Laborers in the Vineyard

Introduction

Good morning. If you will, open your New Testament with me to Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19. As you’re turning there and turning to verse 16 in particular, we read of the story of the rich young ruler, a story we know fairly well. And in verse 16, this man comes to Jesus saying, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? And of course we know the story goes. Jesus responds, Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments. Then he asks which ones. Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

And the good news was that the young man said, All these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack? Jesus said to him, If you would be perfect, complete, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. And then the tragic line in the New Testament in the book of Matthew, verse 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. It’s interesting that this story shows a rich young man who has done many good things, and yet he is still lacking. He’s still incomplete. And as it seems from Matthew’s account in chapter 19, he goes away in a state of lacking, of not fulfilling the commands of Jesus.

But I want to focus in on verses 23 into chapter 20 to see Jesus’ response and to get the idea of the disciples in answering after having witnessed this rich young ruler come up to Jesus and be turned away, to see their astonishment at the expectation of Jesus, and then to consider what is our lot from Matthew chapter 20 in the parable Jesus tells. But pick up with me in Matthew chapter 19 and verse 23. Jesus said to his disciples, Truly I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, Who then can be saved?

But Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. Then Peter said in reply, See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? And that’s the question for this morning in verse 27. Peter said, We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? Peter says, Unlike the rich young ruler, we have truly left behind everything. We haven’t allowed riches to keep us back, not that they necessarily had them to begin with, but he emphasizes, we have left everything. We have followed you. What do we get? Verse 28, Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last.

That phrase in chapter 19 and verse 30, and in chapter 20 and verse 16, book in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Now keep in mind what’s happened. Jesus has been approached by the rich young ruler. The rich young ruler asked, What must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus says, You know what the commandments are, and he had said, I kept them. And he said, But you lack this one thing. Go sell all that you have, give to the poor, and come follow me. Later, Peter and the disciples, who are astonished at how difficult it would be for someone rich or anyone, frankly, to enter into the kingdom. Ask Jesus, then, who then can be saved? And of course, the bumper sticker type answer that Jesus has in verse 26, with man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

And of course, as we work down, Peter is asking Jesus, then, what will we have for leaving everything and following you? And while Jesus does emphasize, and it would be worth noting in verse 29, that anyone who sacrifices for Jesus, anyone who truly leaves all that they have and follows after Jesus will receive a hundredfold at the end of verse 29, and will inherit eternal life. But there’s one little hang up in there. It’s how we view following Jesus. It’s how we view others who have followed Jesus. Keep in mind the disciples are astonished at the teaching of Jesus in response to Jesus’ teaching to the rich young ruler. Consider the parable with me in chapter 20 of the laborers in the vineyard, beginning in verse 1.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. And to them he said, You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went, going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day? They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You go enter the vineyard too.

And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. And when those who hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received the denarius. And on receiving it, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, These last worked only one hour. And you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat? But he replied to one of them, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for denarius? Take what belongs to you and go.

I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? So the last will be first, and the first.

Others aren’t doing what I’m doing. Are we like those who come in the middle or the end? What is our perspective on following Jesus and what it means to trust in God to receive what he has promised? Consider the parable with me beginning back in verses one and two. This is a very important part of the story. In verse 1 and 2, note very carefully the wording in verse 2 in particular. The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. We got that. In verse 2, after agreeing with the laborers for denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Now this is very important because it is the only time in Matthew chapter 20 that it is said specifically that the master of the house and the laborers agreed to a payment.

The agreement was what? In verse 2, for a denarius a day. Essentially a day’s wage for a day’s work. This is very understandable. Makes like a good business deal from both sides. But keep in mind in verse 2, it’s the only time that the laborer and the master of the vineyard are said to have agreed on terms. The reason for that is in verse 3, then the master went out about the third hour, saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right, I will give you. Whatever is right, I will give you. The specifics, at least as Jesus is telling the parable, are not hammered out. I don’t have to ask how many people would be a little bit uncomfortable about having to go out and work a job not knowing exactly what you’d be paid.

You’d have to really trust the master, would you not? How many of you would show up to your jobs and said, Well, we’ll give you what is right? How many of you would feel safe? How many of you would feel perhaps concerned that you wouldn’t make what you think you are owed, what you are due for your labor? But in verses three through seven, even you see it’s not just those. In verse five, so they went going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And then when it comes to verse six and seven, about the eleventh hour, he went out, found some still standing, questions them, saying, Are you still idle? Why have you been here all day not doing any work?

