Fairness vs God's Grace - The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

Moore's Corner Church

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:00

So turn to the gospel of Matthew chapter 20 Matthew chapter 20, we'll read verses 1 through 16 in a moment.

00:08

I Think most people would probably say that life isn't fair But something that comes up in this parable is the accusation

00:19

Really that God isn't fair. So Matthew 21 through 16

00:25

This passage is known as the parable of the vineyard workers The landowner in this parable clearly represents the

00:35

Lord. So why is there this? Accusation have you ever heard someone say that God isn't fair.

00:41

Maybe you've thought that But why this accusation against God? Well We'll read and address that question and others but here in Matthew 20

00:50

Jesus is teaching his disciples About the kingdom of heaven. So let's hear what he says

00:56

Matthew 20 starting in verse 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire

01:06

Laborers for his vineyard now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day

01:13

He sent them into his vineyard and he went out about the third hour and saw others

01:19

Standing idle in the marketplace and said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right

01:27

I will give you so they went and again He went out about the 6th and the 9th hour and did likewise

01:35

And about the 11th hour he went out and found others standing idle and said to them

01:41

Why have you been standing here idle all day and they said to him because no one has hired us

01:47

And he said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive

01:55

So when evening had come the owner of the vineyard said to his steward call the laborers and give them their wages beginning with the last to the first and when those came

02:10

Who were hired about the 11th hour? They each received a denarius But when the first came they supposed that they would receive more and they likewise

02:21

Received each a denarius and when they had received it

02:26

They complained against the landowner saying these last men have worked only one hour

02:33

And you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day But he answered one of them and said friend.

02:41

I'm doing you no wrong Did you not agree with me for a denarius take what is yours and go your way

02:49

I Wish to give to this last man the same as you is it not lawful for me to do what

02:57

I want With my own things or is your evil or is your eye evil because I am good

03:05

So the last will be first and the first last For many are called but few are chosen

03:15

Okay, so what is this parable trying to get across? The main point

03:20

I think of the parable is speaks about the equality that will exist in The life to come so this really isn't about vineyards

03:29

It's not about you know the proper pay for day laborers Jesus is trying to teach them a spiritual lesson the person who serves

03:38

God For one hour so to speak ends up the same as the person who has served

03:45

God all their life Or excuse me all day So here's here's the comparison people who have loved and served

03:53

God from a very early age Let's say somebody's been a Christian for 50 years 60 years 70 years they get the same eternal life as the person who

04:04

Came to faith in the last week of their life. You know you think of the thief on the cross he probably

04:12

Lived what a matter of minutes, maybe an hour before he died is is that fair?

04:19

You think about that someone from a very early age. They're serving God they've they've devoted so much time and effort into into living a godly life and serving him and giving money and Going on missions trips and doing all this stuff for the

04:34

Lord, and maybe they pile up all these works They get the same eternal life as the guy the felon in the prison cell who repents

04:43

The last hour of his life is that fair some would say That's not fair, and there's all sorts of people who look at the grace of God, and they they think yeah

04:54

This isn't right. This isn't the way it should be because we Usually we're on systems of merit

05:00

You know you got to earn what you get and the gospel is something very different the gospel is all about God's Generous grace, so do we see

05:10

I think what the parable is about that that spiritual lesson does everyone understand that? Is God does that make

05:18

God unfair I? Don't think so So let's just go over these verses, and I think there's other spiritual lessons to learn verse one

05:26

He says for the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire

05:32

Laborers for his vineyard so sometimes you'll see that Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God So in the other

05:39

Gospels he says the kingdom of God, but in Matthew's gospel He says kingdom of heaven so the term kingdom of heaven is unique to Matthew's gospel.

