Parables on Legalism - 3 — Robert B. Thompson

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love for us. As we bow before you, we pray that your name will be glorified through us this evening. Lord Jesus, we are weak, we are helpless, we are needy. We lean upon you.

We know that those who trust in you will never be disappointed. We live by faith, we don't live by feeling this evening. We don't depend on our feelings. We depend on you who never change. God who never changes is our Father.

God Almighty who rules the universe is our Father. And our friend, we praise you Lord Jesus that you have become our elder brother. And that you are always at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.

And we want to come in honesty before you. We don't claim to be anything. Anything good in us is what you have done. We acknowledge that and we worship you, we praise you. Be glorified in our midst O God, be glorified.

The Parable of the Laborers and the Two Covenants

Confirm your word with signs following, we pray. O we trust you Heavenly Father. In Jesus name, Amen. Okay, we continue our study in the parables on legalism. We looked at six of them so far. And we want to look at four more this evening.

And the first one is in Matthew chapter 20. Jesus spoke these parables to show us the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant. To show us the difference between being under law and being led by the Spirit.

The difference it will make in our life. And in Matthew chapter 20. He spoke about the kingdom of heaven is like a land owner, verse 1. Who went out to hire laborers for his vineyard. He is talking here about God looking for servants.

The Lord Jesus looking for people who will serve him on earth. And that does not mean full time work, it doesn't mean just ministry. All of our life is a service for God. It applies to every area of our life.

And he says here, there are these different groups of laborers. He started at 6 o 'clock in the morning. And agreed, verse 2, with certain laborers for a denarius for a day. And that was one day's wages.

He said this is how much I will pay you. Let's say if a laborer's wages is 100 rupees a day. He said okay, I will give you 100 rupees today. Please go and work for me. And then he saw some others. And at 9 o 'clock in the morning.

And he made an agreement with them. Whatever is right, verse 4, I will give you. And they went. And at 12 o 'clock in the afternoon, verse 5. And 3 o 'clock in the afternoon. He did the same thing. He did the same thing means he made a contract with them.

Now the important thing I want you to notice. Is though these people worked for different lengths of time. He made a contract with all of them. You work for me, I will give you this much. And that's what he told all these 4 groups.

You work for me, I will give you this much. And when he came finally at 5 o 'clock in the evening. Verse 6. He went out and found some people still standing around. He said why have you been standing here the whole day long.

He said nobody hired us. And notice the difference. He did not make a contract with them. That is the essential difference. Between the new covenant and the old covenant. The old covenant is a contract.

In the new covenant it's not like that. He says go and work in my vineyard. And they never asked. How much will you pay us? What will we get? They went. They said fine. Even if we get nothing. That's okay.

In the old testament. God. People served God in a contract. And if you want to read that contract. You can see in Deuteronomy 28. The whole chapter. It says if you serve me. You obey me. I will make you prosperous.

That's a contract. That's how he said to these people. I will give you a denarius a day. Or I will bless your children. I will bless your nation. I will bless your business. I will do this. You serve me.

You obey my commandments. And I will do this for you. And other part of the contract was also. If you don't obey me. I will punish you. I will give you sickness. I will give you madness and blindness.

And all types of problems. And you will have financial difficulty etc. Everything. And as long as they obeyed God. God kept his part of the contract. And blessed them. When they disobeyed God. Again God kept his part of the contract.

And punished them. It was a contract. In the new covenant. Jesus is our forerunner. He is the perfect servant of the Lord. Servant of Jehovah. He is called the servant of Jehovah. In the book of Isaiah.

And we can ask ourselves. Since he is our forerunner. The one in whose footsteps we are to run. What contract did he make with his father? Did the father tell him. Well my son. Obey me and I will make you prosperous.

I will bless your business. Did he become the richest carpenter in Nazareth? There was no one who obeyed the father like him. And yet he had no place to lay his head. When he wanted to show them that Caesar's head was on a coin.

He didn't even have a coin in his pocket. He said can somebody please give me a coin. This is the one who obeyed the father perfectly. He never served the father for a contract. The Old Testament Levites.

God told them. You must not do any other job. You are full time workers. And all the eleven tribes. Will come and give you ten percent. Of their income. So. Eleven tribes. Give ten percent to one tribe.

