Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 8:18

"Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath." — Luke 8:18 (ASV)

For whoever has, to him will be given, and whoever does not have, from him will be taken even that which he seems to have.

Preaching will enrich you or impoverish you according to how you hear. There are some hearers who have nothing, and the preacher gives them nothing. Hens like to lay where there is a nest-egg, and preachers of the gospel like to preach to hearers who have received some truth and want more. Where there is some love to God and love to souls, there more will come. May all of you be among those who have, to whom more will be given!

But the gospel is also a savor of death unto death to some who hear it. It takes away from some men what they never had. You call that a paradox; so it is, but it is true. They think they have it, but the gospel reveals to them their mistake; and so it takes from them that which they seem to have.

Take heed therefore how you hear:

You think, and think very properly, that we ought to take heed how we preach. Yes, that is true; but you must take heed how you hear. There are a great many criticisms about preaching; will you kindly make a few criticisms about your own hearing?

I like what a woman said to me some time ago, about a certain preacher. She said, "I heard him well last Sunday." Yes, that is the thing; she did not tell me how he preached, she told me how she heard, and that is the main point.

Good hearers will make good preachers, in due time, I do not doubt. God grant that we may be all good hearers! Take heed therefore how you hear.