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Dec 18
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The Price Tag of Christmas

By Christmas, Cross, Grace, Incarnation, Salvation, Sin No Comments

Each year, the National Retail Federation predicts the spending patterns of Americans during the holidays. As 2024 winds down, Christmas expenditures are ahead of last year, with an anticipated total of $989 billion nationwide. The typical shopper will spend $641 on family or friends and an additional $261 on seasonal items like wrapping paper and decorations. Interestingly, 57% of consumers plan to buy something for themselves this Christmas.

Since most don’t budget for these additional financial strains, many of us will not know exactly how much we spent on Christmas until that first credit card statement arrives in January. Through finance charges and late fees, the Ghost of Christmas Past often keeps our celebrations alive well past the New Year. One in five Americans will live with the ghoulish reminder of overindulged shopping and impulse purchases until Independence Day of next year!

These observations notwithstanding, I want to suggest that no matter how much our festive indulgences cost us, the real price tag for Christmas is astronomically higher. No amount of spending can begin to compare to the great sacrifice the Lord Jesus made because of His first coming. From beginning to end, His mission to seek and to save the lost was costly in every conceivable way.

Though we herald the birth of the newborn King, Jesus’ incarnational arrival was an incredible step down from His eternal home. Taking on human flesh veiled the glory that Jesus had with the Father before the world was (John 17.5). As Mary held the Lord in her arms, the omnipotent One was too weak to raise His head; the omniscient One could not form a single sentence; and the omnipresent One resided as a tiny baby boy within time and space.

Added to all of this was the sobering reality that Jesus’ birth was one unto death. The miracle of Christmas was not merely that Jesus was born to live among us, but that He was born to die for us. As inspiring as the manger is, the real wonder this season is in the mission the manger represents. Jesus left His home in heaven in order to long for home on a cross as He died for sinners like you and me. The salvation which is free to all who will believe was the most costly gift in human history.

And what was the price Jesus had to pay? The Scripture simply says the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Biblically, death is both a physical and spiritual reality. Because all people are sinners, all of us will physically die one day. Those who are outside of Jesus Christ, however, will face a second death that is spiritual in nature. Though the reality of hell has become uncouth to some, the saving purpose of Christmas is tied directly to God’s effort to rescue the lost from perishing (Luke 19:10).

Thus, the same Jesus covered in swaddling clothes under a Bethlehem sky would later be wrapped in similar burial rags after dying on a cross. Recording his final hours before death, the gospel of Matthew offers clues about the tremendous expense of providing salvation. For three hours, from high noon to 3 p.m., darkness fell upon the land while Jesus hung in agony (Matt. 27:45) as a picture of mourning (Amos 8:9-10). During those painful moments, Jesus received the punishment we deserved as He became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). No wonder Jesus described hell as a place of outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12).

Even worse, however, was the relational separation from His Father that Jesus faced. In anguish, He lamented, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me (Matt. 27:46)?” The God who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5) cannot tolerate sin of any kind. As Jesus became the curse for us (Gal. 3:13) and the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10), God the Father was pleased to crush Him on our behalf (Isa. 53:10). Remarkably, the One in whom the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9) drank deeply from the wrath of God for those He came to save.

Admittedly, these reminders are not pleasant. In fact, the efforts of many to minimize the true meaning of Christmas may be nothing more than a refusal to own the universal wickedness of humanity. Yet, the sobering price tag of our favorite holiday reveals the glory of our Savior. Despite the tremendous cost, Jesus paid it all. Because of Him, salvation is possible for any person who will call upon His name in repentance and faith. So, as we remember who He is this Christmas, let’s celebrate why He came.

Adam B. Dooley
December 18, 2024

Nov 29
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The Danger of False Positives

By Christian Living, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Grace, Liberalism, Peace, Pluralism, Truth, Uncategorized No Comments

Though it’s been several years ago now, I still remember one of the more exciting trips to St. Jude Hospital with my son during his battle with childhood leukemia. Back in those days we lived in Mobile, Alabama, requiring us to fly for weekly chemotherapy in Memphis. Over a three-year period, we made 128 consecutive trips in order to jumpstart and protect my son’s remission from cancer.

