Episode 804
Challenging Popularity: Truth Over Approval in Faith | 804
The principal theme of this episode revolves around the exhortation to "give away your life," as articulated in Luke 6:17-26. We delve into the profound implications of this passage, exploring Jesus's radical redefinition of blessing and success, which often stands in stark contrast to contemporary societal norms. Through this discourse, we examine the significance of proximity, as Jesus positions himself among the marginalized, thereby challenging the barriers erected by religious institutions. We also confront the peril of echo chambers in our pursuit of approval, emphasizing the necessity of prioritizing truth over popularity, especially in our current age characterized by social media influence. In our concluding reflections, we provide actionable steps aimed at fostering authenticity and engagement with the oft-overlooked truths of our faith.
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
- Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
- Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
- A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
- A prayer for your day.
A companion resource to the Voice of God Daily Podcast is the “ABC Bible Study Guide” available by clicking HERE.
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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
The discourse presented in this episode of Daily Bible Refresh delves into the intricacies of Jesus' teachings as encapsulated in Luke 6:17-26, a passage that profoundly challenges conventional wisdom surrounding blessings and success. Dr. Brad Miller articulates the core message of 'giving away your life,' highlighting the radical nature of Jesus' pronouncements that bless those who are marginalized, impoverished, and grieving. This inversion of societal values serves to illuminate the often-overlooked truth that true fulfillment is found not in material gain but in the shared experiences of human suffering and divine grace. Dr. Miller’s insights compel listeners to reconceptualize their understanding of what it means to be blessed in the context of an 'upside-down kingdom.'
The episode further explores the implications of Jesus' choice to stand among the people, effectively dismantling the barriers that religious leaders of his time maintained. This act of solidarity speaks volumes in a contemporary context, where faith communities often grapple with issues of accessibility and inclusion. Dr. Miller challenges his audience to reflect on how their own faith practices may inadvertently perpetuate divisions between the sacred and the secular, urging a movement towards greater inclusivity and engagement with the marginalized.
Additionally, the discussion addresses the contemporary challenge of navigating truth in an age dominated by social media and the pursuit of popularity. Dr. Miller's admonition against seeking the approval of others resonates deeply in a culture where affirmation is often equated with truth. He encourages listeners to take actionable steps towards prioritizing authenticity, even at the risk of discomfort. The episode culminates in a prayer that reinforces the themes of courage and conviction in the face of societal pressures, emphasizing the necessity of grounding one’s faith in the truth of Jesus' teachings rather than in the fleeting nature of public approval.
Takeaways:
- In Luke 6, Jesus emphasizes the radical notion of blessing those who are marginalized, redefining societal standards of fortune.
- The Sermon on the Plain conveys that true blessing often resides in unexpected circumstances, particularly amidst suffering and rejection.
- Jesus's message challenges us to confront the dangers of seeking approval over authenticity, especially in the age of social media.
- The call to action encourages us to prioritize truth and justice in our lives, rather than succumbing to the allure of popularity.
- Christ's approach highlights the importance of solidarity, as he stands among those often cast aside by society, reinforcing the theme of accessibility.
- The concept of an 'upside down kingdom' invites us to reconsider our values and what it means to be truly blessed in our spiritual journey.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Voice of God Daily
Transcript
Foreign hello good people.
Speaker A:Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:This is the episode, this is the podcast where we look to offer a fresh expression, a fresh reading of the New Testament from the Bible every single day.
Speaker A:This is episode number 804, the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:We read every day from the from the Revised Common Lectionary.
Speaker A:This is a three year cycle of reading through the entire Bible.
Speaker A:We're in Year C, the Epiphany season.
Speaker A:This is the sixth Sunday of Epiphany.
Speaker A:We make the Bible understandable by reading from the message translation of the Bible.
Speaker A:The New Testament reading only relatable by offering you a couple of points to ponder and applicable by giving you an action step to follow.
Speaker A:We have a prayer.
Speaker A:We do all that in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Reading from the message, you're blessed.
Speaker A:Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon.
Speaker A:They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.
Speaker A:Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed.
Speaker A:Everyone was trying to touch him.
Speaker A:So much energy surging from him.
Speaker A:So many people healed.
Speaker A:Then he spoke.
Speaker A:You're blessed when you've lost it all.
Speaker A:God's kingdom is there for the finding.
Speaker A:You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry, then you're ready for the messianic meal.
Speaker A:You're blessed when the tears flow freely.
Speaker A:Joy comes with the morning.
Speaker A:Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out.
Speaker A:Every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me.
Speaker A:What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that person is uncomfortable.
Speaker A:You can be glad when that happens.
Speaker A:Skip like a lamb if you like, for even though they don't like it, I do.