05:49

It's a Jewish audience so he's probably using the term heaven instead of God so as Not to risk using

05:57

God's name in vain the Jews are very careful about using the name God So if you say heaven instead of God it was to appeal to Jewish Sensibilities most likely but kingdom of heaven kingdom of God Most agree is is probably the same thing so the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner

06:16

So the landowner clearly represents God I don't think there's any question about that parables can be a little difficult to interpret sometimes people think there's you know

06:26

There's one message One main point for every parable and then others see multiple points

06:32

And then well does each character represent someone or something else sometimes that's clear other times not so much

06:40

But here there is I think a clear spiritual lesson verse 2 now when they had agreed

06:46

With the laborers or the landowner when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard

06:54

Now what is a denarius? This is one day's pay What's the average day's pay today?

07:01

I mean, I don't know hundred dollars hundred and twenty dollars Maybe more maybe less but a denarius was a a

07:09

Good day's pay it was a fair arrangement We could say a day labor back then just as today.

07:17

There are still places where you can go Maybe not around here, but you know down you know down towards the border

07:24

Maybe more likely you'll see this there are certain places where day laborers all you know meet together early in the morning

07:31

And then the employers come along and they'll select so many people and they'll work for that day, so okay

07:37

Here's the agreement you'll work for eight hours ten hours twelve hours. I'll pay this okay good

07:42

Let's go. I mean it was it's that simple so it happened back then it happens today So you notice they agreed on the wage.

07:50

They knew what they were getting into I'll work for this 12 -hour day for a denarius and that was the going rate so everything is above board

07:59

Verse 3 and he the landowner went out about the third hour so he hires them and then throughout the day.

08:06

Maybe there's More work that needs to be done. You know we're not going to get everything finished We need to bring in a few more people so the landowner goes out and he he hires some more people

08:16

Different periods throughout the day the third hour he sees people standing idle So he says to them you also go and I'll pay you whatever is right, and they went notice

08:26

They don't even agree on a price They're just happy to receive some work, and they trust the landowner that whatever they get will be fair Okay, so the word fair is going to come up a lot and by the way if you look up the word fair in the

08:41

Bible It's going to be like fairness as in someone is very fair to look at so if you're looking up that word in the

08:48

Bible It's going to have a different meaning. What's another word for fair? Just okay, so we're talking about what is right.

08:56

What is just? What is fair, okay? So verse 5 and he went out again the 6th hour and the 9th hour and did likewise and about the 11th hour

09:07

He went out and found other standing idols, so this would be a 12 -hour work day

09:14

And at least this one person or group gets hired at the last day

09:19

So how long does this last group have to work? one hour

09:26

Okay, so you get some people working 12 hours some people working one hour and Then when the day was over in verse 8

09:34

That's when everyone would receive their money after they worked and remember the landowner represents who?

09:42

God the Lord okay, so the call to come and work in the vineyard logically the vineyard

09:49

It's symbolic for the kingdom or we would just say it's symbolic for Heaven it's symbolic for eternal life, so there are some people who are called they respond to the call

10:02

Just like many people today They they hear the gospel and they respond right people respond and they believe and they get baptized and all the rest

10:10

But when the landowner hands out the wages he does something intentional in verse 8

10:17

So look at verse 8 so when evening had come the owner of the vineyard said to his steward call

10:22

The laborers and give them their wages beginning with the first to the last so this is done on purpose

10:31

For for a reason of course Jesus is all he's teaching this to prove a point

10:37

So verse 9 when the people who only worked one hour when they got $120 or whatever right what logically then those who worked all day, what did they assume?

10:50

Yeah, I mean if this guy gets gets 120 bucks for working one hour I work 12, so you know you do the math in your head.

10:57

I should be getting a lot of money That's what they thought you know. That's maybe a reasonable thing to assume

11:05

But what happens? Well did they receive a fair wage?

11:12

Yeah, because it's what they agreed to you know today we Yeah, especially living in you know this country

11:21

We have it so good compared to other people in the world, and you know I think sometimes we feel

11:27

And maybe this is just human nature. Maybe has nothing to do with living here, but you know we feel like hey

11:33

I deserve more. I you know I feel entitled. I I should get more than this person.

