The Church Year and the Lectionary Commentary – the 6th Sunday of Easter (Day 1)
Acts 10:44-48 44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, 47 “These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?” 48 He directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited Peter to stay for several days. This is the second huge, mind-boggling, heart-challenging, event in the life of the early church. The first is obviously Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. That’s the game-changer; the “after which” nothing can or will ever be the same again. The book Acts is, in effect, an ever-widening rippling out of sequels to the resurrection that unfold the various ways tha...