The Conversion & Baptism Of The Ethiopian Eunuch

THE CONVERSION & BAPTISM OF THE EUNUCH

Before we go to our message, may I address some questions concerns.

QUESTIONS ABOUT ELDERS

1. Why don’t we have Elders? We do but we believe that Elders--the person

(presbuteros=presbyterian--rule of elders) and Overseers--the office

(episkopos=episcopalian--rule of a bishop) and Pastors--the task

(poimen=shepherd) are synonymous.

✴ Acts 20:28=“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the

Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,

which he bought with his own blood.” V.17=elders.

✴ 1 Peter 5:2=“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving

as overseers.” V.1=elders.

2. What is the task of Elders?

✴ 1 Tim. 5:17=“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are

worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and

teaching.” Acts 6:2-3=“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together

and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of

God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among

you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this

responsibility over to them.”

QUESTIONS ABOUT DEACONS & DEACONESSES

1. Who are they? Deacons are men & Deaconesses are women, 1 Tim.

3:11=”women”, (Amplified & ASV); Rom. 16:1-2 “deaconess” (Amp. & Phillips).

2. What is their task?

✴ Acts 6:2-4, “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It

would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in

order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who

are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this

responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the

ministry of the word.’”

✴ Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in

Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became

obedient to the faith.” Acts 8:2-7, “That set off a terrific persecution of the

church in Jerusalem. The believers were all scattered throughout Judea

and Samaria. All, that is, but the apostles. Good and brave men buried

Stephen, giving him a solemn funeral—not many dry eyes that day! And

Saul just went wild, devastating the church, entering house after house

after house, dragging men and women off to jail. Forced to leave home

base, the followers of Jesus all became missionaries. Wherever they were

scattered, they preached the Message about Jesus.”

✴ The first deacon (cf. Acts 6:5) became the first martyr (Acts 7:59). The

second deacon, Philip (Acts 6:5), had a thriving ministry in the city of

Samaria (Acts 8:6-8).

THE CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF THE EUNUCH

1. The Unquestioning Obedience of Philip, Acts 8:26. He was diverted from his

successful ministry in Samaria to a “desert road” without any explanation and

Philip obeyed without delay or reservation.

2. Divine Appointment. When Philip started walking on the hot desert road, he met

the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch (v.27). The eunuch, a high and trusted

treasury official of the queen, came from Jerusalem to worship (v.28). Now,

Jerusalem is about 1,000 miles from Ethiopia! And Deuteronomy 23:1 says that

being a eunuch, he cannot be admitted inside the temple to worship. He must

worship outside the temple!

3. Ready & Willing. V.28=He was reading Isaiah 53 as his chariot passed by

Philip. The Holy Spirit told Philip to stay with the chariot. He asked a very

personal question (v.30) and the response of the eunuch (a respectable elite) to

Philip (a stranger) indicates he was a humble seeker of the truth (vs.31-34).

4. The Gospel. V.35=Beginning with the passage in Isaiah 53, Philip preached the

good news about Jesus (cf 1 Cor. 15:1-8). In short, Philip evangelized him.5. Baptism. Vs.36-38=Basically, what the eunuch said was, “What PREVENTS me

from getting baptized? (“hinders” ASV & Amplified). Amplified adds v.37, “And

Philip said, If you believe with all your heart [if you have a conviction, full of

joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah and accept Him as the Author of your

salvation in the kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience, then] you may.

And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

6. Baptism is important. Romans 6:3-4 says that baptism is a picture of what

happens at salvation: the sinner died with Jesus Christ, the old nature was

buried with Jesus Christ, and he received the new life in His resurrection.

However, baptism is the other side of the coin: it shows repentance (Acts

2:37-38). It is as crucial to salvation as repentance! If one is sincere and

obedient, nothing should “delay” or “hinder” him from baptism. It is

IMPORTANT to one who believes and repents of his sin.