THE BLESSINGS OF FOLLOWING JESUS
Matthew 20:1-17
This text follows Peter's question in Chapter 19
Matthew 19:27-30
Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
The parable that Jesus used to bring light to Peter’s question is full of life
giving instructions for the faithful. We would do well to listen.
V:1. "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
TITLES IN THE LESSON
There are some titles in the parables that we can relate to our relationship
with Christ
Owner Of the Household God
Household Kingdom of Heaven
The vineyard is the training of souls for Christ
The Hiring Is according to God’s Mercy
The payment is the covenant of God available to all
The workers are the servants of God
The murmuring Is the Envy, Jealously, hatred, and ungratefulness of hearts
Those who claim Christ, but are not converted
The reward First in the Kingdom, to the last in the kingdom
THE JEWISH WORK DAY
The Jewish day was a 12-hour day starting at 6 am
The landowner sent his servant out to find workers
at 6 A.m., 9 A.m., 12 noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The first to be hired came a 6 AM and the last to be hired came at
5 PM.
The early workers complained because they had worked a 12-hour
shift and the latecomers only worked one hour and received the same
pay. It is normal to want equality in what we do in comparison to
what others do.
The workers who were called at 6 AM agreed to the pay
of denarius, the standard pay for the 12-hour day. According to
the text, the landowner agreed to pay what was right to workers who came at the later hours. No specific pay was agreed to.
At the end of the day, the generous landowner gave all workers the
same pay. God is sovereign, He does what wills with that which
He owns. Those who had an issue with their pay complained against
the grace and mercy of the Lord.
SALVATION, A GIFT EQUAL TO ALL
This parable highlights the equal value the landowner places on the
his servants regardless of how long they served.
It is a blessing to be invited to serve. It is a blessing for God to
place us in a position to accept the invitation to serve.
Peter and the other disciples were placed in a position to be the
first to receive the invitation from Christ. They left their careers
to follow Christ. They may not have known fully where Christ was
leading them. They put their hope in the one they believed was the
messiah. They were a group of poor men from Galilee but they
were rich in the presence of the Lord.
THE BENEFITS OF SERVING CHRIST
There are present benefits to being called to serve. You are
in the presence of Christ. You have the protection of Christ.
You have the provisions of Christ. You have the directions
and the wisdom of Christ. There is continued spiritual
growth in the vineyard of Christ.
Those who serve in the vineyard have the covenant of Christ
as a final payment for service. There is a set time when the owner of
the vineyard will settle up with the servants.
The parable highlights that we cannot pride ourselves in the length
of our service. God is sovereign, He blesses according to His divine
will.
Those who serve have the responsibility to invite others to serve,
The invitation to serve is given at different times in the lives of
individuals. Some are invited early in their lives. Some receive the
invitation later in their lives. The thief on the cross with Jesus
received the invitation in the 11th hour of his life. His salvation
was just as valid as those who served their whole life.
Those who receive the invitation have the responsibility of accepting
the invitation with gratitude. Your gratitude affects the attitude of
others around you.
If we serve with the love of Christ, we will value everyone's services the same.
If we serve with pride we will be jealous or envious of the service of others.
Those who serve with pride receive the invitation, but may not have a call
to the vineyard, the body of Christ.
CONCLUSIONS
There are several things we can conclude from this parable
(1) True Christianity is a life of active service rendered to Christ.
Once we understand the grace of our Lord and Savior, we are
constrained by the Holy Spirit to live for Him and not ourselves.
(2) It is a privilege to work for Christ without fee or reward,
yet our Father is pleased to reward all who serve with His
unlimited grace for their faithful service in His vineyard.
(3) The Lord is sovereign, so He does what He wills
with His own. There are common rewards for all who attach
themselves to Christ. None deserve His grace and mercy.
(4) Those who are not content with God’s call will find fault
with His equal grace and mercy to all believers. Their ungratefulness
will show up in the pride of their service envying the work
of others. These ungrateful workers render themselves unfit for
the kingdom of God. Unless there is a change of heart like
the Prodigal son they will find themselves out of fellowship
with the father.
To Answer Peter’s question; What will we have since we have left
all to follow you, the Lord concludes with these words;
28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
We are blessed and privileged to serve Christ on earth. But it is nothing compared
to the blessings, we will receive in our eternal life with Christ.
The first in the kingdom of God are those who serve faithfully and with
love and gratitude.
Rev. M. Mitchell
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