Episode 880
Exploring Radical Hospitality and Economic Justice: Insights from Luke 14:12-14
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)
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The episode presents a compelling exploration of radical hospitality, drawing from the biblical account in Luke 14:12-14. This passage urges individuals to reconsider their approach to hospitality, advocating for the inclusion of those who are often marginalized—individuals who are typically excluded from social gatherings due to economic or social barriers. The speaker articulates that true hospitality transcends mere social obligation; it is a radical act that seeks to dismantle prevailing social hierarchies and foster a sense of belonging for all. By inviting those who cannot reciprocate, we not only embody the spirit of community that Jesus exemplifies but also challenge the very systems that perpetuate exclusion.
A critical aspect of the discussion focuses on the critique of transactional relationships that dominate modern social interactions. The speaker emphasizes that Jesus' admonition against only inviting those who can return the favor underscores a fundamental shift in how we perceive relationships. Hospitality, as framed in this context, is not about personal advantage but about creating spaces of genuine inclusion and mutual care. The call to invite the 'misfits' serves as a powerful reminder to examine who is absent from our gatherings and to actively work towards including those who are often marginalized in our communities.
The episode further provides listeners with concrete steps to implement radical hospitality in their own lives. This includes a reflective inquiry into one's social circles, examining the implicit barriers that may exclude others, and taking proactive measures to foster inclusive environments. Whether through community meals, advocacy for accessibility, or redirecting resources to support marginalized organizations, the speaker encourages listeners to move beyond mere charitable acts and engage in transformative practices that seek to alter the structures of exclusion. The episode ultimately invites us to envision and cultivate communities where every individual is welcomed and valued, embodying the liberating love that Jesus calls us to share.
Takeaways:
- In Luke 14:12-14, Jesus challenges societal norms by advocating for radical hospitality, urging us to invite those who are marginalized.
- The concept of community is redefined by Jesus, emphasizing genuine inclusion over transactional relationships that benefit oneself.
- We are called to examine the social hierarchies present in our lives, identifying those who are often excluded from our circles.
- True blessing, according to Jesus, is found in participation in liberation from unjust systems, rather than in reciprocal exchanges.
- Practicing radical hospitality requires us to disrupt social exclusion, inviting those who are usually left out of our gatherings.
- To embody this message, we should reflect on our social environments and actively seek to include those who are marginalized.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Brad Miller hello good people.
Speaker A:Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Thank you for joining me.
Speaker A: ion years a million people by: Speaker A:We take the Revised Common Lectionary.
Speaker A:That's the selected verse of Scripture for this very day.
Speaker A:We're in year C of a three year cycle and we are in the Easter tide season.
Speaker A:We make the reading of the Bible understandable.
Speaker A:We use the message version relatable.
Speaker A:We give you some points to ponder and applicable and give you an action step.
Speaker A:And we have a prayer to boot.
Speaker A:We do all from our website voiceofgodddaily.com which is the home of the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A: reading for the day from Luke: Speaker A:Then they turned to the host.
Speaker A:The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor.
Speaker A:Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks.
Speaker A:You'll be and experience a blessing.
Speaker A:They won't be able to return the favor, but favor will be returned.
Speaker A:Oh how it will be returned at the resurrection of God's people.
Speaker A:A short and powerful reading for today about the beloved community and how it works.
Speaker A:And Jesus gives us the gives us these challenging words about hospitality, radical hospitality in such a way that it kind of disrupts social hierarchies and economic expectations.
Speaker A:So let's get into some points to ponder today.
Speaker A:First one is about going beyond transactional relationships.
Speaker A:Jesus critiques the social networks of his day, inviting people who can benefit you in return.
Speaker A:That was the network of the day.
Speaker A:Jesus challenges our modern networking culture, social climbing transactional relationships Jesus tells us and teaches us that true community isn't about building advantageous connections, but about creating spaces of genuine inclusion and mutual care.
Speaker A:The second point has to do about dismantling social hierarchies.
Speaker A:The call here to invite misfits from the wrong side of the tracks isn't about charitable handouts, but about disrupting systems of social exclusion.
Speaker A:This challenges us to examine who is missing from our spaces, whether church, workplace or community, and why.
Speaker A:Who are today's misfits who are today are involved in a system that pushes some people to the margins.
Speaker A:Undocumented immigrants and migrants, perhaps unhoused people, formerly incarcerated people.
Speaker A:I bet you can think of a few yourself.
Speaker A:A third point has to do with redefining blessing.
Speaker A:Jesus reframes blessing not as a reciprocal exchange but as participation in liberation.
Speaker A:This challenges prosperity gospel teachings and suggests that true blessing comes through disrupting unjust systems.
Speaker A:The reference to resurrection here points to the ultimate vindication of justice seeking actions Speaking of action, let's talk about an action step that you can take.
Speaker A:I just invite you to kind of examine the world that you live in.
Speaker A:Examine your own spaces that you participate in, workplace, house of worship, your social settings.
Speaker A:Look at your social circles, the people you hang around with, who is missing, who's excluded by some sort of unstated rules or financial barriers or cultural assumptions, and choose some form of radical hospitality to do something about that state of affairs.
Speaker A:That might mean opening your home for some community meal, or opening your church or your other body that goes across some of these social racial barriers that may be there.
Speaker A:Or maybe advocating for accessibility in your spaces.
Speaker A:That's a big issue as well, isn't it?
Speaker A:Physical and financial cultural places where there is accessibility denied or challenge any practices and institutions you're a part of that are exclusive rather than being inclusive.
Speaker A:You might even want to redirect some resources money, time, energy to support marginalized led organizations.
Speaker A:Remember now, the goal here isn't charity, but the transformation of social institutions through these relationships.
Speaker A:We're going to pray here in just a moment, but before we do, I just want to share with you that we have a Bible study resource for you that I just really want you to pick up.
Speaker A:Please go over to our website voiceofgoddaily.com and pick up the ABC123 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A:It will help you in your daily Bible study you do on your own.
Speaker A:The idea is to hear the Word of God read to you here and shared with you audibly on the Daily Bible Refresh and for you to read and study the Bible on your own as well.
Speaker A:It's a great partnership.
Speaker A:Let's do this thing together.
Speaker A:VoiceOfGod Daily.com is where you go for the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method.
Speaker A:Let's pray.
Speaker A:Oh God, you are a divine host who welcomes all and we confess our tendency to stick with comfortable social circles or networks that are to our advantage to exclude those deemed different.
Speaker A:Help us imagine and create spaces of true inclusion when we're tempted to consider only what others can offer us.
Speaker A:Remind us of your abundant love that needs no return.
Speaker A:Give us courage to cross social boundaries to challenge exclusive systems, to practice radical hospitality.
Speaker A:Show us how to build communities where everyone's presence is valued, where artificial hierarchies fall away, where your liberating love transform all our relationships in hope and determination we pray.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:We do.
Speaker A:We have hope and determination for another reading, another show from the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:It's going to be happening tomorrow.
Speaker A:We usually drop our episodes before 6am Eastern Time.
Speaker A:You can get them anytime, of course, at all the podcast networks.
Speaker A:We hope that you will pick us up and share them with a friend.
Speaker A: on years, a million people by: Speaker A:I'll see you again tomorrow.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A: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.
Speaker A:Every morning.
