“Fallout”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Monday, August 5, 2024
Acts 2: 37-47 (Forward, p. 7) CEV p. 1135
We usually think of ‘fallout’ in negative terms, as a less than positive outcome of some happening or decision, but here, in today’s account, we see a fallout that is definitely beneficial. It is the fallout from Peter’s epic preaching to the assembled crowd on the Day of Pentecost. Using the surprising outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter has explained it with reference to a prophecy from Joel. From there, he moved on to talk about Jesus. He explained how Jesus was sent by God—as proved by many miracles, wonders, and signs that Jesus did, put to death and then raised from the dead.
Peter has intimated that those people present were actually accomplices in that death, which meant that with many of them their consciences were stirred, and they begged to know from Peter what they should do. He told them to repent—to turn back to God—and be baptized. The result of this is that about three thousand people believed and were baptized that day.
But that wasn’t all: those new converts spent their time learning from the apostles, breaking bread and praying together, and sharing everything they had. Indeed, they would sell their property and give the money to those who needed it. Many signs and wonders were performed by the apostles. The fledgling community was held in such high regard by those around them that every day others were saved and added to the group. Such was the ‘fallout’ of that awesome Day of Pentecost. Talk about an incredible ‘jump start!’
So, what about us today? Could this happen again? I believe that it could. It happened with the Welsh revival of 1904-1905, the Azusa Street revival of 1906, and the East African revival in the late 1920’s and 1930s. Indeed, I believe that our communities, our nation, and our world are ripe for it. What happened in the above instances was that people began to get together in prayer, to tarry in prayer and not give up. Maybe we need to do this again.
Forward notes: “And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation’” (verse 40).
“It can be difficult to retreat from the world. I recently spent three months at a seminary in Central America, where I worked in a community garden and helped to transition the library to online research. I lived in the dormitory with a small but spirited group of seminarians. We were separate but not isolated from the community, encouraged to invite guests in and visit other area churches for worship.
“I learned in mission that although evil and corruption are with us in every age, there is refuge and renewal in Christ. Being intentional about worshiping with fellow Christians helped me to stay grounded in my core beliefs. And I found sacred spaces to take a pause everywhere I looked. In this time, I learned that a retreat is largely a state of mind.”
Moving Forward: “How do you retreat from the pressures of the world and live in the way of Christ?”
A concluding note: The early Christian community depicted in this account from the Acts of the Apostles wonderfully illustrates how we can be ‘in this world but not of this world. They certainly did not retreat from the world, but rather confronted the less than positive aspects of the ‘world’ and brought people into a new way of life while living in this world. In fact, so positive and persuasive was this new way of life that others noticed, were impressed, and decided to join up and become part of it.