Luke 11:27-28 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said to him… I. THE NECESSITY OF KNOWING THE WORD OF GOD. One great cause to which our falling so frequently into sin may be ascribed is, a want of attention to the duties incumbent upon us. Now it is evident that if we were to make it our daily practice to meditate upon the Word of God, we should have our duty continually before us. We should have the promises and the threatenings of the Almighty ever before our eyes: this would necessarily produce such an impression upon our hearts, as to make us fear and dread all iniquity, and to turn from the sins to which we are naturally inclined, and most strongly addicted. II. How THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD OF GOD, so necessary to our salvation, IS TO BE ACQUIRED. The two chief means for the attainment of Divine knowledge are the reading of God's holy Word, and the hearing of it preached. The sacred Scriptures are the great means of converting sinners, and of building up saints in their holy faith. History is full of conversions which the reading and hearing of God's Word have occasioned. That eminent father of the Church, , tells us that he owed his conversion to the reading of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Romans 13:11. Others have been converted from the hearing and the reading of these words: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." "In the beginning was the word." Another in reading the Acts of the Apostles; and another from these words of St. Paul to Timothy: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." If such be their mighty and magnificent effects, how necessary to be known, and studied, and understood of men! Every part of Scripture, as being of Divine inspiration, ought to be thoroughly studied, and inwardly digested; though, doubtless, there are some books and chapters which claim our meditations, and require our studious perusal, more than others. And then, in order that we may reap real benefit and advantage from the perusal of the sacred Oracles, it is necessary that, like the Ethiopian eunuch, we should read them with care and application, as containing the true knowledge of salvation. III. THAT THE READING AND HEARING OF THE WORD OF GOD ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR SALVATION, UNLESS IT BE REDUCED TO PRACTICE, is evident from these words of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 7:24). IV. THE BLESSEDNESS AND HAPPINESS WHICH ATTEND THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND KEEP IT. The blessedness of a true believer — of a faithful servant of Christ, is even greater than that of the mother of the Saviour. How noble — how glorious a privilege is this! In hearing and meditating upon the Word of God, believers experience a pleasure and a satisfaction of which the men of the world can form no estimate, and entertain no idea whatsoever. (J. Rudge, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. |
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