Text: Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the
morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for
the day and sent them into his vineyard.
“About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace
doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay
you whatever is right.’ So they went.
“He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same
thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around.
He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
“’Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the
workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on
to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a
denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more.
But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began
to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only
one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the
burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you
agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who
was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with
my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Let’s suppose that this past Friday Daktronics announced to all employees: Starting
Monday all wages will be the same for all workers. That means that the janitors,
secretaries, line workers, engineers and supervisors will all receive exactly the same
salary. How many workers do you think would show up for work on Monday? How many
would quit their job at Daktronics and look for new jobs.
This is what happened to the people Jesus describes in the parable of the workers in
the vineyard in our text. Some had started work at 6:00 am, others at 9:00 am, others at
noon, others at 3:00 pm and still others at 5:00 pm. The last group hired worked only for
an hour. Yet, all received the same amount of money, one denarius, the usual pay for a
day’s work.
What a strange parable? What is Jesus telling us? Jesus wants us to know that
working for him, that is, living for him in his kingdom, is totally different from anything else
we do in life. He wants us to realize that no matter how hard our lives may be, what
problems we may have, how little people might give us recognition for what we do, it is
always:
THE SHEER JOY OF SWEATING FOR THE LORD
1. Working in his vineyard
2. Working at different tasks and responsibilities
3. Working for the joy of serving
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the
morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.” The Jews loved their vineyards. The
vineyards produced grapes for wine. That was important because the water was
undrinkable. By mixing wine in it made the water drinkable. So the Jews gave a lot of
attention in growing a nice vineyard. In Isaiah, God calls the church of believers his
vineyard. He loves you and cares about you. It cost him the life of his Son to make you
part of his vineyard and bring you under the rule of his love. You are not only called
God’s vineyard, but in our text Jesus says God asks you to work in that vineyard. In
Jeremiah God complains about unfaithful pastors who destroyed his vineyard. In Psalm
80 a boar from the forest is pictured coming into the vineyard tearing out the vines and
destroying it. So Satan tears into God’s vineyard. God has called you and me to protect,
encourage and strengthen our fellow Christians, and keep them close to the Lord in his
vineyard, connected to his love, and also bring others into the kingdom. This is the
highest privilege on earth.
Now look at the landowner as he hires people to work for him in his vineyard. Some
are hired at 6 am, some at 9 am, others at noon, afternoon, even at 5 pm. These different
times picture the different times of life God calls people to believe in him. Some, like the
thief on the cross, are called in the 11th hour. Others, like most of us, have been
privileged to be Christians all their lives. That means you boys and girls who were
baptized as babies, who attend Sunday school, and maybe even LES. God has already
called you to work in his vineyard, called you to encourage other Christian kids, to pray for
your Mom and Dad, to live for Jesus in whatever you do. Whether young or old, be happy
if God has given you a full life in which to serve.
There are also different jobs which the Lord gives. Some of them aren’t easy. Picture
yourself in the vineyard of our text again. Do you see that person over there digging out
that huge rock? Or that person pulling weeds? Or that one there digging holes for new
vines. But, over there, someone is sitting under the vine doing nothing, or so it seems.
But actually he has already put in a lot of hard work. And there is a person carefully
trimming the vine. His work looks easy, but he has the skill and know-how to do it
correctly. How easy it is to look over the row and see what others are doing and be
jealous of their positions in the vineyard. The position God has given you at this moment
seems so hard. You sweat, you ache, and the sun is so hot. Yes, you struggle, you who
are living without a loved one. Yes, you struggle you who are praying for children who
have forgotten their Lord. Yes, you struggle with a marriage partner who is not holding up
his or her end. Yes, you struggle to live for Christ when there are so many around you
who are not. But Jesus didn’t say, “Take up your pillow and follow me.” He said, “Take
up your cross and follow me.” Life in God’s vineyard is not sitting under some shady
vine, drinking cool lemonade and listening to music. It’s blood, sweat and tears. It’s
prayers, rejection and struggle. It cost you nothing to become a Christian, but it will cost
you everything to remain a Christian.
But now it’s time to go home from the vineyard. The sun is setting. It’s been a hard
day. Your hands are blistered, your clothes are dirty, your back is sore and you’re tired.
As you walk to the landowner to get paid, you see others looking as fresh as a daisy.
They only worked a few hours, some only one. You watch as they get paid - one
denarius. You expect to get paid more. But, much to your surprise and anger, you only
get one denarius, the same as those who worked only one hour. What’s going on here?
This isn’t fair! But remember God’s kingdom is different from anything else you
experience. In life you get paid, recognized and rewarded for what you do. It’s not that
way in the kingdom of heaven. You don’t work for rewards, you work for the sheer joy of
working for the One who lived for you, died for you, and opened up a path to your Father’s
love. You don’t claim some special “in” with God because you worked harder and longer
in his kingdom.
Sometimes I think that this whole parable was written for hard working kingdom
workers. You’re zealous for the Lord. You try to raise your children right. You stretch
your offerings to the Lord. You volunteer for work at church. You read your Bible, your
devotions. You pray for those in need. It’s so easy to look over the row and see others
who are taking it easy, while you’re bearing the heat of the day. No one seems to notice
all your work. No one bothers to thank you. You want attention, but then think of Jesus’
words, “The first will be last and the last will be first.” The person who is lazy and
leans on the shovel tries to justify his laziness. The person who works hard wants more
attention and wants others to do their fair share. Both are losing sight of God’s grace and
looking to their works.
To reach a point in life where we sweat for the Lord without worrying about recognition
can only come from being amazed by God’s grace and being able to say, “For to me, to
live is Christ.” Lord Jesus, give us that joy in our lives.