When Faith Disrupts an Empire A Story of Resistance A reading from Acts 17:1:9 on the Daily Bible refresh.

Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the message version Relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

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Here's today's reading.

Reading from Acts 17:1 9 from the Message Thessalonica they took the road south through Amphipopolis to Apollonia to Thessalonica where there was a community of Jews.

Paul went to their meeting place as he usually did when he came to a town and for three sabbaths running he preached to them from the Scriptures.

He opened up the text so that they understood what they'd been reading all their lives.

That the Messiah absolutely had to be put to death and raised from the dead.

There were no other options and that this Jesus I'm introducing to you is that Messiah.

Some of them were won over and joined ranks with Paul and Silas among them a great many God fearing Greeks and a considerable number of women from the aristocracy.

But the hard line Jews became furious over the conversions.

Mad with jealousy.

They rounded up a bunch of brawlers off the streets and soon had an ugly mob terrorizing the city.

As they hunted down Paul and Silas.

They broke into Jason's house thinking that Paul and Silas were there.

When they couldn't find them, they collared Jason and his friends instead and dragged them before the city fathers yelling hysterically these people are out to destroy the world and now they've shown up on our doorstep attacking everything we hold dear and Jason is hiding them.

These traitors on turncoats who say Jesus is king and Caesar is nothing.

The city fathers and the crowds of people were totally alarmed at what they heard.

They made Jason and his friends post heavy bail and let them go while they investigated the charges.

Well, in today's reflection, in today's reading, we're exploring a narrative about how authentic faith challenges systems of power and privilege.

Let's get into some points to ponder.

The first is about going beyond traditional interpretation.

Paul's radical reinterpretation of Scripture challenged established religious understanding.

This models how progressive theology today reexamines traditional text through the lens of liberation, justice and inclusion.

The texts haven't changed, but our understanding deepens as we read with new awareness of power dynamics and marginalized voices.

Second point is about privilege and power and resistance.

Notice who responds positively.

God fearing Greeks and a considerable number of women from the aristocracy.

This suggests that even those benefiting from existing systems can choose solidarity with movements for change.

However, those most invested in maintaining power respond with violence, using street brawlers to protect their interests, a pattern still seen in responses to justice movements even today.

The third point is about the political nature of faith.

The accusation that the believers were attacking everything we hold dear and claiming Jesus is king and and Caesar is nothing reveals how authentic faith challenges political power.

This wasn't just about personal belief, but about reimagining social organization.

The charge of being out to destroy the world really meant challenging the world order that benefited the powerful.

Here's your action step.

Examine where your faith challenges the dominant systems and choose one area where religious conviction calls you to resist.

Quote Caesar Perhaps environmental justice, economic inequality, or racial reconciliation.

Take one concrete action that declares allegiance to love and justice over profit and power.

Document the resistance you encounter and the unexpected allies that you find.

We're Going to Pray Just a minute.

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O God, you are the divine disturber of empires.

When our faith becomes too comfortable, too aligned with power, too accepting of injustice, shake us awake with your revolutionary love.

Give us courage to challenge Caesar, wisdom to find unexpected allies, and strength to face opposition.

Help us remember that your kingdom turns empires upside down, making the last first and the privileged humbled.

Encourage and hope we pray.

Amen.

My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your daily Bible refresh.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.