Acts 8:36

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, " See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? "

1. What does it mean to "preach Jesus" to someone?

1. First, preach does not always mean a public oration. Philip did not stand up, speak in a loud voice and deliver a sermon (3 points and a poem).

2. The Greek word here means to "spread good news."

2. Preaching Jesus means teaching about baptism. This is clear from this passage. Jesus was preached and the response is about baptism. How did this man know to ask about baptism? Because preaching Jesus includes our response through faith and obedience to His commands.

3. What hinders me from being baptized? There are several things that could "hinder" one from being baptized.

1. Faith - Baptism is for believers. An athiest is hindered from baptism.

2. Repentance - Baptism is for those who have decided to "turn around", change their way of living, turn from sin, and strive to live a pure life.

3. Confession - Baptism is for those who willingly, freely, and publicly admit (confess) their faith. No secret believers are allowed.

4. Opportunity - There must be a place for such baptism to occur. It could be a pond, lake, river, swimming pool, whirlpool, bathtub or any other place with enough water to be immersed.

5. False teaching - Some are hindered because of being taught wrongly. They believe that being sprinkled as an infant was baptism. The men in Acts 12:1-25 were "baptized" with wrong teaching and needed proper baptism.

6. Family - "If I am baptized, that will mean that my grandmother is lost." For many, obeying the gospel means rejecting their family. Here is my response. "Your grandmother's salvation not change if you do what the Bible teaches. What if your grandmother were here and learned what you have learned? Did your grandmother try to be faithful to what she knew God commanded? If she had learned what you now know, would she have tried to obey?"