What is the Result of Preaching the Gospel?

What gospel did the Disciples preach?

But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. – Acts 8:12

Philip preached about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

Philip referred to in this verse is not the disciple Philip but is called “Philip the evangelist”. Philip was one of the original seven deacons selected to serve in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:5). When the “great persecution” arose in Acts 8:1, Philip left Jerusalem to become an evangelist in Samaria (Acts 8:5–12). After the church in Samaria was started, Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, a member of the court of Candace, the Ethiopian queen. Philip found the eunuch sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah and trying to make sense of the prophet’s words. Philip offered to explain, and the eunuch invited him to come up and sit with him. In the end, the eunuch was saved and baptized (Acts 8:26–39). Immediately following the baptism, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away to Azotus, where he continued to preach the gospel in the towns from there to Caesarea (Acts 8:40).

Twenty years later, Philip is mentioned again, still in Caesarea (Acts 21:8–9). Paul and Luke and others were traveling to Jerusalem, and they stopped at Philip’s home in Caesarea. They stayed with Philip for several days. Philip had four unmarried daughters at that time, all of whom had the gift of prophecy. That is the last time the Bible mentions the evangelist Philip.

And Paul?

Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. – Acts 19:8

When at Ephesus, he preached the same gospel about the kingdom of God.

Apparently, he encountered resistance from the Jews there, so he began preaching in the school of Tyrannus and for the next two years preached to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 19:9-10). The presumption is that Tyrannus himself was a Greek, and a public teacher of philosophy or rhetoric.

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. – Acts 19:11-12

The preaching of the Gospel was accompanied by healing of the sick and deliverance from evil spirits, resulting in repentance of sin and faith in the Lord Jesus.

As a result of Jewish sorcererists invoking the name of Jesus over those who were demon possessed, the evil spirits overpowered them and beat them. When the people heard about this, they were seized with fear and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many were to come to Christ and openly confessed their sin. Some of those that practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly and the knowledge of Christ spread widely and grew in power. (Acts 19:13-20)

From there, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem and eventually to Rome.

Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. – Acts 20:1-3

On his journey, he stayed briefly in Miletus where he sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus. He told them of his work and encouraged them before leaving for Jerusalem. (Acts 20:17-25). Paul acknowledged the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace would be difficult with warnings of prison and hardships ahead for him (Acts 20:23). He encouraged them to faithfully preach the Gospel and to beware of false teachers among them (Acts 20:28-31).

I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. – Acts 20:21

After arriving in Jerusalem, Paul was beaten and arrested because he was perceived to be preaching against the Jews and their Law (Acts 21:17-36). Paul was allowed to address the Jews there and presented his defense as a Jew himself who was called by God to preach also to the Gentiles (Acts 21:37 – Acts 22:21). After a series of testimonies before the Sanhedrin and government officials for the next two years, Paul appealed to Caesar and was eventually put aboard a ship to begin his journey to Rome (Acts 27) where at one point became shipwrecked (Acts 27:27-44).

When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them:” My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar — not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” They replied,” We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”- Acts 28:16-22

What gospel did he preach to both Jews and Gentiles at Rome?

They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. – Acts 28:23

“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. – Acts 28:28-30

Paul taught the same to both Jew and Gentile and the same message he had taught all along: the kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ.