When privilege feels threatened.

Navigating Social Change and Resistance A study of Acts 19:28 41 of the Daily Bible refresh with Dr. Brad Miller hello good people, Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh your daily visit into the New Testament brought to you from a progressive perspective.

We like to read from the Revised Comment Lectionary the New Testament lesson, which is a three year cycle of reading through the entire Bible.

We're in Year C, the Pentecost season.

We make the reading of the Bible understandable by making by using the message version relatable by giving you some points to ponder and applicable applicable by giving you some action steps to take.

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Here's our reading for the day from Acts 19:28 41 Reading from the Message that set them off into a frenzy.

They ran into the street yelling, great Artemis of the Ephesians.

Great Artemis of the Ephesians.

They put the whole city in an uproar, stampeding into the stadium and grabbing the two of Paul's associates on the way, the Macedonians, Gaius and Aristarchus.

Paul wanted to go in too, but the disciples wouldn't let him.

Prominent religious leaders in the city who had become friendly to Paul concurred, by no means go near that mob.

Some were yelling one thing, some another.

Most of them had no idea what was going on or why they were there.

As the Jews pushed Alexander to the front to try to gain control, different factions clamored to get him on their side, but he brushed them off and quieted the mob with an impressive sweep of his arms.

But the moment he opened his mouth, they knew he was a Jew and they shouted him down.

Great Artemis of the Ephesians.

Great Artemis of the Ephesians.

And on and on and on.

They shouted for over two hours.

Finally, the town clerk got the mob quieted down and said, fellow citizens, is there anyone anywhere who doesn't know that our fellow that our district Ephesus, is protector of glorious Artemis and her sacred stone image that fell straight out of heaven?

Since this is here to conduct, since this is beyond contradiction, you'd better get a hold of yourselves.

This is conduct unworthy of Artemis.

These men you've dragged in here have done nothing to harm either our temple or our goddess.

So if Demetrius and his guild of Artisans have a complaint, they can take it to court and make all the accusations they want.

If anything else is bothering you, bring it to the regularly scheduled town meeting and let it be.

Let it be settled there.

There's no excuse for what's happening today.

We're putting our city in serious danger.

Rome, remember, does not look kindly on rioters.

With that, he sent them home.

Well, my friends, we're exploring this really powerful passage from Acts Today, which is all about transformative change and what it teaches us about peaceful resistance.

We witness here in the city of Ephesus a riot sparked by those whose economic and religious privileges were being threatened.

And there's a scene here that mirrors in many ways our contemporary social justice movements and the pushback that they face.

Let's get into the points to ponder.

The first is the anatomy of outrage.

Notice how the crowd's reaction escalates from economic anxiety to religious fervor.

Most participants had no idea what was going on or why they were there.

This mirrors our modern experience with manufactured outrage and viral misinformation.

When privileged groups feel threatened, they often mobilize others through fear over facts.

How might we recognize and respond to such dynamics in our own time?

A second point to ponder is about intersectional power dynamics.

The text here reveals complex intersections of economic, religious and political power.

Alexander's rejection simply of being Jewish shows how marginalized identities are often scapegoated during times of social unrest.

This challenges us to examine how various forms of oppression intersect with our own society and how we might stand with those who face oppression.

Multiple layers of discrimination.

One more point to ponder.

That's the role of civil authority.

Surprisingly, it's the town clerk who brings reason to all this chaos, reminding everyone of the legal processes and peaceful solutions.

This suggests that systems, while often problematic, can sometimes be vehicles for justice.

How do we balance working within systems for change while maintaining our prophetic critique of those same systems?

Here's your action step.

Practice sacred listening to those different from you.

Find someone whose views on a social issue differ from yours.

Instead of arguing, ask about their fears and concerns.

Practice deep listening without judgment.

Seek to understand the root causes of resistance to change and journal about that and learn about both yourself and them.

We'll come back with a closing prayer in just a minute, but I want you to know we have a great resource for you.

It's called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.

Please go over to our website, voiceofgoddaily.com it's free to you, so pick it up there.

Let's pray, oh God, you're the source of peace and justice.

And when chaos swirls all around us, help us find our center in you.

When privilege feels threatened, give us courage to examine our attachments.

When others react in fear, grant us wisdom to respond with love.

When systems seem overwhelming, show us the path of peaceful resistance.

Remind us that transformation, though uncomfortable, leads to liberation.

And make us instruments of your justice even in the face of opposition.

Amen.

It's great to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh.

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My name is Dr. Brad Miller and we're here to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh.

Remember, true peace isn't the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice.