Episode 1173
What If Being a Witness Starts Right Where You Are?
The salient point of today's discussion centers on the profound message conveyed in Luke 24:44-53, which elucidates that the essence of the Gospel is the proclamation of total life change through the forgiveness of sins, extending universally to all nations. We delve into the significance of this passage, highlighting that Jesus' final act was one of blessing, not condemnation, thereby underscoring the importance of fostering a spirit of encouragement and positivity in our interactions. This episode invites listeners to reflect on the imperative of sharing blessings as we navigate our daily lives, drawing parallels between the joy experienced by the disciples and the transformative power of love and forgiveness. Furthermore, we emphasize that the message of inclusivity is paramount; it is not reserved for a select few but is a gift meant for everyone, irrespective of their background. Our discussion culminates in actionable steps that listeners can take to embody this spirit of blessing in their own lives, serving as both a reminder and a call to action in our collective journey of faith.
Takeaways:
- This episode emphasizes the importance of total life change through the forgiveness of sins.
- The podcast encourages listeners to understand the universality of the good news for all nations.
- A key takeaway is that blessings should be the final act in our interactions with others.
- Listeners are urged to adopt a mindset of spreading joy rather than negativity as they exit conversations.
- The podcast highlights the significance of living in the ongoing flow of blessings from Jesus.
- Dr. Brad Miller expresses a mission to reach two million people with the audible word of God by 2028.
Links referenced in this episode:
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)
Transcript
Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.
Speaker A:In a bit I will read the New Testament lesson selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.
Speaker A:The reading is understandable.
Speaker A:I use the message version relatable.
Speaker A:Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.
Speaker A:We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.
Speaker A:It's all brought to you by voiceofgoddd daily.com which is the home of your free personal Bible Study Guide, the ABC1, 23 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A: lionaires a million people by: Speaker A:You can help by saving and subscribing to the podcast and tagging your friends subscrib.
Speaker A:Here's today's reading.
Speaker B: today from the Gospel of Luke: Speaker B:Then he said, everything I told you while I was with you comes down to this.
Speaker B:All the things written about me and the law of Moses and the prophets and of the Psalms have to be fulfilled.
Speaker B:He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way.
Speaker B:He said, you can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations, starting from here, from Jerusalem.
Speaker B:You're the first to hear it and see it.
Speaker B:You're the witnesses.
Speaker B:What comes next is very important.
Speaker B:I'm sending what my Father promised to you.
Speaker B:So stay here in the city until he arrives, until you're equipped with power from on high.
Speaker B:Then he led them out of the city over to Bethany, raising his hands, he blessed them, and while blessing them, he made his exit being carried up to heaven.
Speaker B:And while they were on their knees worshiping him, they returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy.
Speaker B:They spent all their time in the temple praising God.
Speaker B:Yes, well, this is an important passage of scripture here.
Speaker B:I'm glad you're here with me today.
Speaker B:This comes at the very end of of Luke's Gospel.
Speaker B:It's what are you.
Speaker B:It's the last scene, maybe kind of like closing credits in a movie or something like that, if you will.
Speaker B:And Luke really, you know, he drives on the points, sticks the landing if you will, and just kind of gets me and I let's get into some go a little deeper with a couple of points to Ponder about this.
Speaker B:First, notice what Jesus says the whole story comes down to.
Speaker B:It's not a doctrinal statement.
Speaker B:It's not a loyalty test.
Speaker B:He says the point of everything is total life change through the forgiveness of sins proclaimed to all nations.
Speaker B:All nations, all people.
Speaker B:Not some nations, not some select few, not the nations that look like us or talk like us or believe like us or vote like us.
Speaker B:All of them.
Speaker B:And it starts from here, from right where you are in Jerusalem.
Speaker B:In their case, in our case, it's where we are at from a progressive point of view.
Speaker B:Progressive faith takes this statement of universality seriously.
Speaker B:The good news isn't something we hoard or gatekeep or attach conditions to.
Speaker B:It's a total life change offered to everyone, everywhere.
Speaker B:When I do my cancer related podcast each week, I talk with people from all kinds of backgrounds, all kinds of belief systems, and I can tell you the human hunger for transformation and forgiveness doesn't check your background or your credentials or your church or your makeup at the door.
Speaker B:People everywhere ache for a fresh start.
