1 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:12,520 Is God fair Sometimes we think each of us there's there are 2 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,880 times I believe all of us gone. You know how come God why is 3 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,680 this happening? How come and I you know why and 4 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,600 the Lord and we question him. Isn't God gracious that he 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,600 allows us to question him and doesn't just go here we go get 6 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:35,640 rid of that sometimes Do you feel though God is unfair that 7 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,800 where you are and what you're going through causes you to 8 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:44,480 think that God is not doing the right thing by you, the writer 9 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,120 of Psalm 73 you should all know Psalm 73. 10 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:53,960 You should all read Psalm 73 besides Psalm 22, Psalm 23I 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:01:01,800 reckon and Psalm 119, Psalm 1. I reckon Psalm 73 is one of the 12 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,920 most well read, the ones that I read over and over and over. 13 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,120 And the writer of Psalm 73 went through that same thought 14 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:10,480 pattern. It's God fair. 15 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,160 When the rich young ruler walked away from Jesus, Peter asked 16 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,760 Jesus a question. And you know why he walked away? 17 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,120 Because Jesus said just sell well that you have give it away 18 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,400 and then you can follow me and he walked away. 19 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,720 Peter said at that time, what then will be for us? 20 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:40,560 We've left everything. Jesus, however, in chapter 20, 21 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,760 because that occurred in chapter 19, goes on to instruct Peter 22 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,680 that God will indeed be in debt to no man. 23 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,640 But most importantly, God actually owes us nothing at all. 24 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,720 Whatever he gives us, we receive only because he is gracious. 25 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,000 So that Peter and the rest of the disciples would understand 26 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,840 this truth that he's trying to teach out the events that had 27 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,840 happened with the rich young ruler. 28 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,920 And Peter asking that question, Jesus then tells a parable. 29 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:17,440 So that's the context of that's why I've said what we've said. 30 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:22,880 Parable is what an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. 31 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,240 Let's read verse 1 to 16 for the Kingdom of heaven is like. 32 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,760 So it's a story. A landowner, a farmer went out 33 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,360 early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. 34 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,560 So we had a vineyard brew grapes. 35 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,560 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a denarius a day, 36 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,360 he sent them into his vineyard and he went out about the third 37 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,720 hour. So others standing idle in the 38 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:53,080 marketplace said to them, you also go into the vineyard and 39 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,480 whatever is right, I'll give you. 40 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,920 So that's 22 groups. So they went and again he went 41 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:03,320 out about the 6th and the 9th. So he went out and hired another 42 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,800 two groups. So four groups of labourers 43 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,440 through the day and did likewise. 44 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,040 At about the 11th hour I went out and found others still 45 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,960 standing idle and said to them, why have you been standing here 46 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,400 idle all day? They said to me, well, no one's 47 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,680 hired us, no one's given us a job. 48 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,600 He said to them, you also go into the vineyard and whatever 49 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,720 is right, you'll receive. So when the evening had come 50 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,200 time to knock off, the owner of the vineyard said to his 51 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,720 steward, OK, call the labourers, give them their their wages. 52 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,360 And beginning with the last of those who he hired last in the 53 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:49,680 final hour, he paid. And when those who came who were 54 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,640 hired about 11,000, they each received a denari. 55 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:59,200 That's a full day's wage. But when the first came, they 56 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,400 suppose that they would receive more, and they likewise received 57 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:08,440 each a denari. When they had received it, they 58 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,400 complained against the landowner, saying, Hey, these 59 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,680 last men have only worked one hour, and you made them equal to 60 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,680 us who have borne the burden, the heat of the day. 61 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,040 And notice what he says. But he answered one of them and 62 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:27,120 said, Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. 63 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,480 Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 64 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,080 I did. So he goes on to say, take what 65 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:41,080 is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man 66 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,720 the same as to you. Notice the question, is it not 67 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:53,000 lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things, or is your 68 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:58,920 eye evil because I am good? Then he finishes off with this 69 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,920 statement. So the last shall be 1st and the 70 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,520 1st last, for many are called, but few chosen. 71 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,560 You ever read that for? Well actually they got a fair 72 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,160 deal. I mean, they did work all day 73 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:13,920 because that's how our minds think. 74 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,240 It's a simple parable. A landowner needed labourers to 75 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,200 work in his vineyard, so he hired some early in the morning 76 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,720 from the marketplace where men would gather who required work. 77 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,200 If you go down to California at any time, and as you head 78 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,400 further South towards Mexico and all the garages further on, 79 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,080 there's groups of Mexicans waiting. 80 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,640 And people want to paint their house, want to ship the house. 81 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,720 They just go, hey, who wants to come and help paint the house? 82 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,440 And you get a Ute load of blokes and you want to do some 83 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,800 landscaping and they all just jump in and you pay them for the 84 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,800 day. It's cheap labour. 85 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,520 So the owner agreed to pay them a denarius, a normal day's wage 86 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,040 for the labour. So that was the right salary. 87 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,640 At 9:00 he goes out again, hire some more workers. 88 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,240 No mention of the amount of wage. 89 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,280 He says, I'll just, I'll pay you what's right. 90 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,360 I'll do the right thing. Verse 4 At noon more workers are 91 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,920 hired. At 3:00 in the afternoon, still 92 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,440 more hired. Finally at 5:00 in the 93 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,760 afternoon, the last workers are hired just one hour before work 94 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:24,360 ceased at 6:00 PM. Time to come salary to be paid 95 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,040 cash at the end of the day. Verse 8. 96 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,160 The owner, however, pays the last employed first and hands 97 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:36,080 them each a denarius. Well, those who started early in 98 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,560 the morning as we read are very excited. 99 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,480 They get the denari. We started early. 100 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,760 You know what that means, More money. 101 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,640 So they start counting their fingers in their toes how much 102 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,440 they're going to get paid as they see all the other guys 103 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,760 coming up. But when the first came, they 104 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:56,520 supposed that they would receive more. 105 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,400 They likewise received each at denarius. 106 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,120 When they had received it, they complained against the 107 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,760 landowner. Hey, boss, what's the go saying? 108 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,840 These last men have worked just one hour. 109 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,160 You made them equal. We've borne the burden. 110 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,480 Heat of the day. It was a problem at the pay 111 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:24,120 office, the owner said. I like what he says. 112 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:29,480 Friend, am I not being unfair to you? 113 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,360 Did you not agree to work for me for denarius? 114 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:41,280 Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. It says you agreed for the 115 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,400 denarius. Take what's yours. 116 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,440 Go your way. I wish to give some the same pay 117 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,840 to these other men. Is it not lawful for me to do 118 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,720 with with my own money? Is what I'm doing because I'm 119 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:59,160 giving that to them? Is what I'm doing in your eye 120 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,440 evil because I am generous, I'm good. 121 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,200 Notice that's a very interesting point. 122 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,360 Someone's doing something and you go, well, that's not right. 123 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,920 Who are we to say? So the last will be 1st and the 124 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,440 1st last for many a call, but few chosen. 125 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,920 Jesus finishes the parable with the statement that he ended the 126 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,040 previous chapter with. So the last will be 1st and the 127 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,760 1st shall be last. Verse 16 So we have a 128 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:34,080 businessman who pays people who work only one hour the same wage 129 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:41,159 he pays those who work all day. You and I be fair because we 130 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:42,640 always talk about fairness, don't we? 131 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:50,040 It seems irrational, it produces labour problems, it's bad 132 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,760 business. But above all this, it's just, 133 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,560 it is unfair, don't you think? Why should those hired later be 134 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:02,440 paid the same as those who were hired at the start of the day? 135 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,760 Why shouldn't those who work longer be paid more? 136 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,440 Now here's the context because we need to learn the lesson. 137 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,680 This is a parable, parables, those who want to know and go, 138 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,960 what is the point of this? You lean in, What? 139 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,280 What do you want to know? Because those who don't care, 140 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,480 well, that's just stupid and they would walk off. 141 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,360 That's why Jesus spoke in parables. 142 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,960 Jesus is answering Peter's question on what he and the 143 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:35,440 other disciples would get for their discipleship for in 144 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:41,160 Peter's mind they considered there's a major contribution to 145 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,840 the part A we're we're the initial disciples. 146 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:51,520 We've left everything Peter answered in chapter 19 verse 27. 147 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,720 You look there with me, see, we've left all and followed you. 148 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,600 Therefore, what we have, we got to get some more, aren't we? 149 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,040 Jesus was teaching Peter and the other disciples. 150 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,120 Yeah, you will be rewarded indeed, greatly. 151 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:15,120 But whether rewards for service or eternal life itself, it was a 152 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,560 gift flowing from the grace of God. 153 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:23,720 Only Peter, it's grace. I'm giving you what you don't 154 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:29,560 deserve, solar gratia. The point is, and here's where 155 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:38,760 you and I need to understand this, God owes us nothing, not 156 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,120 even a chance to hear and respond to the to the gospel. 157 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,120 Really. Most people wrongly believe God 158 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:53,280 owes them, which is why Amazing Grace by John Newton used to be 159 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:59,160 a very popular hymn. But today, as J Alpaca says, in 160 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,400 knowing God, Amazing Grace has become boring grace for so many 161 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:09,200 people. Because you remember Jesus when 162 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:15,840 he went, and I've said it, said it before, to the House of a 163 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:17,760 Pharisee who invited him for dinner. 164 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,600 No washing of his feet, no oil of anointing. 165 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:27,760 The woman came, washed his feet, shed tears over, used her hair 166 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:31,920 to dry up. Jesus said he who has been 167 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:37,360 forgiven much, loves much. You see, the problem I think, 168 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:42,080 and I think this is a great parallel, is that today the 169 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:47,480 church doesn't realise what they've been given. 170 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:56,360 We come thinking God owes us. It's boring to many people. 171 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,680 What about church? Church is boring because many 172 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:01,960 people do not think of ourselves as sinners. 173 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,480 Here's the here's the news flash. 174 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,520 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 175 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:10,840 There is none righteous. No, not one. 176 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,600 We all deserve the judgement of God. 177 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:22,640 We all deserve the wrath of God, but God by His grace sent his 178 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:27,120 Son to be the substitute. The wrath went upon him and He 179 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:32,360 has given us grace that which we do not deserve unmerited favour. 180 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,280 Now the other thing is many people come to church and they 181 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,880 think church is boring because they don't think, well, I'm not 182 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,920 a very bad Sinner. I've never killed anyone, you 183 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,320 know, been raised in a good home, went to a good school, and 184 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,200 I have a good job. Well, actually, the book of 185 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,800 Romans tears at the threads, doesn't it? 186 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,000 And the Sermon on the Mount just destroys that sort of thinking 187 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,720 because the moment you have a wrong attitude towards someone, 188 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,880 the moment you say something just in your mind or have a 189 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,600 thought in your mind, you've done the deed. 190 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:20,720 We think God owes us something. After all, I'm a kind person, 191 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:25,560 I'm a generous person, I'm forgiven, forgiving way. 192 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,560 Shouldn't God be? And isn't that what the 193 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:31,120 Australian religion is? I worship God in my own way. 194 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:38,200 Jesus is teaching us that God is not like human beings and does 195 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,480 not operate within the same sphere of thinking. 196 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:47,440 Each time you and I open the Bible at home or here, each time 197 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,800 you read it, what happens is your thinking is reprocessed 198 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:57,960 again, it's made correct for the word of God is given by the 199 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,080 divine inspiration and it's profitable. 