Wed Jan 9 Praise Worship1
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 1st Praise Worship
Matthew 20:1-16
By the power of the Holy Spirit, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN
What’s this? Come now, they all got the same? How can that be? Do you mean to tell me that what I do doesn’t matter? Scandal! Do you mean to tell me that all my hard earned religious cash isn’t worth anything? Preposterous! Do you mean to tell me that all those efforts, all those transporting and ecstatic experiences all that suffering, all that bearing the heat of the day all that adds up to nothing? Does it not count for something at least, if not here, then in the great beyond? Appalling. Disgusting! Where is the justice in that? It is not fair! Do you really mean it? Here is the answer, yes, that’s just what I mean. Perhaps you finally got the message!
But come now you say, how am I supposed to make sense out of that? It does not seem fair, after all when I think about it. How can that have any relevance for my daily life? There is just something about a parable, this particular story that Jesus tells us, there’s something in this story that makes it hard to get around. It makes it hard to fit in what perhaps one would call the “scheme of things.” Or to get around the way we go about normally doing things. Or even to get around the way we think about ourselves. We might, I suppose, penetrate this mystery by some great feat of strength, or some great big theological insight as to make it sound quite reasonable and perhaps even logical. We could for instance tell ourselves that this is after all, because Jesus said it, a parable about the way God does things, or even a story about God’s grace. And we would no doubt be quite right about that as far as some fancy theology foot work goes. So then we could all nod our heads wisely and go back to our business as usual. And indeed it is about God’s grace alright. And I think we all know it is about that, at least in theory.
But still this parable sticks in the craw somehow. The laborers or workers all got the same. They all got the same. Did you hear the grumbling in the story? The workers were complaining. They objected to what they perceived in themselves the injustice of others, which in reality, they themselves were the ones upset. They objected to the radical grace of God making everything equal. They objected to God being generous. But still they couldn’t make hide nor hair of the justice of God, nor could they make sense of the human injustice. It is not fair, they cried. Doesn’t it sound like some small children when one child gets a bigger piece of birthday cake than the other? I can just hear them say, it’s not fair! My piece isn’t as big as his! I don’t have as much frosting as hers! It’s just not fair are the words we hear and then perhaps we might even hear a door slam?
I could understand this story better perhaps if it would fit nicely with what we would about the grace of God. Grace you see, is for sinners. But the thing that is upsetting is that the parable is not really about sinners. It is about workers in the vineyard. I guess I don’t read about them sinning when they working, were they? They were doing their bit for God. If the parable had said that were really big sinners and some really little sinners, I could see my way clear toward buying all that stuff about grace, especially if I identified myself as a really big sinner, which of course, I am, but I like to live in denial about that. Yet the only reason given why some come early and some come late is that the master, the owner or the boss, saw fit to do it that way; he saw fit to call them in that order. Doesn’t sound like too good of a business plan to me. But God says, Can I not do what I want with what is my own? Isn’t that simply shocking? Isn’t that simply wild?
And so now the question becomes, isn’t there a little something I can do? Or perhaps isn’t there something that I must do? No, I must say, there isn’t really anything to do, except say, listen. That’s right, simply sit back and listen. Then maybe you will hear some music. The music is, they all got the same. Isn’t that fantastic! Isn’t that the greatest thing! You see, there is a different world, a new one, waiting, just around the corner for you. It is just on the other side of all your calculations, all your scheming and perhaps all your pious and impious games. God forgives you for all that, you are simply, wonderfully, forgiven, for all of it. God has acted here in Jesus so that every mouth and tongue is stopped. But now there is something new here, and as Sherlock Holmes partner Dr. Watson would, the game is afoot. God has acted decisively to expose all those who down the truth in unrighteousness. God has a new kingdom for you. There is something else, something new, calling you now. And here it is, the new, the perfect and pure gift. Here is your chance, for once in your life, to catch hold of something without price, and then to act in freedom, without calculation, without weighing the risks, and act out of pure heart. It is indeed pure, beautiful and good. And it is the Master’s, meaning God’s good and pure pleasure to call you to that.
Now if you don’t find that relevant to your daily life, perhaps then it is time for you to stop and take stock of your life. For it might just be that your daily life is irrelevant to what God has in mind for you. Do not begrudge God for his goodness. There is nothing left to do, there is nothing to do but praise him. Praise him because they, meaning the workers, all got the same. Isn’t that fantastic?! Maybe you consider yourself an extraordinarily pious person. Forget it. Maybe you think you are a little sinner. Forget it. Maybe you think you are a really big sinner. Forget it. Maybe you consider yourself an easy-going, liberated person. Forget it and praise God. Maybe you think it is really something big to be an evangelic, a real Bible-believing thumping Christian, or even style yourself a true charismatic. Forget about it. Are these anything in the final analysis? Forget it, for we are told, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
So sit back and just listen. They all got the same. Just think of that! Fantastic. It is awesome! It is beautiful music. Can you hear it? It is the Master calling. It is God calling to you. For when you hear the music, now you can go back to work, and go back with a chuckle, for God is great and good. AMEN
May God fill your hearts with all joy, fill your ears with music, and give you great hope in our savior and Lord. AMEN
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Most holy and gracious God:
In our struggle to survive, help us to remain attached to you as our life support. Help us to set our priorities right so we keep our eyes on you. We know that you will be with us in the thick of the battle of daily life. Thank you for being faithful to us.
Help us to receive your radical grace and your radical justice. Help us to see you with new eyes. But yet we cannot understand you at times. Your thoughts are not our thoughts. We stand in awe of such love from you. It overwhelms us when we think about it. Help us to simply accept it.
Lord, it is always such a busy time. There seem to be so many things that cannot wait, things that demand our time and our attention always need to be done. Help us to welcome you anew in our lives for you are the sole source of our strength, our reason for being here, our joy and the one who gives meaning to our life and we love you.
God you call us to be your children and your people. We are not worthy of it, yet you claim us for your own. We humbly praise you. You call us to life, to joy, to abundance and to hope. How full our lives are of your goodness. We praise you from the depths of our hearts.
Receive and hear our prayers O God. We trust in your mercy and love for us for the sake of your son, our savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ. AMEN
GOSPEL READING:
Matthew 20:1-16
The Laborers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
SCRIPTURE READING:
Isaiah 55:6-9
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Welcome
Teach how holy communion will work.
Intinction and path
Sing along with the words on the screen. If you see the words, you may sing them.
How offering works
Prayer: Sing 2x, 2nd is softer, then 3rd time I pray.
Band communes after worship is over.
At end, me move out offering table for when they leave.