Placing Last

Matthew 19:27-20:16 Placing Last

Suppose your best friend came by one day with a special gift for you. How would you respond? Would you immediately pull out your purse or wallet for some money to help pay for the gift? Of course not. To do so would be a great insult!

A gift must be accepted for what it is—something freely given and unmerited. If you have to pay for a gift or do something to deserve or earn it, it is not a gift. True gifts are freely given and freely received. To attempt to give or receive a gift in any other manner makes it not a gift.

So it is with our salvation. God offers us salvation as a free gift. He does not attach strings to it, because to do so makes it something other than a gift. In addition, any attempt on our part, no matter how small, to pay for our salvation by doing something or giving up something is an insult to God. No one in heaven will ever be able to say, “Look at me! I made it! With a little help from God, I made it!” Salvation is all by God. Not even the smallest part of it is the result of what we do or do not do. As God says in his Word, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8–9)

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 314.

And it is this very thing that blows the minds of the apostles the pharisees and everyone since the cross. That there is nothing that separates us from the Love of Jesus Christ. They thought the law saved, when the law pointed at the fact that they couldn't save .

The rich man, who asked “what can I do”, was told essentially, die to everything you know. He thought only about what he would lose, not what he would gain! If eternity is real, no cost is too great! Especially when there is an offer filled with such grace!

Matthew 19:27–30 

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” (everyone has expectations but Peter cmon)

28 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. 

29 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. 

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

Being a disciple is about leaving it all. Currently they are still in Perea a wilderness. The apostles weren’t kidding when they said what it meant to be a disciple. To truly follow Christ is to die to this world. The advantages and what we get, are more than we can even imagine.

1 Peter 2:24  “ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Completely, wholly, totally.

He saw the cost. Took our sins. We died to this world. But not just to get out of hell free, but to live for His righteousness. By his suffering, we enter this healing of sin, from death to life. Made whole, dead now to the world, alive to God in Christ.

v30 is quite simply about the truth of blessing received, not when but the result. Jesus says to these guys and to us that its not about Moses, Eli, Esaias, etc. These 12 will on thrones judging Israel (even if its just by their position as apostles). Anything in heaven is worth more than everything on earth.

the greatest thing we will ever have is everlasting life.

So lets see Jesus now explains First/Last - Last/First - that its not about who you are, but who you know.

Matthew 20:1–2 

1 “For (connects to previous idea) the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

Jesus begins the allegory by giving us a picture they know. We are familiar with the same. For us you might say, a rancher (or builder) went down to the Lowe's parking lot to grab some guys to help out.

a denarius was an entire days wage for a common “unskilled” laborer.

Matthew 20:3–8 

3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, (6am daylight, 3 hour 9am)

4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. (no price given just come)

5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour (noon, 15:00), and did likewise. 

6 And about the eleventh hour (5pm quittin’ time for us but not for them) he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 

7 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.’ 

8 “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.’

The steward the one doling out the reward, the pay.

Be careful about trying to find too much doctrine or theology in the story, that will be in Jesus’ summary. This is to remind us of what we stand on.

Matthew 20:9–10 

9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

That would seem so unfair. Shouldn’t those who did it more, longer or harder get more.

A friend told of a story of two guys who worked for him.

About 20 years ago, I had two guys working for me that had both been with me for about 10 to 12 years. I had nicknames for both of them (actually I have nicknames for just about everybody). One was Little Rickey (Richard) and the other was 32 hr Mikey (Mike). First I'll tell you about Richard. This guy never missed a day....at least not that I can remember. He was always the first one on the job and he wouldn't just be standing around drinking coffee waiting for everybody else to show up. He would be working! The end of the day would go the same way. The other guys would be ready to go home and Richard would tie up loose ends and usually work another hour or so. Sometimes he would work on the weekend and I wouldn't even know it until Monday morning. We would get to the job and things would just be DONE! I could always count on Richard and his pay reflected his value to the company. Even back then he made more per hour than todays going rate....and I was glad to pay it! Now, let me tell you about Mike. He could do quality work just like Richard but he rarely put in a 40 hour week and if he DID accidentally get in 40, you could be sure he wouldn't show up the following Monday. On top of that, he wasn't ever good about letting anyone know he wasn't coming in. Sometimes he would have his wife call and tell us he was real sick and couldn't even come to the phone...lol. Every year when I did taxes I would average everybody's hours and Richard's would almost always be right around 49 per week and Mike's would always be 32 per week, hence the name, 32 hour Mikey. Here's the funny part. One day Mikey somehow saw Richard's check and came unglued. He just couldn't understand how they could be working side by side, day after day, doing the same thing, and him be bringing home less than half what Richard did. Actually, I don't think he ever did figure it out.

Thats how we think about it. I should get more, should earn more. But when it comes to salvation, the bar is too high for us. WE can never earn it. But it is a reward, for simple faith.

Matthew 20:11–14 

11 And when they had received it, they complained (grumbled) against the landowner, 

12 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.’ 

13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 

14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

Its the owners call. And Jesus, truly God, has the authority to chose, to receive Him.

Matthew 20:15–16 

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 

16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

Turn to romans 9 with me, because, this text (Matt 20) is about salvation. But I think that Romans here refers to method of use.

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?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”

God has every right to fulfill His purposes in us, men/women/rich/poor/weak/powerful. But he doesn't save us without faith and calls all. But that doesn't fit with what Jesus explains here.

The prophets of old are just that, the prophets of old. The salvation they receive is no more than the same salvation we receive. Ours is even greater because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The apostles, called to salvation and they entered the narrow gate. Then they were chosen as apostles, think about that. Enoch, who walked with God. Peter the fisherman. Who would fish for men. Chosen to be an apostle. Established as a judge even over moses. Thats wild. And its not done yet! That even the gentiles, who didn’t labor under the law, would be saved!

God is still working and moving in all Galatians 3:28  “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Romans 10:12  “ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.”

Call on Him now!