And they had said, because no one hired them, but he tells them, Go in the vineyard too. No written agreement. In this case, it doesn’t even particularly say that he says, Whatever is right, I will give to you. But consider that this master has gone out and has compiled a pretty effective task force, a pretty effective amount of workers. He had some at the beginning of the day in the morning. He had some at the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and yes, even at the eleventh hour. The master of the vineyard is out looking for workers in his vineyard. Important point that we’ll consider on the application side. But consider the strength of the story, the difficulty, the rub, lies not in hiring laborers to the vineyard, although there are wonderful points to be made from those verses.

But what happens in verses 8 through 10. When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers, all of them, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. And when those hired about the 11th hour came, each of them received the denarius. Now, when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. Now, as we consider for a moment, as before we get to the awful, unfair nature of this terrible, mean owner, this terrible mean master, let’s consider first of all, that what he gave, beginning with the last servants in verses eight through ten, was a denarius to everyone for their labor. I can tell you who’s not going to complain about this, those who came at the eleventh hour, because they got a day’s wage for far less than a day’s work.

Those coming at the ninth hour would have no room to complain. The sixth hour, even the third hour, because they agreed to trust the master for their payment. They were given a spot to work when otherwise, the parable shows that they were standing idly in the marketplace. This was wonderful blessing from the master. But of course, we know the difficulty. The rub, lies if we, or in the story, if they were those who came in the first hour. And that’s why in verse 10, we see the crux of the problem between every issue that has ever existed between man and God is found in verse 10. Now, when those who hired first came, they thought they would receive more. The problem with every sin, the problem with every type of difficulty and every emotion that we feel that violates God’s will, every time we allow ourselves to be sacrificed at the altar of self rather than of God, it’s because we think we deserve it, we think we want it, we think we know what’s best, or we just think that we don’t actually care about what God thinks.

The problem was they thought, and their thinking was based upon who? Well, verse 11, and on receiving it, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. As the master and workers discussed this payment, consider how unsurprising it is that in verse 12, those who worked from the first hour of the day, who started from the morning, who did in fact bear the burden of the day and the scorching heat. That is a true claim that they made. Consider that they have a what we might say fair gripe. But while you’re listening to this parable and reading along in Matthew chapter 20, there’s generally two types of reactions to this parable.

One of them is to say, these people are foolish because the master we know is Jesus. We know the master is God. Who are you to question God? And of course, then there are those of us who put ourselves in the parable, and we say, you know what? If I’m being completely honest here, and I was the one hired from the beginning of the day, and I got the same pace, someone who was added at the 11th hour of the day got, I would be pretty upset. That’s not very ethical business practice. Why is God depicted to be such an unfair king, an unfair master? So I wonder which perspective we have then when the response is in verse 14. Take what belongs to you and go.

I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. In verse 13, the master has defended his action by saying, Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for denarius? Instantly, the strength of the position of those hired at the beginning of the day is eliminated. Remember, it seems that for those hired in the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour, that it would be pretty good wages to receive a day’s pay for less than a full day’s labor. But if those people hired at the very beginning, working from hour number one, who might have the gripe, for remember back in verse 2, what was unique about those first workers hired? They and they alone, as Jesus tells the parable in Matthew chapter 20, were those who came to an agreement with the master of the vineyard.

They agreed with the master to work not just for the day, but to do what? For what wage? In verse 2, after agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard. The master gave them exactly what they had agreed to. And the problem came not with their agreement, because they seemed happy to do that. They went out and did all of their work. The problem was when they looked at others and saw what they had and said, that’s not fair. That’s not right. I’ve been doing this too long. I’ve been doing too much. Consider as the parable concludes in verse 16 with the book in from chapter 19 repeated. So the last will be first, and the first last. I want to draw some conclusions this morning, just three umbrella lessons from the parable.

1. We Are All Called to Work for the Lord

First of all, we are all called to work for the Lord. It’s interesting in the first several verses that when Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. We know what the parable says to be true. We all must work for the Lord. But I wonder how many of us are standing by idly in the marketplace. It’s interesting that when Jesus finds those in verse 7 who have been standing about idle in the marketplace all day, he says, Why are you standing there idle? How are how is it possible that you’re still here not working? And in verse 7, the answer was, whether truthfully or as an excuse, because no one has hired us.