200 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,400 And I say to anyone, if you're not reading the word of God, 201 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:09,360 your mind, your disc drive, your thoughts are going to be plagued 202 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,680 and filthy and dirty no matter what you do. 203 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,640 You can just sit down, not go anywhere, and yet your mind will 204 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:21,000 become dirty and filthy and plagued by just who we are. 205 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,080 The Bible says of the Lord, My thoughts are completely 206 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:28,600 different from yours, says the Lord. 207 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,040 My ways are far beyond anything you can imagine. 208 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:38,600 Isaiah 55 eight, we had this attitude of self elevation. 209 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,440 Well, I'm a good person. And that was the problem that 210 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,440 Paul addressed in the book of Romans because he went from 211 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,360 chapter 1 all the way through to Chapter 7 to say, no, we're not. 212 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,120 I never forget reading chapter 3 one day. 213 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,640 And chapter 3 is kind of like, you know, you go to the doctor 214 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,720 sometime you've broken something like, and they get that plastic 215 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,760 sheet and I show you the scans and they go see this. 216 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:14,880 Well, chapter 3 is the true you and I, what we're capable of the 217 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:19,280 police call them crimes of passion. 218 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:31,640 We're capable of the danger. And Jesus ran into this, Paul 219 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:35,440 dealt with in the book of Romans, especially the nation 220 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,480 Israel. And Jesus ran into the Jews who 221 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,040 continued to say, well, I'm Jewish father, our father is 222 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,560 Abraham. Isn't that what they said to 223 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,280 Jesus? Jesus said, now your father 224 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,880 ain't Abraham. You're of the father, your 225 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:53,680 father the devil. Jesus ran into the same mindset 226 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,800 when he began teaching. For instead of remembering that 227 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,720 is the nation of Israel, that they've been chosen by God 228 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,680 purely by his grace. Because the Old Testament says 229 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:05,920 you weren't anything good, you weren't anything great. 230 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:07,440 You're just a small bunch of people. 231 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,720 I chose you. They had begun to suppose the 232 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,520 benefits of their position were really due to themselves. 233 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,200 We're children of Abraham. We're special. 234 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,520 The danger exists today in our own minds and churches. 235 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,160 The same sort of thinking can so easily creep into our own minds 236 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:32,720 whereby we think that because we've served God faithfully for 237 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,920 however many years, such a person deserves something from 238 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,760 God. That's how our our mind 239 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:44,240 continues to think. It's the dangerous mindset of 240 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,640 the Pharisee that Jesus is addressing. 241 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,840 And Jesus spoke of the Pharisees. 242 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:53,920 Remember the Pharisee was standing next to a tax collector 243 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,920 and said, and he was thankful. He said, man, I'm glad I'm not 244 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:03,640 like other men. The Pharisee said robbers, evil 245 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:07,359 doers, adulterers or even this tax collector. 246 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:12,920 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get. 247 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:20,640 God owes me. Jesus is teaching us here of the 248 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,839 error and thinking that we deserve God's favour. 249 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:29,040 If we have and you fill in the blank, well God, you know I've 250 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,040 been faithful to you over so many years. 251 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:35,200 You better. I've been to church three times 252 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,680 this week. Lord, come on, this next week 253 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:42,240 better be good. I've paid my tithes and what's 254 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,600 going? I'm running out of money. 255 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,640 What's going on here? That's not right. 256 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,400 I, I, I, I, I'm paying my tithes. 257 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,920 If we think we do, we're in danger of losing them entirely. 258 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:58,920 Jesus says we have to stop thinking of our service in the 259 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,280 term of debt or obligation. Well, why are you here tonight? 260 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,440 Because we have to go to church. We have to go to pray. 261 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,720 We have to read our Bibles. You see, that's the attitude 262 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:11,080 that people do. We have to do. 263 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,280 No, you don't. You can just do what you like. 264 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,960 It's the desire that you want to, that you love to. 265 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,200 That's why we always say please don't ever teach junior church 266 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:30,160 or volunteer to help the youth unless you love the children and 267 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,600 you love God, because kids will pick you out straight away. 268 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:42,360 Instead we are to serve in the spirit of a son who serves 269 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:46,600 because he loves his father. Remember the prodigal dad, they 270 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,160 call me a son. I'll serve you. 271 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:50,760 This is one of the labourers. He's hardly changed. 