11:39

I worked harder I deserve more you ever felt like that. I'm sure at your job. You feel like hey

11:44

I deserve more and maybe you do But this is a spiritual lesson about eternal life so verse 9 when those

11:53

Came who were hired about the 11th hour they each received a denarius, but when the first came yeah

11:59

It says they supposed that they would receive more so They're expecting who knows how much but definitely more than the guy who worked an hour, but when they get the same amount

12:11

What's their response? Well they're upset they're angry this isn't fair this isn't right and they start

12:17

Grumbling against the landowner so this represents people who would do what they would grumble against the grace of God Do people grumble against God's grace?

12:30

I mean, I don't know that I've ever seen it, but Maybe the Lord saved somebody who just doesn't deserve it somebody who's lived an immoral life

12:40

Somebody's who's done this and that and God saves that person and maybe you know the the saint who's been faithful 60 years and Lord.

12:50

Why did you save him? I don't know if people do that, but I assume it's a big world somebody has would that be right to look down on the person

12:58

That God has redeemed It wouldn't be right But it's human nature, so this is a spiritual lesson who are the ones complaining well

13:08

Matthew Henry well -known commentator I just want to read what he wrote the direct object and this might not be obvious just by reading the parable

13:16

But he says the direct object of the parable seems to be to show that Though the

13:23

Jews were called Into the vineyard first the gospel should also be preached to the

13:30

Gentiles that they should be admitted to equal privileges and Advantages with the

13:36

Jews okay, so that's Matthew Henry's take on the parable So let me ask you in the four

13:42

Gospels Matthew Mark Luke and John when sinners start coming to Jesus Were there people that complained about that?

13:50

Who are they? Okay, Pharisees Sadducees scribes religious leaders of Israel So the religious leaders of Judaism when they saw

14:01

Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners or when Jesus There are a few times in this ministry.

14:08

He seemed to show grace To the Gentiles I mean this made many of the

14:13

Jews Upset because you know we're God's people you see so you know we're the ones

14:19

God called to the vineyard first You know these people are not worthy. They're they're

14:24

Gentiles. They're dogs. They're They're sinners, so they thought they were Entitled so when the the

14:31

Pharisees in particular saw that tax collectors and prostitutes were We're coming to faith in the

14:38

Messiah whether they believe Jesus was the Messiah or not some did most didn't They thought that this wasn't right

14:46

They why because they were unworthy now if you think someone else is unworthy. What do you have to think of yourself?

14:53

You know Yeah, logically if someone is unworthy that means I am worthy now is anyone worthy before God See that you have the wrong way of looking at this from the start

15:06

But that was the common attitude back then we'll try to make some application to the way things are now

15:12

But it was a common attitude and then later when the Apostles started preaching the gospel to the

15:17

Gentiles who was it that complained Well if you look at Paul's ministry the people who are trying to kill the

15:24

Apostle Paul it was the religious The religious Jews I have to say this just so nobody misunderstands when a pastor talks about you know the

15:33

Jews or the religious Jews This has nothing to do with Jewish people today like you're right.

15:39

This is not has nothing to do with Antisemitism, I mean you will find that evangelical

15:44

Christians, and you know independent Baptists and yeah Bible believers We tend to be some of the most pro -israel people in the world, so this is nothing against Jewish people, but it was the religious

15:57

Jews of Jesus Day The Scribes and Pharisees in particular yeah, they were they were filled with pride

16:03

They thought they were worthy and see we don't want to have that attitude You know maybe

16:08

I was brought up in a Christian home Or I've been you know I've been a Christian since I was a little kid or I've done all of these things and we start

16:15

To think that we are worthy and other people are not and we can look down on others when we see that God Saves others or uses others.

16:25

Maybe God uses some other people more powerfully than than us You know we can become you know jealous or even even bitter so that might be the application today

16:38

Maybe you've been a Christian for a long time when you see the Lord using others

16:43

Maybe who are new converts? Maybe who have come from a rough background don't pass judgment on them.