While passing through security on our return trip, a Ziploc bag containing a bottle of medication tested positive for a small amount of glycerin, which can be used to make explosives. Quickly, TSA workers surrounded us with a bomb sniffing dog. They pulled us aside and began a battery of tests. Thankfully, our faces were familiar and employees recognized us. My son’s glistening, bald head gave away our recent trip to the hospital

Still, it was only after several minutes of awkward suspicion and investigation that we were allowed to pass through the security checkpoint. Turns out it was a false positive caused by a melting icepack that was cooling the medication. The whole ordeal got me to thinking about the misleading consequences of false impressions, which can leave us happy or scared depending on what they report.

For example, you might be overjoyed initially only to be disappointed later if a pregnancy test falsely reveals that the child you’ve prayed for is on the way. Or, you might be immediately frightened when airport security suspects foul play as you travel, even if you are able to laugh about it afterward. The problem, though, is that neither reaction is trustworthy. False positives are dangerous because they invite us to live outside of reality based upon something that is not true.

Unfortunately, American Christianity has its share of false positives. Many Bible teachers are anxious to assure their listeners that God’s primary goal is our personal happiness. Others insist that hell cannot be real because a loving God would never allow anyone to go there. Notions of remaining in sin while following Jesus is the most damning false positive of all. These untruthful assertions are usually received with enthusiasm, but they create a false narrative about WHO Jesus is and WHAT He came to do.

The historical reality that God would sacrifice His Son to deal with our sin problem is insulting to some and downright barbaric to others. Retired Methodist theologian, William Willimon, fairly critiqued, “If you listen to much of our preaching, you get the impression that Jesus was some sort of itinerant therapist who, for free, traveled about helping people feel better.”

Thankfully, Jesus had a way of turning our temporal ambitions on their head in order to focus on what we really need. Take, for example, the familiar story of Jesus healing the paralytic (Matt. 9:1-8). Without question, this man’s burdens were significant. He could not walk, eat, or bathe without the help of others and, by consequence, he was an outcast in society. We can hardly blame his friends for attempting to help him.

Rather than heal the man immediately, though, Jesus said to him, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven (Matt. 9:2).” By doing so, Jesus reminded us that our temporal burdens are merely symptoms of our greatest needs. He is not a Savior who came to improve the quality of our lives (though He often does), but who came to forgive our sins. Yet, popular false positives deceive us into believing that God solving our earthly problems is more important than His addressing our eternal condition.

Because the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matt. 9:3), He immediately exposed their blindness with a piercing question. Is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Get up, and walk (Matt. 9:5)?” Amazingly, Jesus chose to heal the paralytic in order to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins, not distract from it (Matt. 9:6). The real goal was much bigger than the man’s physical healing. In fact, had Jesus only forgiven the paralytic’s transgressions it would have solved his greatest threat.

I am not suggesting that we should not seek God’s intervention when trials come. During my son’s fight against cancer, I repeatedly begged the Lord to heal him. Yet, we often equate our present comforts as an indicator of our eternal health. Our desperation for temporary relief from earthly troubles often far exceeds our concern about spiritual matters. Even worse, we sometimes reduce God’s faithfulness to His meeting our immediate needs.

God, show me a miracle and prove you’re real.

God, answer this prayer and prove you’re real.

God, give me what I want and prove you’re real.

God, heal me and prove you’re real.

God, open this door and prove you’re real

Tragically, expressions of temporary grace often grip us more than eternal realities. Our need for forgiveness, though, is so urgent that we ought to be willing to lose this life entirely in order to receive it from Christ (Matt. 16:24-27). Nothing is more necessary, and nothing is more remarkable than the glorious truth that Jesus would come to seek and to save the lost!

