The Gospel Isn't Fair

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the workers on one denarius, he sent them into his vineyard for the day. 3 When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He said to them, ‘You also go into my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. 5 About noon and about three, he went out again and did the same thing. 6 Then about five he went and found others standing around and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’ 7 “ ‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him. “ ‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he told them. 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’ 9 “When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. 10 So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: 12 ‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day’s work and the burning heat.’ 13 “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? 14 Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’ 16 “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Explaining the Parable

Chapter 19 ends the same at this parable ends...

Matthew 19:30 CSB

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus used parables to illustrate the things He was teaching.

And this parable is an illustration of what Jesus had been teaching from the previous chapter.

After His encounter with the Rich Young Ruler, the disciples were confused about how anyone could be saved if the rich man couldn’t.

They had given up so much to follow Jesus, as Peter points out in his question. Was it worth it? Would they be welcomed into God’s kingdom?

Can we trust God to be fair?

This parable is all about the trustworthiness of God, whether He is fair, just, and good.

The pieces and characters of the parable represent something in Jesus’s message. Not EVERY piece in the story has a meaning, but the main pieces do.

The land owner represents God

The labors represent believers/followers of Jesus.

And the vineyard is the Kingdom of God, where God's presence, his power, and his provision are with His people. What we refer to as salvation.

As we see the character of the master, so we will see the character of God.

3 Truths about God in the parable

Truths from the Parable

1) God is GRACIOUSLY INVITING.

The landowner went looking for workers.

Maybe it was harvest season, or maybe something else, but the farmer needed workers to work his vineyard.

He goes out early in the morning, before the sun comes up, to find workers ready to work.

They agree on term: 1 denarius for the day, a common day’s wage, and they begin to work.

Later in the morning, around 9am, the land owner goes again and see others standing in the marketplace “doing nothing”.

It isn’t clear if he went to the marketplace looking for more workers or if he just happened upon more people just standing around.

Regardless, he invites them to come and work for him, telling the simple “I’ll give you whatever is right.”

This happens 2 more times at 12:00 and 3pm, inviting even more workers to his vineyard.

And then at 5, only 1 hour before quitting time, he again goes to the marketplace and find people standing around.

To these he asks, “why have you been standing around here all day?”

“Because no one hired us,” they answer.

And with only 1 hour to work, the land owner invites them to come to his vineyard and work.

Let’s make a couple of observations:

It seems the man invited different qualities of workers throughout the day.

He started with what would be considered the most desirable and the most willing.

As the day went on it seems the quality of the workers went down.

I say this because of the way the last group responded to his question.

No one had chosen them all day.

It seems others had come and chosen workers, but they had been left behind.

Maybe there was something about the way the looked, or maybe they had a reputation, but they were the bottom of the barrel.

The land owner needed workers, but did he need the ones in the middle of the day? Or then end of the day.

It seems, in the way Jesus says it, like he invited them because they were just waiting, “why not come and work in my vineyard?”

It seems the point Jesus is making about the land owner is that he was willing to invite all kinds of people to work in his vineyard.

People that were eager and qualified, and others who were reluctant and maybe a little worse for the wear.

People with good reputations, and some that were not well thought of.

God’s invitation is like the landowner’s, He wants anyone who is willing to come to Him.

All are invited, regardless of where you were born, how many times you have messed up, or how good you are at memorizing the bible.

He invites all those standing around to come and join Him.

“Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

When Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 19 that it would be almost impossible for rich people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, it wasn’t because they weren’t invited, it was because they didn’t see their need.

Our master comes looking, who will receive His invitation?

2) God is TOTALLY JUST.

When the end of the day came, it was time to pay everyone for their labor.

The owner tells his foreman to start with the last group and end with the first. (Remember Jesus’s words at the end of Matthew 19 and soon in Matthew 20:16)

He gives those that worked 1 hour a full day’s wage, the same amount he agreed on with the first group.

And this first group is obviously excited. If they 1 hour crew is getting 1 denarius, they are about to make bank!

But as each group makes there way to the foreman, each is given the same amount.

Then it was their turn…and they are also given 1 denarius.

And they are outraged.

“How is it fair that one group works for 1 hour and we work for 12 and get the SAME AMOUNT!!”

The owner’s answer “wasn’t this the agreement we made before you started?

We might not find as much offense to this as readers, but put yourself in the shoes of the first workers.

They felt mistreated, treated unjustly and unfairly.

They were worth more than the other workers (note vs 12 “you made them equal to us”.)

The agreement was for a day’s wage and the master paid them a days wage. A just payment.

Their problem was they felt like they deserved more because they worked longer and the job was harder.

Now we know they are right in the sense of how modern economics work, but this is a kingdom parable.

Jesus is saying in the kingdom, everyone will get a just payment.

If you trust in Jesus and walk in his ways, you will be granted the promised hope of eternal life.

That doesn't mean life will be easy, but it does mean heaven will be glorious and you will be there.

And here is the key, you didn't deserve that either! The only reason this is just is because of Jesus!

Why do some people seem so blessed and free of struggle and I am constantly tossed around and beaten up? Because we live in a broken world and this world is not our home. We long for kingdom that is coming and find joy in the glimpses of that kingdom here and now.

This is the root of the question that keeps so many people from trusting God or leads us as believers to question whether God is mad at us or whether He is really good.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

That question assumes that we are good people and that we deserve for bad things not to happen to us.

You know Jesus' words in chapter 5 "the rain falls on the just and the unjust."

Jesus is making the point that God is just in His dealings.

Justice goes both ways though friends.

See, for those who do not turn from their unbelief and trust in Christ, your just payment is eternal punishment.

God is just to send us to hell, but in Christ we are given life and the promise of eternity in heaven.

Just like the thieves on the cross next to Jesus, one mocked Him while the other called out to Him for mercy.

Jesus, as He was dying, was just to forgive the one and condemn the other.

That should be both a sobering reality as well as a joyous one to those who trust in Jesus.

Romans 3:26 CSB

26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

3) God is EXTRAVAGANTLY GENEROUS.

We struggle with God’s fairness because we don’t understand the extent of His generous grace.

Matthew 20:15 CSB

15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’

None of really desire God’s complete justice, because none of us would be able to stand under the weight of the punishment of our own sin.

But when we don’t understand that truth, is when we struggle with believe God is fair and good.

God is absolutely free with his grace to do with it what he pleases, which probably means we are in for some surprises, and they’re going to be good. Our sense of thankfulness and love rises with our sense of how much we don’t deserve from God and how much we are forgiven. — John Piper

Chris Watts was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and 2 children in 2018. He was sentenced to life in prison for the crimes, a just penalty for horrible actions.

A few years after he went to prison Watts was interviewed and he told them interviewers that he had given his life Jesus, that he was a Christian.

I think we all likely share a similar reaction. How could a person that committed such an evil act ever get to heaven?

I am not saying Chris Watt’s confession is real or not, but what I am saying is that God’s grace is enough even to forgive a murder like Christ Watts.

None of us are murders in this church, but we are all equally deserving of God’s wrath outside of Christ.

Without Jesus we are no better off than a murder, but in Christ we are given FAR more than we could ever deserve.

And that is why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

Ask ushers to come forward

Through this supper we remind ourselves of love and grace of Jesus toward sinful people like us.

And we reflect on how generous, gracious, and good He is.

So as they begin to pass out the elements, we want to invite anyone who has trusted in Jesus to join us in this meal.

If you have yet made a profession of faith in Jesus, we would ask you let the elements pass and instead we invite you to take Jesus.

We share this meal together also to show our connection to one another, as brothers and sister in Christ, joined together by the body and blood of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.