Standing up Speaking Out When Faith Meets Justice A Study of Acts 16:35 40 on the Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller hello my good friend Dr.

Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh giving you the Word of God and a daily reading of the New Testament.

We use the message version to be relevant, to be understood.

We give you some points to ponder, to relate to your life.

We give you an action step to make it applicable to your life.

We do all of that.

We take the Revised Common Lectionary which is the daily reading for this day.

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Here's our reading for the day from Acts 16:35 40 reading for the message at daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions release these men.

The jailer gave Paul the message.

The judges sent word that you're free to go on your way.

Congratulations.

Go in peace.

But Paul wouldn't budge.

He told the officers, they beat us up in public and threw us in jail.

Roman citizens in good standing and now they want us.

Now they want to get us out of the way on the sly without anyone knowing, nothing doing.

If they want us out of here, let them come themselves and lead us out into in broad daylight.

When the officers reported this, the judges panicked.

They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

They hurried off and apologized personally escorting them from the jail and then asked them if they wouldn't, if they wouldn't please leave the city.

Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia's house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith and only then went on their way.

Wow, what a powerful witness of Paul and Silas here about this incredible moment when Paul and Silas demonstrated what it means to resist injustice while standing in solidarity with the marginalized.

Let's listen to some points to ponder today.

One is about sacred resistance.

Paul's refusal to leave quietly isn't mere stubbornness is a powerful example of speaking truth to power.

As Roman citizens, they had privileges that others didn't and they used that privilege strategically to expose systematic injustice.

This challenges us to consider how we might use our own privileges and positions to advocate for those who face discrimination and oppression today.

A second point is about public accountability I want you to notice how Paul insists on a public acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

He understood that true justice requires transparency and accountability, not quite quiet cover ups in our world of non disclosure agreements and behind closed door settlements.

This passage reminds us that healing often requires bringing justice and injustice, as it were, into the light.

A third point to ponder is about community care.

Despite the opportunity to leave immediately, Paul and Silas from FIRST returned to Lydia's house to encourage their friends there.

This reminds us that justice work isn't just about confronting systems, it's also about nurturing communities that sustain us.

Resistance, resistance and fellowship go hand in hand.

Here's your action step.

Identify some sort of a systematic injustice in your world or in your community that is going unaddressed.

You may want to write a letter to someone or make some social media post or call out some government official about their responsibility to the matter at hand and call for some public accountability of that person.

Public town halls is one way people are doing this.

Remember Paul's example.

Sometimes love requires us to make people uncomfortable with the truth.

We're going to come back and have a prayer in just a moment.

I did always want to share with you that we have a great resource to help you with your own individual Bible study.

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Voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray.

God of justice and compassion, give us courage to speak up when we witness wrong, even when it would be easier to walk away quietly.

Help us use whatever privilege we have in service of those who have less.

When we're tired from the work of justice, remind us of the importance of community and mutual encouragement.

Guide us to be both brave and tender, both prophetic and pastoral.

Grant us wisdom to know when to resist and when to rest, when to speak and when to listen.

Make us instruments of your justice and your peace.

Amen.

Well, my good friend, it's always a joy and a privilege to be with you.

I like to come to you every single day because we need to read the Bible every single day.

And I have a goal of getting the audible word of God into 2 million years million people by 2028 and I hope that you'll join me in that quest.

You do so by subscribing to this podcast and inviting a friend to join us.

We usually drop these episodes before 6am Eastern Time.

Hope that you'll be here, because I'll be here.

My name is Dr.

Brad Miller.

Until tomorrow, friends.

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

His merciful love hasn't dried up.

It's created new every morning.