Adam B. Dooley
November 29, 2024

Nov 19
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Our Common Problem

By Christian Living, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Grace, Peace, Sanctification, Sin, Uncategorized No Comments

The small town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, is dying. Literally. A place that used to be home to over 1,000 residents reported a population of just five people in the 2020 census. But why are people fleeing the quaint community? For years the town has been home to several underground coal mines. Unexpectedly, in 1962, a fire began in one of those mines that is still aflame today. Beneath the surface, a hidden inferno is still consuming a particularly slow-burning type of coal that experts expect to simmer for another 250 years! Both the depth and the heat of the fire make it impossible to put out.

As a result, there are hot spots, buckled highways, and parched grass. Most of the buildings in Centralia have already collapsed. Residents permitted to stay are under a court order not to pass their property down to the next generation. The fire and gases are destroying everything good about the hidden borough three hours west of New York City.

Temptation is like that. Deep within all of us at an unseen level there is a burning desire to rebel against God. The fires of enticement want to consume everything good and holy in your life, sometimes even resulting in an abandoned walk with God. No matter how hard we try, the fires of temptation will burn throughout the entirety of our lives.

Most people respond to temptation in one of three ways. Some will just give in to it and reason, “If it feels good do it!” Others will fight hard against it but repeatedly lose the battle. These are those who yield to sin, feel guilty for doing so, and vow to never succumb again, only to renege hours or days later. But some will overcome temptation by the grace of Jesus Christ. Obviously, most want to be in the latter category. But how do we get there? Let me suggest three realities about temptation we must recognize in order to be victorious.

YOU WILL ENCOUNTER TEMPTATION

The Bible says in 1 Cor. 10:13a: No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. That means all people everywhere will face temptation. We need to admit that none of us are exempt from the allurement of sin. Furthermore, temptation in and of itself is not sinful if we do not yield to it.

• Adam and Eve were tempted in the Garden of Eden.
• Israel was tempted in the wilderness.
• David was tempted in the palace.
• Peter was tempted in Jerusalem.
• Even Jesus was tempted in the desert.

The commonness of temptation also means that our allurements are not unique. Regardless of how we feel, there is nothing new under the sun. You are not the only person who in the history of the world who has struggled with whatever is seducing your heart.

GOD CALLS EACH OF US TO ENDURE TEMPTATION

The Bible goes on to say that God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13b). We often mistakenly assume that those who do not give into temptation know nothing of its power. The opposite is really true. Those who surrender to temptation the most actually know the least about the full burden and challenge it brings. We yield to what pulls our heart away from God because of the desire to find relief from our struggle. When we resist, though, the battle persists with annoyances that do not go away. Yet, this is the narrow road God calls believers to walk. We won’t always succeed in our efforts, but victory rather than defeat should be the pattern of our lives.

YOU CAN ESCAPE TEMPTATION

If we are to endure in faith, we should always be looking for the way escape when we are tempted. The idea is not the God will help us to avoid temptations, but that He will walk with us through them, helping us to persevere. Sometimes we give the false impression that if a Christian loves God, all their previous worldly inclinations will immediately disappear. While some experience that kind of dramatic deliverance, what is more common is the daily battle to resist lifestyles that on contrary to God’s design.

The way of escape is trusting God who promises to help us overcome. It means allowing the Lord, not the culture, to define right and wrong for us. It means that sometimes we run away from people, situations, or circumstances that cause us to stumble. It means we proactively fill our minds with Scripture, remind ourselves of the gospel, and seek the Lord in prayer. It means that we recall how vulnerable we are and continually pledge our hearts to Christ. The question is not will God provide a way of escape to prevent our waywardness, but will we be looking for it instead?