Of their income. That's a hundred and ten percent. On an average. Of what. Each person gets. That means the Levites got actually more than hundred percent. On an average income. In terms of. The average of all the eleven tribes.

And. They were okay. They didn't need land or property. The people. It was a contract. You serve me. I will make everybody pay their tithes to you. And you receive the tithes. And you serve me. And when the people didn't pay their tithes.

We read in different times. When they came back from Babylon. The Levites complained. These people are not paying their tithes to us. We are not able to survive with our wives and children. I think it was Nehemiah's time.

He said you got to pay the tithes. And Malachi said. If you don't pay the tithes. I will punish you. It was a contract. And Jesus came. He never received tithes from anybody. He was a full time worker.

Nobody paid him tithes. He received gifts. We read in Luke chapter eight. Some rich women gave him gifts. And he used that to take care of his needs. And the needs of his 12 disciples. But there was no contract.

This is one of the fundamental differences. Between the Old Testament and the New Testament. And we can say that among Christians. Not only Christian workers. Among Christians. There are these two attitudes.

Towards living for God and serving God. One is on the basis of a contract. If I serve God. This is what I will get. If I live for God. I will get some benefit. You know it's like. We used to find in CFC.

Certain nominal Christians used to send their children to Sunday school. Why? Do you think those Christians. Nominal Christians wanted their children to be whole hearted disciples of Jesus? No. They wanted their children to obey their parents at home.

It was for some personal benefit. That they wanted their children to be godly. And it's possible that. You want your children to go to Sunday school. And come to church. Not because you want them to be radical disciples of Jesus.

But so that they will behave better. And respect you at home. You are under the Old Covenant. You are a father. 100 under the Old Covenant. You are not interested in your child being a radical disciple of Jesus.

In fact. Some of those nominal Christians. When they discovered that their children are becoming serious Christians. They pulled them out of Sunday school. Hey, hey we didn't want all this. We just wanted them to be well behaved at home.

So. If you examine your own life. You know. We have got to be really honest. I believe many many Christians. Never get out of the Old Covenant. Because they will not honestly admit. That the spirit of the Old Covenant is in them.

You know. God really loves honest people. A person who confesses his sin. Is immediately forgiven. Even if he is a thief on the cross. Last minute. He will go to paradise. But if you are not honest. You can go to church every day.

Like the Pharisees went to the synagogue. And go to hell. God loves honest people. And when God shows you something about yourself. And you honestly acknowledge. That's true of me Lord. You can be delivered.

But if you don't acknowledge it. You live in that state forever and ever. And that's the condition of a lot of people. It's not because they are bad or evil. It's because they are not honest. So if you examine your life.

And you find that. There is something of this contract principle. In your relationship with God. A contract principle on which you come to the meetings. Do you come to the church. For some benefit for yourself.

I don't know. Are you getting some benefit for yourself. By coming to a particular church. I am not talking about spiritual benefit. That will help you closer to God. We all want that. I am not talking about that.

But some material benefit. Some earthly benefit. Some earthly benefit for your children. You will never ever enter the new covenant. Till you finish doing business with God. See there are a lot of people today.

Who preach the gospel like this. So and so gave their tithes to my ministry. And see how God bless them. They pull up some fellow. Give your testimony. And he says I gave my tithes to this ministry. And God gave me a better job.

Or he gave me a car. Or he gave me a promotion. And multitudes of dumb Christians. Dumb, stupid, foolish Christians. Listen to that. On television or in a meeting. And say boy. They are all covetous, selfish, greedy people.

Who are interested in earthly profit. And say boy. Let me give to this ministry. I will also get a promotion. I will also get a car. What is that? Is that Christianity? That is as far removed from true Christianity.

As hell is from heaven. God is not a business man. He is not entering into a business contract with you. The old covenant has been abolished. Today the Lord says. If you love me. Keep my commandments.

And what will you get? In the world you shall have tribulation. Want it? That is not what the contract in the old testament. The old testament was. In the world you will have prosperity. Jesus said in John 16 .33.

In me you will have peace. But in the world you will have tribulation. What sort of contract is this? Have you ever heard a preacher tell people that? Come to Jesus and you will get tribulation. You want to come?

That is why people live under the old covenant. They are being deceived. Into. Making. Having. Doing business with God. And they are told if you give more. You will get more. It is something like dealing with a bank.

You know the different banks competing with each other. To offer higher interest. And these preachers saying. Hey don't give it to them. Give it to God. He will give you a much higher interest. The whole thing is business.

It is Babylon. You read in Revelation chapter 18. Babylon is a business empire. And the fundamental. Motivation in Babylon is money. So. If you. This is the difference between these two. These two groups of people.

There is one group of. Twelve o 'clock. Morning six o 'clock. Three o 'clock. Six o 'clock. Nine o 'clock. Twelve o 'clock. Three o 'clock. Four groups of people. All who made a contract. And the last group of people made no contract.

And when the time came to reward them. The owner said in verse eight. Call the laborers. And pay them. Their wages. And. The first last group came. And they got a hundred rupees. Of full days wages. And the people who came at six o 'clock in the morning.

That said that's great. If those guys got a hundred rupees for one hour. We are going to get one thousand two hundred rupees. For twelve hours. Because we work for twelve hours. And so the first people came.

And they thought they would receive more. Verse ten. And what did they get? They also got a hundred rupees. And they began to grumble. Verse eleven. Did you read that? They began to grumble. Any person who grumbles.

You can be absolutely sure. He is under the old covenant. Without any doubt. Do you grumble about something? That God has not given you? Which you think you deserve? Some prayer you prayed. And God didn't answer it.

And you have a grumbling against God. God why didn't you answer my prayer? You are under the old covenant. Because you think you deserve. I warn people. Don't ever tell God. Give me what I deserve. It's a very dangerous prayer.

You know what he will do for you? He will send you to hell. Don't ever pray that prayer. Lord give me what I deserve. I pray. Lord give me what I don't deserve. These people. These contract people felt.

I deserve. Twelve hundred rupees. If you have blessed that person so much. I deserve to be blessed more. And if you got that attitude. You look at another brother. Whom you look down upon. He is not as spiritual as me.

And he got something. I should get more. You are under the old covenant. Face up to it. You can't rejoice that that fellow got. Twelve times what you got. Even though he came so late. And you grumble.

If you grumble you are under the old covenant. If you feel you deserve. More than other believers. You are under the old covenant. If you feel you deserve anything at all. From God except hell. You are under the old covenant.

I have been a Christian forty five years. And I can say. Today. I deserve hell. But Jesus died for me. And I will never go to hell. Never. I deserve hell. Till the end of my life I deserve it. I will go to heaven and say Lord I deserve hell.

But you died for me. Jesus died for me. And I will never go there. Do you realize this? That they look down on other believers. They grumble against God. They grumble against people. All grumbling and murmuring has disappeared from my life completely.

Hundred percent. Because I have come to the new covenant. I have no contract with God. Everything is mercy. And grace. Everything. Is mercy and grace. Nothing. That I deserve. That's why my life is so happy.

My prayer is answered. I say praise the Lord. If the prayer is not answered. I say praise the Lord. Because I deserve nothing in any case. This is why you are not happy. Many people are grumpy. And they don't get something.

Which they think they deserve. And then the other thing. These people who came in the first hour. Said in verse twelve. We have worked not only one hour. We have worked twelve hours. That's another characteristic of a man under the old covenant.

They compare themselves with other believers. He is not as whole hearted as I am. He has not served God as much as I have. He is not as spiritual as I am. Definitely you are under the old covenant. They compared themselves.

And they said see how much we have sacrificed. We, verse twelve. We have borne the burden and the heat of the day. Oh ho. All those who are so aware of. How much they have sacrificed for the Lord. Ha.

Old covenant people. New covenant people never feel they have sacrificed anything for the Lord. Do you feel you have sacrificed much for the Lord? Do you feel you have sacrificed much for the church? Do you feel you have opened your home to the church?

You have suffered inconvenience for the church? You have given money to the church? Brother, sister please enter the new covenant. How long will you sit there under the old covenant? How long will you sit meditating on your sacrifices?

