The Parable of the workers in the vineyard

Intro:

Turn with me this morning to the book of Matthew 20:1-16.

As we begin, remember that receiving salvation is about more than pray a prayer to get to heaven. It is about getting the nature of heaven into you. Where the seed of God’s word transforms you from the inside out causing you to become an agent of change for the kingdom. Transformation is demonstrated by the intensity of our pursuit. As we discover and demonstrate His goodness He draws our hearts and the hearts of others to himself.

In the past few weeks we have seen how Jesus has focused on our believers in response to each-other through forgiveness, and showing mercy and compassion to our neighbor. Today’s parable deals both with the context of our relationship to God and to others.

Today, we are going to look at the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

Leading up to this parable Peter is once again asking a question to Jesus. Matthew 19:27 “Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

This question is preceded by the story of the rich young ruler who love his possessions more than following God. Peter seeing opportunity asks, what will we get seeing how we have left all to follow you?

Jesus’s response is Matthew 19:28-30.

“So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

As we look at the parable I want you to see three things from this passage.

The fullness of reward is in eternity with Christ.

Prior to eternity there are sacrifices made by people who follow Jesus.

Human perspective can skew understanding.

Text: Matthew 20:1-16.

Pause to Pray over the message:

Father give us ears to hear, eyes to see, give us understanding.

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Submit:

Matthew 20:1-8 ““For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’”

Matthew 20:9-16 “And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.””

In the parable we see two primary characters.

The lord of the vineyard.

Workers in the vineyard.

Once again Jesus is giving reference of what the kingdom of heaven is like.

The Lord the of the vineyard is God, and the laborers are those who have accepted Christ as Lord.

In the parable we see the Lord of the Vineyard going to a marketplace to call people to labor. Several times throughout the day He is back in the marketplace looking for idle people. When he encounters them the question arises why are you standing here idle? Something to point out here about this question is that it is clear that the Lord does not like believers idle.

I want to pause here for a moment before we look at another aspect of this parable. From the beginning we have been created for work in the kingdom of God. Genesis 2:15

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

When we said yes to Jesus, we were saying yet to a life of service to His kingdom.

Once again this is where the message of the American gospel has deceived the church by saying the gospel is about what I can get, not give.

We each have a part to play in the work of the kingdom. Romans 12:3-8.

Romans 12:3-8 tells us, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The body of Christ has many parts, and each part has specific use. Without each part in action the body does not work right. 1 Corinthians 12:18 “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

The rich young ruler I spoke of chose material things over following Jesus. We each have to make the choice to serve the Lord.

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Apply:

Now keeping in mind that we are called to work for the kingdom the central truth of this parable is a warning of the Lord against having a hireling spirit in the service of the Lord.

When the Lord of the vineyard tells his steward to render the wages he says begin with the one who was last. While the steward pays those who worked last no doubt the ones who worked first were watching.

Their reaction was reminiscent of what we see today in our culture. They were offended. Questions flooded their heart. Why were the last paid first? Why did they receive the same amount of pay with less time working? Offense led them to murmur and complain against the Lord of the Vineyard. In doing this their thinking became evil.

The Lord of the vineyards response was simple. Can I not do what I want with what is mine? Did he not as the owner have the right to be generous with what belonged to him. We need to be mindful of not elevating our reasoning above the Lord. We are workers. He is the owner. Romans 9:20-21.

Romans 9:20-21 “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”

Paying the last workers first exposed the heart motive of those who had been employed first. Those that are first in their own eyes shall be last in the eyes of others. Those that are last in their own eyes will be first in the eyes of the Lord. This is a contrast of pride and humility. James 4:6.

James 4:6 “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.””

Pride comes before a fall, God gives grace to the humble.

In this parable Jesus is confronting wrong motives, attitudes, and expectations in believers who are labouring for the Lord.

The workers who started first had their attitudes exposed.

The first workers had an attitude of what are we going to get out of it? They served for what they could get.

They had a critical and murmuring attitude towards the Lord of the Vineyard. Why should they get the same as us? We should get more than them. They exalted their desires above God’s purpose.

They had a false concept of the Lord of the Vineyard and felt he was unjust and not fair. We do not define who he is. He defines who He is.

They had wrong attitudes to the other laborers who came in at the last part of the harvest and labored for the Lord. They were upset that they received the same as those who did less. They felt entitled. The reality of the Gospel is that we aren’t entitled to anything. God in His abundant mercy and compassion has given us everything, and there is nothing we have done to deserve it.

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Closing:

Jesus is teaching us to guard the motives and attitudes of our heart in our service to the Lord.

Our attitude should be that of the last workers.

They had an attitude of trust in the Lord of the vineyard.

They had a responsive attitude. When called, as idle, they were happy to work.

They did not entitled spirit to see what they could get out of it, neither did they have a bargaining spirit or murmuring attitude.

John 4:36 “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”

Remember this morning that we are saved to serve.

Let’s Pray!

Lord help us

salvation