1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:02,960 Well, good morning. It's great to be with you today. 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:09,640 You may not know that all of the benefits that our church has 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:11,640 received from Trinity over the years. 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,800 Of course, Trinity started the church in Mankato, but over the 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,120 years, as our church has waxed and waned in different ways, 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,720 Trinity's leadership and support has continued to sustain us. 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,760 And we're in a time of great renewal and growth now. 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,240 And it's very much through your prayers and the efforts of your 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,440 leadership in this church. So thank you for that. 10 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,320 We're going to be looking at God's Word today from Matthew 11 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,240 chapter 20. If you want to turn there in a 12 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,560 Bible that you might have handy and the Pew Bible, it would be 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,000 825 is the page number, but we're looking at Matthew chapter 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:59,880 20. Matthew chapter 20, beginning in 15 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:04,599 verse one, hear God's word. For the Kingdom of heaven is 16 00:01:04,599 --> 00:01:07,400 like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to 17 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,280 hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,440 for a denarius today, he sent them into his vineyard and going 19 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,840 out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the 20 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,600 marketplace. And to them he said, You go into 21 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,200 the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. 22 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,600 So they went going out again about the 6th hour, and the 9th 23 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,080 hour he did the same. At about the 11th hour he went 24 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,880 out and found others standing. And he said to them, Why do you 25 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,640 stand here idle all day? And they said to him, Because no 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,560 one has hired us. He said to them, you go into the 27 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,720 vineyard too. And when evening came, the owner 28 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,440 of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and 29 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,000 pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. 30 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,640 And when those hired about the 11th hour came, each of them 31 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:03,320 received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, 32 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,520 they thought that they would receive more, but each of them 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,600 also received a denarius. And on receiving it, they 34 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,040 grumbled at the master of the house, saying, These last worked 35 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,960 only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne 36 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,040 the burden of the day in the scorching heat. 37 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,640 But he replied to one of them. Friend, I'm doing you no wrong, 38 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,840 do you not? Did you not agree with me? 39 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,760 For denarius, take what belongs to you and go. 40 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,120 I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 41 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,640 Am I not allowed to do with what I choose, with what belongs to 42 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:40,520 me? Or do you begrudge my 43 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,760 generosity? So the last will be 1st and the 44 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,680 1st last. This is the word of the Lord. 45 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:49,880 Thanks be to God. As we come now to the preaching 46 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:51,560 of God's Word, let's begin with a moment of prayer. 47 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,840 Almighty God, we give you thanks and praise that you have 48 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,880 revealed yourself to us through your chosen vessels, the 49 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,480 prophets of old, Your apostles, and in these last days through 50 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,160 your Son. Father, as we come now to your 51 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,640 Word, we pray that you would speak through it, that you would 52 00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:13,280 illuminate it to our hearts and to our minds, that you would 53 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,680 give us ears to hear what the Spirit says, that it might 54 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,360 direct us, that it might correct us, that might equip us for 55 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,240 every good work, that you've called us to grant these graces 56 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,960 to us as we pray in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, 57 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:31,520 Amen. Well, Jesus spoke in many 58 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,720 parables. It is perhaps my favorite part 59 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,160 of Scripture, the various parables and this one in 60 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,600 particular. I want us to really understand 61 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,920 the context in which Jesus spoke. 62 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,480 Now the parables are helpful. This is going to be a little bit 63 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,560 of an unorthodox sermon. If you're used to the 64 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:53,400 three-part, you know, verse, you know, step one, Step 2, Step 3, 65 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,000 application illustration. Now this is just going to walk 66 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,760 through the story. Jesus has provided us the 67 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,840 illustration, and we're going to walk through this together, but 68 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,200 I want us to know the context in which Jesus is telling this 69 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:07,960 parable. He told many parables, but he 70 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,080 does so at a specific time to make a specific point to 71 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,280 specific people. And so if you have your Bible 72 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,640 out, all you have to do is look over to the other page just 73 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,720 before in chapter 19. And it's in chapter 19 that we 74 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,560 get the context in which Jesus tells this parable. 