Open Our Ears: Hear All the People

Jun 21, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: What You Hear in Darkness, Shout From Rooftops

Summer’s green leaves shimmer as reminders: truth grows best when carried into light. Jesus insists the whispers we receive in life’s shadows aren’t meant to stay hidden. Discipleship demands courageous amplification—turning private revelations into public proclamations. This isn’t about volume but integrity: does our speech align with Christ’s justice? When God’s whisper cuts through noise, we become megaphones for grace. [34:41]

"What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops."
(Matthew 10:27, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you hesitated to voice a holy truth? What current cry for justice needs your boldness to echo it?

Day 2: Listening for God in Unlikely Voices

Beelzebub’s chaos competes with divine whispers in unexpected places. The disciple’s task isn’t to curate voices but to discern them—hearing past prejudice to find truth in marginalized stories, opposing viewpoints, even summer’s laughter. Like Elijah at Horeb, we must tune our ears: God speaks through fire and breeze, protester and child. Every voice holds potential revelation. [31:25]

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."
(1 Kings 19:12, ESV)

Reflection: Whose perspective have you dismissed recently that might carry a fragment of God’s truth? How will you listen differently today?

Day 3: Wielding the Sword of Christ’s Truth

The sword Jesus hands us isn’t steel but discernment—separating holy urgency from human anger. It cuts through complacency, exposing systems that devalue black skin, foreign tongues, or “wrong” flags. This blade demands precision: truth-telling that heals rather than harms, rooted in numbering every hair on every head. [34:08]

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
(Ephesians 6:17, ESV)

Reflection: When have you used truth as a weapon instead of a surgeon’s tool? Where is Christ calling you to operate with holy precision?

Day 4: Loving Christ First to Love Others Whole

Family values crumble when they compete with divine love. Jesus’ harsh words about prioritizing him reveal a paradox: only by anchoring in his infinite love can we love others without idolizing or abandoning them. Like summer roots drinking deep to feed branches, our human connections thrive when Christ is the source. [36:25]

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart... and love your neighbor as yourself."
(Matthew 22:37-39, ESV)

Reflection: Which relationship suffers because you love it more than Christ? How might reordering that love bring healthier connection?

Day 5: Every Hair Numbered, Every Story Held

God’s arithmetic defies scale—counting follicles while holding galaxies. This intimate knowledge fuels our charge: if the Creator attends to sparrows and split-ends, how much more must we honor each story? Summer’s abundance mirrors this divine economy—every firefly’s flicker matters in the night’s tapestry. [37:31]

"Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."
(Luke 12:7, ESV)

Reflection: Whose overlooked story is waiting for you to number it holy? How will you mirror God’s meticulous care today?

Sermon Summary

Pentecost names the day and sets the posture. The Spirit who comes from the risen Son invites the church to bring life into everything, even the gifts of summer, so that green and growing things, children’s laughter, and cold drinks become the language of praise. Father’s Day takes a tender place in the background, with room for both gratitude and grief, because those voices deserve to be heard. Yet the center remains Jesus Christ and the call of disciples who seek the transformation of the world by opening their ears to the voices of truth God is sending, sometimes from the most unlikely places.

Matthew’s proverb about the disciple and the master, alongside the name Beelzebul, presses the question, whom do you listen to. Listening to a master takes humility, and when the self crowns itself as lord of the house, brokenness follows. Jesus answers with a steady refrain, have no fear of them, meaning those who enthrone themselves or serve the lord of the flies. Awe belongs to the One who holds every soul. What Christ whispers in the dark must be told in the light, proclaimed from the housetops.

That charge requires ears that really hear. God may speak through unexpected people, yet not every word is of God. This is a call to listen and to discern, to test whether what is heard matches the truth Jesus presents. When God’s voice rises in the voices of neighbors, the church brings it into the light. When the cry of the people becomes a call to God, the church carries it forward with clarity.

Jesus’ mission also cuts. The sword he brings is not for violence, but for truth and justice that disturb the status quo. Proclamation does not hide in the shadows. It does not hint or whisper. It climbs the roof and speaks plainly. So the announcement must be sure that it is Christ’s justice and not frustration, Christ’s truth and not prejudice, that is being wielded.

Matthew remembers a hard word: whoever loves father or mother more than Christ is not worthy of him. This is not a competition of affections, but an ordering of love. Loving Christ first is the only way love for parents, children, and neighbors becomes whole. God counts every hair, sees every step, and loves every person, from the sorrowing to those harmed for their skin, language, flag, or faith. The Spirit’s work takes time, so the essential practice remains clear: open the eyes to see all the people, and open the ears to hear all the people.

