From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Acts 20:16-21
Paul goes from Troas to Assos by land while Luke and the disciples take a ship. They meet in Assos. Paul goes aboard with his group and they sail on. Paul wants to get to Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost and does not go over to Ephesus. When the ship pauses in Miletus he sends a message to the Ephesian Church leaders who are on the other side of the bay. Holy Spirit has already told Paul he will be arrested and put in jail in Jerusalem.
When the Ephesians come across the bay to him, our dear Paul humbly speaks: You all are my home base here in Asia as I have served our Lord with humility (Ephesians 4:2), tears (Acts 20:31, 2 Corinthians 2:4, Philippians 3:18), and served Him by enduring trials from some plotting Jews. The Holy Tears from a person who rarely cries is witness to this rugged man’s tender heartedness.
Tender heartedness is truly a proof of Christianity. The real truth of another’ s bent toward sin, their soul separated from the Savior when He is knocking at their hearts door, and the sin sickness which may so easily receive full healing with their repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ– these bring us to tears, Holy tears like Paul.
Like dear Apostle Paul, proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven arrived in Christ is what we as believers do and do this in all ways that we possibly can. Paul says, “I did not shrink from doing anything helpful,” (v. 20) that will move anyone close to Jesus. Led by Holy Spirit, Paul proclaims in the synagogues, lecture halls, and house to house.
Going house to house with Jesus’ teachings allows questions to be asked, one can see needs for Christ’s healing and pray together, a person may say, “I want to receive Christ. Can you help me do that?”, and its a Holy Spirit opportunity taken to Light believers up with solid unshakable faith in Christ. And please remember this– Paul never shrank from a lively debate about The Way of our Christian faith– Jesus Resurrected.
