Denarius © Animation Created by Ross Cochrane using Blender Cycles
Matthew 20:1-16 – WHAT IS JESUS TRYING TO TELL ME?
I love the parable of the Landowner and the Vineyard Workers. Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to the generosity of a landowner who hires laborers at various times during the day. At 6 am He hires people to work in His vineyard for a day’s wage. He hires additional people at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and again at 5 p.m., telling each of these groups that He will give them “whatever is right.” and then pays the last hired with the same wage as those hired first. Absurd! Economy irresponsible! Incredibly generous! Unfair? Since this is a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, what can I learn?
1. THE LANDOWNER NEVER STOPS SEARCHING FOR THOSE WHO WILL SERVE HIM IN THE VINEYARD. He comes repeatedly to the marketplace, all through the day, and at the end of the day gives each one a full days wage.
God never stops searching for those who desire to believe in His Son, serve Him and receive His gift of eternal life. He found me and gave me the opportunity to receive eternal life.
John 15:16 (NLT) says, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, …“
2. THE LANDOWNER FULFILLS HIS AGREEMENT WITH THE INITIAL WORKERS TO PAY A FULL DAY’S WAGE
God keeps His promises. He has promised Eternal Life to those who give their lives to Christ.
Numbers 23:19 (NLT) says, “God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?“
Acts 16:31 (NLT) says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, …”
3. THE DAY WORKERS WAITED AT THE MARKETPLACE READY AND WILLING TO WORK
God chose me because He knew I was willing to come.
John 3:16 (NLT) says, “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
4. THE DAY WORKERS RECOGNISE THAT THEY ARE DESTITUTE WITHOUT THE LANDOWNER
They agree to serve the Landowner knowing He will do what is right. Without Him, they are destitute.
We are destitute spiritually without Christ. Jesus offered the rich young ruler eternal life but he turned away from Him. Jesus then told this parable about those who served Him who recognize that they are poor without Him. We come to God recognizing the inadequacy of our own resources for life and eternity.
John 15:5 (NLT) says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.“
Romans 5:6 (NLT) says, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.“
5. THE WORKERS WHO CAME THROUGHOUT THE DAY TRUSTED THE LANDOWNER
They did not know how much they would receive but they worked for Him anyway.
We come to Christ to serve Him, not simply to get our needs met. We come under His authority. And what we receive goes way beyond what we deserve.
In Joshua 24:15 (NLT) Joshua challenges people to choose who they will serve. He said, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Psalm 34:22 (NLT) says “But the Lord will redeem those who serve Him. No one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.“
Matthew 9:37-38 (NLT) says, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into his fields.”
6. NONE OF THE WORKERS DESERVED ANYTHING FROM THE LANDOWNER
Not those who worked a full day or those who worked for only an hour. It was only by the grace of the Landowner that they were given anything, since it all belonged to Him.
God gives us that which we do not earn, work for or deserve. Eternal life is a free gift. Serving God is a given for every Christian. Eternal life was paid for by Christ, not us, and given to us as a free gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) says, “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.“
7. THE WORKERS WHO CAME FIRST WERE NO MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE WHO CAME LAST
Denarius © Created by Ross Cochrane using Blender Cycles
My service to Christ is no less important than others who may be famous or have more money or have more influence than I do. Eternal life is not dependent on whether I’m better than someone else in earthly terms. I have the privilege of serving Christ in the best way I can and even then I need His help.
Ephesians 2:9 (NLT) says “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.“
8. THE WORKERS WHO WORKED A FULL DAY WANTED MORE THAN THEY RECEIVED, even though they received what they had been promised. They wanted to be paid based on comparison with others.
I can trust God for my provision.
Whether I have a lot of money in the bank or not, it’s easy to be more concerned or even anxious with what I have or do not have than in trusting in God for my finances and for my daily provision. It’s easy to compare what I have with others.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NLT) reminds me that “…true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows”
The rich young ruler went away sorrowful and without eternal life because he wasn’t willing to give his riches away. The poor day workers received a full days wage, more than they expected because they were willing to receive whatever was right from the Landowner and come under His authority and serve Him.
Jesus said, “… I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
What an amazing perspective for life.
Pastor Ross
Words of Life 
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