Kingdom Workers, Sovereign Rewards

Secular -

A man dies and finds himself at the Pearly Gates. Peter meets him and says, "Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to get into Heaven. You tell me what you’ve done, and I’ll tell you how many points it’s worth."

The man feels pretty confident. "Well," he says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."

"That’s wonderful," says Peter. "That’s worth one point."

The man’s jaw drops. "One point? Okay... well, I attended church every Sunday, I tithed 10%, and I served on the deacon board for two decades."

"Excellent," says Peter. "That’s worth another point."

The man starts to sweat. "Two points?! Okay, look—I started a soup kitchen in my city, I volunteered at the animal shelter every Saturday, and I once gave my last $20 to a homeless veteran."

"Fantastic," says Peter. "That’s one more point."

At this point, the man is frantic. He cries out, "At this rate, the only way I'm getting in is by the grace of God!"

Peter smiles and swings the gates wide open. "Bingo, and that’s the whole point 100 points.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

This Gospel is written by Matthew, also known as Levi who was a former tax collector. It was most likely written between AD 50-60. Matthew left everything behind to follow Jesus. Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish believers—people who knew the Old Testament well. Matthew had one goal: to prove that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Connecting the Old Testament prophecies to the life of Christ, proving that every word God spoke was coming true in Jesus. The key themes of the Gospel include Jesus as King, The Kingdom of Heaven, Fulfillment of Prophecy and discipleship.

Biblical Text -

Matthew 20:1–19 NKJV

“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.’ 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.” Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - God Calls Us To Work, It Has A Reward, But His Math Is Not Our Math.

Life Point- The Call

Exegetical -

Matthew 20:1–7 BSB

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked. ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’

Homiletical -

Jesus starts out talking about the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven is not just some future thing that we will see when we die. This shows us how God deals with individuals and people groups.

So the owner goes to a day laborer place and finds some men standing around and he offers them a job. A day’s labor for a denarius.

Now a Denarius was a coin that was circulated by Rome and in today’s money that is $90 in 2026. So you would work a day’s labor for $90

These men readily agreed and were sent out into the field to work.

Now he goes back to the market and finds more men standing around doing nothing. These men are looking for work and by that time of day there wasn’t much hope for a day laborer so the offer that is given them seems fair.

But notice that the man doesn’t tell them what they are going to be paid. But they come anyway to work in his vineyard.

Now he goes out and finds still others at the end of the day. He says to them “you have been sitting all do long looking for work and doing nothing?”

Look are there answer no one has hired us. He says you also go into the vineyard with no promise of what they pay will be, but something is better than nothing. So they go.

Now Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like this. How in the world is this like the kingdom of heaven?

We have to remember that this is a continuation of the conversation He and Peter were having about rewards in heaven.

Jesus is setting up what the Kingdom of Heaven is like

Jesus is the land owner and the workers are the Christians.

When Jesus calls you, he doesn’t call you to sit around and do nothing. He calls you to get to work in His vineyard.

All Christians have to work for Christ, live for Christ. To do His will and follow His teachings. That is what we do for Him because it is a labor of Love for our saviour.

How do we work for Him?

Feed the hungry

clothe the naked

do all you can to help others while giving them the Good News about Jesus.

This is the vineyard we are called into.

Matthew 9:37 BSB

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Notice the timing of the call. Some were called early in life, others were called when they heard the Gospel later in life and some were called right before death. We will receive our rewards by whatever Christ has promised to us.

Jude 22–23 NKJV

And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Illustration -

A young man once shared how he got a scholarship to play football at college. He said the success did not come just through his talent but also through his coach who believed in him. Similarly, when Jesus saves us, He is not only making us His but also calling us to a purpose—not unlike a coach calling plays to maximize our potential!

Life Point - The Reward

Exegetical -

Matthew 20:8–12 BSB

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’ The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius. On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘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 and the scorching heat of the day.’

Homiletical -

Now the day is done and it is time to be paid.

He calls those that only worked an hour, up first.

He paid them a Denarius a full day’s wage.

Then he calls those that came in the middle of the day

He pays them a full day’s wage.

Then he calls those that came to the vineyard at 9:00am

He pays them what was agreed upon. A full day’s wage.

This group is a little upset because those that showed up last got paid the same.

It doesn’t matter when you were called to Christ. You get salvation just as someone who has obtained salvation and went to work in the field when they were young.

The same promise of the Holy Spirit in an 80 year old is the same Holy Spirit in an 8 year old. The Holy Spirit, who is a He by the way, is promised to all believers to lead us, guide us, and teach us from the Word of God.

On a side note, The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force like in Star Wars, nor is He an it. He is just as much God as the Father and The Son and He always points us to Jesus. The Father points us to Jesus too. Why? Because it is all about what Jesus did on the cross and His life.

The Bible tells us that beyond salvation we will have rewards in heaven for what we have done here. Because of what Christ has called us to do.

If He just called you to pray and share the Gospel. Then you be the best prayer person around and you share the Gospel.

So what will we do with these rewards in heaven? We will cast them at the feet of Jesus.

Revelation 4:10–11 BSB

the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”

Any reward or honor that we will receive ultimately comes from Christ and belongs to Christ. So we are nothing and He is everything.

Illustration -

In the ancient Olympic Games, competitors were awarded laurel crowns as a symbol of victory. But, unlike the temporary glory of the laurel, Paul reminds us that the crown awarded in heaven lasts forever. Imagine getting to heaven and receiving an unperishable crown with your name on it.r! Let’s run the race with joy, knowing that every step brings us closer to that heavenly prize.

Life Point - The Math Of God Is Not Our Math

Exegetical -

Matthew 20:13–19 BSB

But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”

Homiletical -

Now the vineyard owner gives his explanation. He decides who gets what and he did not do them dirty as he paid what was agreed upon.

Jesus begins to say that the last will be first and the first will be last. This is an important thing to remember.

I am convinced that there are people out there the world looks down upon that will have more rewards in heaven than the best pastor in the world. Why? Because they were more faithful, loving, kind etc. and they shared the Gospel at any opportunity. Yet they are not the first in today’s society they are you janitors, your mechanics, or anyone else that the world and indeed the church looks down upon.

We should keep this in our remembrance as we deal with others. No one is less-than. Every person is an image bearer of God and is important to God. Every believer is a child of God.

Now as they are walking Jesus pulls his 12 disciples aside from the crowd and tells them what is about to happen to prepare them for the future.

He will be delivered to the chief priests, the Jewish government.

They will condemn Him to Death.

Lastly, They will hand him over to the Roman government to be flogged and to die the most horrendous way that man has devised. Even by today’s standards.

He tells them exactly what is going to happen, yet we know that they are shocked and dismayed when it does happen.

That’s like us a lot of times. God tells in His word exactly what is going to happen if we do something and we end up doing it anyway and are shocked when we get the consequences of our own actions.

Life Principle– God Calls Us To Work, It Has A Reward, But His Math Is Not Our Math.

Call to Action – altar call….