Vineyard Workers

Matthew 19:23-20:16 The Parable of the Vineyard Workers Study Guide [to go with the audio message] Remember that the chapters and verses of the Bible were not in the original - though helpful all the same! Big Picture: ? What reasons would it have been better for 19:16-20:16 to have been in the same chapter? [Clue: what themes tie these verses together] Explore It - [factual answers]: ? What wages were agreed upon by the landowner and his first set of hired hands? (20:2) ? How did the landowner agree to pay the others? ? How did the workers respond to the landowner's system of payment? (20:11-12) ? What rationale did the landowner give for his actions? (20:13-15) Get It - [thought stretch]: ? What would happen if God rewarded us according to what we really deserved - even after living for 60 years as a pioneer missionary? See Ephesians 2:8-10 We get to a position through grace of being able to work for GOD and to 'earn' rewards for faithful service. ? Can we enjoy any sense of pride in our service for JESUS? If so, where do we draw the line? [If not move on!] ? How can focusing on God's grace in our lives keep us from comparing with or becoming jealous of others? Application: In the parable, the first set of workers agreed upon one denarius for 12 hours work & then complained when the pay-rate wasn't 'fair'. The rest were glad to get work and trusted the boss to pay what was right. ? Why is the attitude of this second set of workers more like the workers that JESUS calls us to be in His Kingdom? ? Imagine that we were all like the first hired men - how might such a church behave? See 2 Timothy 4:6-8 & Revelation 4 After a life of faithful service, Paul was looking forward to a crown - look at what the 24 elders did with theirs? ? How does this shape your attitude to serving GOD? Prayer time: I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart - His wounds have paid my ransom.