What Prevents Me From Being Baptized 2

11/23/2008

WHAT PREVENTS ME FROM BEING BAPTIZED

ACTS 8:35-40

*In our text today we see a person who asks a very important question. The question that he asked is the title of my message today: What Prevents Me From Being Baptized?

* At the conclusion of my message today we are going to observe Scriptural Baptism. If you have never been Scripturally Baptized and you qualify, you will be given an opportunity to be baptized because we are going to offer you a chance to participate spontaneously in Believer’s baptized.

*Before Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, raised from the dead and ascended back to heaven He gave the Church some very important instructions.

*Part of those instructions included two things that the Church was supposed to observe until He comes back to take us to heaven. These two things are what we call “ORDINANCES”.  

*An ORDINANCE is “A PHYSICAL act picturing a SPIRITUAL truth! Why is it important to have these physical acts that pictures spiritual truths? The Lord knows that “a picture is worth a thousand words and we remember what we see portrayed visually a lot better than what we simply hear. That is why there are so many “types” or “pictures” of Christ in the Bible!

*What are the two physical acts that pictures spiritual truth that the Lord instructed the Church to observe? The Lord’s Supper is one physical act that portrays a spiritual truth and Baptism is the other one.

*Both of these ordinances were very important to the first disciples. Listen to what Luke says about “why” the early disciples met on the first day of the week. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together TO break bread (Acts 20:7).

*The phrase “break bread” is the word that Luke used to describe what Paul called “the Lord’s Supper” in 1 Cor 11:25.

*In our text today we are going to see a person ask a very imp

I.                   THE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE EXPLAINED

*There must be a proper:

            A.        CANDIDATE for the BAPTISM

Acts 8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! WATER! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 And Philip said, “if you believe with all your heart, you may! And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!”

*What is a proper candidate for the baptism? This Ethiopian represents a lot of people. He was religious, sincere, seeking the truth but he did not have saving faith in Jesus Christ.

            B.        ADMINISTRATOR of the BAPTISM

Acts 8:38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they BOTH went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and HE baptized him!

            C.        METHOD of the BAPTISM

Acts 8:38 . . . and they both went DOWN INTO the WATER . . . and he BAPTIZED him 39 When they CAME UP out of the WATER

II.                THE REASONS MUST BE EMBRACED!

A.    OBEDIENCE to the COMMAND!

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit . . .

B.     IDENTIFICATION with the COMMANDER!

Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life!