While Peter

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.  

 - From Acts 10

I'm going to break this sentence up a little bit, for it has individual words that are packed with importance. 

The subject of the sentence, or main noun, is "the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is the main player in this sentence. The Holy Spirit does something, or acts . . . it is the agent of the main point of the sentence. 

The main verb, or the predicate, is "fell." The Holy Spirit fell. The word "fall" involves a sense of losing control. Something trips you up. Something causes you to lose balance, and then gravity takes over. Gravity is an overwhelming force that keeps us planted, keeps us earthward. Gravity stabilizes us . . . but first it reduces us to some point of fixed reference: the ground. But "to fall" is referring to a thing thart acts suddenly, naturally, and conclusively. In this case, the Holy Spirit did not just rest, or descend gently. The Holy Spirit fell. 

This alone is a fascinating image. God's power, His breath, His Word . . . came crashing down from out of nowhere, unexpectedly. And in so doing, became the dominant player in the moment. 

Upon all: But the Holy Spirit did not fall on the ground and then dissipate as a wave. It fell upon all that were standing in the vicinity. As it came crashing down, the Holy Spirit fell, not on the floor, but upon people. A force that strikes down from above, can knock you to the ground. A penny dropped from a skyscraper could do some damage if it lands solidly on your cranium. 

But not just all of the all. Some of the people standing there were unaffected by the falling Holy Spirit. Only those that heard Peter speak were affected. But not just Peter speaking . . . only the word that Peter spoke. The people in the vicinity, that heard the word of God, spoken by Peter . . . all of them . . . every one of them . . . experienced the Holy Spirit falling upon them. And it was like being knocked down. People nearby, that were distracted, even if they were standing right next to Peter, were not impacted.

All people, though. Rich, poor, young, old, from all nationalities, all races. If you heard the word that Peter spoke, in that moment, the Holy Spirit fell upon you with great force. It changed you, your heart was filled with godly love. You began to communicate with others, in perfect understanding. You were, in that moment, as Adam and Eve might have been, as they could have been forever, and we all could have been, had we not chosen sin over God. It was a moment of eternity, total knowledge, but total understanding. 

When did this happen? While Peter was still speaking. The thing that kicked it off, was Peter opening his mouth and beginning to talk. He shared his witness, his story, his account. But God took over and transitioned Peter's language into the Word of God . . . at which point it all started happening. A miracle occurred. 

People in perfect accord is miraculous. People in perfect accord do not hurt each other. They do not force others. They do not judge others. They don't break off into political opposing camps. 

All it took was for Peter to begin speaking.