16:51

We should rejoice Right I mean really these these day laborers who work the 12 hours when they saw that the guy again

16:59

This is totally against human nature And I don't know if I would have done it in that situation But when you see the guy working for one hour getting a denarius you should be happy for them

17:10

But that's not really the way it goes is it so the

17:18

Pharisees if that's who Jesus has in mind You know in their minds

17:23

God called us and not them you know we were the ones God originally called to the vineyard

17:29

But when the Lord showed his grace upon sinners and then Gentiles They turned on him and they turned on the apostles.

17:40

How do you say they turned on God? They believed in God no when God came to them incarnate in the person of Jesus.

17:47

What did they do to him? They they crucified him and this was especially true with Paul I mean if they could have crucified

17:55

Paul they would have But Paul was a Roman citizen so that that was illegal, but when

18:01

Paul it's interesting if you read the book of Acts I never really noticed this before but Paul would often talk to the

18:07

Jews about Jesus and they were open to hearing it and they're open to the idea that even

18:14

Jesus was the Messiah some of these Jewish groups living throughout Europe or Asia Minor, but when

18:21

Paul said that God's grace was going to go to the Gentiles they just absolutely came unglued

18:29

And they persecuted Paul and even conspired to have him murdered all because they thought so highly of Themselves and what are they grumbling against they're grumbling against God's generous grace

18:45

This isn't something that we think about today the difference between Jew and Gentile But today, you know people are divided in in other ways

18:55

We should be happy when no matter who it is that God saves no matter who it is that God Works through you know,

19:02

I think maybe 20 years ago and this still exists to some degree

19:09

Christians, you know in Jews back then but you know today Christians and Muslims There's a lot of tensions between Christians and Muslims.

19:17

So I think there probably would have been and maybe are Some Christians that doesn't want to see

19:23

God save people from the Muslim world Or maybe you know, we had a bias against the

19:30

Soviet Union. We don't want to see God save Russians or we we don't think God could use them or Whatever group it is if there's any sort of bias towards the people group

19:40

We have to try to think in those terms. We should be happy when God saves or uses anyone you agree with that because if you don't

19:50

The only other option is to think well, I'm more worthy than they are and you know

19:57

That's not how grace works is it? What does grace require

20:04

Faith Does grace cost anything? Can you you can't work for it?

20:11

You can't earn it So that these are all the lessons that hopefully they were learning that we can learn

20:16

From this and what does the Bible say that Jesus, you know, God so loved for this is the verse everyone knows

20:22

John 3 16 God so loved the the whole world. So that's everybody Jew Greek American Russian Chinese Canadian even the

20:32

Canadians, you know, God loves them, too The French even the

20:37

French But Jesus gave the Great Commission to make disciples of all the nations

20:45

So we just need to make sure we don't have any of these biases And of course we do some some people do and it's again human nature.

20:54

All right back to the parable verse 11 So those who worked all day When they had received it they complained

21:02

Against the landowner saying these last men have worked only one hour

21:08

And you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day

21:14

So this isn't just a Statement or an observation. I mean this is an accusation

21:21

They didn't come out and say you're being unfair. But I mean that is what they're getting at They're showing their disrespect if not their contempt and remember this is

21:33

God the land So this is people who show contempt or disrespect towards the Lord and what he does

21:40

Verse 13, but he answered one of them said friend. I'm doing you no wrong Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

21:50

Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as You So I believe with this statement the

22:01

Lord gives people a chance To Rethink their response. I mean we have all sorts of wrong attitudes and the wrong way of looking at things you know that that's true for all of us and Christianity and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

22:17

It's a lifelong process of us You know having the mind of Christ. So hopefully these wrong thoughts and wrong attitudes

22:25

Over time we we learn and we we grow but we need to be open to it so I think

22:31

God gives them a chance in the parable if you want to look at it that way that God gives them a chance to To change instead of calling his justice into question look how he responds in verse 15

22:44

Is it not lawful for me to do? What I wish with my own things or is your eye evil because I am good and that's really what this was showing

22:55

It's showing the goodness of God and the depravity of man Okay, God is good

23:01

Mankind is not so good. Man is grumbling against God. But what God did was Good now, was it fair?