Jesus doesn’t bother, the master doesn’t bother, he just says, You go into the vineyard too. We are all called to certain work. I want to look at look at Luke chapter 17. Speaking of the servant’s work, I wonder how often we think of ourselves as servant before the Lord. If we took Luke chapter 17 in mind, if the laborers in this vineyard took Luke chapter 17 in mind, this would be game changing to the parable. Of course, we wouldn’t be able to get the lessons we did. But in Luke chapter 17, note with me beginning in verse 7, not only that we are to be working, but what is our relationship to God? What is our due to God? In Luke chapter 17, beginning in verse 7, will any one of you who has a servant ploughing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, come at once and recline at the table.

Will he not rather say to him, Prepare supper for me and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink? And afterwards you will eat and drink. Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, We are unworthy servants. We have only done what was our duty. Now think for a moment about verse 10 again. The response from the servants. When a servant is hired by the master, the response is, when you have done all that you were commanded to say, we are unworthy servants. We have only done what was our duty. What verse does that really violate? Well, several in chapter 20. But even going back to Matthew chapter 19, go back there with me.

In Matthew chapter 19, is this exactly what Peter was saying? I don’t think Peter’s question was unfair. I’m not saying that he was sinning and requesting this important question of Jesus. But in Matthew chapter 19 and verse 27, considering what we just read in Luke 17, see how Peter’s answer fits in. Peter said in reply to Jesus, see, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? He’s asking, what are we going to get for following you, Jesus? And Jesus answers him, so it obviously was not a problematic question. He tells him that anyone, even, who leaves father or mother, who gives up something, who goes out to a new place to serve him, will receive a hundredfold, will inherit eternal life. That’s powerful.

That’s wonderful. But I think too often we’re a little bit like Peter from a position of pride, whether it’s in his question or not. Perhaps we’re like the disciples who find themselves in the book of Matthew arguing over who is the greatest? Or even the disciples, or even their mother who requested Jesus to be seated at the left and right hand. We’re concerned about status, rank. We’re concerned about what we get. And yet, if we truly understand our place as servants of Jesus Christ, in Luke chapter 17, then, what is our lot? What should our response be? In verse 10, that we are unworthy servants. We are just doing our duty. Is there not a significant difference in the attitude that says, What will Jesus do for me?

And what will I do for Jesus? Perhaps John F. Kennedy’s phrase about ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. That type of phrase comes to mind when discussing this part in the lesson. But I wonder how often we actually think about giving to Jesus what is due him, not to avoid an unpleasant judgment, not to gain favor at the time of the coming judgment. Although those are critical messages and impacts of the gospel message as preached by both Jesus and his disciples. How often do we focus on what we are here to do? In Ephesians chapter 2, turn there with me. Ephesians chapter 2, a passage commonly taught on about the grace of God. And that is of utmost importance in the story to recognize no matter when we come into the picture, no matter when we become servants of Jesus, it is only that we can come to Jesus through the grace of God.

Ephesians chapter 2, beginning in verse 4. God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, and by grace you have been saved. And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. But look at verse 10. Consider our position as servants once again, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

What were we made for? Who are we made by? We are the workmanship of God, the workmanship of the Christ. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works. Not only would we say in verse 8 that the grace of God, which is the only way in which we can reach salvation, is accessed only through faith. A faith we learn about in a great deal in Hebrews chapter 11. But to consider what is our purpose? To praise God, to live for God. As servants, our mindset would be incredibly different if we focus on simply pleasing Jesus rather than trying to figure out how we can tow the line and avoid judgment of eternal damnation and gain eternal life in the presence of our God. I hope we see the distinction in those mindsets.

We certainly would if we examined our own servants, and that’s the point Jesus made in Luke chapter 17. But consider one final note with me in Matthew chapter 9 on this point. And Matthew chapter 9. In Matthew chapter 9, beginning in verse 35. Consider the work to do. What is the work? Of course, we all have a different part to play, certainly as a part of a local body, a church is made clear in 1 Corinthians and even in the book of Ephesians. But in verse 35 of Matthew chapter 9, Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless like a sheep without a shepherd.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. I want to note two points, and we see two different roles of service there. The one, obviously, in verse 37 and 38, that the harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few. We should be both striving to work, going out to work in the vineyard of the Lord, also praying earnestly for that work to be done. But I want to point to one in verse 36. We’re to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. And in verse 36, what was Jesus’ response to the masses? He had compassion on them. This is not the only time in the New Testament we find that Jesus had compassion on the crowds who were seeking after him.