We have borne the burden and heat of the day. Do you complain that other people in the church. Are not taking their responsibilities and everything falls on you? I don't complain. I am tempted to think like that sometimes.

Lord why does it all fall on me? But I say I will not think like that. I will not. If you think like that you are under the old covenant. When you come to the new covenant you don't think like that. You don't say why in the world is he not taking some responsibility.

It doesn't matter. If he doesn't do it, I do it. That's all. If I have to do the work of two people, I do the work of two people. If I have to do the work of ten people, I do the work of ten people. And God will give me grace for it.

I believe that. I found that in numerous situations. I refuse to complain. Because I am not an old covenant servant. I refuse to ask. Why somebody else didn't do something. Why I have to bear the burden and heat of the day.

It doesn't even occur to me. I say Lord it's a privilege to serve you. You know. A person who lives under the law. He compares the sacrifices he has made with other people. Why aren't they sacrificing.

You know like Peter said. Lord I am going to suffer and die. What about John. In John 21. Jesus said that's none of your business. You follow me. You know people make sometimes. We were speaking earlier about.

Some sisters who remove their jewels. And they are always looking at other sisters who seem to be very happy and wearing their jewels. And it really bugs them. They should be happy. They should be miserable.

But unfortunately you are the one who is miserable. It's sad isn't it. And so I. You know to me. I will tell you. Obeying God is like eating ice cream. I just enjoy obeying God. I enjoy obeying God and taking off.

Not wearing jewelry or anything like that. That to me is like ice cream. Then you know it's real obedience to God. But if you are taking off your jewelry. Or obeying God in any other area. Is like taking a bitter medicine.

And it is like that for some people. Here are four boys. And one of them is sick. So you give them a bitter medicine. And he is upset. Why don't the others also have this bitter medicine. Why only I have to take it.

Why only I have to remove my ornaments. What about her. Brother. You better put back your ornaments. Be happy. This is the mark of people who are under the law. What they are taking is like a bitter medicine.

And they are always wondering why other people are not taking this bitter medicine. If you are doing it out of joy for the Lord. It's four cups of ice cream there. And the other three boys don't want ice cream.

Praise the Lord. I can have it all. Great. You obey God. Is it like bitter medicine. Or is it like eating ice cream. You know. If you are always looking down. Why aren't the other people doing that. Why aren't the other people doing that.

Is he taking the bitter medicine. Is she taking the bitter medicine. You are under the law. How much are they getting. Are they getting also hundred rupees like me. They shouldn't get it. But when obeying God for the new covenant person is like eating ice cream.

If they don't want it. Don't want to eat ice cream. Fine. That's okay. I enjoy it. Ask yourself. And now is the time to be honest. Okay. Let's go to the next parable. And that is. We don't want to look too much at that.

Spiritual Need in the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Because we already saw it earlier in our study on Pharisees. In Luke chapter 18. And verse 9. Jesus spoke about. The Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee and the tax collector. You know they went into the temple to pray.

Here is another parable. We looked at it quite a bit. In our study of Pharisees. Phariseeism. So we don't want to go into it in too much detail. But I just want to mention it. That the essential. In the first parable.

The difference was. Are you serving the Lord in a contract. Or voluntarily out of love. Here. The test is. Are you a self satisfied person. Or a person who has always got a sense of spiritual need in your life.

The person who is under the old covenant is satisfied with himself. I am okay. But the person who is under the new covenant. He is never satisfied with himself. There is always a sense of need in his life.

I mean he is satisfied with his material condition. He is perfectly content. In all situations. Whether God gives him. 500 rupees a month. Or 50 ,000 rupees a month. He is perfectly happy. Because he knows that God.

Determines his financial circle. He is not comparing himself with others. I am not talking about that. I am talking about spiritually. Spiritually. A new covenant Christian is never satisfied. With his progress.

Towards Christ likeness. He always feels. Oh Lord. I am a sinner. But he is not. Thinking of the same sins that he was defeated by 20 years ago. He is aware of need. In new areas. That is the point in his story.

The Pharisee says. Oh I thank God. I am ok. You know like the elder in Laodicea. I am rich and I increase goods. And I have need of nothing. That is how the Pharisee felt here. I am ok. I do all these things and I am alright.