75 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,120 It begins by telling us the story of the rich young ruler. 76 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:33,200 We're all likely familiar with this, who comes to Jesus and 77 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,880 says, how can I inherit eternal life? 78 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,840 And they go through some of the 10 commandments. 79 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:39,040 And he says, I've kept all those. 80 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,560 Well, he says, if you want to be perfect, sell all that you have 81 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:47,400 and come and follow after me. And we know the sad story to the 82 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,040 end. The rich young ruler leaves sad 83 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,480 because he had many possessions, and this is where I want us to 84 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,360 pick up. We see the reaction of his 85 00:04:55,360 --> 00:05:00,160 disciples to this scene. That's an introduction to this 86 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,120 parable. Beginning in verse 23. 87 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,560 Jesus said to his disciples, truly, I say to you, only with 88 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,720 difficulty will a rich person enter the Kingdom of heaven. 89 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,480 Again, I tell you, it's easier for a camel to go through the 90 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,720 eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of 91 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,520 God. And when the disciples heard 92 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,320 this, they were greatly astonished, saying, who then can 93 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,320 be saved? And but Jesus looked at them and 94 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,280 said, with man this is impossible, but with God all 95 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:33,520 things are possible. Then Peter said in reply, See, 96 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,680 we have left everything and followed you, what then will we 97 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,240 have? And Jesus said to them, truly, I 98 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,880 say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on 99 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,320 his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit 100 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,120 on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 101 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:54,680 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father 102 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,440 or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive 103 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,960 a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 104 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:08,040 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 105 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,480 Notice how Jesus ends that section with that phrase, and 106 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:17,000 how our parable ends with an inversion of that phrase, 107 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,320 showing us that these are tied together. 108 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,520 Now this parable is in response to Peter's question. 109 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,000 Look, we've sold everything. He didn't want to sell 110 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,160 everything and follow after you. We left everything and followed 111 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:35,120 you. Jesus. 112 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,720 What will we have? What will our reward be? 113 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,600 Will we get a good return on investment for all that we've 114 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:50,360 given up? He's doubting whether or not 115 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:56,560 it's worth it. And this is where Jesus tells 116 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:58,480 the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. 117 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:03,080 Our passage today. Now, the parables almost always 118 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,080 start with this phrase. The Kingdom of heaven is like or 119 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,040 the Kingdom of God is like. It tells us what God's Kingdom 120 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,280 is like in contrast to our kingdoms of this earth. 121 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,160 He draws from ordinary circumstances in life, but then 122 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:25,120 they tend to have A twist that shows us the divergent between 123 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,560 how God's Kingdom operates in contrast to ours. 124 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,000 So we'll just walk through this parable together, make some 125 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,920 comments along the way, and then at the end think about some 126 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,880 application for us. So beginning in verse one, the 127 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,840 Kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out 128 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,760 early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 129 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,560 That's sort of been a daily occurrence in the ancient world. 130 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,320 A master of a house, the one who owns land, in this case a 131 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:59,320 vineyard, has his own workers, likely his sons, who labor in 132 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,120 his fields. But come harvest time, they need 133 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,840 help, extra hands to do the extra work. 134 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:13,280 And so he would go to the Town Center and find day laborers. 135 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,640 Now, a day laborer amongst the people of Israel was probably 136 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:21,400 the most vulnerable population. They didn't have any guarantee 137 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:22,920 of work. They didn't own their own 138 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,880 property. The only way that they could 139 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:28,560 provide for themselves and for their families was to be hired 140 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,720 on a daily basis. It wasn't like they were 141 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,640 guaranteed that they would get to work the next day if they 142 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,559 were hired Monday. Tuesday wasn't guaranteed. 