Key Takeaways

1. Let summer be praise language [25:00] The Spirit invites ordinary gifts into worship, so fields, heat, rain, and laughter become a doxology. This is not sun worship, but gratitude to the risen Son who sends life. Letting seasons teach praise trains the heart to find God’s generosity everywhere. The habit also keeps the church awake and grateful when schedules shift and travel begins. [25:00]
2. Hear all the people with discernment [32:26] God sometimes speaks through unlikely voices, yet not every voice bears God’s truth. Humility listens; wisdom tests what is heard by the character and teaching of Jesus. When a word aligns with Christ’s mercy and justice, bring it into the light. When a cry is simply a cry, carry it to God without varnish. [32:26]
3. Proclaim from the housetops without fear [31:06] Jesus hands courage to disciples who face resistance and distortion. Truth should not live in the shadows, so the church climbs the roof and speaks plainly. Boldness is not bluster, and volume is not virtue; the content must be Christ’s truth and Christ’s justice. Fear fades where reverence for the One who holds every soul grows. [31:06]
4. Love Christ first to love well [35:26] Matthew’s hard word is not a contest but an order that heals love. When Christ is first, affection for family and neighbor is purified from control, fear, and idolatry. The cruciform pattern widens the heart’s capacity to endure conflict for the sake of truth and to persevere in tenderness. Ordered love becomes durable love. [35:26]
5. Join God already at work [32:53] God’s mission runs beyond, above, and around the church, and sometimes the call is to catch up. Listening reveals where grace is already moving in a neighborhood, a protest, a conversation. Joining rather than owning the work frees the church from anxiety and self-importance. It also trains patience, since all things of the Spirit take time. [32:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:09] - Pentecost sets the day
[25:00] - Let summer praise God
[26:08] - A tender word on fathers
[27:45] - Listen beyond church walls
[28:23] - Beelzebul and the proverb
[29:58] - Have no fear of them
[31:06] - Proclaim from the housetops
[32:26] - Listen and discern wisely
[32:53] - God at work beyond us
[33:41] - The sword of truth and justice
[34:41] - Test every word by Christ
[35:26] - Love Christ first to love well
[36:53] - God’s infinite love for all
[38:08] - See and hear all the people

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 10:24-39 (ESV)
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Observation Questions

In Matthew 10:27, Jesus says, “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” What does “proclaim from the housetops” mean in practical terms? How does the sermon connect this to listening to unlikely voices? [31:06]
The sermon mentions that Jesus’ “sword” is not for violence but for truth and justice. What specific examples does the sermon give for how this “sword” should be used? [34:08]
How does the sermon explain the relationship between loving Christ first and loving others well, especially in light of Matthew 10:37? [36:10]
What does the sermon suggest about the connection between ordinary summer joys (like laughter or cold drinks) and worship? [25:00]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus contrast “fear of those who kill the body” with “fear of Him who can destroy soul and body” (Matthew 10:28)? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on boldness in proclaiming truth?
The sermon argues that “listening to a master takes humility” and warns against self-centered leadership. How does Matthew 10:24-25 (“a disciple is not above his teacher”) challenge modern attitudes toward authority?
Jesus says His mission brings a “sword” that divides households (Matthew 10:34-36). How does this align with the sermon’s call to “disturb the status quo” for justice? Is there a tension between this and the command to love others?
The sermon states, “God’s voice rises in the voices of neighbors.” How can we discern whether a message aligns with Christ’s character when it comes from unexpected sources? [32:26]

Application Questions

The sermon encourages letting summer’s ordinary joys (like children’s laughter or nature) become “language of praise.” What is one tangible way you could intentionally turn a simple summer moment into an act of gratitude this week? [25:00]
Jesus calls us to “proclaim from the housetops” without fear. Where do you feel most hesitant to speak truth boldly—at work, in your family, or online? What step could you take to lean into courage this week?
The sermon warns against letting “frustration or prejudice” masquerade as Christ’s justice. When have you seen this happen in your own life or community? How could you test your motives before acting? [35:09]
Matthew 10:37 says loving Christ must come before loving family. How might prioritizing Christ first heal or reorder a strained relationship in your life?
The sermon urges listening to “voices of truth” even from unlikely places. Who is someone in your community (inside or outside the church) you’ve been hesitant to listen to? How could you engage their perspective with humility this week? [27:45]
Jesus says God knows every hair on our heads (Matthew 10:30). How might trusting God’s care for you free you from fear in a specific situation you’re facing?

Sermon Clips

48s

#ProclaimFromRooftops

“That is the sword that Jesus brought and now hands to us to wield, not to bring violence, not to destroy, but to bring truth and justice to a world sorely lacking both. That is the result of this proclaiming in the light thing. And notice this. We are not to proclaim in the darkness. We're not to hide it. We don't hint, suggest, whisper. We shout. We proclaim from the rooftops.”

58s

#ListenWithHumility

“The point seems to be, whom do you listen to? Too often, we only listen to ourselves. That's the disciple deciding that they are greater than the master part of the proverb. To listen to a master, an expert, takes humility on the part of the self. And sad to say, humility is in pretty short supply these days. And if that self is the head of the house, the leader of a community, and takes on role of the lord of the flies, well then, if they have become the center of existence for a whole household or community, well, then brokenness results.”

