Episode Overview

Podcast: Social Dallas Podcast
Episode: Listen Up | Robert Madu | Social Dallas
Date: September 21, 2025
Host: Pastor Robert Madu

This episode centers on the theme of "Listen Up,” emphasizing the critical importance of tuning into the voice of God amid the overwhelming noise and distraction of everyday life. Drawing from Matthew 17 (the Transfiguration), Pastor Robert unpacks what it means to truly listen "up" rather than merely "around," and explores how both ancient disciples and modern Christians struggle with distraction, misdirected priorities, and spiritual dullness. The message challenges listeners to position themselves to hear from God, resist impulsive reactions, and recognize the dangers of spiritual echo chambers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Theme for the Year: “Planted”

• Opens with the 2025 church theme of being “planted in the house of God” (Psalms 92:13-15) for spiritual flourishing ([00:00]).
• Pastor Robert encourages memorization and reflection on the annual Scripture, tying it to spiritual growth and stability.

2. Illustration: Hearing Test & Spiritual Dullness

• Pastor Robert conducts a humorous live “hearing test,” making the point that aging dulls our ability to hear certain frequencies ([05:24]).
• Key Insight: Just as physical hearing can grow dull, our spiritual ears can lose sensitivity over time—not because God stops speaking, but because the noise around us drowns Him out.
  • Quote: “The years affect your ears.” ([05:24])
  • Many voices, opinions, and information overload compete with God's voice.

3. The Fight to Listen Up vs. Listening Around

• Jesus’ refrain: “He who has an ear, let him hear,” underscores the personal responsibility to discern and hear God’s unique voice ([10:20]).
• The modern life analogy: Social media “feeds” are named that for a reason—we are constantly "fed" information, for better or worse.
• Quote: “It’s hard to listen up when the majority of your time is spent on your timeline. You think you’re scrolling; you’re actually eating." ([10:27])

4. Distraction as the Enemy’s Tool

• Pastor Robert shares a real-life illustration of chaos at DFW airport caused by a single fiber optic cable being cut—paralleling how the enemy subtly disrupts our spiritual communication ([12:29]).
  • Quote: “If I was the enemy, I would cut off your connection to hearing. Not through overt destruction, but through covert distraction.” ([12:29])

5. Context and Build-up to the Mountaintop Moment (Matthew 17)

• Recap of recent sermons: The identity of Christ, temptation in the wilderness, and the continuous scriptural thread from Matthew 3 → 16 → 17 ([13:59]).
• Jesus, aware of His imminent death, focuses on clarity and intimacy with His core disciples.
  • Quote: “A consciousness of death will clarify what’s really important in your life.” ([15:54])
• Jesus leads the disciples not to the temple, but to Caesarea Philippi, a center of idolatry, to ask:
  • Who do people say I am? vs. Who do you say I am? ([17:45])

6. Revelation Doesn’t Come from "Around"—But from "Up"

• Disciples quickly repeat what culture says about Jesus, but struggle to articulate their own conviction ([19:11]).
• Peter is praised for revelation that comes, “not by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven” ([21:35]).
  • Quote: “If you really want to know who you are, don’t look to you, look to Him.” ([22:02])

7. Danger of Impulse and the Echo Chamber

• After Peter's moment of revelation, he immediately stumbles, rebuking Jesus about the cross and is himself rebuked (“Get behind me, Satan!”) ([24:01]).
  • Insight: Sometimes well-meaning people—even those closest to us—can urge choices contrary to God's will.
• Pastor Robert: “Be careful for people…they’re actually telling you something that’s contradictory to what God is telling you.” ([25:52])

8. Climbing the Mountain: Proximity and Effort

• Jesus selectively brings Peter, James, and John up the mountain ([26:59]).
  • Not everyone gets the same level of access or proximity.
• The climb is arduous and the summit—prayer, not comfort.
• The disciples, exhausted, nearly miss the miraculous moment as they fall asleep ([29:15]).

9. The Transfiguration: Glory Revealed

• Jesus is transfigured: “Not what He was becoming, but what He had always been.” ([32:16])
  • The divinity of Christ is not newly acquired at this moment but eternally inherent.
  • Miracles point to the glory—they are not the glory.
  • Quote: “The real miracle was that for 30 plus years, He hid His glory in His humanity.” ([32:43])

10. Moses and Elijah Appear

• Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) manifest alongside Jesus—symbolizing the fulfillment and unity of the entire Old Testament narrative in Christ. ([36:39])
  • Quote: “Jesus is the greater Moses. Jesus is the greater Elijah. How he gonna be on the same level?” ([44:19])
• God’s past promises and prayers are fulfilled in this climactic, supernatural meeting.