And while, yes, he noticed that they had a particular need that they were wandering about, they were being harassed and without a leader like a sheep without a shepherd, but we must have compassion on others also. The work for the Lord doesn’t mean holding up and reading the word, it means reading the words of life, recognizing it as our duty to serve our God and to do so, serving God and our fellow man as our God has decreed. There is a lot of work to do. And it doesn’t matter what time we come into the work. It matters that at the beginning of the day, the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour, there was always work to do. They did not reach a point where they ran out of need in the vineyard.

2. What God Offers Is Worth Everything

And I assure you, until the day that Jesus comes again, there will always be need in the fields of the Lord. Consider secondly with me. What God offers is worth everything. In Matthew chapter 20, there was this problem. This problem was that those who came first thought it was unfair what they were given. But if we realize that what they agreed to in verse 2 was not only an agreement, but that which was fair pay, we have no problem with the story. But when we think about our God transcending the kingdom, transcending the owner of the vineyard, then we realize our God offers us something greater than equal pay for our service. If we got what was fair, we would be eternally separated from Jesus. We would be eternally separated from our God because Jesus wouldn’t have sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins.

That was not fair. But what God offers us is everything. Thinking of the mercy and the grace mentioned in Ephesians chapter 2, thinking about the fact that we can have eternal life, thinking about the fact that Jesus replied to Peter in Matthew chapter 19 that if you leave everything for Jesus, if you leave everything behind and follow after him, you will receive a hundredfold. You will inherit eternal life. That is amazing. That is powerful. That is awesome. And so in Luke chapter 14, when Jesus exhorts us to count the cost, to consider whether or not it is worth it to follow him, the answer is always yes. Following Jesus is worth our everything. Even if we have to start working for him at the very beginning of the day.

You see, the perspective is starting to close in on those who were hired right away. First of all, if we are called to work for the Lord, and we are his servants, we are indebted to him. We should remove the pride and arrogance that suggests that we deserve more than anyone. But secondly, what God offers is worth our everything. What God has promised to us, what the agreement that our God has reached out to us to make with each and every one of us on an individual level is to free us from our sins and allow us to be with him forever. That is awesome. That is amazing. That is life changing if we actually believe it. In Matthew chapter 13, consider the power, consider the value of the kingdom of heaven.

In Matthew chapter 13, just reading three of the verses. In verse 44, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. If we believe that we must be working for the Lord, if we believe and know what is true, that the scriptures are so that Jesus commands that we not only all work, but that God is offering eternal life, what stops us? Whatever it is looks just as petty and unrelatable as the first hour workers questioning who we know to be Jesus, questioning who we know to be God, the master of the field, the owner of the vineyard.

As we think about that story, we’re going to reach the crucial point in just a moment. But consider, if we truly believe, as everyone in here does, that our God created us, that he offers eternal life, that the dumb stuff of this world will not bring us down. Because we know our God transcends this world, and he wants us to do so with him. With Christ is the victory. Realize, remember where you were before God. That would be an important point for Matthew chapter 20, would it not? Those first hour workers, even though they could have been hired elsewhere, they weren’t. Where were they found? Standing idle in the marketplace. At every turn, they were given a spot. They were given an opportunity for wages that they previously did not have.

3. Our Salvation Is an Individual Matter

Or at least as it pertains to those in Matthew chapter 20, depending on how much you want to speculate, something that was not as good of a deal. Otherwise, they would not have gone with the master. But we have been offered by God is beyond a day’s pay. It is worth our everything. And that changes the perspective of how it impacts others. And that is the point of what Jesus teaches us time and again, of what the apostles teach us time and again, and what the New Testament and Old Testament alike teach us all, that when we stand before God, our salvation is an individual matter. First of all, I answer for myself. We will give an account before the judgment seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 10 of what we have done according to our deeds, not those of someone else.

In Galatians chapter 3, consider as we come to Jesus, what is offered? What is it that will set us apart? In Galatians 3 and verse 26, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free. There’s no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. The hope of the gospel is that we can be heirs according to the promise made to Abraham, that we can be with God forever through Jesus Christ. It is a powerful blessing. Our salvation is an individual matter. And the problem of the parable in Matthew chapter 20 is that the laborers had at the beginning of the day forgot that point.

