Luke 21:34-35 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life… I. First, THE WARNING. To whom is that warning addressed? "Take heed to yourselves;... for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." You see there is a contrast drawn between yourselves and the whole earth. "Yourselves" shows us to whom the warning is spoken — it is to the Church. To His own washed, saved, sanctified ones, He says, "Take heed to yourselves." He says to them, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life." Mark that expression, at any time. It would seem as though the prophecy has a continuous bearing, from the time that it was delivered up to the end of the world — that this warning is spoken to the Church of God in all ages. Take notice here that the heart is spoken of as meaning the inner life of a Christian. Take heed lest the springs of spiritual life be weakened by the cares, or the frivolities, or the ease, or the luxury, or the gains, or the occupations of this present life. The word "overcharged" literally means "weighed down." You see that not only surfeiting and drunkenness are spoken of, but "the cares of this life." On the one hand the Lord speaks of all the glare of earth, on the other hand He speaks of the toil of earth. II. Now, see THE REASON OF THE WARNING — "For as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth." The meaning of this is, that the day of the Lord will take the world by surprise. III. Thirdly, we come to speak of THE PRECEPT GROUNDED UPON THE WARNING, and the reason of the warning — "Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and stand before the Son of Man." You may have marked in history, that before empires fell, or great capitals were destroyed, luxury in the empire or in the capital had reached a climax. It was so at Herculaneum and Pompeii; it was the case at Rome. Every species of indulgence, luxury, and comfort seemed to be gathered together by the inhabitants around, when the burning mountain poured forth its flames, while streams of lava buried the cities, and hurried the people into eternity. And so, when Rome was taken by the Goths, or northern nations, it had reached the highest point of luxury, pomp, and pride. So Babylon is described in the Revelation — whatever that Babylon means — it is described as saying, just before it is destroyed — "I sit as a queen, and am no widow." In the very heigh of her pomp — in the very zenith of her pride — in the midst of her magnificence, God casts her down, and she sinks like lead in the mighty waters. It will be so, doubtless, with the nations of the world — with the kingdoms of professing Christendom — with the great capitals of Europe; there will be pride, and luxury, and magnificence, and men will be passing their time in ease and affluence, and self-indulgence, "when sudden destruction shall come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape." Watch ye, therefore; watch against the prevailing taste for show — watch against the prevailing love of ease — watch against the selfishness of the age, the luxury that creeps even into the Church; watch and take heed, brethren, lest you tread in the world's footsteps. (W. Pennefather, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. |
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