Luke 8:18 Take heed therefore how you hear: for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not… Several classes of persons, to be met with in every congregation, should attend to this caution. I. In the first rank of these may be placed THE INDIFFERENT HEARER. II. Another class of persons who should give heed to the warning of the text are represented by THE CRITICAL HEARER. III. A third class of church-goers who derive little benefit from preaching, may be described as CAPTIOUS HEARERS. 1. Endeavour always to listen to the preaching of the gospel with a mind free from prejudice. Blind prepossessions and one-sided prejudices are like the trade winds, which, holding out in one course, render compass and rudder alike useless. When prejudice puts its hands before the eyes, that hand, small as it is, will be large enough to hide the sun. 2. Again. Sermons should be heard with a desire to profit by them. 3. Lastly. Sermons should be heard with humble dependence on God's Holy Spirit, to open the understanding and to touch the heart. Plead His own promise (Isaiah 55:10, 11). (J. N. Norton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. |
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