Confronting Comfortable Christianity A reflection on the Revelation 3:14 22 on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr.
Speaker ABrad Miller.
Speaker AHello good people.
Speaker AWelcome to Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker AThis is where we look to get the audible word of God into two million years, a million people by 2028.
Speaker AMy name is Dr.
Speaker ABrad Miller.
Speaker AI hope you'll join me in this quest.
Speaker AWe do it by having a daily reading of the New Testament.
Speaker AIt's taken from the Revised Common Lectionary.
Speaker AThat's the selected verses for every single day we're in year C of a three year cycle, the Easter tide season.
Speaker AWe make the reading of the Bible understandable.
Speaker AWe use the message version relatable.
Speaker AWe give you some points to ponder and an applicable and action step to take.
Speaker AWe do it all in under 10 minutes or so with a prayer as well.
Speaker AIt's brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com that's our website, which is the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study method.
Speaker AHere's our reading for the day.
Speaker AFrom the Revelation 3:14 through 22 to Laodicea, right to LA, to the angel of the church.
Speaker AGod's yes, the faithful, the accurate witness, the first of God's creation says, I know you inside and out and find little to my liking.
Speaker AYou're not cold, you're not hot.
Speaker AFind out you're.
Speaker AYou're far better to be either cold or hot.
Speaker AYou're stale, you're stagnant.
Speaker AYou make me want to vomit.
Speaker AYou brag, I'm rich, I've got it made.
Speaker AI need nothing from anyone oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
Speaker AHere's what I want you to do.
Speaker ABuy your gold from me.
Speaker AGold that's been through the refiner's fire.
Speaker AThen you'll be rich.
Speaker ABuy your clothes from me.
Speaker AClothes designed in heaven.
Speaker AYou've gone around half naked long enough.
Speaker AAnd buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.
Speaker AThe people I love.
Speaker AI call to account, prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best.
Speaker AUp on your feet then.
Speaker AAbout face.
Speaker ARun after God.
Speaker ALook at me.
Speaker AI stand at the door.
Speaker AI knock.
Speaker AIf you hear me, call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you.
Speaker AConquerors will sit alongside me at the head table.
Speaker AJust as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my father.
Speaker AThat's my gift to the conquerors.
Speaker AAre your ears awake?
Speaker AListen.
Speaker AListen to the wind, words, the spirit blowing through the churches.
Speaker AWell, today, in today's reading, we're going to explore this really provocative message that challenges complacency and really calls us to transformative action.
Speaker ASo let's get into some points to ponder.
Speaker AOne of them has to do about privilege and complicity.
Speaker AThe critique of those who say I'm rich and I've got it made speaks directly to comfortable Christianity that ignores systematic injustice.
Speaker AThis challenges progressive communities to examine our own capacity and complicity.
Speaker AHow often do we mistake material comfort for spiritual wellness?
Speaker AHow does our privilege blind us to the urgency of justice, of justice work?
Speaker AAnother point is about going beyond lukewarm activism.
Speaker AThe call, powerful call to be hot or cold rather than lukewarm challenges performative allyship and surface level engagement with justice.
Speaker AReal transformation requires more than social media activism or some sort of a comfortable charity which is not sacrificial.
Speaker AIt demands committed action that might disrupt our privilege and challenge our comfort.
Speaker AA third point is about radical hospitality.
Speaker AThe image of Christ knocking at the door is often domesticated, but it's actually a radical call to hospitality and relationship.
Speaker AWho is knocking at our doors today?
Speaker AMigrants, refugees, unhoused people, People who have been put away?
Speaker AHow do our communities and nations respond to these knocks?
Speaker AWhat would it mean to truly open our doors, our resources, our privilege?
Speaker AHere's your action step.
Speaker AConduct a comfort audit of your life and your community and those groups that you're a part of.
Speaker AWhere has comfort made you complicit in injustice?
Speaker AChoose one concrete way to move beyond lukewarm engagement.
Speaker AThis might mean redirecting resources towards justice work.
Speaker AAre showing up physically to get involved, hands on for direct action.
Speaker AAre using your privilege to challenge systems of oppression.
Speaker ARemember, real transformation often feels uncomfortable.
Speaker AWe're going to pray here in just a moment.
Speaker AI did want to remind you that we've got a great resource for your own personal Bible study that I really want to call your attention to and ask you to take advantage of.
Speaker AIt's called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.
Speaker AAnd it really does make your personal Bible study really straightforward.
Speaker AIt's an ABC123 methodology.
Speaker AIt's just a few pages long.
Speaker AYou can apply it to your life.
Speaker AUse it as a bookmark in your Bible.
Speaker AYou can do this.
Speaker AYou just go to voiceofgoddaily.com and you pick it up.
Speaker AIt's free.
Speaker ALet's pray.
Speaker AOh God.
Speaker AYou are a divine disturber of peace.
Speaker AAnd we confess our tendency to choose comfort over justice.
Speaker ALukewarms safety over transformative action.
Speaker AWe admit that we often mistake our privilege for blessing our comfort for spiritual health.
Speaker AShake us from our complacency when we hear knocking.
Speaker AGive us courage to open our doors, our hearts, our resources.
Speaker AWhen we're tempted to rest in our privilege, remind us of those who cannot rest.
Speaker AHelp us move beyond performative activism to deep solidarity.
Speaker AGuide us from lukewarm faith to passionate engagement with your justice.
Speaker AWork in determination and hope.
Speaker AWe pray.
Speaker AAmen.
Speaker AAnd it's for the determination and hope that I am determined to be back with you again tomorrow.
Speaker AWe're here every day on Daily Bible Refresh to drop the word of God.
Speaker AThe audible word of God.
Speaker AThe goal is 2 million years.
Speaker AA million people by 2020.
Speaker AHey, let's.
Speaker AWhy don't you join me in this quest?
Speaker ABe with me tomorrow.
Speaker AWe drop our episodes before 6am usually, but this time bring a friend.
Speaker AUntil tomorrow, My name is Dr.
Speaker ABrad Miller.
Speaker ARemember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker AHis merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker AIt's created new.
Speaker AEvery morning.