Zachary Green
Thematic Analysis Essay
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In this
verse Jesus is promising the believers to have the power of the Holy Spirit while walking along
side of Jesus. Jerusalem is the target location due to the high volume of Jewish believers. A
prophet shared that salvation will arise to the non-believers from Jerusalem and will worship
God. Jesus wanted to have witnesses who would go out to preach what they seen and heard.
Jerusalem holds significant events in Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. It is also
known as the Holy City. What better place to target than the place where Jesus has witnesses to
His death and resurrection?
In the book of Acts, Luke mentions the development of Christianity in a world that
originates from Gentiles and also Jewish custom belief. Luke demonstrates pure interest in
bringing salvation to the gentiles and allowing them to have a chance to be witnesses to Christ.
Salvation is represented all through the book of Acts with Jesus’ teachings and death and
resurrection. The apostles who witnessed Jesus’ life are able to bring progression to the gospel.
They are able to bring the word all over the world. The victory of the gospel going from
meeting, to temples, to houses, to individuals. The gospel has the opportunity to be spread all
over. The Holy Spirit takes center stage while having believers walk with Christ and spreading
His message. The act of being filled with spirit gives the believer to spread Gods word and
bringing others to salvation. Living and talking in the act of Christ and not flesh. Ananias and
Saphira were two individuals who portrayed wealth and poverty. They sold their land and
instead of being honest to the apostles they both lied with the amount they received from selling
the land.
In return it cost them their lives. Jesus reminds His believers about the power that materialism,
money and wealth can hold on a person. The true Israel were the faithful believers who
obeyed the Lord and His commandments.
Peter brought a sermon on Pentecost. Being filled with the spirit he spoke to the crowd of
people that were gathered. Peter speaks of the least days. The spirit will fall upon us and young
men will see visions. Those who will call on the Lord will be saved. Peters tells the crowd to
believe in the Lord and repent and be baptized. His determination is to have others saved so they
enter into heaven. His goal is to give them the gift of salvation and provide the opportunity to do
so.
As Peter and John were walking into the temple called ‘beautiful’ they seen a man who
was unable to walk and asking for money. Rather than give him money Peter and John laid hands
and gave the man the ability to walk. Now witnesses were there, and people seen Peter and John
do this. Peter and John made known that it was by Jesus’ spirit this could have been done.
In the stories Peter is bringing others to salvation. Peter is focusing on winning souls to
the Lord. Being spirit lead Peter is spreading the word of God so others may have the
opportunity to salvation. He is allowing others to witness miracles that only can be done through
Jesus and he is being spirit filled speaking in tongues and bringing others to salvation.
Being filled with the spirit Stephen wanted to emphasize the Jewish history. Jewish
people have a habit of rejecting God. Stephen wants to proclaim the truth about Jesus in a way
people can understand. Stephen recounts Abrahams journey. God has commanded for Abraham
to leave the country and leave his family and go to the land God has shown him. Stephen makes
it clear this command came to Abraham. God was with him; Stephen emphasizes the spiritual
presence of God with Joseph. Stephen mentions Joseph because Joseph resembles Jesus. The
message is that people reject Jesus.
Stephen provided information to the Sanhedrin. He provided names and regardless of the
plans that were set out for Stephens death he looked passed that and wanted to share the
message. In the book of Acts, it depicts the life of the early church and how the Gospel was
shared with the surrounding countries. It portrays the spirit being filled in all of the chosen
leaders and followers that Jesus had chosen.
