CREDIT:
The opening illustration is from a Jeff Strite sermon.
The bulk of the sermon has been edited from https://executableoutlines.com/ by Mark A. Copeland. I am not claiming originality on this sermon. Mark A. Copelands sermon is 80% of this sermon. It was just so good I wanted to share it here.
Philip and the Eunuch
Acts 8:26-40
There was an antique collector:
o passing through a small village
o when he saw an old man
o chopping wood with an ancient ax.
“That’s a mighty old ax you have there,” he remarked.
? “Yep,” said the villager, “it once belonged to George Washington.”
? “George Washington??? Not really!" gasped the collector
? “That’s hard to believe!”
The old man grinned and said:
o “Yep! It belonged to George Washington alright.
o But, of course, it’s had three new handles and two new heads –
o but this is his ax.”
Now, did that ax actually belong to George Washington?
? No!
? When you change the handles 3 times and the heads twice…
? well, it’s no longer the same ax.
And over the years…
? people have done the same thing with Baptism.
? Folks have changed the handles and heads
? so often that it no longer looks the same.
They may call it by the name “baptism” but it’s not anymore.
I could make cases against all the “alterations” men have made to baptism:
- I could prove that for the FIRST 1,500 years of Christianity it was always connected to salvation. Men have changed that not God.
- I could quote Catholic books that acknowledge for the first 1,300 years of the faith baptism was primarily by immersion. Men changed that not God.
- I could show you Romans 6 where Baptism is called a burial. You are buried in baptism not sprinkled. Men have changed that not God.
What I would rather do is show you:
- a clear and consistent
- pattern of salvation from the Book of Acts
Before we go into Acts Chapter 8:
- we can note 3 events
- where large numbers of conversions took place
1. The 3,000 at Pentecost - Acts 2:1-41
2. The 2,000 on Solomon's Porch - Acts 3:1-4:4
3. The multitudes in Samaria - Acts 8:5-13
If you were to study each of those 3 events:
- you would see this pattern
- Christ is preached and the
- Response called for included faith, repentance, and baptism
Turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 8 verse 26…hold that spot
In Acts 8 we’re told the story of an Ethiopian Eunuch
? Where we read about a Christian named Philip
? who shared Jesus with a Eunuch
? as they’re traveling along in a chariot.
The Eunuch was so convinced by what Philip told him that…
“… as they were going along the road they came to some water… the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
And then we’re told…
“(the Eunuch) commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down INTO the water… and (Philip) baptized him. And when they came up OUT of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.”
- Acts 8:36; 38-39
If sprinkling is what Baptism means:
- then WHY did both Philip and the Eunuch
- go DOWN INTO the water and COME UP OUT of the water?
The Biblical method of Baptism is:
- described as a burial in scripture
- defined as “to plunge, dunk or submerge” in the original language
- is by immersion
Let us back up and notice the details of the Eunuch’s conversion…
“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. 27 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 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
- Acts 8:26-29 (ESV)
1. PHILIP IS SENT TO THE EUNUCH...
God, through an ANGEL, tells Philip:
- leave Jerusalem and GO toward Gaza
- there is no argument from Philip, he goes where God sends him
- that is 50–60-mile walk
When God directs us:
- do we act immediately? or do delay?
- do we make haste or make excuses?
- Philip does not delay…but acts immediately on God’s instruction
On the way towards Gaza:
- there is a man sitting in his chariot
- a religious man, an important person
- A eunuch of Ethiopia, in charge of the treasury of Queen Candace
The Eunuch is returning home:
- after having gone to worship in Jerusalem
- He is reading from the prophet Isaiah
- The Spirit tells Philip to overtake the chariot
30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this (from Isaiah 53:7-8):
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”
- Acts 8:30-35 (ESV)
2. PHILIP PREACHES JESUS TO HIM...
Hearing the eunuch reading Isaiah:
o Philip asks the eunuch if he understands what he is reading.
o He said he doesn’t understand and asks Philip to help him.
