Acts 8:26-39 26 But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? 35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, `here is' water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 `And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

You’ve probably heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Although we cannot negate the power of the gospel spoken in words, there is great benefit in seeing salvation vividly acted out in the baptism of a new believer. When we enter the waters of baptism, we are portraying several truths:

We are proclaiming the gospel message—that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised to life on the third day. Baptism serves as a reminder of what the Savior has done for us.

We are also showing what has happened to us through salvation (Rom. 6:3-14). Plunging beneath the surface pictures the death and burial of our old self with Christ. Being raised up out of the water expresses our new life in Christ and our union with Him. As our heavenly Father physically raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him life, He has done the same for us spiritually. We are no longer the person we once were, because Christ has broken the power of sin in our lives.

Baptism is also a public declaration of our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in our own future bodily resurrection. It points to the truth that there is life beyond the grave. Someday we, too, will receive a resurrected body and live forever with Christ.

Baptism is a commandment for all believers, not an option. As such, it is both an obligation and an awesome privilege. Our unbelieving family and friends need to physically see this truth in our life. Have you publicly identified yourself with Jesus through the act of baptism?

Bible in One Year: Psalms 103-106 Chapter 103 1 Bless Jehovah, O my soul; And all that is within me, `bless' his holy name. 2 Bless Jehovah, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy desire with good things, `So that' thy youth is renewed like the eagle. 6 Jehovah executeth righteous acts, And judgments for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel. 8 Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always chide; Neither will he keep `his anger' for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; And the place thereof shall know it no more. 17 But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, And his righteousness unto children's children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, And to those that remember his precepts to do them. 19 Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all. 20 Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless Jehovah, all ye his works, In all places of his dominion: Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Chapter 104 1 Bless Jehovah, O my soul. O Jehovah my God, thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honor and majesty: 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters; Who maketh the clouds his chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind; 4 Who maketh winds his messengers; Flames of fire his ministers; 5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, That it should not be moved for ever. 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a vesture; The waters stood above the mountains. 7 At thy rebuke they fled; At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away 8 (The mountains rose, the valleys sank down) Unto the place which thou hadst founded for them. 9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; That they turn not again to cover the earth. 10 He sendeth forth springs into the valleys; They run among the mountains; 11 They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild asses quench their thirst. 12 By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation; They sing among the branches. 13 He watereth the mountains from his chambers: The earth is filled with the fruit of thy works. 14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man; That he may bring forth food out of the earth, 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, `And' oil to make his face to shine, And bread that strengtheneth man's heart. 16 The trees of Jehovah are filled `with moisture', The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17 Where the birds make their nests: As for the stork, the fir-trees are her house. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; The rocks are a refuge for the conies. 19 He appointed the moon for seasons: The sun knoweth his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. 22 The sun ariseth, they get them away, And lay them down in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth unto his work And to his labor until the evening. 24 O Jehovah, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches. 25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, Wherein are things creeping innumerable, Both small and great beasts. 26 There go the ships; There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play therein. 27 These wait all for thee, That thou mayest give them their food in due season. 28 Thou givest unto them, they gather; Thou openest thy hand, they are satisfied with good. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; Thou takest away their breath, they die, And return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; And thou renewest the face of the ground. 31 Let the glory of Jehovah endure for ever; Let Jehovah rejoice in his works: 32 Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. 34 Let thy meditation be sweet unto him: I will rejoice in Jehovah. 35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. And let the wicked be no more. Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 105 1 Oh give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; Make known among the peoples his doings. 2 Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvelous works. 3 Glory ye in his holy name: Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah. 4 Seek ye Jehovah and his strength; Seek his face evermore. 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, 6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 7 He is Jehovah our God: His judgments are in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations, 9 `The covenant' which he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac, 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance; 12 When they were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it. 13 And they went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong; Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 15 `Saying', Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm. 16 And he called for a famine upon the land; He brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant: 18 His feet they hurt with fetters: He was laid in `chains of' iron, 19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of Jehovah tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance; 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. 23 Israel also came into Egypt; And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And he increased his people greatly, And made them stronger than their adversaries. 25 He turned their heart to hate his people, To deal subtly with his servants. 26 He sent Moses his servant, `And' Aaron whom he had chosen. 27 They set among them his signs, And wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; And they rebelled not against his words. 29 He turned their waters into blood, And slew their fish. 30 Their land swarmed with frogs In the chambers of their kings. 31 He spake, and there came swarms of flies, And lice in all their borders. 32 He gave them hail for rain, `And' flaming fire in their land. 33 He smote their vines also and their fig-trees, And brake the trees of their borders. 34 He spake, and the locust came, And the grasshopper, and that without number, 35 And did eat up every herb in their land, And did eat up the fruit of their ground. 36 He smote also all the first-born in their land, The chief of all their strength. 37 And he brought them forth with silver and gold; And there was not one feeble person among his tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night. 40 They asked, and he brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran in the dry places `like' a river. 42 For he remembered his holy word, `And' Abraham his servant. 43 And he brought forth his people with joy, `And' his chosen with singing. 44 And he gave them the lands of the nations; And they took the labor of the peoples in possession: 45 That they might keep his statutes, And observe his laws. Praise ye Jehovah. Chapter 106 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness `endureth' forever. 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Jehovah, Or show forth all his praise? 3 Blessed are they that keep justice, And he that doeth righteousness at all times. 4 Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people; Oh visit me with thy salvation, 5 That I may see the prosperity of thy chosen, That I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, That I may glory with thine inheritance. 6 We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. 7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of thy lovingkindnesses, But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea. 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, That he might make his mighty power to be known. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: So he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness. 10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their adversaries; There was not one of them left. 12 Then believed they his words; They sang his praise. 13 They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel, 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, `And' Aaron the saint of Jehovah. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their Saviour, Who had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, `And' terrible things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy `them'. 24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, They believed not his word, 25 But murmured in their tents, And hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah. 26 Therefore he sware unto them, That he would overthrow them in the wilderness, 27 And that he would overthrow their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their doings; And the plague brake in upon them. 30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment; And so the plague was stayed. 31 And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, Unto all generations for evermore. 32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; 33 Because they were rebellious against his spirit, And he spake unadvisedly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the peoples, As Jehovah commanded them, 35 But mingled themselves with the nations, And learned their works, 36 And served their idols, Which became a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons, 38 And shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus were they defiled with their works, And played the harlot in their doings. 40 Therefore was the wrath of Jehovah kindled against his people, And he abhorred his inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the nations; And they that hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times did he deliver them; But they were rebellious in their counsel, And were brought low in their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry: 45 And he remembered for them his covenant, And repented according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 46 He made them also to be pitied Of all those that carried them captive. 47 Save us, O Jehovah our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, And to triumph in thy praise. 48 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye Jehovah.