Adam B. Dooley
November 19, 2024

Oct 12
Love0

The Beautiful Symbol of Marriage

By Attributes of God, Faithfulness, Grace, Marriage, Sin, Trials No Comments

The Beautiful Symbol of Marriage

Not long ago I officiated a wedding ceremony that followed the predictable theme of faithfulness. I, groom, take you bride, to be my wedded wife. I promise to love you, comfort you, honor and keep you, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to you so long as we both shall live. Soon, the bride pledged the same loyalty to her new husband.

In one sense these words are unremarkable because of their familiarity. Their implications, however, are not only practically profound but also theologically instructive. Because every groom is a picture of Christ in the home (Eph. 5:25-33) and every bride a reminder of the church (Eph. 5:22-24), marriage clearly and powerfully depicts the faithfulness of God toward His people.

I do. I will. I promise.

Vows such as these are more than a pattern to which a man and woman aspire; they are a picture of the abiding commitment of the Lord toward those who know Him. So great is God’s love for His own that He remains faithful to us even though we sometimes stray from Him (James 4:4-5). These themes reverberate in the Old and New Testaments alike. We are to declare (Ps. 89:1), celebrate (Psalm 89:8), and rest in (1 Thess. 5:23-24) God’s faithfulness for His people.

Seem too good to be true? Need an example from Scripture? Look no farther than God’s reassurance of Israel amidst their Babylonian exile. Remember, they suffered at the hands of a foreign enemy because of their sinful idolatry and wickedness (Isa. 3). Yet, the Lord remained faithful to the Jews and promised to redeem them (Isa. 43:1). In addition, Yahweh insisted that He would be with them (43:2); that He was their God (43:3); that they were precious to Him (43:4); that He loved them (43:4); and that He take care of them (43:5). God was faithful even when His people were not.

Remarkably, through the sacrifice of His Son, God offers the same assurance to us! Like ancient Israel, we are often blind to the heart of our God, deaf to His Word, and oblivious to His ways. Yet, when we are faithless, He remain faithful because He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). Those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ in repentance and faith have the joy of being sons and daughters of the God who is unwavering in His commitment to us.

Beyond God’s expressed love for His children is His explicit plan for those who follow Him. Though often a mystery to us, His agenda is bigger than the immediate needs that press upon our lives.

            What career path should we choose?

            Who should we marry?

            Where should we live?

            How can we ease the common burdens that arise?

Questions and struggles like these are not insignificant, but they are not ultimate either. When God seems silent on present matters that consume us, He remains faithful to His eternal ordering of our lives. He is not less purposeful when we do not understand Him, nor is He less concerned when we do not grasp His ways. But how can we be sure?

Revisiting an exiled Israel again reassures us. God not only promised to love His people, but to work on their behalf by gathering them from the four corners of the earth (Isa. 43:5-7). Most immediately, these verses pointed to the end of Jewish exile and their return from Babylon to their homeland. The fuller implication, though, is that one day God will gather His people from every nation, tribe, and tongue to live with Him in a New Heaven and Earth (Rev. 5:9-10; 7:9-10). In other words, their immediate need and its solution was part of a greater plan and reality that was coming.

The same is true for us.

During our greatest victories, God is working. When we grieve our darkest moments, God is still working. When we battle anxiety, He continues working. When we rebel and when we repent, He is working still. His eternal purposes for the redeemed are more wonderful than you can imagine, more comprehensive than you can see, and more significant than you can fathom. Even when the past is a roadmap for the future, God is always doing something new that can only be described as a faithful expression of His love (Isa. 43:18-20).

God will always be faithful, ultimately, because His name is at stake. The key, however, is that we pledge ourselves to Christ as a bride who adores her groom. How do we do it? By numbering ourselves with the redeemed who call out to God in repentance and faith. Our confidence is in the purifying work of the Savior who sought a people to be His own possession (Tit. 2:14). Then, and only then, can we experience the abundant, abiding faithfulness of the only true God.

