Luke 8:18 - Is God's Word Becoming A Brighter Light In Your Life?

Luke 8:18: Is God's Word Becoming A Brighter Light In Your Life?

Luke 8:18 (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.

Luke 8:18 (NCV) So be careful how you listen. Those who have
understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding,
even what they think they have will be taken away from them."

Luke 8:18 (EAV) Be careful therefore how you listen. For to him
who has [spiritual knowledge] will more be given, and from him who
does not have [spiritual knowledge], even what he thinks and guesses
and supposes that he has will be taken away.

Luke 8:18 (CWB) You are held accountable for the good news you
hear. Whoever shares with others what he's heard will be happy and
will be entrusted with more, but the person who doesn't share what
he's heard will actually lose what he has because it will slowly
disappear from his own heart."

Luke 8:18 (MSG)  So be careful that you don't become misers of
what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess
impoverishes."

Truth that is not understood and appropriated will be lost
(19:26), but truth that is used will be multiplied. [NIV SB]

Jesus explicitly warned His audience to listen to and follow the
word of God (see James 1:22-25). [Nelson SB]

The word "hear" is used nine times in these verses, for it is by
our hearing that we take the Word into our hearts where it can
create faith (Rom. 10:17). The Word is like seed because it has life in
it and can produce fruit when it is planted (received and
understood). The human heart is like soil and must be prepared if the Word is
to be planted and fruitful.... It is important that we sow the seed
in our own hearts as well as in the hearts of others.... We receive
the Word so that we might share the truth with others; and the more
we receive, the more we have to share. If we receive carelessly, we
will have nothing to give. We will be like a lamp without oil. God
shares His secrets with us, not for us to hide them, but so we can
teach them to others.... If we desire spiritual intimacy with Jesus, we
must listen to His Word, receive it, and obey it. Obedience not only
enables us to learn more truth (John 7:17), but it brings us closer to
the Lord in His spiritual family. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]

Take heed therefore how ye hear. The listener has as much to do
with the effectiveness of the message as the speaker does. [Wycliffe
Bible Commentary]

No word from God helps us if we fail to respond to it. [Victor
Bible Reader's Companion]

Only those who have good and honest hearts will perceive. Jesus
does indeed want his hearers to become his followers but he knows
that most will not. For that very reason, he says, "Consider
carefully how you listen." Those who receive Jesus' teachings will
continue to learn and grow. To them more will be given. But from those
who will not accept Jesus, even what they think they have will be
taken from them. There is just a hint here of the punishment awaiting
those who reject Jesus. [College Press NIV Commentary]

Applying God's Word helps us grow. This is a principle of growth
in physical, mental, and spiritual life. For example, a muscle,
when exercised, will grow stronger, but an unused muscle will grow
weak and flabby. If you are not growing stronger, you are growing
weaker; it is impossible for you to stand still. How are you using what
God has taught you? [Life Application SB]

Lk 8:18 lays down the universal law that the man who has will
get more; and that the man who has not will lose what he has. If a
man is physically fit and keeps himself so, his body will be ready
for ever greater efforts; if he lets himself go flabby, he will lose
even the abilities he has. The more a student learns, the more he can
learn; but if he refuses to go on learning, he will lose the knowledge
he has. This is just another way of saying that there is no
standing still in life. All the time we are either going forward or going
back. The seeker will always find; but the man who stops seeking will
lose even what he has. [Barclay Commentary]

All believers must treasure the words of Jesus. The people who
listen and understand are those who have. They hear, understand, and
then share with others. (Life Application Commentary)

If one understands the Word of God his life should reflect that
understanding (cf. v. 15). Just as one does not light a lamp in order to hide
it (cf. 11:33-36), so also a person is not given "the secrets of
the kingdom of God" (8:10) in order to keep them secret. The
disciples were to make known the things Jesus was telling them. [Bible
Knowledge Commentary]

Ministers that have the dispensing of the gospel committed to
them, people that have profited by the word and are thereby qualified
to profit others, must look upon themselves as lighted candles:
ministers must in solemn authoritative preaching, and people in brotherly
familiar discourse, diffuse their light, for a candle must not be covered
with a vessel nor put under a bed, v. 16. Ministers and Christians
are to be lights in the world, holding forth the word of life.
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)

In sheer gratitude the Gadarene asks permission to accompany
Jesus, but his request is denied. "Go back to your family," said Jesus,
"and tell them what a wonderful thing God has done for you" (8:39).
Don't preach a sermon, Jesus said. Just give personal testimony of God
at work in your life..... Firsthand experience with God is too
precious to keep to yourself! [Daily Walk Bible]

In Palestine a lamp was kept burning all night in even the
poorest of homes. Entering the darkened home a person could see the dim
olive-oil-fueled lamp, but little else. This is why in the illustration the
person sees the light--but not the contents of the room. But this is the
point. One must see Jesus first and only. When we have fixed our eyes
on Jesus, we can be sure that the hidden things of our life will
gradually be revealed to us. He is the key to our understanding of all
things and possession of all spiritual insights. Seeing Him we will be
given more. Not seeing Him, even the little spiritual insight we have
will be taken away. [Victor Bible Reader's Companion]

Only when I reach the point where I solemnly place great store
upon what he says will it ever become a powerful force in my life.
Only when I really take Him seriously will His word be made
Spirit and life (supernatural life) to me.
Only when I recognize that what I am hearing is in fact and in
truth divine revelation designed by deity for my own good, will I hear
it as a word from above.
God has chosen to articulate Himself to me as a man in four
ways: through the natural created universe around me; through His word
expressed by inspired men who reported it in human language I can read and
understand; through the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh,
exemplified in human form; through those other men and women in whom He
deigns to reside by His own Gracious Spirit.
He may speak to me deliberately and distinctly through any one
or all of these ways. It is my responsibility then to recognize: "O
God, You are communicating with me. I will listen. I do recognize
Your voice communing with me.". . .
I must set aside whatever else preoccupies my thoughts and give
my undivided attention to the Lord.
It is not good enough to "half listen" to God. He demands my
total concentration on what He is conveying to me. He knows that
anything less will leave me half-hearted....
My positive response results in immediate action on my part. His
will is done. His wishes are carried out. His desires are complied
with happily His commands are executed without delay or debate.
In short I simply do what He asks me to do.
This is faith in action--the faith of obedience.
This is the gateway into the good ground of God's garden.
This is to "hear" the Word and have it come alive.
This is to have Him implant the good seed of His good intentions
for me in the good, warm, open, prepared soil of my responsive
soul.
The seed will germinate. The young plants will prosper and grow
vigorously. There will be fruit production of His choosing--a harvest that
delights Him and refreshes others. (From A Gardener Looks at the Fruits
of the spirit by Phillip Keller) [Inspirational SB]

Is It fair to give more to one who already has? Fairness is not
the issue. If it were, no one could expect anything from God except
judgment. The point here is that God, in his mercy rewards those who are
faithful. The one who lives a righteous life will enjoy the best life has
to offer, though rewards may often seem intangible. The more
closely that one lines up with God's purposes, the greater the
benefits--in this life as well as in the next. [Quest SB]

The gifts we have, will be continued to us or not, as we use
them for the glory of God, and the good of our brethren. [Matthew
Henry Commentary]

Relationship with Jesus is not based on earthly bonds, but on
the response of faith to God's Word [Victor Bible Reader's
Companion]

No man or woman, boy or girl, can follow Jesus Christ and go
astray. [Daily Walk Bible]