In Acts 20:17-38, Paul gives a final word and farewell to the Ephesus elders with whom he had previously spent three years, laboring in the ministry. In this final speech he reminds them of the gospel which he preached, and warned them of “fierce wolves” that will come to them. Then in verse 31 he says this,
Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.
Within this description we very clearly see Paul’s passion and zeal in that he admonishes with tears, and that he did not cease to do so while he was there. To admonish is to urge someone earnestly. Paul did this with tears. In this post I would like to consider the tears with which Paul admonished the Ephesian believers, and what lessons we are taught by them.
First, Paul’s tears teach us that he believed the warnings of God. He believed in God’s holiness and justice. He believed in God’s promises to judge sinners, of which every person is. He took seriously the necessity of repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ to save. Someone who does not believe in a righteous God that sends sinners to hell does not shed tears in admonition to his fellow man. But Paul did.
From this we see that Paul’s belief and faith in these things was a lively and active one. It was not a mere confession of faith with no real active impact, but it was fuel for the heat of his ministry and life.
Second, as much as we see Paul’s belief in the judgments of God, we see his love and compassion for his hearers. To believe in hell and to do nothing about it, is either great fear, foolishness, or hatred for your fellow man. To believe in hell and to admonish with tears is to love greatly. To love someone is not to have a mere emotional feeling about them. It is to be moved to action on their behalf. The emotion and action in Paul for his hearers was enough to affect his physical body, as tears were brought up out of him.
Third, Paul’s tears teach us that Paul was not ashamed to be seen with tears. Fear and embarrassment have stopped many a man from opening his mouth tell others of the judgment to come and the mercy extended in Christ. For others, they may summon the courage to speak of the things of God, yet they cave in to fear and thus change or adapt the message to better suit the audience. Not so for the Apostle. He speaks the truth with boldness and passion, displaying great love for God and love for his hearers.
Paul’s tears were not forced in order to put on a show or play on the emotions of the people to whom he spoke. Such acting ought to stay far away from Christ’s pulpit. But may we pray for more genuine tears to wet our pulpits. Paul’s tears came from the affections of his heart. He had such conviction over that which he preached and such relentless desire for others to come to Christ and grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ that he couldn’t hold back the tears. We of course do not say that we are commanded to cry in the pulpit; we are not. But how can a man preach if his bones are not on fire within him for the truth of God and love for the image of God? Certainly God has created each of His undershepherds with unique personalities and dispositions. No two preachers are alike. Thus, passion for one minister might look quite different than passion from another minister. As such it is not the outward appearance that we are looking for so much as it is the heart which God sees. I personally have not wept in the pulpit, although I do tear up from time to time. Whatever you’re personal disposition, the inner conviction is a non-negotiable.
We can be certain that tears shed in admonition do not just happen in the pulpit. It begins in prayer. I am afraid that the reason we do not see many tears in the pulpit today is because there are either no tears in prayer or no admonition given with which to shed tears over. We must urgently warn and plead with our congregation to prepare their souls for eternity by trusting in Jesus Christ and giving their life to him. We must do so by pleading to them, and pleading for them in prayer. Were more tears shed in prayer, more tears would be shed in preaching. As pastors and preachers let us ask God to grant us such conviction of the truth and such compassion for our congregations that we might be moved to tears on their behalf, whether they are seen or not.
Let this not be restricted to preachers, though. Christian parents, do you shed tears over your children? Are you gripped with conviction by the truth of God and filled with concern for the souls of your little ones, that you admonition them with tears to heed God’s Word? Or to any Christian, do you shed tears in and over evangelism? May God grant His Church an overwhelming conviction of the truth and compassion for others.
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