Adam B. Dooley

October 12, 2024

 

 

 

 

Oct 01
Love0

Hurricanes, Floods, and Lies We Believe

By Grace, Repentance, Tragedy, Trials No Comments

Hurricanes, Floods, and Lies We Believe

Looking at the photos is not for the faint of heart. A weeping couple in Florida embraces over the rubble that used to be their home. Traffic stalls on I-40 in North Carolina due to missing pieces of the interstate after excessive rain and mudslides. An engulfed Nolichucky Dam in east Tennessee weathers twice the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls. Overturned vehicles, floating houses, and leveled communities spanning over 600 miles are all clues that Hurricane Helene was no ordinary storm.

The state of Florida absorbed the initial brunt of the barrage as 140 mph winds first ravaged the Big Ben region, leaving splintered lives and busted power grids from Naples all the way up to Tallahassee. Next, Georgia suffered what Governor Brian Kemp described as a bomb that appeared to go off as Helene continued to march north, wreaking havoc from Valdosta over to Augusta.

Though the deadly hurricane soon downgraded to a tropical storm, unprecedented flooding persisted in upending the lives of people in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Meteorologists estimate that 40 trillion gallons of rain fell on the southeast, an amount so staggering that some refer to it as apocalyptic. ABC News equates that much water with emptying Lake Tahoe entirely or filling the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium 51,000 times.

These floodwaters weigh a staggering 1700 pounds per cubic yard, causing immense damage as they descend from the saturated mountains of Appalachia. At the time of this writing, 400 roads remain closed in North Carolina. Over 130 people have died, and hundreds remain missing. Focusing rebuilding efforts is difficult because the needs are so great. The lasting impact from this once in a lifetime storm will be generational.

Nearly everyone is sympathetic toward those who are facing devestating loss due to Hurricane Helene. Rallying one another to support disaster relief work during a time like this is not a burden because most people are genuinely eager to help. There are unfortunate exceptions, however. Even as rains continued to fall over parts of the southeast, a former University of Kentucky staffer had the audacity to suggest that the storm might be God’s way of punishing MAGA populations for their hate and hypocrisy. Despite initially doubling down on her vile comments with even more offensive rhetoric, the self-described feminist poet eventually took her social media posts down.

I do not mean to suggest that only one side of the political aisle spews reckless remarks like these. Both the right and the left have an unspoken underbelly that we must be careful to resist despite its subtlety. Sometimes, when catastrophe strikes, we might instinctively place people into the categories of being deserving or undeserving of calamity. In other words, those in the path of the storm must have deserved it, and those outside its reach did not.

Thankfully, Jesus addressed this air of superiority that routinely plagues our perspective of tragedy. When the unthinkable happened south of Jerusalem in a place called Siloam, our Savior asked, “Do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? (Luke 13:4)” Certainly, this burden was different than a hurricane, but the principle regarding the afflicted remains the same.

To state Jesus’ inquiry differently, did the people in Siloam deserve to die? Where those people more wicked than you? By asking the question Jesus is highlighting our temptation to insist on the moral culpability of others while denying our own. We erroneously equate our safety with our perceived righteousness while assuming the demise of others is the consequence for their wickedness.

Jesus is not denying that tragedies of any kind can be acts of judgment, but He is insisting that it is not our job to discern what God is doing or to excuse ourselves from moral responsibility. We should never feel puffed up simply because bad things do not happen to us. God’s mercy, not our sinlessness, keeps us safe each day. The problems we face in life are not always reflective of our position before God. Don’t forget that Old Testament character Job suffered because He was righteous, or the opposite of what we would suspect (Job 1:8).

Do you secretly find pleasure in the misfortunes of other people, especially those you don’t care for? When you hear that someone has cancer, do you wonder if they had it coming? If you learn of someone losing their job, do you assume he deserved it? Is your attitude toward the family with a rebellious child that they must be terrible parents?

Jesus pushed back against such distorted thinking with a piercing declaration and instruction, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:5).” From God’s perspective, hardship is sometimes as much about the casual observer as the person who is hurting. Has it ever occurred to you that God might use sweeping devastation, not to punish the immoral, but to challenge wayward spectators in need of repentance? The point of Jesus’ story is not about those who died, but those who remained.

