Called to the Vineyard

Matthew 19:27–20:16

A man has a vineyard and needs workers. He goes out five times and calls laborers to his vineyard. In this parable are truths that will keep us from having the wrong idea about serving God.

I. Start Now and Don’t Quit:

a. (Matthew 20:6) Don’t put your hope in the Master coming to you at the 11th hour of your life. You may never get to the 11th hour. Jesus is saying it is never too late to start; it is always too soon to quit. These people came in the 11th hour, as soon as they were called. It is better to start and serve all day, but it is never too late. Start now, and don’t quit until the day is done.

II. Don’t Haggle in Serving God:

a. (Matthew 20:2) They were haggling and looking for a certain amount. They finally agree and there’s a contract. And they go into the vineyard early; there’s nothing wrong with that. The earlier you go into the vineyard, the better. But, these people were haggling with God trying to drive a bargain. The others came with trust (Matthew 20:4-7). Jesus is contrasting service that comes out of legalism and service that comes out of love (Matthew 19:27). Legalism demands its rights. It wants to haggle with God. The basis of the service is debt, not grace. The problem with legalism is it gets what it bargains for. God wants you to serve Him, trusting Him with a free, joyful, open, and loving heart.

III. Leave the Accounting to God:

a. Keeping a record of your service is foolish rather than leaving the matter with God. Peter kept his own books. He knew the hours he’d served. He knew the “sacrifices” he’d made. He didn’t care for the vineyard or the Master., only himself. Leave the accounting to God. If you keep the books, you will always overpay or underpay yourself. Sometimes we think we’re doing great things and may not. Sometimes, we take credit for something we don’t deserve. And other times, we don’t realize how we’ve been used by God, but God is using us in a great way (Matthew 25:35-40).

IV. Seek Mercy and Grace, Not Fairness:

a. (Matthew 20:14-15) Fairness is based on the idea that I am owed something compared to others. I want my fair share. But God doesn’t deal with fairness. God deals on the basis of justice and mercy. God is good. God is merciful. But you can only receive mercy after you agree with His justice. Justice is God GIVING us what we deserve. Mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve. Grace is God GIVING us what we do NOT deserve. If you serve God for fairness, you’ll get mad if somebody gets more than you, gets it sooner, or gets something you didn’t. Don’t ever ask God for justice. If you get justice, you’ll be in “hot water.” Ask God for mercy and grace.

V. Another’s Gain is Not Your Loss:

a. Just because God blessed these at the 11th hour doesn’t mean that those who came at the 1st hour somehow suffered a loss (Matthew 20:14-15). There’s no seniority in the kingdom of heaven. This parable is not about salvation. We don’t work for that. It’s not about rewards. Everybody is going to have the same reward (1 Corinthians 3:8). It’s about having the right attitude in serving God. We don’t serve because we want to receive an expected reward or insist on knowing what we will get. God is infinitely generous and will always reward us better than we deserve.