And they didn’t just forget it because they didn’t think about it. They didn’t just forget it because it left their mind because of hard work. They let it move out of their minds because they were more preoccupied with what? Fairness. With how they did more, with how they’ve been serving longer. Consider for a moment how much we want as Christians to be like the angels in heaven in Luke chapter 15, who rejoice when any one soul, any lost sheep, any lost coin, when the prodigal son returns home. What a powerful moment that is for God and His people and those who serve Him. But if someone were to be baptized this morning, they would put on Christ. They would be forgiven of their sins, be heirs according to the promise made to Abraham.

That would be a blessing. Amen. I hope we believe that more. But if the world were to end after they were baptized, which worker would they be? Someone who came forward this very morning, had their sins forgiven, accessed the blood of Jesus through baptism, and became sons of Christ through faith. They would be which workers. Workers of the 11th hour. What’s the difference in the perspective of our joy when someone comes forward? And the problem with the laborers in the vineyard in Matthew chapter 20. When someone comes forward, we rejoice with them. In Matthew chapter 20, the laborers first hired weren’t rejoicing with them. They were upset at what they got instead. We have got to be concerned about other souls. Not only should we be looking out for others, but first and foremost, we should recognize we don’t answer for others.

And if God wants to offer his grace and mercy to them, that is wonderful. Because I don’t deserve God’s grace and mercy in the first place. But God has offered it. And we have a powerful, wonderful, loving God who set that example from the beginning of time. That he wanted to be with his people. And through our free will, we can choose to follow him. We can choose to be sons of Christ through faith. It’s a powerful blessing. It is work to do. Our God offers us a tremendous deal. But I want to hit that point about fairness one more time. In Matthew chapter 20, turn there with me. In Matthew chapter 20, in verse 11 and 12, upon receiving what they had been promised, they grumbled at the master of the house.

They said, These last worked only one hour. You have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day in the scorching heat. And can you imagine appearing before Jesus and saying, Jesus, do you know what I have done? I have served you faithfully for decades. I have been in every service. I have been at every gathering. I have helped so many people. And you’re going to give them the same reward? From a business perspective, Matthew 20 brings out the worst in us to see and say that that’s not fair. But the truth is what God offers to us is not fair. If we want what is fair, we can burn in hell. That’s the truth. That’s the point of the gospel message is that it without Jesus, without the good news of the gospel, that can be to the Jew first and to the Greek.

The gospel that Paul is not ashamed of is offered to everyone that we might be freed from our sins and be with our God forever. It leaves no attitude to look down on others or to be concerned about fair or equal when Jesus died on the cross and took nails through the hand for my sins. That’s not fair. And that’s not right. If we want to be with God forever, we have to transcend this world. We have to transcend the petty disagreements, and we have to choose to follow Jesus. And 1 Peter chapter 5, turn there with me. And 1 Peter chapter 5, for those who are seeking to follow Jesus, to take advantage of the love, grace, and mercy that God offers to us that can be taken, that can be made ours, because he is offering it freely.

And 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 5. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so at the proper time he might exalt you. How similar does it look as in Matthew chapter 20 and verse 16? So the last will be first and the first last. How similar as in Matthew chapter 19 and verse 30, but many who are first will be last. In the last verse, that last line of verse 5 and 1 Peter chapter 5, that God opposes the proud. He opposes those who are first, but gives grace to the humble. The last shall be first.

Conclusion

And the first shall be last. When it comes to being laborers in the vineyard, we need to remember our place. And our place is as workers, whose work is due to the Lord. Without God, we are nothing. And we need to remember that every day. To remember not that we’re nothing, but that God wants us to be with Him. That that is life-changing, that God has offered us a deal that is beyond anything we can imagine. We should be like those in Matthew 13, going and selling all that we have to gain that field, to gain that pearl. And we need to recognize that our salvation is an individual matter that first and foremost means I need to make myself right with God today. And that furthermore, I need to look with humility towards others, not preoccupying myself with how others are answering before Jesus, but answering, how will I follow my God?

Will you go to God in prayer with me? Our dear God and most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your mercy, and most of all, we thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Thank you for that blessing. Thank you for your grace. Help us to always be pleasing to you. Forgive us of when we violate your law, when we look at others, rather looking forward to Jesus. Help us to be perfect as you are perfect. Help us to be holy as you are holy. Help us as we go through this morning to worship you in a way that’s pleasing in your sight, to learn more about you from reading your will. It’s in your Son’s name we do pray.

Amen. We’re now dismissed to our Bible.