Scripture clearly teaches that every person is a sinner who will face death as a result (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). Thus, Jesus insists “you will ALL likewise perish” apart from repentance. Eternal life requires our turning away from sin in order to follow Christ in faith. Thus, no tragedy should be an occasion to boast, but is instead, an opportunity to remember that God is merciful despite our sin rather than due to its absence. The burdens of others are an invitation to repent of our rebellion rather than laud our righteousness.

Adam B. Dooley

October 1, 2024

Aug 15
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The Dangers of God’s Grace

By Grace No Comments

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

            Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

            Grace, grace, God’s grace,

            Grace the is greater than all our sin!

The lyrics of this old hymn were as familiar to me as the pulpit from which my pastor preached in my home church. With the deepest gratitude and unrivaled sincerity, I joined the chorus of believers from my childhood who frequently bellowed these doctrinally rich words. The biblical message of grace is just as meaningful to me now, if not more so, than it ever was. Frankly, I cannot imagine my life apart from the cleansing, sanctifying grace of God.

Yet, over the years I’ve also come to realize at least two dangers that emerge in light of God’s grace that sometimes lead Christians astray. The deficiency is not in the supernatural power of God’s forgiveness, but with our misguided perceptions instead. Sometimes, well-meaning Christians misconstrue the grace of the Lord, leading to two unhealthy, dare I say, unbiblical extremes. The Apostle John intentionally warns about these dangers.

On the one hand, some Christians will be tempted to dismiss their sins as no big deal. Or, stated differently, some will recklessly conclude that because salvation is a gift of grace, we are free to live however we choose. Thus, John warns us that, because “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, if we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:5-6).” The analogy of darkness presents the deceptive waywardness of sin in dichotomy to the light of a relationship with Jesus.

True believers refuse to use the grace of God as an excuse for remaining in sin. No one was more clear on this point than the Apostle Paul, who asked rhetorically, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be (Rom. 6:1-2)!” Though we are born again by grace through faith apart from good works (Eph. 2:8-9), the goal of salvation is transformed lives characterized by radical change (Eph. 2:10). The seed of redemption is, without question, the grace of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus, but the fruit of salvation is obedience to and joy in the ways of God.

Good works are not the cause of our relationship with the Almighty, but they are the consequence of it. Scripture describes faith in God that fails to produce life change as dead and worthless (James 2:14-26) even as it encourages us to look for deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20). Jesus Himself explained, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).” Openly celebrating or continually practicing sinful behavior is entirely contrary to saving faith no matter how passionately we insist otherwise.

On the other hand, though, some Christians will boast of sinless perfection that is impossible. How do we know for sure that believers cannot reach a state of moral impeccability after placing their faith in Christ? If grace is transformative, why don’t we expect complete righteousness right now? Again, John the Apostle is helpful and direct. Writing to Christians he insists, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).” Lest we miss the point, he clarifies once more, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us (1 John 1:10).”

Those who claim to be perfect are just offensive to a holy God as those who boast of their right to remain in sin. Even worse is labeling these deviances as Christianity. We dare not trample underfoot the sacrifice of Jesus and insult the Spirit of grace by ignoring our sinfulness or hiding it altogether (Heb. 10:20).

So, what are we to do? If habitual sin is a sign of unbelief and misguided self-righteousness is akin to calling God a liar, how should we respond when we yield to temptation and choose to disobey the Lord? In a word—CONFESS. By addressing Christ followers specifically, John guides us once more with a message of reassurance. “If we confess our sins,” he says, “[God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”

We should not remain in sin, but neither should we pretend to be entirely holy either. Christians will disobey God far too often, but we should be willing to confess and abandon our transgressions just as quickly. Additionally, confession rescues us from inflated views that position ourselves as more spiritual than we really are. Praise the Lord He is quick to forgive and anxious to cleanse us when we stumble.

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