272 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,160 Rather than the spirit of a hiling who serves only for his 273 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,200 wages. The older brother, well, I've 274 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:02,160 been doing this, I mean, you know, and he's been off. 275 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,760 You owe me. You didn't even give me a goat, 276 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,160 gave him a calf. What's in it for me, thinking 277 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:16,160 older brother Pharisee. So point number one, God owes us 278 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:20,440 nothing and everything we have is totally by his grace and his 279 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,800 grace alone. Point #2 Jesus is teaching us 280 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:29,000 about what is most important. It's people, not things. 281 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:35,040 Jesus teaches us in this parable that God cares for people more 282 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,440 than things. How does he do that? 283 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:43,920 Ask yourself, why did the owner of the vineyard give those who'd 284 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:48,760 laboured only one hour the same pay as those who had laboured 285 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:53,000 all day? Was it not because he knew they 286 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,680 needed the denari, they needed the money? 287 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:59,240 He could have just said, well, you guys. 288 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,200 Cent two cents. He could have acted, you know, 289 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:08,240 Well, that's what's fair. I had a boss, I never forget 290 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:14,480 him, and I couldn't earn over $17.00 at the time, no matter 291 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,760 how hard I work. That was the top pay I got. 292 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,280 And when I'd go into his office, Mr Powell, and he would count 293 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:24,840 out the money in front of me. You come in and stand in front 294 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,320 of him. You go 10/5. 295 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,240 Then you had to sign for it and then step back, take the money. 296 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:37,880 And it was like it was it was like, oh, thanks, you know, but 297 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:41,200 it taught me a lesson and to work for a hard boss. 298 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:49,200 But you know, we have this thinking that we need the extra, 299 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,400 we deserve more. God saying now I'm more 300 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,280 interested in people. Notice there is not one word of 301 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:03,600 criticism spoken against those not hired in the morning again, 302 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,080 he said to him when he went out, why? 303 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,480 Why are you standing? There were guys not working. 304 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,760 Why are you standing here? Well, no one's hired us. 305 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:16,320 He didn't get into them. They've been willing to work. 306 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:21,320 They were keen to work. They needed to work, but no one 307 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,720 had hired them. The owner hired them not for 308 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:28,360 what he could get out of them, but he said, hey, these guys, 309 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,640 they need a hand. In just a few hours. 310 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,800 They needed the work and he paid them in full the full day's pay. 311 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:42,480 For the same reason you see the owner of the vineyard who is 312 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:47,920 representing the Lord, the man was not thinking of profit. 313 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:54,560 He was thinking of people, and he was using his ample means to 314 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,720 help them. God doesn't need anything of us. 315 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,400 We do not work just to gather for ourselves. 316 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,040 Did you know that? You know, the Bible's very clear 317 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,320 and everyone's in the money now. Well, if I just win Lotto, if I 318 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:13,280 just get more money, the love of money is what the root of all 319 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:18,560 evil. We do not work just to gather 320 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,040 for ourselves. Well, I need to to do this and 321 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,560 then I get to build that all that. 322 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:31,000 Hear what Paul said to Timothy. Timothy, One Timothy 617 Tell 323 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,680 those who are rich in this world not to be proud, not to trust in 324 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:40,480 their money, which soon will be gone, but their trust should be 325 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:46,880 in the living God who richly gives us all we need for our 326 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:53,400 enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to 327 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,560 do good. They should be rich in good 328 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,520 works and should give generously. 329 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,880 That's why you add the money to those in need, always being 330 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,800 ready to share with others whatever God has given them. 331 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,720 That's how it works. By doing this, they'll be 332 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:18,120 storing up their treasures as a good foundation for the future 333 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,320 so that they may take hold of real life. 334 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,560 I read today interesting about Charles Wesley. 