But the other person. He beat his breast. It says in Luke 18 and verse 13. He said. Oh God be merciful to me. The sinner. The sinner. That is the literal translation. Meaning. I feel oh God there is only one sinner in the whole world.

That is me. You know a new covenant person feels like that many times in his life. When Paul said. I am the chief of sinners. In 1 Timothy 1 .15. He was not just acting humble. The closer we get to God.

The more we become aware of sin. In our life. And every now and then we get a flash of revelation of the holiness of God. Like Isaiah saw the glory of God. Isaiah was the holiest man in Israel. But one day when he saw the glory of God.

He said. Oh woe unto me. I am such an unclean man. Was he an unclean man? He was the holiest man in Israel. But he felt so unclean in God's presence. The person under the old covenant never feels like that.

He never has moments when he is floored. Have you ever had moments in your life. You feel like putting your mouth in the dust and say. Oh God. I am such a rotten sinner. He didn't commit adultery. No.

You just were a little proud somewhere. About something you accomplished. That's all. That's enough to floor a new covenant man. Or he acted just slightly selfishly somewhere. Or he spoke one rude word.

And it floors him. Oh God. I am such a sinner. That's. That's the tax collector. And he went home justified. He went home happy. That's the meaning of being poor in spirit. The first thing that Jesus said.

In the sermon on the mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of God. And to me that word. If I think of the kingdom of God. Like a huge building. With a thousand rooms in it. Like a massive hotel.

With a thousand rooms. And here is a master key. That will open every door. And give me the treasures. That are in that room. Then I can take the master key and open another room. And get all the treasures there.

And open the master key in the other room. And get the treasures there. The master key is being poor in spirit. Because Jesus said the whole kingdom of God. Belongs to that person. So it's very important to understand.

What it is to be poor in spirit. To be poor in spirit. As compared to the poverty of a beggar. Who comes to the gate. Every day and asks for money. And you know he will come back tomorrow. And he is not ashamed.

To come to your gate. Haven't you seen some beggars who come repeatedly to your gate. Asking for food. Say what about what I gave you yesterday. Oh that's finished. I am in need today. Five years later he is back at your gate again.

What about all these things I have given you all these five years. Oh that's all over. I am in need again. I learned something from these beggars. If you keep your eyes open. You can learn from everything that happens around you.

And the Lord showed me. That is how I must wait at his gate. It says in Proverbs 8 verse 34 onwards. Blessed is the man who waits at my gate. I want to wait at his gate. Every morning. Like that beggar.

Lord I am a needy person. What about the grace I gave you yesterday. Oh that was enough only for yesterday Lord. I need more today. I need power for today. I need an anointing for today. Yesterday's anointing will not do for me today.

I need it afresh. That's to be poor in spirit. And the more you see your need. You don't waste your. You don't concentrate on other people's needs. I really believe. Let me say this very lovingly. My dear brothers and sisters.

I want to say this as lovingly as I can. Many of you are defeated. Because you are concentrating so much. On the need you see in other people. You have heard me say. Forget it. Forget it for years. But you still concentrate.

On the need you see in other people. Well what can I do. You will be defeated. At least today. Why not stop that. And say Lord I don't want to see the need in other people. I want to see the need in myself.

I don't want to find fault with that person. The other person. The other person. It's none of my business. I see such a need in myself. Has any beggar come to your gate. Asking for money for another beggar.

Maybe there are some beggars like that. But I've never found one like that. They all come for themselves. Why don't we come to God like that. Have you ever heard a beggar come to your gate and say. You know I find a lot of beggars there very needy.

I'll tell you the faults of all those beggars. They don't have time to find fault with other people. They are so needy themselves. Can you give me some money. And that's why we are so spiritually rich.

Rich in our spirit. Not poor in spirit. Not spiritually rich but rich in spirit in the wrong way. And that's why we don't come like helpless beggars before God. And that's why we are so pathetic in our spiritual condition.

That's why we don't have victory. We don't come like beggars asking for grace. And that's the message in this parable. He went home justified. He went home happy. He went home declared righteous by God.

He went home as an overcomer. Because he said Lord I'm the sinner. It's so difficult for people to say that. I've seen very often in conflicts between believers. Husband and wife. Where is the person who will say I'm the sinner.

