Teaching Summary: Listen to Jesus
Everybody has something to say today, but nobody wants to listen. Anyone with a smartphone can make their opinions known online. We are addicted to making our voices heard. You have something to say, and you have probably taken the opportunity this week to say it. I am not saying you should not have, just that you probably did.
The problem is, nobody wants to listen. I am afraid there is no longer any room in our society for dialogue. Instead, we debate. We use our words to prove people wrong, put people down, and put people in their place.
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, this should concern you. This way of showing up does not come from Jesus but from the enemy. Many Christians have become convinced that being right gives them permission to speak however they want. But Jesus was far less concerned about what there is to say than what there is to hear.
If we want to show up in a way that honors Jesus and advances his kingdom, we must become people who listen and listen well.
When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, the voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Later, Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice.” He also said, “If you want to be my disciple, do what I say.” That means listening.
Listening is central to following Jesus. Yet, we often think faithfulness means speaking up, defending truth, or having the right argument ready. But the way of Jesus is not about how much we say. It is about how well we listen.
In the story of Balaam’s donkey, God opened the donkey’s mouth to speak truth to a prophet who was too blind and self-absorbed to listen. Sometimes we are the same. We are so focused on being heard that we fail to hear what God is saying through others.
Are we listening? Who are we listening to? What are we listening for?
When we do not listen, we cannot love. Listening is love in action. It means slowing down enough to be curious, humble, and present. It means quieting the noise of our opinions and tuning in to the voice of Jesus.
The book of Proverbs says, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but whoever restrains his lips is wise.” James writes, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” And Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.”
Listening is not passivity. It is participation in the kingdom of God. When we listen well, we make space for the Spirit to speak—through Scripture, through others, and through the quiet whisper in our hearts.
Our world rewards noise. It prizes hot takes, quick reactions, and constant connectivity. But the kingdom of God grows in silence, stillness, and listening.
When we fast from noise, our hearts begin to re-tune to the voice of the Shepherd. When we stop scrolling and stop speaking long enough to listen, we may find that Jesus is already speaking—and has been all along.
This week, I invite you to fast from cable news and social media. Silence the constant noise. Turn off notifications. Stop checking the news feed. Resist the urge to post or comment.
During that space, practice listening. Listen for the Spirit in Scripture. Listen to the people around you without planning your response. Listen for the quiet voice of God beneath the surface of your day.
*Check out this week’s Quiet Table blog post for more details and directions on how to successfully fast from cable news and social media.
You may discover that silence is not empty—it is full of presence.
When Jesus was transfigured, the Father’s voice did not say, “Speak for him.” It said, “Listen to him.” The way of Jesus begins not with speaking, but with listening. It is not about being right, but being real. It is not about being loud, but being present.
Faithfulness in the way of Jesus means learning to listen well—to God, to others, and to the world around us with compassion and discernment.
So this week, may you resist the noise. May you fast from the need to be heard. And may you become someone who listens, really listens, to the voice that still speaks today.