335 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:29,200 Wesley said this earn as much as you can. 336 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,640 Then he said so you can give as much as you can. 337 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:41,080 Interesting how different the attitude Jesus tells us of the 338 00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:45,240 owner of the vineyard is from the older brother in the parable 339 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,880 of the prodigal son, remember? And the older brother, He got 340 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,960 angry when his father rejoiced in the return of his younger 341 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,280 brother. He too should have been 342 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:59,120 rejoicing, but instead he was thinking of only how his younger 343 00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:02,000 brother had wasted his inheritance. 344 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:07,240 He says there in Luke 15, the older brother would have been 345 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,800 happier if the money had come home and his brother would 346 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:17,960 remain lost. God is the exact opposite to the 347 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,680 older brother. He does not love us for what we 348 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:26,680 do for Him. I want to ask you a question 349 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:32,040 tonight as we close. Who will you like in the story? 350 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:39,680 Do you serve the Lord because you love Him or because of what 351 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:47,720 you can get Him to do for you? Are we like God in our estimate 352 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:54,240 of others, evaluating them in terms of their worth as being 353 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:59,040 made in the image of God and those for whom Christ suffered 354 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:03,360 and died? Or are we like the unhappy 355 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:08,640 workers or the disconsolate older brother? 356 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,360 God owes us nothing. People, not things, are the most 357 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:18,680 important to God. And .3 But even deeper than that 358 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:24,800 is God's love for the lost soul and the value of that soul to 359 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,720 Him. This is what should drive us as 360 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:32,360 a church, a love for the lost. In loose gospel we looked at 3 361 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:34,840 parables of something that was lost. 362 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,760 A lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. 363 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:44,560 In each case, the object remained valuable in the mind of 364 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,360 the owner in spite of its condition. 365 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,560 We can imagine an owner of a sheep who might write off the 366 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,320 loss of 1 sheep lightly. Wow. 367 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,200 Yeah, it's just one. I got 99. 368 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:01,160 So what? The loss is just 1%. 369 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,920 After all, a businessman has to expect a certain percentage, you 370 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,560 know, to run a loss in business. The woman might have said who 371 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:12,920 lost the coin. Oh, well, I'm not going to just 372 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:16,200 bother about one lost coin. It's just one of 10. 373 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:19,880 I still have 9. I'll be happy with them. 374 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:25,080 So to the father of the prodigal, he could have decided, 375 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:27,200 well, yeah, my youngest son is gone. 376 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:29,720 It's sad, but you know, such things happen. 377 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,560 Kids are kids. I'll focus my attention on the 378 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,960 son I still have. Forget about the other one. 379 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,120 But that is not what the shepherd did, nor the woman, and 380 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:47,280 neither the heartbroken father. The father longed after his 381 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:51,800 prodigal son. I pray that you and I long for 382 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:56,560 our brothers and sisters, family members that don't know the 383 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,120 Lord. That's why we're here. 384 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,800 That your heart should burn for them each day. 385 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:10,240 That you would pray and pray and search and and sweep and wait. 386 00:27:16,010 --> 00:27:19,810 Why? Because the object has value to 387 00:27:19,810 --> 00:27:24,250 its owner, even though it was lost and the owner was 388 00:27:24,250 --> 00:27:30,170 determined to recover it again. And all those parables and 389 00:27:30,170 --> 00:27:33,730 including our texts tonight of the workers in the vineyard. 390 00:27:34,130 --> 00:27:37,050 God values what is lost and seeks it. 391 00:27:37,890 --> 00:27:42,520 This is the heart of God, for in the story of the workers before 392 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:47,560 us, it is God Himself who goes out to hire him early in the 393 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,800 morning, throughout the day, and until the very end. 394 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,800 This one like unto a man to hire labourers, and to his vineyard 395 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,800 Kingdom of heaven. And he went out about the third 396 00:27:57,800 --> 00:27:59,720 air again. He went out the 6th and the 9th 397 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,360 there, and he went out the 11th there. 398 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:03,880 He went out. This is this is the Lord going 399 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:09,120 up to the lost. Should not we who have been 400 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:14,360 found by God have the same love for others who are lost? 401 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:19,400 And should not we tell them that if they are lost and here's 402 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,120 sometimes we just, we give the wrong message. 403 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,360 We need to tell them how valuable they are to God. 404 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:31,080 You know Christ died for you. He loves you even in your lost 405 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,040 condition. He died for you in your lost 406 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:36,360 condition. God owes us nothing. 