Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers, Part 8 of 28

TEXT: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' 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 who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they murmured against the landlord, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you 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, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen" (Matthew 19:30 - 20:16).

IDEA: God gives us the gift of work in His vineyard.

PURPOSE: For listeners to appreciate that God is generous in giving us His work to do.

Listen to a part of the parable that Jesus told, then tell me what you know about the owner of the vineyard. Read Matthew 20:1-7:

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' "

I. Why did the owner hire those workers standing in the center of town?

It was harvest time and he needed workers to pick his grapes. Therefore the workers meet a need for the owner to get in his harvest.

Does that motive explain the eleventh hour workers?

"No one would hire them" (Matthew 20:7). The contrast is between being idle and being hired.

Is "idleness" desirable? Is it the same as saying, "We had the day off"? Idleness can be overcome only if someone intervenes to hire them.

Why do you think this owner hired these men with only an hour left in the day?

The hiring meets the needs of the workers. It met the need of ALL of the workers. Being hired by the vineyard owner is a desirable situation that you can see by comparing those hired last and those hired first.

II. God shows His generosity by allowing us to work in His vineyard.

Seeking God's kingdom is a benefit to God and to us. We're doing the work He wants us to do, but it is also a benefit to us.