PENTECOST
17
September
23-25, 2023
Pastor
Timothy J. Spaude
Text:
Matthew 20:1-16 (EHV)
“GOD’S WORK, GOD’S
WAY!
Last week and for the next few weeks
in the Gospel lessons from Matthew Jesus teaches us things using stories.
Important things we need to know about life as citizens in God’s kingdom. Last
week he made clear the importance of ongoing forgiveness of others as we need
ongoing forgiveness from God. This week’s story focuses our attention on work
in God’s kingdom. You will notice that the workers and the owner have decidedly
different perspectives. See if you can pick them out.
Matthew 20:1-16 (EHV) “Indeed the
kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
workers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing to pay the workers a
denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3He also
went out about the third hour and saw others standing unemployed in the
marketplace. 4To these he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard,
and I will give you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5Again he
went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6When
he went out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing unemployed. He
said to them, ‘Why have you stood here all day unemployed?’ 7“They
said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “He told them, ‘You also go into the
vineyard.’ 8When it was evening, the owner of the vineyard said
to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the
last group and ending with the first.’ 9“When those who were hired
around the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. 10When
those who were hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But they
each received a denarius too. 11After they received it, they began
to grumble against the landowner: 12‘Those who were last worked
one hour, and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day
and the scorching heat!’ 13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I
am doing you no wrong. Did you not make an agreement with me for a
denarius? 14Take what is yours and go. I want to give to the
last one hired the same as I also gave to you. 15Can’t I do
what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16In
the same way, the last will be first, and the first, last.”
Like most of Jesus’ stories called
parables, this one is not hard to picture as it relates to real life. First
there is the workers’ perspective. We have all probably been at a point some
time in life, or will be, where there is a job you really want to have. You
hope for it. You pray for it. You go for it. You get it! You are filled with a
sense of joy, pride, happiness and satisfaction. You understand the privilege
of getting this job. Day laborers in Jesus’ time had that times 10. Each
workday they left home and kissed their wife on the cheek. “Pray for me, honey.”
It was an important prayer. His goal for the day would be to earn enough to buy
food for his family for the next day. No job. No food. They waited in the
marketplace where the landowners who had work would look for day laborers. “Pick
me! Pick me! Please!” went the silent prayers. “You, come with me.” Privilege!
Relief. A denarius. Food for my family.
But they weren’t all that different
from us. The joy and privilege of being chosen for a job can wear off when you
start looking at your fellow workers. They don’t work as hard as I do. They are
so incompetent. Why are people always asking me to do more? There are 15 other
people in this department. I bet she gets paid more than I do. We’ve all thought
it and/or said it many times so say it with me. “That’s not fair!” Here’s how
that came out in the parable. “When those who were hired first came, they
thought they would receive more. But they each received a denarius too. 11After
they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner: 12‘Those
who were last worked one hour, and you made them equal to us who have endured
the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’” The workers’ perspective is
very normal. It is the common way of thinking and works in the workplace. I put
more time in, I do more, I am more competent, I deserve to be paid more. That’s
what’s fair.
The owner in Jesus’ parable takes a
decidedly different approach. He picks workers at the beginning of the workday,
3 hours in, 6 hours in, 9 hours in and with only one left to go! And for all of
us whiners and complainers who actually think we work hard and long I hope you
noticed this is a 12 hour workday, 6 days a week. We soft American need to
replace our whining and complaining with thankfulness to God that we get to
live when we do. But I digress. It comes to the end of the day. Back then you
did not wait two weeks for a paycheck. You got paid at the end of each day
because you needed that money just to stay alive for the next. The owner hands
out the pay beginning with those whose workday was shortest to those whose
workday is the longest. Everybody got the same! A denarius. Join me in speaking
for the 12 hour workers. “That’s not fair!” “Hold on,” says the owner.
“But he answered one of them,
‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not make an agreement with me for a
denarius? 14Take what is yours and go. I want to give to the
last one hired the same as I also gave to you. 15Can’t I do
what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Ooh!
Now the truth comes out. The complaining workers got exactly what they had
agreed to work for. That’s fair. The owner of the money is the one who gets to
decide where it goes. That’s fair. Now remember the times. When Joseph and
Judah and Joachim left their homes that morning their prayer was to earn enough
to provide food for their families. One hour, three hours, half a day’s work
won’t get very much. The owner was being kind and while these first hired
workers hid their hearts behind their own concept of fairness, they showed they
did not have love for others. They weren’t thinking about the other workers who
would now be able to feed their families. They were only thinking of
themselves.
Now Jesus is not trying to change the
way companies and businesses do their hiring practices or how they pay their
workers. Remember this is a parable, an earthly story that has a spiritual
meaning, meant to teach believers what life is like as a citizen of the kingdom
of God. So, what’s the point? God’s work, God’s way. Two main points. First is
that being a part of the kingdom of God and getting to “work” for Jesus is a
privilege. Did you notice the reason the owner hired the workers? They were
standing unemployed. There is no, “he
needed more workers so…” He had mercy on them. They needed Him. He did not need
them. But He did love them and care for them and so He chose them. So too is
your place in the kingdom of God and my place in the kingdom of God. He doesn’t
need us. We need Him. In fact, if we want to play the fair game with God, what
must He give us? What we’ve earned of course! And the wages of sin is death. I
was reminded of that a few weeks ago when we sang “Rock of Ages, Cleft for me.”
Let me remind you of verse 3. “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross
I cling; naked, come to thee for dress, helpless, look to thee for grace; foul,
I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.” Do you believe that? That we
are members of the kingdom of God is a privilege. It flows from God’s love and
is possible only because of the life and death of our Savior Jesus. God’s work,
God’s way is the way of grace and mercy.
That takes us to the second main
point. That we get “paid” is an astounding display of God’s grace. Jesus’ story
is about being a member of God’s kingdom. We get to work for God now by being
witnesses for our Lord Jesus. We get to work for God now by carefully striving
to live our lives for God’s glory. Our “pay” is heaven. An eternity in the
glorious presence of God where there is joy evermore and we will be co-heirs
with Christ whatever that means however that can be true. Joy. Happiness. Love.
Unity with each other, all believers and the Lord. A brand new heaven and brand
new earth. It is impossible for us to earn or deserve that so God gives it us
freely by grace through Jesus. And that is why we are just as happy that our
generous God gives that gift to people like the thief on the cross as we are
for those who have lived their whole lives with that truth. God’s work, God’s
way highlights the beauty of God’s grace where we who know we are last because
of our sins are put first in the kingdom of God while those who think they are
first because of all they do become last. It’s God’s Work, so it’s God’s way!
Amen.
Brian, you are among the very few
believers in Christ who not only get “paid” in eternity but also are getting
paid right now. You are a called worker which means that for the past 25 years
people have paid you to do what most other believers are expected to do without
pay: be in God’s word daily, proclaim, teach it, be a witness. So for the past
25 years you have had extra reasons to rejoice that it is God’s work, God’s way
because you understand the extra privilege you have. By God’s grace you were
chosen for God’s family. By God’s grace you get to be a full time worker in one
of His churches. By God’s grace you will get “paid.” Jesus said, “Store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven.” Those treasures are people who believe in
Jesus. For the past 25 years you’ve had the chance to proclaim Christ to lots
of students. That’s a lot of treasure. 25 more? Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment