Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers, Part 9 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 two gifts: work and wages.

PURPOSE: To help listeners understand that God is generous in giving us work to do and a reward for doing it.

It's clear in the Scriptures that we are to love God. But do you think that most Christians like God?

For example, when Christ calls us into His service, why do you think most of us even consider the assignment?

I. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, what do we learn from the first part of the story about the vineyard owner?

He was gracious in giving the idle workers work to do.

[This is basically a review of the previous program.]

II. Listen to the second part of the parable in Matthew 20:8-16:

"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."

What do you know about the vineyard owner?

Do you think that the vineyard owner acted according to a contract with most of the workers?

If he were simply working on a contract basis, then what would each of the workers have received?

What would the last workers expect to receive, since they worked only one hour of the day? What was the owner obligated to pay?

What is it about the vineyard owner's character that emerges? He was generous.

He wasn't merely interested in getting the harvest picked. He was concerned about the workers. He gave them work and He gave them a generous wage.

He is as concerned with his workers as he is with his harvest.

III. Does a realization that God is exceedingly generous to those who serve Him provide a motivation for being in His service?

What keeps us from thinking of God in this way?