143 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,559 Every day they would go to that marketplace and wait to be 144 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,360 hired. And if they weren't hired, they 145 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,640 would have to go home empty handed, hungry, disappointed, 146 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:51,200 and come up with a way to tell their wife that they made no 147 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:55,320 money. They were at the generosity and 148 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:00,160 mercy of the masters of houses, those who owned land, who had 149 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,680 farms, who needed help with the work. 150 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,400 But this is an ordinary scene. Jesus is drawing from an 151 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,560 ordinary scene. Nothing strange has happened 152 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:10,960 yet. He goes out early in the 153 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,320 morning. Now this is 6:00 AM. 154 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,200 That's the beginning of the day. And he hires laborers. 155 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,400 And then we're told in verse 2, he agrees with them for a 156 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,400 denarius a day. Now you guys know what denarius 157 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,800 is. Now it's a day's wage. 158 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,400 This is ordinary practice. A day's wage at the time was 159 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:30,880 called an areas. It was a coin. 160 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,720 It it was what you would pay somebody to labor for a day. 161 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,160 So I don't know what that is. Inflation adjusted in American 162 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:42,320 dollars, something maybe $200. All right, you agreed, $200. 163 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,440 You're working 12 hours today. Sounds good. 164 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:51,520 Standard operation disciples certainly would have known this, 165 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:55,040 seen this. Perhaps some of them experienced 166 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:59,200 this. And then we begin to see this 167 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,000 starts to take a little bit of a turn. 168 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,320 And verse 3, going out about the third hour, this would be 9:00 169 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,120 AM. He saw others standing idle in 170 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,000 the marketplace and he said to them, go into the vineyard too. 171 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,920 And whatever is right, I'll give to you. 172 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,760 So it's a bit surprising he would go out again three hours 173 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,520 later. But we can think of reasons why 174 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,400 a master of a house would go out a few hours later. 175 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:25,200 Maybe someone called in sick. Maybe there was more to do than 176 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,200 they expected that morning. Maybe somebody got hurt. 177 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,600 And he doesn't promise them a Daenerys. 178 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,080 A Daenerys is the day's wage. He didn't promise them $200. 179 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,240 He says whatever's right, you know, for us, then we would just 180 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,240 divide it by 12 hours and and come up with a math equation 181 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:43,440 here. But he just tells them to go. 182 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:48,880 He hires them. It's not that strange, but it 183 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:54,520 gets stranger. Verse 5 tells us so he did the 184 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,920 so he, I'm sorry. So he went out again about the 185 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,360 6th hour and the 9th hour and he did the same. 186 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,920 So now we're talking about noon and 3:00. 187 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,400 Now you might want to start scratching your head and 188 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,440 thinking about this master of a house. 189 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:23,520 He's supposed to be a successful land owning man who has this 190 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,320 thriving vineyard that he needs to hire people. 191 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,480 He doesn't seem very efficient. You think he would have better 192 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,640 things to do than to just keep walking back and forth to a 193 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,560 marketplace every 3 hours to find more people? 194 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:38,960 Also, doesn't he know how many people to hire? 195 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:46,200 After going once, twice, three Times, Now, four times, 3:00 in 196 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,320 the afternoon, he's going out again. 197 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,680 And you can almost imagine other land owners, other masters of 198 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:57,440 houses perhaps seeing him going back and forth from his home to 199 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,800 the marketplace and rolling their eyes. 200 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:07,400 That's not how I run my house now. 201 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:13,920 In case you thought he had any credibility left, he goes out 202 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:21,760 again for six about the 11th hour, 5:00, he went out and he 203 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,920 found others standing and he said to them, why do you stand 204 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,400 here idle all day? And they said to him, because no 205 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,240 one has hired us. And he said to them, you go into 206 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:36,640 the vineyard too. I don't know what your workplace 207 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,400 is like. I've had many jobs that last 208 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,200 hour of the day, not very productive. 209 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:51,800 You're just running out the clock. 5:00 the master of the 210 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:56,800 house goes out and hires more labourers. 