Episode 925
Radical Inclusion: A Deep Dive into Ephesians 2
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.
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The discourse presented herein delves into the profound implications of Ephesians 2:11-22, as interpreted through the lens of radical inclusion. The narrative explores the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice, emphasizing the dismantling of barriers that have historically divided humanity into factions of insiders and outsiders. By highlighting the metaphorical construction of a new community—a living temple built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ—the discussion invites listeners to reflect upon the contemporary relevance of these ancient texts in a world increasingly marked by division and exclusivity. The speaker articulates a vision for a faith that transcends religious nationalism, advocating for an authentic spiritual experience that fosters unity rather than division. The heart of this message resonates with contemporary societal challenges, urging a re-examination of how faith can either perpetuate exclusion or serve as a catalyst for genuine connection across diverse boundaries.
Furthermore, the episode elucidates the critique of hierarchical religious structures that often complicate the essence of faith with cumbersome rules and doctrines. The speaker posits that true spirituality should liberate rather than constrain, calling upon listeners to engage with their faith in ways that emphasize radical inclusion and transformative love. This call to action not only challenges listeners to dismantle their preconceived notions of community but also encourages them to identify and bridge the gaps that separate individuals based on theology, culture, or socioeconomic status. In doing so, the episode provides not merely a theological reflection but a practical guide for fostering deeper relationships and understanding within a diverse society, ultimately culminating in a prayer that encapsulates the themes of unity and love that underpin the entire discourse.
Takeaways:
- The podcast elucidates the imperative of transcending religious nationalism, particularly amidst contemporary societal challenges.
- It emphasizes how the teachings of Ephesians advocate for radical inclusion among diverse communities and identities.
- The discussion critiques hierarchical structures within religious institutions, advocating for liberation over control in faith practices.
- Listeners are encouraged to identify and dismantle barriers that separate individuals within their communities, fostering genuine connections.
- The metaphor of a living temple illustrates the significance of maintaining uniqueness while fostering community strength through diversity.
- The overarching message is a divine call to transform divisions into unity, creating spaces where all individuals belong.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgoddaily.com
Transcript
Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Hello, my good friend Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller here with you with Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:We come here every day to give you the very reading for the day for the Revised Common Lectionary, please for year C, which is what we're in now in the Pentecost season, we make the reading of the Bible relatable by giving you some points to ponder and understandable by reading from the from the message version and applicable giving you some questions to apply to your life.
Speaker A:It's all brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com that's our website which is the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method.
Speaker A:Go there and pick it up for free.
Speaker A: lionaires a million people by: Speaker A: ng for the day from Ephesians: Speaker A:It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ.
Speaker A:You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, had the clue about what God was doing in the world at large.
Speaker A:Now because of Christ dying that death, shedding his blood, that you are once again out of it altogether and are in on everything.
Speaker A:The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders.
Speaker A:He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance.
Speaker A:He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine printed footnotes that it hindered more than it helped.
Speaker A:Then he started over.
Speaker A:Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.
Speaker A:Christ brought us together through his death on the cross.
Speaker A:The cross got us to embrace and that was the end of hostility.
Speaker A:Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders.
Speaker A:He treated us as equals and so made us equals.
Speaker A:Through him, we both share the same spirit and have equal access to the Father.
Speaker A:That's plain enough, isn't it?
Speaker A:You're no longer wandering exiles.
Speaker A:This kingdom of faith is now your home country.
Speaker A:You're no longer strangers or outsiders.
Speaker A:You belong here with as much right to the name Christian as anyone else.
Speaker A:God is building a home and he's using us all, irrespective of how, of how we got here and what he is building.
Speaker A:He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation.
Speaker A:Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together.
Speaker A:We see it taking shape day after day.
Speaker A:A holy temple built by God, all of us built into it.
Speaker A:A temple in which God is quite at home.
Speaker A:Then is the reading which is all about this radical inclusion into God's world.
Speaker A:It's about breaking down barriers, creating new forms of community that transcend traditional divisions.
Speaker A:Let's get into some key points, some takeaway points.
Speaker A:The first is going beyond religious nationalism.
Speaker A:The text challenges religious exclusivity and nationalism, particularly relevant in our era of rising Christian nationalism.
Speaker A:Paul envisions a faith that breaks down walls between insiders and outsiders, suggesting that authentic spirituality transcends religious, national and cultural boundaries.
Speaker A:This speaks to our need to resist using faith as a tool for exclusion or political power.
Speaker A:Second point is about dismantling hierarchical religion.
Speaker A:He It's a quote.
Speaker A:It says he repealed the law code that becomes so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped.
Speaker A:Close quote.
Speaker A:This critiques how religious institutions often create complex systems of rules and doctrines that serve to control rather than liberate.
Speaker A:Progressive faith calls us to strip away these barriers to focus on radical inclusion and transformative love.
Speaker A:A third point is about building new communities.
Speaker A:The metaphor of being built into a living temple suggests that authentic community isn't about conformity, but how different pieces fit together while maintaining uniqueness.
Speaker A:This challenges both assimilation models of inclusion and rigid separation.
Speaker A:It envisions communities where differences contribute to strength rather than cause division.
Speaker A:Here's your action step.
Speaker A:Identify one boundary outside of your community that separates insiders from outsiders, whether based on theology or culture or sexuality, economic status, racial or any other factors.
Speaker A:And create a concrete opportunity for genuine connection to take place and relationship building across the boundary and document how this experience challenges your assumption about who belongs.
Speaker A:We'll come back and have a closing prayer in just a moment.
Speaker A:Just want to lift up that we have a resource for you called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method.
Speaker A:Head over to our website voiceofgoddaily.com pick that up.
Speaker A:It will help you in your daily Bible study.
Speaker A:Let's pray.
Speaker A:Oh God, you are the divine architect of unity.
Speaker A:We confess our tendency to build walls when you call us all on us to build bridges to create barriers.
Speaker A:When you call on us to create belonging, help us recognize the ways we've turned your inclusive love into exclusive clubs, your boundless grace into bounded spaces, your radical welcome into rigid rules.
Speaker A:Give us and guide us in dismantling divisions we've constructed between us, the hierarchies we've hidden behind, the exclusions we've explained away.
Speaker A:May we become living stones in your temple of inclusion, each unique, each essential, all connected in love.
Speaker A:Transform our communities from fortress to fellowship, from barriers to belonging, from division to divine unity.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Well, my good friends, so good to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:I really hope that you'll join me.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Join me in this tat, this, this opportunity.
Speaker A:We have have this mission.
Speaker A: ionaires, a million people by: Speaker A:The best way you can do that is to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcast or Spotify or other website Voice of God Daily and invite someone else to join us.
Speaker A:That helps so much.
Speaker A:We'll look forward to seeing the next time here on Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:Until then, remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out gives merciful olive hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:It's created new every morning.
