Exodus 17:1-7/1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5/St Matthew 20:1-16
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
The main point of the parable is that entrance into the kingdom comes by grace. The workers are rewarded for work they did not perform. This is hardly a surprise for us; in fact, we practically expect it.
Whether its for a grade or for work, we assume that by simply showing up we deserve a prize. This is not just an American phenomenon or an entitlement mentality of a certain generation. This is the way of all men, for it is the way of our flesh. It was why Israel grumbled against the Lord in the wilderness; testing Him. We are no different.
This same sort of expectation and entitlement applies to the Gospel as well. I fear that it is even worse. We may have crossed over the line drawn by Bonhoeffer into “cheap grace.” I fear that we are guilty of not only making grace cheap, but expecting it, assuming it as a right or an entitlement, as though God owes us salvation. Repent.
This is what was wrong with the workers who worked all day and grumbled. They thought they were entitled to more. They weren’t asking for grace, but for justice. They thought they deserved to be rewarded. Thus their eyes were evil. Their eyes were evil because the master of the house was good.
We come along and think we are entitled to grace; that is simply what is just. We point the finger and say, “I am not as bad as the drug pusher on the corner or the prostitute down the street.” Swedish Lutheran, Bishop Bo Giertz, wrote, “By nature we are all Pharisees. That is, we tend to be legalistic, self-righteous snobs. We know when we shine brightly, and we like to remember our shining moments. We think people ought to recognize us for these shining moments and are offended when they don’t. We think it’s unfair if others, who have done much less, are given preference over us. And since God is to be the final judge, we feel that He, if anyone, should judge us fairly, according to our merits and skillfulness.” (To Live with Christ, Kindle loc 2285).
Again, repent. This parable is a warning. God isn’t like you. He doesn’t think the way you think. His ways are not your ways. And He doesn’t owe you, or anyone, anything. You justly deserve His temporal and eternal punishment.
For reasons all His own, however, He loves you and welcomes you into His kingdom - not for free, but at the cost of the bloody, torturous death of His beloved Son. This is the essence of the Gospel: The Lord rewards those who don’t deserve it. He loves those who hate and abuse Him. He gives gifts to those who steal from Him. He is generous, merciful, and good despite you.
We tend to think, “God helps those who help themselves.” Work hard, be honest (at least most of the time), keep your nose to the grindstone, and God will reward you. That axiom may suit our daily lives. Then again, it may not. Plenty of folks follow that plan but still suffer, still have great need. Either way it is virtuous to suffer for doing good and there is great value in that.
Wickedness arises, though, when those who profess to be Christian tout this as the Gospel. “Follow the rules, do good, and God will reward you. Because that is fair. That is just. And if He doesn’t, well it’s because you didn’t believe enough or do enough or pray enough or whatever enough.” This is false doctrine. It is satanic.
The Gospel is not capitalism. Jesus’ parable is not about fair wages or justice. He is teaching grace. In the parable the workers who stood idle in the marketplace all day got paid as though they worked all day. Not what they deserved, not what was just, but what was generous and merciful. The kingdom of God is not a labor union; equal pay for equal work. The kingdom of God is where bums who don’t work get rewards for the work of others.
Don’t call it socialism. It may sound like it, but its not. For sure God’s way is no way to operate a business or run a nationstate. Businesses can’t afford to pay workers who don’t work. And governments can’t stay solvent doling out cash and food and cell phones to vagrants. But this is the way God runs the universe. Even the unbelievers benefit from His grace. The worse existence on earth is still better than what we deserve in hell. Even unbelievers enjoy good things in creation. And every good thing - coffee and cookies and sleds and puppies - is a gift and comes from God’s mercy.
Those who worked all day got what was just, what they had bargained for. In the end, however, that is a terrible thing. For even if they did bear the heat of the day and the brunt of the labor, they are sent away with only what is theirs; what they earned.
How sad and terrible! What is ours, what we have earned, is damnation for our sins. This is why you plead not for justice, but for mercy; the undeserved, unmerited, favor and kindness of the Vineyard owner.
For the other workers came on the basis of a promise. The owner simply said, Come to the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you. He did not tell them how much. Likely they expected less than a full day’s wages. But they came on faith, trusting that the owner would be good to them.
And more: not only are they paid at the end more than they deserved, but they also remain with the owner. For it appears as though they are not sent away. They came in faith, are paid what they do not deserve, and then remain, all by the owner’s continuing goodness and mercy. And that remaining is not insignificant.
This is the defining character of the kingdom. Grace is undeserved and unearned, even unexpected. The Gospel, the forgiveness of sins, is always unexpected, otherwise is ceases to be grace. For even when we are caught in our selfish thoughts of entitlement we do not have the ability to expect the full goodness and generosity of the Lord. Grace exceeds even the desires of our selfish hearts. Our cups runneth over. The Vineyard Owner gives His Son, His risen Body and Blood, not as payment for work done or reward for labor completed. The workers didn’t expect a full days wage. They received that unexpected, underserved and more. They got a place at His table, His daughter’s hand, and inheritance and honor.
We are not mere workers being overpaid. By grace, we are now members of the family, co-owners of the vineyard, heirs of the kingdom, the Bride of the Son. We remain with Him. God grant that in His mercy He keep this ever new to us and for us; that our hearts do not grow cold or calloused or take His grace for granted. May He keep us ever mindful of the cost of His love in the death of His Son and the fulfillment of His love in the resurrection as He provides once again in His risen Body and Blood.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
The main point of the parable is that entrance into the kingdom comes by grace. The workers are rewarded for work they did not perform. This is hardly a surprise for us; in fact, we practically expect it.