Speaker A:And all heaven applauds and know that you're in good company.
Speaker A:My preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
Speaker A:Give away your life, but trouble is ahead if you think you've made it.
Speaker A:What you have is all that you ever get.
Speaker A:And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself.
Speaker A:Your self will not satisfy you for long.
Speaker A:And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games.
Speaker A:There's suffering to be met and you're going to meet it.
Speaker A:There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them.
Speaker A:Popularity contests are not truth contests.
Speaker A:Look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors.
Speaker A:Your task is to be true, not popular.
Speaker A:A really incredible reading here about really the upside down kingdom, finding the blessed in unexpected places.
Speaker A:This is from this passage of scripture.
Speaker A:It is often called the Sermon on the Plain.
Speaker A:And we're going to explore Jesus's radical message of how his radical message of blessing challenges modern assumptions about success, happiness, and what truly matters.
Speaker A:Let's talk about some points to ponder.
Speaker A:There is Point number one is the revolution of proximity.
Speaker A:Jesus comes down from the mountain to stand on level ground with the people.
Speaker A:This isn't just a physical description, it's a powerful statement about accessibility and solidarity.
Speaker A:While religious leaders of his time often separated themselves from the unclean masses, Jesus deliberately positions himself among them.
Speaker A:In a modern context.
Speaker A:This challenges religious institutions that create barriers between holy spaces and marginalized communities where we are maintaining unnecessary hierarchies in our faith communities.
Speaker A:What are we going to do about that?
Speaker A:A second point is redefining blessing.
Speaker A:Jesus completely inverts conventional wisdom about blessing.
Speaker A:He doesn't congratulate the wealthy, mega church pastor or the successful Christian entrepreneur.
Speaker A:Instead, he pronounces blessing of those who are hungry, weeping and rejected.
Speaker A:This isn't about glorifying suffering.
Speaker A:Oh no.
Speaker A:It's about recognizing that God's presence is especially tangible among those who society pushes to the margins.
Speaker A:How might this reshape in your mind?
Speaker A:In my mind, our understanding of what blessed means beyond our comfortable, maybe social media post about what a blessing might mean.
Speaker A:Third point is the danger of echo chambers.
Speaker A:Verse 26 in this passage delivers a particularly challenging message for a social media oriented age.
Speaker A:It says this there's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others.
Speaker A:Did you get that?
Speaker A:Jesus warns against seeking popularity over truth.
Speaker A:In our current climate of an influencer Christianity and celebrity pastors, this serves as a vital reminder that viral doesn't always equal virtuous.
Speaker A:When was the last time our faith made somewhat uncomfortable with truth rather than comfortable with affirmation?
Speaker A:Here's your action step for the day everybody.
Speaker A:This week, identify an area where you've been seeking approval over authenticity.
Speaker A:Maybe it's in your prayer life, your social media presence, or maybe somehow involvement with your church or your faith community.
Speaker A:Make a conscious decision to take one action that prioritizes truth over popularity.
Speaker A:This might mean speaking out about some issue of justice in your community or examine perhaps your finances, your spending habits or reaching out to someone who is someone been somewhat rejected by a social circle.
Speaker A:Speak to those issues.
Speaker A:We're going to have a closing prayer in just a minute, but I did want to remind you that here at Daily Bible Refresh we come to you from the website voiceofgod daily.com and that is the place where you can find our resource that we have for you.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Guide.
Speaker A:And it really is a simple resource that you can apply to your daily Bible reading to help it to be as easy as ABC and 1, 2, 3 and enhance what you're already doing and what you get here at Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:You can find it at our website voiceofgod daily.com now let's pray.
Speaker A:Divine God, you are a disruptor and we confess that we often prefer comfort to truth and popularity to purpose.
Speaker A:Thank you for giving this idea of an upside down kingdom that finds us in our hunger and meets us in our tears and blesses us in our brokenness.
Speaker A:Give us courage to stand on level ground with those whom society pushes aside and help us release our grip on artificial securities and open our hands to receive your unexpected blessing.
Speaker A:Make us uncomfortable with injustice and unsatisfied with shallow spirituality.
Speaker A:And when we face rejection or speaking truth, remind us that we're in good company.
Speaker A:Your company.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:What a joy and pleasure to be with you here on on Daily Bible Refresh, brought to you by Voice of God Daily.
Speaker A:Well that you join us.
Speaker A:We usually drop these episodes every single day before 6:00am Eastern Time and we'd love to have you join us in a daily renewal of the reading of the Bible and invite a friend to join us.
Speaker A:Until then, My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller and just want to remind you that God's loyal, loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:His created new every morning.
