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LibertyUniversity
ThematicAnalysisEssay1
Acts 1:1–7:59
Dr.RickRasberry
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“ButyouwillreceivepowerwhentheHolySpirithascomeuponyou,and
youwillbe mywitnessesinJerusalemandinall JudeaandSamaria,andtothe endofthe ea
rth.”(Acts1:8 ESV). These wordsare found atthe very beginning of thebook of Actsbutset up
aguideline that thebook itself would follow. Jerusalem,Judeaand Samaria, as well as the ends of
theearthwas themission that theapostles started,and we arestill undertakingas Christians today.
The book of Acts can also be categorized by these three locations. Acts 1:1-6:7 follows the
apostles starting and growing the church in Jerusalem. Moving forward, Acts6:8-9:31 would
follow the same apostles taking the good news to Judea and Samaria.
Finally,wewouldwitnesstheapostleadvancetowardstheendsoftheEarthin Acts9:32-28:31.
FromActs1:1-7:59thereaderhasalreadywitnessedsomuch.
Actsopensupfollowingtheeventsoftheresurrection,withtheascensionofJesus coming soon.
Now these events happened over the time span of forty days where Jesus, post-
resurrection,wouldvisitandteachtheapostles.BeforeascendingtoheavenJesus commissions his
belovedto be his witness and towait inJerusalem for the Father’s promise.Theapostles anda group
of 120 devotedthemselves to prayerin the“upper room”it was aroundthis time that theyalso
replaced Judas with theapostleMatthias. On theday of the Pentecost the Father’s promise
descended after devout prayer. The Holy Spirit filled
theApostlesandtheybeganspeakingintongues.PetergavehisfirstsermonconvictingtheJews of
killingthe Messiah. Feelingconvicted, Peterinstructed them to repent. He thenbaptized
approximately3000peopleinthenameofJesus. Accordingto Acts2:41-47,Godaddedto
thatnumberdaily. ThiswasthebeginningofthechurchinJerusalem.
Peter’s first recorded sermon as mentioned earlier was the sermon on Pentecost found
inActs2:14-40. ThissermonissopowerfulbecauseofallpeopleGodchosethemanwho
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deniedhissonthreetimestodefendthenameofJesusandexpandthekingdom.Italso shows
Petersdependence on the holy Spirit to deliver this message with such clarity. Both
ofthesepointsaremajorthemesthroughoutthebookof Acts.Oneofthethemesbeing,the
HolySpiritdrivingthesuccessandfruitionofthekingdomofGod,andthatGodis provident.
Again, in Peter’s sermon following the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate (3:12–
26) we see Peter boldly convicting people of denying Christ. It may seem ironic that God would
choosethisunlikelyservanttoplayapartinexpandingHiskingdom.However,thisisathemein all of
Peters sermons including his testimony before Sanhedrin in the following chapter. This example
drives the theme further through that God is provident. It also goes to show that the equipping of
the Holy Spirit is one of God’s means in expanding the kingdom. It is because of this helper that
Peter can boldly make these advances to expand the kingdom.
The closing texts in this section of reading are comprised of Stephen’s speech before his
martyrdom, death by stoning. This speech is Stephen’s final words and they tell a story. This
storyfollowsthemessianiclineagefromgenesisforwardhighlightingthedownfallsandstruggle that
these great biblical leaders faced. The reading ends with Stephen’s last words, “You stiff-
necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your
fathers did, so do you.Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?And they killed
those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now
betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
(Acts 7:51-53 ESV)
Stephenwaspersecutedforsharinggoodnews.Thenewsthateveryonehasbeenwaitingfor!
However,hewasstonedtodeath.Obviously,thiswasn’ttheendofChristianity.Thisevent
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didn’t stop the apostles from sharing the good news. This event would be the catalyst for the
apostles to further their reach and make good on the great commission, to reach Judea and
Samaria.SufferinghasalwaysbeenthemarkofaChristian.Anotherkeythemeinthebookof
ActsisthatChristiansovercomesufferingforthesakeofthekingdom,muchlikethe apostles.