Everybody like Adam points the finger at the other person and say he's the sinner. She's the sinner. I'm okay. It never goes well with such a person. It never goes well spiritually with such a person.

Never. There's a curse on that type of life. Where you put the blame on other people. That's an old covenant way. In the new covenant. Here is the picture Jesus presented. I'm a needy person. Lord be merciful to me the sinner.

That's how Abraham felt when he saw God. That's how Job felt when he met with God. That's how John felt when he met with God. That's how Peter felt. He said depart from me Lord I'm a sinful man. So they asked you have you ever felt like Paul said.

Oh wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from this wretched flesh. Oh I'm the chief of sinners. Any man who is walking with Jesus will have such experiences. Not every day. But quite frequently.

Do you have such experiences? Where you feel you're the greatest sinner on earth. I believe that's one test. Of whether you're walking with God. There are times when you feel you're the greatest sinner on the face of the earth.

Like Isaiah felt. Like Job felt. Like John felt. Like Paul felt. These are the greatest men of God in the Bible. They felt like that. They felt so small, so rotten. Because they had come into the presence of a holy God.

As I said they were not feeling sorry for sins. They were not committing the same sins they committed 20 years ago. You know when you take an example of students studying mathematics. If you ask a second standard boy.

Are you struggling with your maths son? He says yes I'm struggling with maths. You ask a 10th standard boy. Are you struggling with maths? He says yes I'm struggling with maths. But he's not struggling with the same addition and subtraction and division that he struggled with in 10th standard.

No he's struggling with calculus. Or something else. And you ask a PhD in mathematics. Are you struggling with maths? He says oh yeah I'm struggling with maths. He's not struggling with what the fellow is struggling with in 10th standard.

They're all struggling. But they're struggling at different levels. And so the person who's walking closest to God is also struggling with sin. But not the same dirty old sins. This new convert is struggling with.

He's not struggling with anger and lust and bitterness. No he's finished with that long ago. He's finished with addition and subtraction and multiplication long ago. He's struggling with 10th standard stuff, with PhD stuff.

But he's a struggle. And when Paul said I'm the chief of sinners. He wasn't talking about being bitter and lusting after women. He was talking about much higher things. When Jesus was struggling against temptation in the garden of Gethsemane.

What do you think he was struggling against? Do you think he was struggling with the lust of the eyes? Rubbish. He was struggling to deny his own will. So what I want to say is. Christian growth is manifested in more and more awareness.

Of our sin. And that is the mark of a man who walks in the new covenant. Led by the spirit. When we are led by the spirit we became aware of our need. More and more and more and more. When we are led by the spirit we don't make contracts with God.

We do everything out of love voluntarily. Then we go to parable number 3. Or number 9 in our total list. Luke's gospel chapter 7. Luke's gospel chapter 7 and verse 31. Another parable that Jesus spoke on legalism.

Maturity Versus Childish Legalism

Jesus said. To what shall I compare the men of this generation? And what are they like? He was talking about the legalists. Who surrounded him. The Pharisees and all the people under the old covenant.

He said how shall I compare this generation? They are like children. They are not mature. First of all. Old covenant people act like children. They talk like children. They get offended like children.

They fight like children. They are interested in childish things. They are like children. They complain about little things. They fight about little things. They are like children. New covenant people are like mature adults.

Paul said. Once upon a time I was a child. I spoke like a child. I talked like a child. But now I have grown up. I put away all those childish ways. He said in 1 Corinthians 13. And the mark of a new covenant man.

He has put away childish way of speaking. And childish way of fighting. And childish way of doing things. He is a mature man. And you and I know the difference between the way children behave. And adults behave.

So he said. This generation is like children. And they are like children. Who sit in the market place. And they are saying to one another. Hey. We played the flute. And you should have danced. But you don't dance.

And then we sang a dirge. Which means like a sorrowful funeral song. And you did not weep. In other words. You must dance to my tune. Hey. When I play the flute. I am happy. You must dance. Then I now change my note.

And I sing a sorrowful song. You must start weeping. And you don't do that. I am unhappy with you. And then he says. Explains what he means. John the Baptist came. He didn't eat any bread. He didn't drink any wine.