Whether its for a grade or for work, we assume that by simply showing up we deserve a prize. This is not just an American phenomenon or an entitlement mentality of a certain generation. This is the way of all men, for it is the way of our flesh. It was why Israel grumbled against the Lord in the wilderness; testing Him. We are no different.
This same sort of expectation and entitlement applies to the Gospel as well. I fear that it is even worse. We may have crossed over the line drawn by Bonhoeffer into “cheap grace.” I fear that we are guilty of not only making grace cheap, but expecting it, assuming it as a right or an entitlement, as though God owes us salvation. Repent.
This is what was wrong with the workers who worked all day and grumbled. They thought they were entitled to more. They weren’t asking for grace, but for justice. They thought they deserved to be rewarded. Thus their eyes were evil. Their eyes were evil because the master of the house was good.
We come along and think we are entitled to grace; that is simply what is just. We point the finger and say, “I am not as bad as the drug pusher on the corner or the prostitute down the street.” Swedish Lutheran, Bishop Bo Giertz, wrote, “By nature we are all Pharisees. That is, we tend to be legalistic, self-righteous snobs. We know when we shine brightly, and we like to remember our shining moments. We think people ought to recognize us for these shining moments and are offended when they don’t. We think it’s unfair if others, who have done much less, are given preference over us. And since God is to be the final judge, we feel that He, if anyone, should judge us fairly, according to our merits and skillfulness.” (To Live with Christ, Kindle loc 2285).
Again, repent. This parable is a warning. God isn’t like you. He doesn’t think the way you think. His ways are not your ways. And He doesn’t owe you, or anyone, anything. You justly deserve His temporal and eternal punishment.
For reasons all His own, however, He loves you and welcomes you into His kingdom - not for free, but at the cost of the bloody, torturous death of His beloved Son. This is the essence of the Gospel: The Lord rewards those who don’t deserve it. He loves those who hate and abuse Him. He gives gifts to those who steal from Him. He is generous, merciful, and good despite you.
We tend to think, “God helps those who help themselves.” Work hard, be honest (at least most of the time), keep your nose to the grindstone, and God will reward you. That axiom may suit our daily lives. Then again, it may not. Plenty of folks follow that plan but still suffer, still have great need. Either way it is virtuous to suffer for doing good and there is great value in that.
Wickedness arises, though, when those who profess to be Christian tout this as the Gospel. “Follow the rules, do good, and God will reward you. Because that is fair. That is just. And if He doesn’t, well it’s because you didn’t believe enough or do enough or pray enough or whatever enough.” This is false doctrine. It is satanic.
The Gospel is not capitalism. Jesus’ parable is not about fair wages or justice. He is teaching grace. In the parable the workers who stood idle in the marketplace all day got paid as though they worked all day. Not what they deserved, not what was just, but what was generous and merciful. The kingdom of God is not a labor union; equal pay for equal work. The kingdom of God is where bums who don’t work get rewards for the work of others.
Don’t call it socialism. It may sound like it, but its not. For sure God’s way is no way to operate a business or run a nationstate. Businesses can’t afford to pay workers who don’t work. And governments can’t stay solvent doling out cash and food and cell phones to vagrants. But this is the way God runs the universe. Even the unbelievers benefit from His grace. The worse existence on earth is still better than what we deserve in hell. Even unbelievers enjoy good things in creation. And every good thing - coffee and cookies and sleds and puppies - is a gift and comes from God’s mercy.
Those who worked all day got what was just, what they had bargained for. In the end, however, that is a terrible thing. For even if they did bear the heat of the day and the brunt of the labor, they are sent away with only what is theirs; what they earned.
How sad and terrible! What is ours, what we have earned, is damnation for our sins. This is why you plead not for justice, but for mercy; the undeserved, unmerited, favor and kindness of the Vineyard owner.
For the other workers came on the basis of a promise. The owner simply said, Come to the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you. He did not tell them how much. Likely they expected less than a full day’s wages. But they came on faith, trusting that the owner would be good to them.
And more: not only are they paid at the end more than they deserved, but they also remain with the owner. For it appears as though they are not sent away. They came in faith, are paid what they do not deserve, and then remain, all by the owner’s continuing goodness and mercy. And that remaining is not insignificant.
This is the defining character of the kingdom. Grace is undeserved and unearned, even unexpected. The Gospel, the forgiveness of sins, is always unexpected, otherwise is ceases to be grace. For even when we are caught in our selfish thoughts of entitlement we do not have the ability to expect the full goodness and generosity of the Lord. Grace exceeds even the desires of our selfish hearts. Our cups runneth over. The Vineyard Owner gives His Son, His risen Body and Blood, not as payment for work done or reward for labor completed. The workers didn’t expect a full days wage. They received that unexpected, underserved and more. They got a place at His table, His daughter’s hand, and inheritance and honor.
We are not mere workers being overpaid. By grace, we are now members of the family, co-owners of the vineyard, heirs of the kingdom, the Bride of the Son. We remain with Him. God grant that in His mercy He keep this ever new to us and for us; that our hearts do not grow cold or calloused or take His grace for granted. May He keep us ever mindful of the cost of His love in the death of His Son and the fulfillment of His love in the resurrection as He provides once again in His risen Body and Blood.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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