407 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,040 People, not things, are more important to God. 408 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:42,240 The lost soul He loves deeply and seeks. 409 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,080 But what is this last term? Why does he add this last 410 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:48,960 sentence? But many who are first shall be 411 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,960 last, and many who are last will be first. 412 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:57,040 Verse 30. Many, not every person who 413 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:01,320 begins early with God and works for Him throughout a lifetime 414 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:06,920 will inevitably be last. Or that everyone who begins late 415 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,600 will inevitably be first. Many, yes, but not all. 416 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,640 For many who begin early will lose the reward or not even come 417 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:21,240 to faith in Christ because they approach God purely. 418 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:24,440 While I've been to church, I've paid my tithes, I've done what's 419 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:28,120 good, what's God doing for me? That's not a relationship, 420 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:35,800 that's a mercenary spirit. It's based on the basis of my 421 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,280 good works I'm doing, not on God's grace. 422 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:45,000 And so if I live that way, you see, grace is unimportant to me 423 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:48,320 because I think I deserve salvation. 424 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,400 Many who enter last will be first because although they 425 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:58,040 began late, they nevertheless recognise that their salvation 426 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,080 is due to God's grace alone and praise God for it. 427 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:10,640 The thief on the cross, wow, hide the last, the last hour 428 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:13,200 before his death, the last minutes before his death. 429 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,960 Lord, Remember Me this day. And he's dying. 430 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,760 We think of a young man, Daniel, who's carried off the Babylon 431 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,520 where he's 15 to 16 years of age. 432 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,880 He decided at an early age not to defile himself with royal 433 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,080 enticements, but he determined to serve God and did so for 434 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:37,440 about another 70 odd years. Is God unfair now? 435 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,480 The psalmist who wrote Psalm 73, he thought God was unfair for a 436 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,440 a time when he took his eyes off the Lord and he began to look 437 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,640 around at others. How come he's getting? 438 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:54,000 How come you know, I've been all day and you know, and God, 439 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,280 you're looking after him and he's just come for the hour. 440 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:02,200 Psalm 73, verse 3. For I envied the proud when I 441 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,320 saw them prosper despite their wickedness. 442 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:11,160 It's unfair, God as a result of thinking God was unfair. 443 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,000 What happened? Pride filled his heart. 444 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,360 Verse 13 Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept 445 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,280 myself from doing wrong? Oh, my duty, I've been good. 446 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:25,920 Then I realised how bitter I had become, how pained I'd been by 447 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,840 all that I'd seen. I was so foolish and ignorant. 448 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,760 I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 449 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,120 It's I still belong to you. You were holding my right hand. 450 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,800 But As for me, how good it is to be near God. 451 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,760 I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter. 452 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,120 I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. 453 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,400 God owes us nothing. People, not things, are more 454 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,800 important to God. The lost soul He loves deeply 455 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:59,520 and seeks. So let us pray tonight. 456 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,200 Let us serve the Lord. Why? 457 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:09,680 Because we love him. 2 Corinthians 514 For the love of 458 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:14,720 Christ. If you know Jesus Christ tonight 459 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:18,360 and you serve him because you love him, remember love. 460 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:23,880 Remember this love expects what? Nothing in return. 461 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,880 Whatever my life, whatever, that's how you learn to be 462 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,880 content. Whatever comes, have money, no 463 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:36,960 money, you know my health goes. Whatever, I've learned to be 464 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:40,520 content because I expect nothing. 465 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:46,120 Lord in return you love me. He owes us nothing, but he 466 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,680 blesses us anyway. If you do not know Christ as 467 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:53,080 your Lord and Saviour, you are tonight lost. 468 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:59,640 But you are so valuable to God that He came to this earth to 469 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:01,680 die on a cruel cross just for you. 470 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:06,120 He values you so much. Let's serve him. 471 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:12,720 Serve Him because you love Him. You know, it's really not fair 472 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,160 that we get God's abundant grace. 473 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:17,800 That's what's not fair.