Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
— Acts 28:24
In the final chapter of the book of Acts, Luke gives us a window into Paul’s experience while awaiting judgment from Caesar in a Roman prison. And embedded in this account is a truth that is vital for us to grasp if we are to go out and evangelise with genuine confidence.
No Excuse for Not Evangelising
Paul, called by God to be an apostle to the nations, did not consider being in prison a reason to stop sharing the gospel. Instead, he looked at every circumstance — including imprisonment and the prospect of execution — as an opportunity orchestrated by God’s hand to open doors for the gospel to be preached.
This is a remarkable and convicting perspective. We are far more prone to letting our circumstances become our excuses. We tell ourselves we are not in the right place, we do not have the right tools, we do not know enough theology, or the timing is not right. The list of reasons we give for not evangelising is long and familiar.
But none of this is what Paul had in mind while awaiting trial before Caesar. His confidence rested not in his circumstances but in the God who had promised him that he would bear witness all the way to Rome. And so his posture was not one of self-pity or discouragement. It was one of redeeming the time — as he himself had written:
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
— Ephesians 5:15-16
Paul understood that the time available to him in this world was limited, and so he made every effort to reach those around him with the gospel — because he considered it the most God-glorifying thing he could do.
The Success of Evangelism
Now we come to the heart of what Luke records — and it is something we must sit with carefully. Some were persuaded by what Paul said. Others would not believe. Both outcomes are simply noted, side by side, without any suggestion that the second represents a failure.
One of the most paralysing concerns people have about evangelism is the question of response. We have come to measure the success of our gospel witness by how many people believe — and when the numbers are discouraging, we begin to wonder whether evangelism is worth the effort at all.
But this is not how Paul measured success, and it is not how God measures it either. Evangelism is the act of taking the good news of Jesus Christ to people — and its faithfulness is tied to the command of God, not to the response of those who hear. When we tie the value of evangelising to how many people respond positively, we will inevitably begin keeping score, and eventually conclude that it is fruitless.
Paul addresses this very tension in his first letter to the Corinthians:
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
— 1 Corinthians 1:18
The gospel will always divide. Some will be persuaded. Others will not believe. And God is glorified in both responses — because His word goes out and does what He intends it to do. Isaiah reminds us:
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
— Isaiah 55:11
And the author of Hebrews tells us that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The results belong to God. Our task is faithful proclamation.
Go and Trust the Lord With the Results
May this short passage encourage us to go out and share the gospel with the nations — without tying the outcome to ourselves or measuring our faithfulness by the response we receive. We sow. We water. But it is God who gives the growth.
May we trust that the Lord will bring the results in accordance with His divine will.
Amen.
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