211 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,480 This is the end of the first scene, really the scene taking 212 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,760 place in the marketplace. The next scene is in the 213 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:13,840 vineyard. But notice at the end of the 214 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,720 scene, these last workers, they get to speak. 215 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,280 They have the sad confession that no one has hired them. 216 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,440 And I want us to just notice that the end of chapter 19 and 217 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,920 the end of our parable. Now we have first and last, last 218 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,960 and 1st. And here the last workers get to 219 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:35,920 speak. It's it's being highlighted for 220 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:39,760 us, these characters in the Kingdom in the parable here they 221 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,520 have the first workers and we have the last workers. 222 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,240 Jesus is going to be making his point based on really these two 223 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:55,840 categories. So now we find ourselves in the 224 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:03,120 vineyard verse 10. Sorry, verse not let's see verse 225 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,600 8. And when evening came, the owner 226 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,720 of the vineyard said to his foreman, call the laborers and 227 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,880 pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. 228 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:17,160 And when those hired about the 11th hour came, each of them 229 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,560 received a denarius. OK, we already see the the 230 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,280 change here, right? These guys have been paid $200 231 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:30,600 for the least effective time of work in the day from 5:00 to 232 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,600 6:00. They've received a whole day's 233 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:39,400 wage. Now, I can't imagine the scene 234 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,280 that this would have elicited in these men, but it must have been 235 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,120 a scene because those who were hired first, at the end of the 236 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:50,360 line, they saw it. They knew something had 237 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:51,840 happened. I don't know if they're just 238 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,720 announcing you get a denarius. I imagine these men were 239 00:14:55,800 --> 00:15:00,640 overcome with joy. Can you imagine them sitting in 240 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:07,560 the marketplace all day and not being hired? 241 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:14,040 6:00 AM. Seven AM. 8 AM. 9:00 AM. 242 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:22,960 Can't afford to buy lunch. And here, 5:00 a master of a 243 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,360 house comes up to them. I don't know what they expected 244 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,480 him to say. Perhaps their highest hope is 245 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:36,280 that he might buy them a drink, but he sends them to the 246 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:42,840 vineyard, so maybe they expect to get $20.00 for the hour they 247 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,640 put in. But here their full dignity has 248 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,080 been restored. They've received the full wage 249 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,040 of the day. They can go home to their family 250 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:59,520 and provide everything that they need for today. 251 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,960 Now the other workers see that this takes place, we're told in 252 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,240 verse 10. When those hired first came, 253 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:20,160 they thought they would receive more, but each of them also 254 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:27,320 received a denarius. Going back to your workplace, 255 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,640 not only do you not do anything from 4:00 to 5:00, but you don't 256 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,200 talk about one thing in most workplaces in America, and that 257 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:41,240 is how much money you make. Because when you find out how 258 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:49,280 much money Carl makes and you work in the same department and 259 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:56,040 you've been there longer than them, just doesn't sit well. 260 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,600 You want to race and that's what's happening here. 261 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,359 We all have that same inclination. 262 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,280 That's why we don't talk about wages in the workforce because 263 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,800 it's unsettling. We're always comparing ourselves 264 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,440 to other people. We're we're downplaying their 265 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:14,720 productivity and the things they contribute. 266 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,240 And we're, you know, propping ourselves up. 267 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,760 We should deserve more. We've been here longer. 268 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:23,599 This is the idea of the first workers. 269 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,480 Wow. He's giving out $200.00 an hour. 270 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:28,880 We've been here all day. We're about to get paid. 271 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:38,840 And look at their complaint. These last worked only one hour. 272 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,720 You've made them equal to us. Who have borne the burden of the 273 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:48,120 day in the scorching heat. We did everything. 274 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,520 The burden of the day, the scorching heat. 275 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,920 Look, it's evening, the sun's going down. 276 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,240 They just helped us mop up a little bit. 277 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:58,520 And you've made them equal to us. 278 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:08,000 You think we're the same. I think we can resonate with 279 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:09,760 their complaints. I think if we were in their 280 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,240 shoes, we would think the same thing. 281 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:15,720 That's the Kingdom of this world. 282 00:18:22,090 --> 00:18:24,290 The Master of House responds kindly. 283 00:18:24,610 --> 00:18:30,770 He says to one of them, Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. 