Archives by: Gary Hoag

“We have not got Zoe or spiritual life: only Bios or biological life, which is presently going to run down and die. Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ.

If we do, we shall then be sharing a life [Zoe] which was begotten, not made, which always has existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us.

He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life [Zoe] he has–by what I call “good infection”. Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.”

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in Mere Christianity (New York: HarperCollins, 1980) 177.

I pray readers today grasp the generous gift, the great exchange that Christ offers us, which is often lost in translation (Greek to English), but made abundantly clear by Lewis this morning.

We give up our life [Bios] which is destined for a dead-end, in exchange for Christ’s life [Zoe] and we’ve got the “good infection” which sets us on a path of becoming or conforming to the image of Christ who is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, and generous…

While everyone is worried about ebola, let’s share life [Zoe], the “good infection” with the world, shall we? Why? Barring Christ’s return, we will all come to the end of our Bios from ebola or some other malady, but those who are partakers of Christ’s Zoe will never die.

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This comment is linked to the three servants in the parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.

“The first two servants are true disciples; the third one is not. A person’s faithfulness is evidence as to whether he or she is truly one of Jesus own.”

Michael J. Wilkins in NIV Life Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004) 808. Michael was one of my profs back in seminary. I love his straightforward tone.

The third servant clearly did not know the Master. He thought the master who owned everything was “harsh” (25:24). No wonder he responded by hoarding rather than putting to work the Master’s money.

So what’s the secret to entering the abundant joy of the Master? You got to know the Master. Those who do function from a place where they know the Master, will put the money He has given us to work.

Are you the real deal?

If so, it should show by how you are putting the Master’s money to work. If this sounds convicting, know that it is not what I want from you, but what I want for you…to enter the Master’s joy!

God has opened the door for me to preach a sermon on this text in all four services at Sae Ro Nam Church in Daejeon, South Korea, this Sunday. I appreciate your prayers for safety and strength as I travel to Seoul, Pohang, and Daejeon, South Korea this week.

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“Wealth is regarded as a good thing by most people. But that is not entirely true: it depends how you use it. If wealth were a good thing in itself and on its own account, then everyone who possesses it out to be good. Yet not all rich people are virtuous, one those who manage their money in a responsible way. Therefore wealth is not a good thing in itself, it is only an instrument for doing good.”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in Commentary on Isaiah as recounted in The Quotable Saint ed. by R. E. Guiley (New York, 2002) 179.

I appreciate where Chrysostom goes with this idea. I also appreciate how it syncs with biblical teaching. What does our Lord say to those with wealth? Share it with the needy (cf. Mark 10:21-22)! What does the Apostle Paul echo? Enjoy and share it (cf. 1 Tim 6:17-19)! When wealthy people do this, wealth serves it’s intended purpose as an instrument of good for all.

Some debate this notion saying God made all of creation and declared it “good” so isn’t wealth “good” too? We must remember that God gave us the ability to produce wealth and instructions on what to do with it (cf. Deut 8:18). Sadly, His people in the OT failed to obey His instructions for the use of wealth, and my prayer is that we don’t forget today because our actions show whether we are His disciples or not.

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“We should endeavor to follow the rule of moderation, avoiding the excesses of both luxury and physical abuse, so our bodies are not ruined by either obesity or starvation in following the commandments. For both extremes can do equal harm, and so we must avoid letting our body get out of control by a life of ease, and abusing it so that it is made weak and unresponsive. For in both these states the soul is deprived of the time to look with freedom upon high things.”

Basil the Great (c. 329-379), bishop of Caesarea and one of the Doctors of the Church, as recounted in The Quotable Saint ed. by R. E. Guiley (New York, 2002) 178.

What a gift to rest and enjoy moderation with regard to work! I pray you too are having a refreshing weekend.

I also pray that the moderation or “simplicity” of Jesus, the first disciples, and saints like Basil inspires each of us to find our groove with regard to moderation, so that we are not so captivated with the things of earth that we miss the things of God.

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“In Acts 20, Paul stops in Ephesus to speak to some dear friends whom he helped lead to Christ and disciple. He is on his way to Rome where he believes he may even be going off to his death and will never see them again. In verses 32-34 he shares with them the main thing that he wants them to remember for the rest of their lives.

Remember the gospel (you are sinners saved by grace) and live generously.

He adds that he showed them a life poured out in deeds of mercy to those in need and quotes the Lord Himself who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

When we share our last words to those we love, we want to say the things that are most important, Paul left his good friends with believe the gospel and live radically generous lives.