45s

#FearlessWitness

“Who are the them that Jesus refers to here? The them are those who follow Beelzebul or the them who listen only to themselves, who acknowledge no master, no expert. Both, all, any, really. Have no fear is one of Jesus' very favorite lines. He says, have no fear of those who want to diminish your witness. Have no fear of those who tell a different story. Have no fear of those who might oppose you and attack you. Have no fear of them.”

49s

#GodIsAtWork

“God is at work beyond us. God is at work above us. God is at work around us. Sometimes the call is to catch up to what God is doing. And how will we know what God is doing if we don't listen to the people around us? We have to pay attention. It isn't easy and it isn't comfortable business. Sometimes because of what we hear, we then cause problems. We make divisions. We call out injustice and oppression as we should, and we disturb the status quo.”

53s

#WieldChristsTruth

“We must be confident in the truth that comes from God. We have to be sure of what we proclaim. Does it match the God Jesus presents to us? Does it represent the truth that Jesus came to proclaim? Is it the sword we wield of our frustration and our anger and our prejudice? Or is it the sword of Christ's truth, Christ's justice? We have to be committed to Christ, to following as disciples in Christ's way above all else. That's a hard word to hear, above all else.”

50s

#GodLovesEveryone

“God's love for us, Christ's love for us, is a love for all the people. God loves all who are in sorrow, in trouble, in sickness, or in want. The old, the young, the workers and the unemployed, and the children, some loved, some abused because they wear the wrong color skin, speak the wrong language, live under the wrong flag, or even worship the wrong god. Remember, God has numbered every hair on every head and sees our every step and hears our every thought and our every prayer.”

63s

#OpenEyesOpenEars

“God loves us all with an infinite love, and we are called to love one another as God loves us with that infinite love. Do not grow weary. All things of the spirit take time. We have to grow into this way of loving, this way of being in the world. We can talk about many practices that help us grow love. But one practice that is vital and urgent, that is this, that we open our eyes and see all the people, and we open our ears and hear all the people. Amen.”

55s

#LoveLikeChrist

“But here's the thing. What we've got to understand is that to mean first that it's not a competition. We aren't measuring how much we love and who we love more. Rather, we're realizing that our love for fathers and mothers and anyone is complete only when we love like Christ loved, only when we love like God loved. When we love Christ first, then we are enabled to love others. Accepting Christ's transforming love equips us, transforms so that we can love.”

46s

#ListenToAllVoices

“So today, we are asking for the spirit to open our ears to the voices striving to be heard, the voices of truth that God is sending us through what have become the most unlikely of sources. So how do we hear those voices? Today might be a day for listening to those both inside and outside the church, the underrepresented communities among us, those who cry for justice, yes, and those also who work for justice from a different perspective than we do. They are partners with us.”

58s

#ListenAndDiscern

“there is good being spoken. This is a call to listen. This is a call to discern. And when we hear it, when we hear the voice of God and the voice of the people around us, then we proclaim it. Or when we hear a cry from the people that is a call to God, then we bring it into the light. When we hear all the people, we find that God is at work. We sometimes think that God only has us. Our hands are the only hands God has. While the sentiment is understandable, the idea isn't the whole truth.”

46s

#SpiritBringsLife

“Anyway, as followers of the spirit that comes from Christ, of course, third Sunday after Pentecost designation is really the one that takes precedence for us today. That doesn't mean we can't observe other markers in our midst. In fact, Pentecost invites us to bring life to anything and everything that we do as the people in worship. So let's go ahead and bring in the signs of summer into the worship of the people of God. Not because we want to be confused as sun worshipers, but because the sun who rose from the dead sent us a spirit to bring us life abundant.”

48s

#DiscernTruth

“That means that we must be listening to the world, to the people around us. We need to hear all the people. And, of course, not everything said speaks of or from God. Well, do we really need to say that? Well, maybe we do. There is plenty spoken in our world today that is the antithesis of what God is whispering in our ears and other ears. This isn't a call to baptize every word spoken by everybody. It isn't a call to claim it's all good because clearly, it isn't all good.”

42s

#FathersDay

“And don't forget, it is Father's Day. And, yes, I know that's a delicate thing sometimes. Father's Day and Mother's Day are not liturgical days. And while for many there is joy, for some there are difficult memories and hard associations. But we will take a moment a little bit later in our service where there will be a special prayer for fathers. We will acknowledge joys and struggles. And why do we do such a thing? Because those voices, those people, those stories deserve to be heard.”

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Open Our Ears: Hear All the People

Devotional

Day 1: What You Hear in Darkness, Shout From Rooftops

Day 2: Listening for God in Unlikely Voices

Day 3: Wielding the Sword of Christ’s Truth

Day 4: Loving Christ First to Love Others Whole

Day 5: Every Hair Numbered, Every Story Held

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Open Our Ears: Hear All the People

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