My Burial

After death of Jesus

Christian Persecuted

As a result

Acts 8:4 ESV

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

They would not have left

without persecution

After they remembered

Jesus’ Promise

At His Ascension

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Philip was one went

Acts 8:26 ESV

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.

Gaza – is on the coast,

southwest of Jerusalem.

Acts 8:27 ESV

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

Eunuch –

they were often nobles

from other countries

He was

wealthy and influential

“in charge of all her treasury”

(working among wealthy)

But he was

no pagan.

He came to worship.

Acts 8:28–30 ESV

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.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

Reading from Isaiah

Not just anywhere

Isaiah 53

Most famous messianic prophecy

Philip talks to him

This is one of the hardest things to do

Ask that question

OFFER UNSOLICITED SPIRITUAL HELP

We are scared

School Supplies

We make the excuse

God commanded Phillip

He commands us

Great Commission for All

Matthew 28:18–19 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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,

We should fear not

Yes, there will be rejections

But we must do it anyway

Acts 8:31 ESV

And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

The invitation is accepted.

They study the Bible

Acts 8:32–33 ESV

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.”

Thoughtful question...

Acts 8:34 ESV

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

Some may be thinking

That is obvious

It’s about Jesus

Remember the context

Jesus recently killed

Many never even heard

Messiah supposed to be a king

Not a sufferer

Passage not understood by Rabbis

I like Philip’s answer

Acts 8:35 ESV

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

I get questions all the time

Who is the Antichrist?

(similarity of the question)

Why don’t you guys eat pork?

What is the problem with lots of jewelry?

What to do…?

Start with the scripture

Do not give your opinion

Give them God’s word

Especially, if controversial

Read directly from Bible

Next-door Neighbor

Reading God’s Word:

People are impressed

People are empowered

People are changed

People are born again

The Baptisms Today

the same

Denisa

Read Gods word

And were converted

Acts 8:36–38 ESV

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.

This is what we are here

To celebrate today

By the way,

This leads me to

an important point

Dispel Myths:

The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done, and begged the king's forgiveness. Why did you suffer this pain in silence, the Saint wanted to know. The king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual."

What Baptism Is Not...

Holy Water

– No physical change

not magic

Temptation

Temptation is still there

Jesus tempted immediately after Baptism

Required for Salvation?

Mark 16:16 ESV

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

– physical act required for salvation

Infant baptism?

Let me explain

what baptism is

Then I’ll answer

this question.

What Baptism Is

Three Requirements

Teaching

Eunich

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

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.”

Conversion

There were four country churches in a small Texas town: The Presbyterian church, the Baptist church, the Methodist church, and the Catholic church. Each church was overrun with pesky squirrels.

One day,the Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels.

After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn't interfere with God's divine will.

In the Methodist church the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistery bowl. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistery bowl and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many there the next week.

The Catholic group got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God's creation. So, they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

The Baptist church came up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

Belief

Repentance

Mark 16:16 ESV

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

and

Acts 2:38 ESV

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.

Immersion

John 3:23 ESV

John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized

Needed Much water

Although Jane was raised a Methodist, she started attending a Baptist church when she moved to a new community. One day she was helping a group of women clean the church kitchen. She emptied the large electric coffeepot and handed it to the lady washing dishes.

The lady washing dishes asked, “Can this be washed like everything else?”

“No,” Jane replied. “This is a Methodist coffeepot. It says right here, DO NOT IMMERSE.”

Eunuch

Acts 8:38–39 (ESV)

And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away...

Infants?

A father was talking to his oldest son about the boy’s upcoming baptism. Wanting him to understand the significance of the event, he took great care to communicate with him. While they were talking, the boy’s younger brother, a little four-year-old, left the room. He seemed visibly upset so teh father followed him to see what was wrong. Tearfully, the little guy confessed, “I want to be alphabetized with my brother.”

Study?

Believe?

Immerse?

Marriage

Ceremony of recognition

Pre-requisite to Church Membership

Membership

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Burial

Romans 6:1–6 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 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. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Wedding

Whole Process

Get to Know Jesus

Fall in Love

Promise of Commitment

Public Ceremony

Vows

Buried Alive