and teach on baptism, which many modern preachers rarely mention in their preaching. But what does it mean to preach Jesus...? Should it include baptism? If so, what else should be included? In Acts 8, we read of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch who on his return from Jerusalem was met by Philip the evangelist - Ac 8:26-29 “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot."’

The Ethiopian eunuch invited Philip to explain a passage from the book of Isaiah - Ac 8:30-34 “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"’ Beginning with the passage (Isa 53:7-8), note that Philip preached Jesus to him - Ac 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”

We can learn what it means to preach Jesus from what is written regarding the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch! For example, consider what we can glean from Isaiah’s quotation. Jesus died for our sins… The passage from Isaiah reveals the reason for the Messiah’s suffering - Isa 53:4-6 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”, 10-11 “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” Christ’s death for our sins was fundamental to the gospel Paul preached - 1 Co 15:1-3 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,” -- Preaching Jesus therefore proclaims His death for our sins.

Jesus has been exalted... Isaiah’s prophecy begins and ends with the exaltation of the Messiah - Isa 52:13 “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.”; 53:12 “Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” The theme of Jesus’ exaltation permeated Peter’s preaching - Ac 2:36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."’; 5:30-31 “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” -- Preaching Jesus therefore pronounces that He has been exalted by God. From Isaiah’s Quotation, we learn that preaching Jesus includes preaching how Jesus died for our sins, and has been exalted to the right hand of God!

Now let’s consider what we learn about preaching Jesus from the Eunuch’s question. The importance of baptism. Notice the first question asked by the eunuch - Ac 8:36 “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Preaching Jesus clearly included preaching on baptism! Indeed, baptism was important to Jesus and His apostles. Jesus commanded it in giving the great commission - Mt 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’; Mk 16:15-16 “And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” The apostles commanded it in their preaching - Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 10:47-48 ‘"Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

Act 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.” The apostles also wrote of its value in their epistles - Ro 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”; 1 Pe 3:21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” -- Preaching Jesus therefore includes preaching baptism! We can't preach Jesus and ignore preaching baptism.

We also learn of the immediacy of baptism. The Ethiopian was anxious to obey. Let us also be careful to note what we learn about preaching Jesus from Philip’s qualification, the necessity of faith. We will examine the qualification of faith, heartiness and repentance in the second part of this lesson.