23:09

Was it fair? There's somebody who are thinking well, no, it wasn't fair, but you don't want to say that right?

23:16

We're all thinking it, right? But you know, it represents God because so you don't want to say that which is a good thing.

23:23

Okay Is it fair? Well, here's the thing grace Grace isn't really about fairness grace is about grace

23:35

So yeah, is it fair that the person who has served God their entire life gets the same?

23:43

And listen people who do work for the Lord do get a greater reward, you know, so rewards are different We're talking about eternal life, but the person who serves

23:51

God for 70 years They get the same eternal life as the guy who repents in his last

23:58

Week of his life. Is that fair? Well, maybe it's not fair, but it's grace and I love the grace of God I'm thankful for the grace of God because I don't deserve the grace of God and and nobody does here's another thing

24:12

That's not fair. It's not really fair that Jesus had to die on the cross for all of your sin

24:19

I mean, that's not really fair. I mean if you really want justice, what would that mean?

24:24

Well, you're gonna pay for your own sin. See that would be fair.

24:30

So we don't actually want fairness We want grace So we receive eternal life.

24:36

Praise God. We are thankful for eternal life when we see someone else. Oh, well, you know, not them not them

24:43

Lord There's I'm sure there's somebody in this room You can think somebody is thinking of another person.

24:51

I don't want God to save this person I mean, I want God to save people but not that one person

24:59

Again not gonna admit to that Maybe nobody here thinks that I hope not but people do right people think this way

25:07

So we don't really want fair. It's not really about fairness. It's about grace

25:14

God Can do and besides God can do whatever he wants to do. I love this verse I quoted it a few weeks ago

25:19

Psalm 115 verse 3 Our God is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases.

25:28

I Love that. Do you love that as much as me? I don't know Romans 9 20 warns about the person who would grumble against God or accuse

25:38

God Remember what Paul says who are you? Oh man to reply against God, whatever

25:44

God decides to do, you know, who are we to Grumble and complain about that.

25:53

I talked a few weeks ago about people who are angry at God. There's a grumbling against God Whatever it is, you know and people have gone through Very difficult situations as a pastor as fellow

26:05

Christians when people go through hard times, you know If you believe God is sovereign you think well

26:10

God could have prevented this God could have changed that God could have done God could have intervened and and spared this person or Caused this to turn out differently and sometimes that causes people to blame

26:23

God for things that took place It's really not God who is to blame though We do live in a fallen world under the curse is life fair No life isn't fair, but there is a life to come and in the life to come

26:38

Everyone is going to receive that grace Everyone is going to live in a world

26:45

That will just go on forever where there is no pain suffering or envy or comparing yourself with others

26:51

See, that's what we need to keep focused on not What's in this life? But I get it.

26:58

It can be easy to grumble against God something happened again It's human nature, but I like how the

27:05

Lord responds to this group. That's grumbling notice what he calls them. He calls them friend

27:13

That shows I believe God's good nature towards all men And then Jesus ends the parable with this interesting statement in verse 16

27:21

And maybe you read through the whole parable and you're okay. I I see what's going on here I understand this but it's this last statement that makes you scratch your head

27:31

He says so the last will be first in the first last, okay I mean that we get that's the equality in the life to come that that's not that hard to understand

27:41

But it's this last statement for many are called but few are what? Okay, many are called but few are chosen

27:51

What does that mean? Well, there is a difference between being called and Chosen I mean

27:57

Jesus preached all throughout the nation of Israel everybody who hurt who heard Jesus preach they were called

28:04

Okay, the Apostles went out and preached the gospel Throughout the known world everyone who hears the gospel is what?

28:13

called but few are actually chosen Just an example

28:20

Judas was called Judas was not just called by hearing the gospel Judas was called to be an apostle

28:28

Was Judas chosen? Judas was not Among the chosen the chosen are those who?