Speaker B:And Jesus says, that's exactly what this whole thing is about.
Speaker B:It's for every single nation, every single person.
Speaker B:No asterisks, no fine point, everybody.
Speaker B:Second point to ponder.
Speaker B:And this is the detail that gets me, and I just want to share it with you.
Speaker B:It says here, while blessing them, he made his exit.
Speaker B:Wow, talk about drama.
Speaker B:He was still blessing them as he left.
Speaker B:And his last act wasn't a warning.
Speaker B:It wasn't a list of rules.
Speaker B:It wasn't a guilt trip.
Speaker B:It was a blessing.
Speaker B:Here's what I think matters about that the disciples had to learn to live in the continuation of that blessing that they received from someone who's no longer physically present.
Speaker B:That's the Christian life, my friend.
Speaker B:We're living in the ongoing flow of blessings that didn't stop just because we can't see the one who gave it to us.
Speaker B:I've been married for over 34 years, and I learned something about marriage in that time.
Speaker B:And there are moments when my wife and I, well, can say something encouraging to me before I even hear it, really verbally.
Speaker B:It's a look, it's emotion, It's a thing.
Speaker B:And I carry those things with me for hours.
Speaker B:The voice isn't even still speaking, but the blessing is still active.
Speaker B:That's what's happening here.
Speaker B:Jesus blesses them and that blessing keeps moving through them and out into the world.
Speaker B:And look at the result.
Speaker B:They return to Jerusalem.
Speaker B:It says, bursting with joy.
Speaker B:No, burdened, not anxious.
Speaker B:Joyful.
Speaker B:And the blessing did this work.
Speaker B:My wife and I were out on a hike recently in a wooded trail and along the trail there was a clearing and just some beautiful flowers and some beautiful things there.
Speaker B:A stunning view.
Speaker B:It's kind of like the whole hike have been kind of building towards that something which we weren't really expecting but it was beautiful.
Speaker B:This passage from the Gospel of Luke is kind of like that.
Speaker B:It's been building towards this concluding moment and it ends not with drama or disaster, but with a blessing and joy and praise.
Speaker B:That's kind of the trail that Luke takes us on.
Speaker B:He's been walking down with us.
Speaker B:So let's talk about an action, a step that you can take.
Speaker B:It's simple.
Speaker B:Bless someone on your way out today.
Speaker B:Like the last word you say to somebody as you're leaving a room or leaving a home or leaving a conversation on the phone, just give him a word of encouragement, a blessing, a kind thing to say or some act or word of genuine love.
Speaker B:Don't let your exit be complaining or a critique or even a click of the phone or something like that.
Speaker B:Make it a blessing.
Speaker B:If Jesus, if Jesus thought it was important enough to be his final act on earth, maybe we should take it seriously enough in our life and just our everyday life to give somebody a blessing too.
Speaker B:Well, we're have a blessing, a time of prayer here.
Speaker B:Just a second.
Speaker B:Before we do, we've got another blessing for you which is our at home Bible study plan.
Speaker B:It's called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Plan.
Speaker B:Just head on over to our website voiceofgoddaily.com it's a free gift to you to bless you.
Speaker B:Let's pray.
Speaker B:God, what a way to end a story with hands raised and a blessing that hasn't stopped.
Speaker B:We want to live like the people who are still being blessed even when we can't see you in the way.
Speaker B:We wish we could.
Speaker B:Help us carry that blessing into every room we enter and every conversation we have.
Speaker B:And expand our understanding of all nations and make it bigger than we're comfortable with.
Speaker B:Because we know your love is bigger than we're comfortable with.
Speaker B:Teach us to leave people better than we found them and to fill us with that same ridiculous knee buckling joy the disciples felt walking back to Jerusalem.
Speaker B:We could really use some of that today, couldn't we?
Speaker B:Thank you for not leaving us with a lecture.
Speaker B:Thank you for leaving us with a blessing and help us to go and to do the same.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker A:My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's.
Speaker B:Reading.
Speaker A:The Daily Bible Refresh is completely listener supported.
Speaker A: on years, a million people by: Speaker A:I would be so grateful if you would go to voiceofgodddaily.com and share your gift of any amount.
Speaker A:Thanks much.
Speaker A:My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:Please subscribe and tag your friends until tomorrow.
Speaker A:Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.
