In Acts 2:22-36 Peter delivered a brief but pointed message about Jesus. He said that God proved to everyone through signs, miracles and wonders that Jesus was his son. Then he said the hard part, that in spite of God’s irrefutable testimony to Jesus’ identity, the Israelites compelled their Gentile governor to crucify him.
In the next part of his message Peter quotes their own patriarch, David, who foretold in detail how God would raise his Holy One from the grave without allowing him to see corruption. Peter then reasoned that David’s body was still in the tomb, but Jesus had been raised and seated by God at his right hand.
That was it. This was Peter’s sermon and he had not said anything about baptism at this point.
But then a number of those in the crowd having believed what he preached and being pierced to their hearts by the message of the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus asked, “Brethren, what shall we do?!”
That is when Peter said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. That is what Jesus commissioned him and the other apostles to do in order to “make disciples” (see Matthew 28:19).
Dr. Luke records (Acts 8) how Philip taught a eunuch from Ethiopia about Jesus using Isaiah 53 as his text. It says, “Phillip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture preached Jesus to him”.
Isaiah 53 is one of the most compelling prophetic messages about how Jesus would be abused and killed taking the guild of our sins on himself. The prophet was given this message 700 years before Jesus’ birth. While there is nothing in Isaiah 53 about baptism, the eunuch asked when they rolled up to a body of water, “Look, water! What prevents me from being baptized?”. Philip, in preaching Jesus also taught baptism just as Peter had done because that’s what Jesus gave them.
Preach Jesus and the message of his death, burial & resurrection. Baptize those willing to believe. Be thankful for and keep this divine pattern. Souls depend on it.