11. Peter’s Impulsive Suggestion & Correction from Heaven

• Peter, overwhelmed, wants to build three tents: one for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah ([41:38]).

  • Insight: This attempt to "box in" the glory reflects heritage—Feast of Tabernacles—but misses the magnitude and transcendence of Christ.
  • Quote: “You can’t box Jesus in. He’s bigger than any box you want to put Him in.” ([46:18])

• Heaven interrupts: God the Father overrides Peter ([43:53]):

  • “This is my beloved Son…Listen to Him!” ([48:42])
    • The central instruction: Listen up—don't just speak up, act impulsively, or equate tradition and past revelation to the unique lordship of Christ.

12. Application: Listening Up before Speaking or Reacting

• The challenge is to be a person marked by first listening to God—before reacting, speaking, or allowing cultural noise to define action. ([47:07])
  • Quote: “My primary responsibility as your pastor is to listen up. And then after I listen up, then open up my mouth and speak out, but I stay on my face to listen up before I speak.” ([47:07])
• Dangers of echo chambers: Seeking only affirmation, never challenge ([48:05]).
  • “Rarely am I changed by a truth that doesn’t challenge me.” ([48:14])

13. Posture of Humility and Worship

• The disciples’ response to God’s voice is to fall on their face in awe ([48:42]).
• Christ’s gentle touch reassures and restores them—even in their fear or failure.
  • Quote: “We have a Savior who can be touched. We have a Savior that touches you.” ([48:42])

14. Altar Call & Closing Challenge

• Pastor Robert calls listeners to assess whether they’ve been listening more to the world “around” or up to God.
• Emphasizes the privilege (and necessity) of hearing God's voice:
  • “The day you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart…”
  • “God often whispers.” ([48:42])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The years affect your ears.” ([05:24]) — Illustrating spiritual and physical hearing loss.
• “It’s hard to listen up when the majority of your time is spent on your timeline. You think you’re scrolling; you’re actually eating.” ([10:27])
• “If I was the enemy, I would cut off your connection to hearing. Not through overt destruction, but through covert distraction.” ([12:29])
• “A consciousness of death will clarify what’s really important in your life.” ([15:54])
• “If you really want to know who you are, don’t look to you, look to Him.” ([22:02])
• On impulsive culture: “You’ve got to be careful when you immediately go from feeling it to posting it... Be careful with telling all these people, speak up. Say something and say it quick. Have you noticed sometimes your first thought is not your best thought? Impulse says, say it. Wisdom says, wait a minute.” ([40:24]-[41:20])
• On boxing God in: “You can’t box Jesus in. He’s bigger than any box you want to put Him in.” ([46:18])
• “Rarely am I changed by a truth that doesn’t challenge me.” ([48:14])
• “We have a Savior that can be touched. We have a Savior that touches you.” ([48:42])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – Word for the year; “planted in the house of the Lord.”
• 05:24 – Live hearing test & spiritual analogy: dullness of hearing.
• 10:20 – Jesus’ recurring instruction: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
• 12:29 – Cable outage at DFW: Illustration of enemy tactics via distraction.
• 17:45 – Caesarea Philippi: The context for “Who do you say I am?”
• 21:35 – Peter’s revelation, name change, and how revelation comes “from the Father.”
• 24:01 – Peter rebuked: "Get behind me, Satan!" — dangers of (misguided) good intentions.
• 26:59 – Proximity and the climb: Jesus selects Peter, James, and John.
• 32:16 – The Transfiguration: Jesus reveals His intrinsic glory.
• 36:39 – Moses and Elijah appear; the law, prophets, and Christ unified.
• 41:38 – Peter’s impulse: “Let’s build three shelters.”
• 43:53 – God interrupts: “This is my beloved Son…Listen to Him!”
• 48:05–48:14 – Echo chambers; importance of being challenged.
• 48:42 – Posture before God: Worship, humility, and Christ’s touch.
• Closing – Altar call; challenge to “listen up” before speaking or acting.

Tone and Language

Pastor Robert’s style is energetic, humorous, and deeply pastoral. He skillfully uses cultural references, relatable stories, and biblical exposition, oscillating between urgent challenge, loving rebuke, and encouragement. His language is both practical and spiritually weighty; his delivery is punchy, full of call-and-response, and welcoming for listeners of all backgrounds.

Summary for Listeners

This episode challenges us to cut through the static of our noisy world and cultivate spiritual receptivity. “Listen Up” is not just about hearing, but posturing ourselves—through intentional quiet, humility, and obedience—to actually receive, discern, and act on what God is saying. Instead of being impulsive or seeking affirmation from echo chambers, Pastor Robert calls us to prioritize the voice above all other voices. The mountain isn't just a place for a select few—God's glory is for the whole world, and He's calling each of us to listen…and then respond.