Episode 877
Speaking Truth to Power: Insights from the Gospel of Luke
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)
In this enlightening episode, a thorough exploration of the Gospel of Luke, chapter 12, verses 4 through 12, reveals critical insights into the nature of courage and the necessity of authenticity in the face of adversity. The speaker, Dr. Brad Miller, articulates a profound critique of institutional religious power, highlighting the perilous consequences of allowing such authority to intimidate and silence individuals. The exhortation to stand firm against religious bullies serves as a pivotal theme, encouraging listeners to recognize their own sacred worth and the inherent value bestowed upon them by God.
The reflection delves into the imagery of divine care, exemplified by the metaphor of God’s attention to minor creatures, which serves to underscore the message that every person possesses immeasurable worth. This perspective challenges contemporary societal norms that often devalue individuals based on their productivity or adherence to social standards. The speaker's call to recognize and affirm the dignity of all individuals stands as a powerful indictment against systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice.
Furthermore, the episode emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in providing the necessary courage and articulation when faced with opposition. The promise of divine assistance instills confidence in listeners, motivating them to engage actively in their communities and advocate for those marginalized by oppressive religious structures. By posing actionable steps for listeners to take, the episode invites a spirit of resistance that not only seeks justice but also nurtures a collective commitment to uplifting the dignity of every individual. This profound discourse ultimately serves as a vital reminder of the importance of speaking truth to power and the transformative potential inherent in such actions.
Takeaways:
- The Gospel of Luke emphasizes the importance of speaking truth to power, especially against oppressive religious authorities.
- Jesus' teachings encourage individuals to recognize their inherent worth and sacred value before God, regardless of societal status.
- The potential for the Holy Spirit to provide us with the necessary courage and words in times of need is a central theme of this episode.
- We are called to resist religious institutions that perpetuate harm rather than promote liberation and justice for marginalized groups.
- In times of opposition, we must remember that our worth is beyond measure, as illustrated by the metaphor of canaries and the care God provides.
- Taking action against institutional harm in our communities is essential, and we are encouraged to use our voices to affirm the dignity of all individuals.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Speaking Truth to Power A reflection on the Gospel of Luke 12:4 12 on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Hello good people.
Speaker A:Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:I want to thank you for joining me in my quest to get the audible word of God, the voice of God every day into 2 million years.
Speaker A: That's a million people by: Speaker A:And we do that by a daily reading from the Revised Common Lectionary, the selected verse for this very day.
Speaker A:It's a three year cycle.
Speaker A:When you see the Easter tide season, the season after Easter day, we make the reading of the Scriptures understandable.
Speaker A:We use the message version relatable.
Speaker A:We give you some points to ponder applicable, we give you an action step to follow.
Speaker A:And it's all brought to you by voiceofgod daily dot com.
Speaker A:That's the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method.
Speaker A:We have a prayer.
Speaker A:We do it in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A:Let's have our reading for the day from the Gospel of Luke 12:4 12.
Speaker A:Reading from the Message I'm speaking to you as dear friends.
Speaker A:Don't be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies.
Speaker A:True, they can kill you, but then what can they do?
Speaker A:There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being.
Speaker A:Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life, body and soul in his hands.
Speaker A:What's the price of two or three pet canaries?
Speaker A:Some loose change, right?
Speaker A:But God never overlooks a single one and he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail, even numbering the hairs on your head.
Speaker A:So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk.
Speaker A:You're worth more than a million canaries.
Speaker A:Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels.
Speaker A:But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels?
Speaker A:If you badmouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked.
Speaker A:But if you're knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won't be overlooked when they drag you into their meeting places, or into their police courts, or or before judges.
Speaker A:Don't worry about defending yourselves, what you'll say or how you'll say it.
Speaker A:The right words will be there.
Speaker A:The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.
Speaker A:Well, my good friends, so today we're exploring Jesus's words about courage, authenticity at speaking truth in The Face of Opposition let's look into some points to ponder about today's reading.
Speaker A:The first one has to do with institutional religious power.
Speaker A:Jesus warns against religious bullies.
Speaker A:That's a pointed critique of how religious institutions can become tools of oppression.
Speaker A:And this speaks powerfully to our time when religious authority is often wielded to marginalize different groups of people, whether it be racially or LBGTQ people, or those who want to support white supremacy or justify economic inequality.
Speaker A:We're called to resist religious institutions when they become instruments of of harm rather than liberation.
Speaker A:The second point is about sacred worth.
Speaker A:The imagery of God caring about canaries and counting hairs presents a radical vision of universal worth.
Speaker A:This isn't about individual prosperity, but about collective dignity.
Speaker A:Everyone, regardless of status, has sacred value.
Speaker A:This challenges systems that assign human worth based on productivity, citizenship, status, or conformity to social norms.
Speaker A:A third point is about spirit led resistance.
Speaker A:The promise that the Holy Spirit will give you the right words isn't about some magical intervention, but about finding courage in your own right, your your own community and conviction.
Speaker A:When we align ourselves with justice and we speak truth from authentic commitment, we participate in the Spirit's ongoing work of transformation.
Speaker A:Here's your action step.
Speaker A:Identify one situation where religious authority is being used to cause harm in your community.
Speaker A:This might be racially motivated or might be an attack against LBGTQ people or an exclusion of same.
Speaker A:Or it might be environmental destruction or economic injustice.
Speaker A:Do something about that.
Speaker A:It may be writing a public statement like a letter to the editor, or make some statement in a podcast or some public way or social media post, or even a talk at a public gathering, naming the harm and affirming the sacred worth of those being marginalized.
Speaker A:Remember, the Spirit provides courage when we speak truth to power.
Speaker A:We're going to pray here in just a moment, but I did always want to share with you that we have a resource for you to help you read the Bible in your own accord.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC123 Bible Study Method and you can pick it up at our website voiceofgoddaily.com and this resource will help you in your daily Bible study.
Speaker A:You use it in coordination with the Daily Audible reading that you get here in the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:So do that please.
Speaker A:Voiceofgodaily.com let's pray.
Speaker A:Oh God.
Speaker A:You're the Divine source of courage.
Speaker A:We live in times when religious authority often causes harm rather than healing.
Speaker A:Help us find strength to speak truth even when religious institutions pressure us to stay silent when we feel intimidated remind us that we're worth more than countless canaries.
Speaker A:When we face opposition, help us remember that no earthly power can diminish our sacred worth.
Speaker A:Guide us to build communities that affirm the dignity of all people.
Speaker A:When we need to speak up, give us the right words.
Speaker A:When we need to act, give us courage in solitary and hope, we pray.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:I just want to say a word of thanks.
Speaker A:Thank you for joining me here on the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:I see many of you.
Speaker A:I pray for you on a daily basis.
Speaker A:I pray for all of you for that matter.
Speaker A: ionaires, a million people by: Speaker A:And I hope that you'll join me in spreading that good word.
Speaker A:So join me again tomorrow.
Speaker A:We usually drop these episodes by 6:00am Eastern Time and have their daily reading of the Scriptures until that time.
Speaker A:Friends, My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Please remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:It's created new every morning.