Philip climbs into the chariot and:
? the 2 of them have a
? Bible study on Isaiah 53:7-8
? Isaiah was written 700 years before Christ.
? Yet predicted the birth and crucifixion of Jesus.
Philip explains the Isaiah passage:
? Which speaks of one led as a sheep to the slaughter
? Which describes one whose life is taken from the earth
? We instantly know that is speaking about Jesus
What we know about Jesus:
- but it is all NEW to the Ethiopian enuch
- in fact a lot of people don’t know much about Jesus
Let’s share the GOOD NEW with the world!
Beginning with:
? that Scripture in Isaiah 53
? Philip preaches Jesus to him.
Notice how Philip met the Eunuch and explained:
- that the cost of sin is DEATH,
- Jesus paid our debt with HIS DEATH on the CROSS
- and after hearing the gospel the Eunuch wanted to be baptized
“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?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.”
- Acts 8:36-40 (ESV)
3. THE EUNUCH IS BAPTIZED...
The Eunuch expresses a desire to be baptized:
? Seeing some water along the way,
? he wonders out loud.
What would keep him from being baptized?
? Philip replies that if he believes with all his heart, he may.
? The eunuch confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God
Philip immerses the Eunuch:
? Stopping the chariot,
? both Philip and the eunuch
? go down into the water
Philip then baptizes him:
? When they come up out of the water,
? the Spirit carries Philip away.
- the Eunuch goes on his way rejoicing.
Here are some things to stick in your pocket and take with you…
WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO PREACH JESUS???
- it doesn’t mean you are a paid preacher
- it doesn’t mean you went to Bible College
- it means you tell other people about what Jesus has done for you!
- sharing the GOSPEL is the job of EVERY Christian
Preaching Jesus includes stressing the importance of baptism.
Preaching Jesus involves teaching:
? How Jesus died for our sins on the cross
? That Jesus rose from the dead and the tomb is empty.
? How Jesus has been exalted by God
And God did all because HE LOVES YOU!
WHAT HAPPENS IN BAPTISM??
Clothed in Christ Galatians 3:27
Wash away sins – Acts 22:16
Buried with Christ and risen to a new life – Romans 6:1-5
Buried with Christ and raised by our faith - Colossians 2:12
Now saves you – I Peter 3:21
Reborn – John 3:1-11
Brings forgiveness of sin – Acts 2:38
Why do people wait to be immersed into Christ?
- they act as if being baptized will hurt them, instead it heals
- or there will be a better offer for salvation, there is no other way
Do they think God:
? will make an exception and
? let you into heaven on your own terms…
? that “Repent and be baptized” is for everyone else, but not you?
If you want to go to heaven:
- you go on God’s terms
- or you don’t go at all
“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and
wash away your sins, calling on his name.’”
- Acts 22:16 (ESV)
The reality of SALVATION:
- means you are SAVED from the consequences of your choice to SIN
- it means you get to SKIP burning in Hell eternity and instead
- Live forever in HEAVEN that is beyond our comprehension
And the response I hear is often:
- I’m waiting for this or that reason
- Stop pushing me
Yet, in every example of conversion found:
? in the book of Acts,
? people were baptized immediately,
? after just one lesson!
Was your conversion:
? like that of "The Ethiopian"?
? 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...?
Notice that when this Ethiopian official:
? accepted the good news and
? He was obedient to its demands,
Acts 8:39b tells us that
“he went on his way rejoicing.”
There was no longer an empty space in his life:
? There was no longer a nagging feeling that something was missing.
? He had found what was missing and
? now that emptiness was filled with joy.
God has done everything possible:
? for you to have that kind of joy in your life..
? The only thing still missing
? is your decision to follow Him.
?
Max Lucado put it this way:
“If there are a thousand steps between us and God, He will take all but one. He will leave the final one for us. The choice is ours.”