284 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,960 Did you not agree with me? For denarius, take what belongs 285 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,800 to you and go. I choose to give to this last 286 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,560 worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I 287 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:46,360 choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my 288 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:49,600 generosity? You can imagine a different 289 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:54,560 response these men could have had to such a generous gift. 290 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,920 Wow, what a generous man we work for. 291 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,400 Praise God that you've received such a generous gift. 292 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:07,760 It's happy hour. You're buying appetizers. 293 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:12,760 Let's go. And sometimes we do rejoice with 294 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,320 people who fall into good fortunes. 295 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,680 But Jesus is speaking to his disciples. 296 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,280 He's speaking to Peter, who's asking this question. 297 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,920 What will we have? We gave up everything. 298 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,320 We borne the burden of the day in the scorching heat. 299 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:39,920 I suppose we should get paid more. 300 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:48,560 Jesus is warning his disciples, in particular Peter, as those 301 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,720 who are first in the Kingdom, those who have come in early, 302 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,800 those who have been there, who have left everything, who have 303 00:19:55,800 --> 00:20:01,040 carried some weight because they're going to be tempted to 304 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:02,880 be like the first workers in the parable. 305 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,440 Now the parable tells us about the Kingdom of God, and it has 306 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,720 these characters and they're meant to represent different 307 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,760 types of people. First workers, Peter disciples, 308 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,080 last workers, people that are going to come in later that 309 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,560 Peter is going to have to deal with that are going to be made 310 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:29,000 equals to him. And the master of the house is a 311 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:35,240 representation of God himself. Now, as you think about these 312 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:41,320 workers who have been hired and as they relate to maybe some 313 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,520 ordinary things in our lives, it's helpful for us to dwell on 314 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,200 that. Who would be hired first if you 315 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,200 were a master of a house? If you were to go out at 6:00 316 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,560 AM, maybe you get there a little early, 5:45. 317 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,520 Why would you show up early? Because you want to get the best 318 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,880 workers. The guy who's been hit in the 319 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:04,680 gym, the guy who's got a truck full of tools, the one who you 320 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:08,080 know who worked for you last week or who your friend told you 321 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:10,440 to hire because they have a good reputation. 322 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:14,840 The people who seem most fit for the job, right? 323 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:21,280 That's who you would pick. But then we have to ask, who are 324 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:26,960 the last workers? The last workers aren't in 325 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,440 shape. Maybe they were late. 326 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,520 Maybe they don't have a very good reputation. 327 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,400 Your friend told you, never hire that guy. 328 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,320 It's the kids that didn't get picked for the kickball team at 329 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:53,760 recess. It's the same story in this 330 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,560 parable. First workers and last workers. 331 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:04,400 And in this interchange, as they've been hired sequentially, 332 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,000 they've created their own pecking order based on how much 333 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,360 work they've done. Remember, they all started out 334 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:16,760 as needy, desperate day laborers in a marketplace hoping to get 335 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:24,120 hired for the day. But you know, I got hired first. 336 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,920 So I'm better than the guy I hired at 9:00 AM, and he's 337 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,080 better than the guy that I hired at noon, and he's better than 338 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,920 the guy that I hired at 3. And we're all better than those 339 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,640 guys who came in at the last hour. 340 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:41,520 You see how they've forgotten where they've come from. 341 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,000 They now feel the right to demand more than what was 342 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:51,600 promised to them, what they agreed to, and the mere presence 343 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,720 of these last workers and the generosity of the Master of the 344 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,760 House makes them feel like what they have received has been 345 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,240 lessened, even though it hasn't changed. 1 cent. 346 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,560 The circumstance changed, but the agreement didn't. 347 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,760 The only thing that changed was that the Master of the House was 348 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:21,240 being generous to somebody else. Peter has left everything to 349 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,720 follow after Jesus. He's concerned whether or not 350 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,880 he's going to get paid, and Jesus gives him an immediate 351 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:33,240 assurance, right. In fact, what Jesus promises him 352 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,160 is far above and beyond what he probably expected to hear. 353 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:43,800 You're going to sit on Thrones judging the tribes of Israel, an 354 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,320 unthinkable place of honor and authority. 