Paul clearly sees these two things as absolutely inseparable. If we are a people who understand we are sinners truly saved by grace, then it is natural to live lives of radical generosity. Radical generosity looks differently for each of us as we surrender the time, talents, and treasures the Lord has entrusted to us for His kingdom wherever He leads.”

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, as recounted on receipt stuffer from my friends at Westminster Christian School, Elgin, IL.

Amen and Amen! The gospel of Jesus Christ and the radically generous life are inseparable!

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“God is not now, nor has He ever looked, for “helpers” to assist Him in saving the world. That doesn’t mean He isn’t calling us to give ourselves generously to that mission or be sacrificially generous with our neighbors; it’s just that He’s not looking for people to supply His needs. He’s not short on money, talent, or time. He has never commanded us to go save the world for Him; He calls us to follow Him as He saves the world through us.”

J.D. Greear in “The Key to Radical Generosity: God Doesn’t Need You!” on October 8, 2014.

Today, I’d appreciate your prayers as I meet with leaders of Westminster Christian School in Elgin, IL. My prayer is to help them grasp truths such as this so that their students and the families they serve follow Christ accordingly and so their lives bring Him glory.

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“Most average people don’t quite get what paying the pastor has to do with the Spirit-filled life. Paul addresses this topic head on. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Galatians 6:6

[Here] he reminds his readers of their responsibility to support those tho teach them the Word…To neglect this would be to squeeze off the gospel at its source…Studying and teaching the Word of God takes time and discipline. Staff pastors, whether they preach each Sunday or lead a ministry or serve in an administrative role, shouldn’t have to work two jobs in order to make ends meet…

Part of a believer’s spiritual responsibility is to share his or her abundance with those who work hard in the church. As the pastor shares spiritual wealth with his flock, the flock should share material goods…In the grace-oriented, Spirit-filled church, pastor and congregation are to look out for one another, bearing each other’s burdens.”

Charles R. Swindoll in Insights on Galatians, Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012) excerpt from notes on Galatians 6:6.

Many people today don’t give to their local church because they don’t like what they see their local church spending money on. Common complaints include: “They are spending too much on buildings!” or “The church is inward-focused on programs for members and not outward-focused on reaching a lost world.” or “They don’t care about the poor!”

Sound familiar? If so, I urge you to find a local church where God’s resources are spent on paying a pastor(s), making Christ known, and caring for the poor and needy. Let’s attend such churches and not “muzzle the ox” (1 Timothy 5:18) but rather support our spiritual leaders so that they can focus on equipping the saints for works of service.

Today I am in meetings in Chicago with EFCA pastors and TIU/TEDS leaders in Chicago. Thankfully the occasion is to discuss the opportunity for pastors to receive generous foundation grants to help those they serve grow in the integration of faith, work, and economics. Gotta take care of our pastors!

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Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! Matthew 6:19-23

“What does it mean to have a “good” or a “bad” eye [in Matthew 6:22-23]? Again, the answer is that it refers to generosity or stinginess. Here is a reference: Prov 22:9 (‘the good-eyed man’ is kind to the poor). And Jesus drives the point home: if a person is full of darkness, how deep is that darkness! Unpacked, Jesus is here talking about the necessity of a heart being transformed by God’s grace, or at least a heart being good for if the heart is not good, nothing can be good. And the direction of this transformation, in these verses, is all about generosity.”

Scot McKnight in “The Eye of Generosity” blog post on January 18, 2006.

I am at Sioux Falls Seminary today teaching and spending time with my good friend, Greg Henson. Greg’s a fan of Scot McKnight, so I was read bits of Scot’s blog this morning and appreciated how he connected Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6:22-23 with Proverbs 22:9. Lives transformed by grace exhibit generosity.

Whether or not our eyes are good is revealed by our actions. Are we generous or stingy? Good-eyed people are kind to the poor and store up treasures in heaven through their giving, while bad-eyed people store them up for themselves, exhibiting stinginess.

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“Everything is a gift of God’s sheer grace and generosity.”

N.T. Wright in After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters (New York: HarperCollins, 2010) 2.

Everything is a gift of God’s grace (that means “we get what we do not deserve”) and generosity (that means “what we get reflects the lavish love of God”). I believe this realization is intended to inspire us to extend grace and generosity to everyone, everywhere, each and every day. Let’s do it, starting today.

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“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”

Martin Luther (1483-1546) as recounted in Luther Gold: Pure. Refined. comp. by R. Comfort, ed. by M. R. Murray (Alachua, FL: Bridge-logos, 2009) 50.

I can’t find record that I have ever shared this famous quote attributed to Luther as a meditation, so here it is!

I am also thankful that my mom, Patsy Hoag, shared it with me this week and has modeled such generosity for me all my life. Thanks mom!

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