28:36

heed the call and endure in the faith many are called but few are chosen the ones who are chosen and I'm We're not going to get into this thing with God from the foundation of the world and then it raises 50 different questions

28:52

Then we're not getting sidetracked with all of that, but those who are chosen are those who understand

28:58

God's grace Maybe you understand it's not about fairness, but it's about grace. I believe it

29:04

I receive it the called and the chosen are those who humbly receive the gospel understanding that salvation is a free gift apart from human merit because Most people even most people

29:19

I think who identify as Christian they think it's about working, right? Hey, I've done so much.

29:25

I've done this for so long. I've given so much money I've done so many good works and you just ask people, you know

29:31

Why are you gonna be led into heaven and they start going through the list of things?

29:36

They they think it's a merit -based system, right? Is it a merit -based system? I was listening to a guy

29:42

We'll just call him a world ruler and I'm not saying this to be critical I actually agreed with a lot of what he said.

29:49

I like that He's saying it but he's talking about the importance of religion and he says it's very important That we have religion in this country and that Christianity, you know, it's very important to the culture

30:01

But he said, you know religion gives people hope and up until that point I was on board and then he said

30:07

Religion gives hope if you're good You're going to heaven and if you're not good you're going to this other place over there

30:17

And it struck me the first thing that jumped out at me is he it's funny how he mentioned heaven

30:23

But he wouldn't mention like the other place by name, but okay But yeah, if you're good you're going to heaven and you know

30:32

That's the way most people think see this parable is taking that idea and just throwing it into the garbage

30:38

It's not about how hard you work. It's not about how long you work It's about did you make that agreement with the landowner?

30:47

Did you make that agreement with God that you will put your faith in his only begotten Son see at the end of the day?

30:54

It's not what you do That gets you to heaven. It's who you trust it in.

30:59

It's that agreement that Covenant So whether someone has worked for 12 hours, you know their whole life or just the last hour

31:07

It's did you make that agreement with the landowner because everybody is getting the same

31:13

Eternal life so we got the parable It's all about God's generous

31:21

Grace, so just a few closing points God's kingdom. It really does seem like it's an upside -down kingdom

31:29

It's not what you would expect but that's because the world is upside down not God's kingdom Okay, everything is backwards in this world

31:36

So this parable highlights that God's kingdom operates differently from worldly Expectations.

31:45

It's not about equal compensation for equal work again. It's about the generosity in grace of God it also reminds us that we should rejoice when others are blessed

31:58

When you see someone blessed be happy for them Also try to avoid comparisons if you are constantly comparing yourself to other people

32:09

You're just never going to be happy be thankful for what you have You know godliness with contentment is what?

32:18

Great gain. Yeah, but this other person got this much and they they don't deserve it again.

32:23

That might be true in in you know the world system, but be thankful for what

32:28

God has blessed you with and Then finally don't judge others who maybe you think are undeserving and don't judge latecomers into the kingdom

32:43

Don't ever think that you're more worthy than Someone else and finally most important for those who have believed that heaven is something that can be earned

32:53

I'd say the majority they think heaven is something that is because of what I do

32:58

If that describes anyone listening today, it's time to embrace God's Generous grace.

33:06

Oh, but I want justice and I'm fighting for justice You know that all the Christians today fighting for social just you don't want justice

33:15

Because if you got justice you would have to pay for all your sins But we thank

33:20

God and praise God that he paid for all of our sin on The cross let's pray and father we thank you for the greatest gift of all and that is your grace

33:32

Lord we just ask that if there's someone here today who is Struggling.

33:38

Maybe they really Have been dealt a bad hand in life Lord. This world is not fair It's been corrupted by the the world the flesh and the devil and father

33:49

We do have compassion for people going through difficulties people who have been treated unfairly in this world that has happened

33:58

But Lord you it's not about fairness It's about your love your mercy and your grace and we thank you that it is extended to all

34:08

So if there's someone listening today who has never received the gospel of grace

34:13

Knowing that it's not by works of righteousness, which we have done But it's according to his mercy

34:20

Lord that you have saved us I pray that they would receive that free gift of salvation Even now and we thank you for in advance in Jesus name.