What Hinders Baptism?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. 

                                                                                     (Acts 8:35-40 KJV)

I remember a very awesome neighbor of a congregation I served years ago. He has long since been gone from this world. 

As I was sitting in my office in this very remote church building, I heard a 4-wheel ATV pull into the parking lot. I went out to greet this man whom I had never met as he had never attended worship there and had recently moved into the neighborhood. He said he wanted to reaffirm his baptism and become a member of that congregation. By listening to him, I found out that a couple of our council members had been evangelizing in the local tavern and he was anxious to commit to serving God as a member of our congregation.

I asked him when he wanted to do this. He said this Sunday. I smiled and let him know that it wouldn't happen that fast. I had to get council approval. Then there was the service and bulletin to be prepared with the secretary.  

What about this eunuch? Why didn't he have to wait to be baptized? Where were all the constitutional administrative rules and regulations then?

There were none. Nothing hindered the eunuch's baptism. Philip shared the Good News of Jesus the Christ. The eunuch professed his faith in Jesus the Christ and he was baptized. That was it!

It only took a couple of weeks to jump through the hoops before he reaffirmed his faith in the presence of the congregation. He did indeed faithfully serve the congregation and community until his death as he said he would.

For someone to believe and to receive the Sacrament of Baptism or affirm their faith if they were baptized as a youngster not fully realizing what it meant to be a member of the Body of Christ they must hear the Good News of Jesus. This Good News comes not just from the pastors lips; but, from the lips of every believing member of the Body of Christ. It is shared every where we go. On the side of the road as Philip did and even in taverns as my council members did.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

                                                                                (Matt 28:18-20 KJV)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

What Hinders Baptism?

Dave's Memorial
Service at the Falls
we had visited on
4-wheelers as
a congregation

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. 

                                                                                     (Acts 8:35-40 KJV)

I remember a very awesome neighbor of a congregation I served years ago. He has long since been gone from this world. 

As I was sitting in my office in this very remote church building, I heard a 4-wheel ATV pull into the parking lot. I went out to greet this man whom I had never met as he had never attended worship there and had recently moved into the neighborhood. He said he wanted to reaffirm his baptism and become a member of that congregation. By listening to him, I found out that a couple of our council members had been evangelizing in the local tavern and he was anxious to commit to serving God as a member of our congregation.

I asked him when he wanted to do this. He said this Sunday. I smiled and let him know that it wouldn't happen that fast. I had to get council approval. Then there was the service and bulletin to be prepared with the secretary.  

What about this eunuch? Why didn't he have to wait to be baptized? Where were all the constitutional administrative rules and regulations then?

There were none. Nothing hindered the eunuch's baptism. Philip shared the Good News of Jesus the Christ. The eunuch professed his faith in Jesus the Christ and he was baptized. That was it!

It only took a couple of weeks to jump through the hoops before he reaffirmed his faith in the presence of the congregation. He did indeed faithfully serve the congregation and community until his death as he said he would.

For someone to believe and to receive the Sacrament of Baptism or affirm their faith if they were baptized as a youngster not fully realizing what it meant to be a member of the Body of Christ they must hear the Good News of Jesus. This Good News comes not just from the pastors lips; but, from the lips of every believing member of the Body of Christ. It is shared every where we go. On the side of the road as Philip did and even in taverns as my council members did.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

                                                                                (Matt 28:18-20 KJV)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Spirit Told Him To Go

"And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus."

                                                                                   (Acts 8:26-35 KJV)

Philip heard the Spirit send him to the eunuch and so he went. He did not make excuses for not going. He did not say I have other things to do right now. He did not say I will wait for the eunuch to come to me. He just went so that he could help the eunuch understand the word of God. Philip preached Jesus to the Eunuch.

The Spirit calls and sends each and every Christian to go and share with others that Jesus is the Christ. Will you listen? Will you go?

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom 10:14)

Listen to where the Spirit sends you and then go wherever he sends and tell about the love of God through Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

What Is Keeping You From Being Baptized?

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. Acts 8:34-38 NIV

With, what is known as, the "Great Commission" Jesus commanded us to "... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matt 28:19-20

Unfortunately, as Lutherans, particularly in the United States, I believe that we mistakenly believe that any and every adult that walks through a church door and worships with us is already baptized. This is most certainly not true! There are many reasons that adults who profess Christ as their savior are not baptized. What is yours? 

Let us pray that it is not because no one was there to tell you the good news about Jesus. Let us pray that you have not been baptized by water and the Word because this Sacrament has not been made available to you. If you have not been baptized, what is standing in your way? Ask and you shall receive!

God's Peace - Pr. J