The Ministry of Tears

The Ministry of Tears

Luke 6:21

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.

Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

INTRO: The Christian has peace and joy. But the Christian life is not all sun shine and roses. There are times of weeping and times of burdens and times of sorrows. There is a ministry of faith and love but also their is a ministry of tears.

The Bible tells us of many kinds of tears. Some of them are in this message.

I. TEARS OF HYPOCRISY AND DECEPTION

A. Judges 14:16, 17 state that Samson’s wife wept. She wanted the answer to Samson’s riddle. She wept seven days. The weeping, the tears flowing, finally did the trick, and she deceived Samson.

Many a man has been deceived by the tears of a woman!

B. Not all tears are sincere. Mal. 2:13 ,

“And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.”

II. WASTED TEARS

A. Hebrews 12:17 declares that Esau “found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

He wasted those tears. He waited too late.

Matthew 24:51 speaks of the evil servant who says (in his heart) my lord delayeth his coming

And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

B. David said in 2 Samuel 12:22-23

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

C. Tears of repentance are not wasted if shed in time.

WASTED YEARS

Two aged men met that had been foes for life.

Met by a grave and wept,

… and in those tears

They washed away the memory of their strife;

then

They wept again at the loss of all those years.

—Tennyson

III. TEARS OF PETITION

A. Esther 8:3: “… Esther … besought the king with tears to put away the mischief of Haman.…” Esther made her earnest and tearful petition to him. The king held out his sceptre. He granted her request.

B. Isaiah 38:3–5 it says that “Hezekiah on his death bed wept sore.” (v. 5) God said, “… I have seen thy tears.… I have heard thy prayer Behold I will add unto thy days 15 yrs”

C. Hannah prayed and wept for a child.

1 Sam. 1:7–10.

God granted her petition, V 20

D. Job 16:20 : “My friends scorn me: but mine eyes poureth out tears unto God.”

E. Psa. 6:6 tells of David’s cry for deliverance. “I am weary with my groanings; all the night I made my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.”

F. Mark 9:24 : “… The father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

IV. TEARS OF THANKSGIVING

A. Luke 7:38–44 states that the woman “stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head.…” Jesus said, “She hath washed my feet with tears, and.…” (v. 44).

What a testimony! What humility!

What thankfulness!

someone said:

“The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything, the soul that complains will find comfort in nothing.”

B. Psa. 126:5, 6 :

5 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

V. TEARS OF WARNING

A. Acts 20:31 : Paul said, “… that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

B. Phil. 3:18: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.”

VI. TEARS OF COMPASSION

A. Jer. 9:1 : “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people!”

B. Jeremiah 9:18

And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us,That our eyes may run down with tears,And our eyelids gush out with waters.

C. Jer. 13:17: “… My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eyes shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.”

D. Lam. 2:18-19 says, “… Let tears run down like a river day and night: … Arise, cry out in the night: … pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord.”

E. John 11:35 : “Jesus wept.”

G. Luke 19:41: “… He beheld the city, and wept over it.”

VII. TEARS OF RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS AND JOY

A. Genesis 33:1–4 tells about Jacob coming back home to meet Esau, whom he had cheated many years before.

4 says, “And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.”

B. Genesis 45:14, 15 : The story of Joseph and his brothers is a thrilling one.

14) “And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15) Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them.…”

Conclusion: The ministry of tears is powerful in its persuasion and effectiveness.

Hypocritical and psychological tears cannot fool God nor man.

Jesus has pronounced a special blessing upon those who “weep now:

Luke 6:21

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.

Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Even tears can be, Joy unspeakable and full of glory!