355 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,600 Everything you've left. Look at the list, brothers, 356 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:54,880 sisters, father, mother, children, lands. 357 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:02,360 You'll receive a hundredfold. And in case that's not enough, 358 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:10,720 you will inherit eternal life. Essentially what Jesus is saying 359 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:17,920 to Peter is don't worry about it, Peter, it's definitely worth 360 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,040 it. I'm going to take care of you. 361 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:24,400 But let me tell you what the Kingdom of heaven is like. 362 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,000 It's like a master of a house who goes out and hires laborers 363 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,480 for his vineyard, and you are a first worker. 364 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:40,040 You're going to want to look at yourself and compare yourself to 365 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:41,360 those who are going to come later. 366 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:43,560 There's going to be a lot more people coming in later. 367 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,040 Peter finds himself in all sorts of difficult situations later on 368 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:54,120 in his ministry. And not only are these people 369 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:56,760 going to come in later, they're going to be equals to you. 370 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,720 They're going to be maybe undesirable people in the eyes 371 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,520 of the world, and then they're going to be equal to you. 372 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:10,800 They're going to receive the same reward, and you are going 373 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:17,280 to need to resist the urge to be jealous, to begrudge my 374 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:21,720 generosity, to think that somehow you deserve more. 375 00:25:30,670 --> 00:25:36,790 So who are first workers? Now, how do we apply this to our 376 00:25:36,790 --> 00:25:41,430 circumstance? I think first workers are those 377 00:25:41,430 --> 00:25:46,470 who've grown up in the church. You're born into it, baptized in 378 00:25:46,470 --> 00:25:49,680 the earliest of days. You've lived your life in the 379 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,440 church. You've served in so many 380 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,240 different ways. And all the committees you 381 00:25:53,240 --> 00:26:00,640 chose, the carpet colour you wrote, the checks you visited, 382 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:08,200 the sick you endured during a pastoral transition, you carried 383 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,200 the burden of the day in the scorching heap when there was 384 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:18,360 conflict. That's not a bad thing. 385 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:25,320 This isn't a rebuke of Peter. It's a warning. 386 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,120 It will be easy for us first workers who've been here, who've 387 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:37,960 done the work, who've who've given the money to fall into the 388 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:46,210 same air, to think we're the front of the line. 389 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:53,760 And the error is that we forgot where we came from. 390 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:02,720 Desperate, needy day laborers. You see, the Kingdom of heaven 391 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,040 is not like the kingdoms of this earth. 392 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:10,200 One of the central points of this parable is that God's 393 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:17,240 Kingdom is not based on works. God calls us to all sorts of 394 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,680 works, all sorts of tasks, ministries, different things 395 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:24,040 that we do. And yes, that is not where we 396 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:30,520 receive our standing. More on that in a moment. 397 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:40,550 Who are last workers? Last workers don't need to be 398 00:27:40,550 --> 00:27:46,750 told they're last workers. They don't need anybody to tell 399 00:27:46,750 --> 00:27:50,360 them that they probably shouldn't get $200.00 an hour. 400 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,920 They know they don't have the same skills and abilities. 401 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:04,040 They didn't put in the time. They don't know as much. 402 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,360 Maybe they have a reputation that they're not proud of. 403 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,080 And Jesus is speaking to you in this parable. 404 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,960 You are made equal in God's Kingdom. 405 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:27,440 It's not based on how long you've been there or what you've 406 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:35,730 accomplished, because the Kingdom of heaven is one of 407 00:28:35,730 --> 00:28:43,230 grace. What's most ironic, I think, in 408 00:28:43,230 --> 00:28:48,990 this passage is the complaint that they've borne the burden of 409 00:28:48,990 --> 00:28:54,520 the day in the scorching heat. As we think about that as first 410 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,400 workers or even last workers or middle workers, maybe you're a 411 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:58,600 noon worker. I don't know. 412 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,440 When you think about the Kingdom of heaven, there's somebody else 413 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:11,000 who is born the heat of the day, the scorching heat, who's 414 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,320 accomplished all of the work already, who's truly the first 415 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:23,080 worker, Jesus Christ. Jesus paid it all. 416 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,680 Sure, we enter into his work. He calls us to various things. 417 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,840 We participate in meaningful ways. 418 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,560 God is pleased with us when we do good deeds. 419 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:44,400 We're all just showing up at the end of the clock, benefiting 420 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:49,280 from his work. And we're not just made equals 421 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,720 with one another, we're made equals with him. 422 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:58,440 Not just other workers, but the son, the inheritor of the 423 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:03,960 vineyard. We are made equals to him. 424 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:16,540 And it frees us for being anxious about whether or not 425 00:30:16,540 --> 00:30:20,940 we'll get a reward for our efforts or it frees us from 426 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:23,340 wondering if we've we can even do enough. 