I love the story of the Ethiopian eunuch because in part it is a parallel to my own story. In this story recorded in Acts 8:26-40 we have Philip sent by the Spirit to a specific area. There he finds an Ethiopian eunuch who is traveling back to his home country. He has apparently picked up some scrolls, or for us the Old Testament. He is reading scripture when Philip comes upon him and Philip basically says, Dude, do you understand what you are reading (out loud by the way). The eunuch says how can I unless someone helps me to understand. At which point Philip begins to teach.

I enjoy this because I was a seeker reading Scripture when I was first invited to a bible study. At the point I realized who I was, who Jesus was, and my need for salvation and the fact that I could not earn it, I has a very similar question, “What hinders me from being baptized?” The answer I was given at the time was very different than what the Ethiopian was given. I was told I was not ready, to which I responded, time to find a new group of believers, ones who believe the Bible.

We moved on and found a Christian Church, one who responded as Philip did! “If you believe with all your heart, you may [be baptized].” I was and my ties to this story have been strong ever since. I was a seeker of God and a reader of His Word, from which I came to understand I needed to be saved from my sins and how the bible teaches this. Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, are both key verses. God will give us salvation by Grace, but he has chosen Baptism as the time to do it. Not that the water saves us but the act of obedience saves, accepting Grace the way he commands us to.

Saved by Grace through Faith in Baptism for His continued good works!

Acts 8:26-40 NKJV

Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian

26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

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

31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;

And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away,

And who will declare His generation?

For His life is taken from the earth.” [Isaiah 53:7-8]

34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 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?”

37 Then 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.”

38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

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As they were traveling, they came to a place with water and the Ethiopian asked about being baptized. Evidently Philip’s way of preaching Jesus included the need for baptism.

The orders of the Ethiopian that the vehicle be stopped indicate that an attendant was driving, and suggest a royal retinue of servants was probably at hand. Nevertheless, the Ethiopian got out of his wagon and “went down into the water” with Philip. This language gives the picture of an immersion, a method of baptism which also suits the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizō, to immerse).
College Press NIV Commentary, The – The College Press NIV Commentary – Acts.