427 00:30:23,340 --> 00:30:30,080 We've done too many bad things. We came in too late. 428 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,600 No, God exalts us to a place that we can't even possibly 429 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,560 comprehend. What Jesus says to Peter is 430 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:49,560 unfathomable, and yet it's true. The master of the house is the 431 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,280 third character in our parable, and he tells us about God and 432 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:57,840 his Kingdom, touched on it a bit. 433 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,560 But I've read this parable, I don't know, probably hundreds of 434 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:13,240 Times Now, and it seems to me the master of the house, well, 435 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,040 he certainly doesn't care about his reputation. 436 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:16,960 He doesn't care about being efficient. 437 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,040 He seems to have a lot of money and he doesn't care about it, 438 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,200 gives it away freely. He has an abundance. 439 00:31:32,930 --> 00:31:37,810 He's not short of time. He doesn't seem to be that 440 00:31:37,810 --> 00:31:41,210 interested in those types of things. 441 00:31:41,930 --> 00:31:44,170 Doesn't really even seem if he's interested in the harvest to be 442 00:31:44,170 --> 00:31:48,730 honest. Seems like he's most concerned 443 00:31:48,730 --> 00:31:55,090 about the men that it would cause him to go again and again 444 00:31:55,480 --> 00:32:07,040 and again and again to get more and more and more people so that 445 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:20,950 he can be generous to them. He's active going out again and 446 00:32:20,950 --> 00:32:26,390 again and again. He's kind, referring to the one 447 00:32:26,390 --> 00:32:28,510 who even complaints to him as friend. 448 00:32:42,810 --> 00:32:49,410 It's another encouragement from this passage that he's not done. 449 00:32:51,850 --> 00:32:59,090 He's not content with 6:00 AM workers, 9:00 AM or noon or 450 00:32:59,090 --> 00:33:05,370 three, but he goes out over and over until the number is full. 451 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,960 People that have been overlooked, considered unworthy, 452 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:21,400 too far gone. He goes to them, to the last 453 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,920 hour. I don't know the context of your 454 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,400 life. Loved ones, neighbors, friends. 455 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:33,040 Sometimes we lose hope for people. 456 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:43,880 Sparrow tells us God is not done until the last hour, when it 457 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:51,530 doesn't even matter anymore. And he doesn't just do it out of 458 00:33:51,530 --> 00:33:54,010 some mere pittance or charity case. 459 00:33:55,650 --> 00:34:04,640 He makes them equal. And so the Kingdom of heaven is 460 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,440 like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to 461 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,120 hire laborers for his vineyard. But it is so much more than 462 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,520 that. It only goes so far to show us 463 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:18,520 what the Kingdom is like. It shows us the way in which 464 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:22,760 God's Kingdom is so different than the kingdoms of our earth 465 00:34:24,159 --> 00:34:28,239 that are rooted in rewards for our works, How long we've been 466 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:34,440 there, how much weight we've carried. 467 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,800 God's Kingdom is one of grace, one where the work has been done 468 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,120 for US1 where we're made equals to one another and equals to 469 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:50,679 Jesus Christ. 1 Of generosity, one of going again and again. 470 00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:56,880 One that's not satisfied with some limited number closing the 471 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,480 doors. There's no more room. 472 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:10,480 It's 1 where we receive rewards that we could never dream of 473 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:18,160 earning. God is gracious to his people. 474 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:22,160 He warns first workers to not fall back in, to think that we 475 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,720 operate like the Kingdom of the earth. 476 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,000 He gives them warning. He's still kind to them. 477 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,520 First, workers need to be reminded again and again of the 478 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,960 grace they've received, that they might live in light of 479 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:45,360 God's generosity. And for those who are downcast, 480 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,920 who feel more like a last worker, God speaks to you grace. 481 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:55,880 He restores the full dignity of a day's wage to your life. 482 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:01,560 You're no lesser a son than his first born. 483 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,520 May God change the way that we approach him. 484 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:16,440 Instead of of fiddling about, counting our deeds, seeing how 485 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:20,920 many hours we've been on the clock, may we look to the master 486 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:25,600 of the house who's so generous, who saw a standing idle in the 487 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:30,400 workplace because no one had hired us. 488 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:37,080 And he has showered us with his riches and his favor and made us 489 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:38,600 equals. Let's pray. 490 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,080 Father, we give you thanks and praise that your grace has drawn 491 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:47,240 many and continues to draw many into your Kingdom. 492 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,280 We thank you for your great generosity. 493 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:55,200 We thank You for all of your promises that are sure in Christ 494 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:56,440 Jesus. We thank You that He has 495 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:59,360 accomplished the work on our behalf and we can enter into His 496 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,840 laborers. Lord, we give you thanks and 497 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,520 praise for Your grace and Your mercy. 498 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:10,760 Seal these things to our hearts. We pray in Christ's name, Amen.