Sunday's Message: The Parables of the Gospel of Matthew (Laborers in a Vineyard - Matthew 20:1-16)

During the months of October and November, we're discussing the following parables unique to the Gospel of Matthew:

• October 8 - Wolves & Fig Trees (Matthew 7:15-20)
• October 15 - Weeds with the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30)
• October 22 - The Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:44-48)
• October 29 - The Two Debtors (Matthew 18:23-35)
• November 5 - Laborers in a Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)
• November 12 - Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)
• November 19 - The Wise and the Foolish (Matthew 25:1-13)
• November 26 - Sheep from Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

On Sunday, we focused on the parable of laborers in a vineyard found in Matthew 20:1-16. A recording and a copy of the sermon are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)

Now, if you haven’t been around lately, we’re kind of in the middle of a sermon series we started back in the beginning of October and will tie up at the end of November based on the parables Jesus taught that are only found in the Gospel of Matthew. And over the last three weeks, we’ve focused on parables dealing with the Kingdom of Heaven, you know, the rule of God. I mean, we’ve talked about how it’s like weeds that have been planted among the wheat and how it’s like a treasure in a field and a merchant searching for pearls and a net gathering fish and then last week, we focused on how God’s Kingdom is like two debtors. Now that’s what we’ve been talking about. And even though they all deal with a concept, you know, the Kingdom of Heaven, in each of these parables there are plenty of implications that we can apply to ourselves. 

And this morning, we’re going to look at another story about God’s rule, one that deals with laborers in a vineyard. And to do that, you know, to interpret and apply this parable, we’re going to look at three things. First, we’re going to look at the audience, in other words, the people to whom Jesus was telling this story. And then, second, we’ll look at the parable itself. And then, third, we’ll take what he actually said about the Kingdom of Heaven and apply it to ourselves. Now, that’s the game plan for this morning.

And I’ll tell you, I think it starts with understanding the audience to whom Jesus was directing the parable. And you know, when you think about it, the audience really does make a difference. For example, I think it’s important for us to know whether it was intended for people who hated Jesus, you know, like the scribes and the Pharisee, or for people who had decided to follow him, like the disciples, or for all those folks who had yet to make a decision, a group that Matthew called the “crowds.” Now, knowing this is pretty important, if we’re serious about applying it. And in this particular case, I believe Jesus was telling the story to disciples. I mean, we’re in Matthew, chapter twenty, right? Well, at the end of chapter nineteen, Jesus had his little encounter with the rich young man, who wanted Jesus to tell him how he could have eternal life but who also went away sad, because he just couldn’t bring himself to do what Jesus told him to do, namely to “go sell everything [he] owned, give the money to the poor and...come and be [his] follower.” [Matthew 19:21b, CEV] Now, after this guy left. Jesus started talking to his disciples, telling them how hard it would be for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and how God can do what’s impossible for people and how the sacrifices made by those who decided to respond to Christ’s call would be remembered. And that’s how chapter nineteen ended. And so, when Matthew wrote, "As Jesus was telling what the kingdom of heaven would be like, he said:" [Matthew 20:1a, CEV], the people to whom he was talking were disciples, both then and now. You see, that was the audience.

And as to the parable itself, well, in it, Jesus compared the rule of God to a man who owned a vineyard, a place that, in the Old Testament, was often associated with God’s blessings. Anyway, according to what Jesus said to his disciples, this very important guy did two things. First, he hired people to work in his vineyard. Just listen to what Jesus said:

Early one morning a man went out to hire some workers for his vineyard. After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day’s work, he sent them off to his vineyard.

About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do. He promised to pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard. So they went.

At noon and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were loafing around with nothing to do.

Finally, about five in the afternoon the man went back and found some others standing there. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”

“Because no one has hired us,” they answered. Then he told them to go work in his vineyard. [Matthew 20:1b-7, CEV]

Now according to what Jesus said, that was the first thing the owner of the vineyard did. 

And before moving to the second, there’s a few things we might want to file away. For instance, it was the owner who went out to the workers, not the other way around. They didn’t have to find him; he found them. And even though, during the day, he hired five different groups, he actually made three different agreements. I mean, to the bunch hired “early one morning, ...he...agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day’s work.” [Matthew 20:2b, CEV] And then with the next three groups, remember, “he promised to pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard.” [Matthew 20:4, CEV] But finally, with the last group, you know those hired right at the end of the work day, there was no agreement at all; “he [simply] told them to go work in his vineyard.” [Matthew 20:7b, CEV] And as to his motivation, there was no mention that the owner actually needed all the workers he hired. As a matter of fact, with the workers in the last four groups, he seemed more motivated by their situation than his need. And I think all that’s important as we look at this parable about God’s rule, you know, that people were hired to work in a vineyard. Now that’s the first thing the owner did.

And then second, the owner paid those whom he hired, something that resulted in both a reaction and an explanation. You see, according to Jesus, this was how the owner paid his workers:

That evening the owner of the vineyard told the man in charge of the workers to call them in and give them their money. He also told the man to begin with the ones who were hired last. When the workers arrived, the ones who had been hired at five in the afternoon were given a full day’s pay.

The workers who had been hired first thought they would be given more than the others. But when they were given the same, they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard. They said, “The ones who were hired last worked for only one hour. But you paid them the same that you did us. And we worked in the hot sun all day long!” 

The owner answered one of them, “Friend, I didn’t cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on. Take your money now and go! What business is it of yours if I want to pay them the same that I paid you? Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you be jealous, if I want to be generous?” [Matthew 20:8-15, CEV]

Now that was what happened. When passing out the money, those hired last received their pay first, giving the ones who’d been working from the early morning the opportunity to see those who’d done virtually nothing in the vineyard receive the exact same thing they received. Now, that kind of ticked them off, because evidently they assumed that since they’d put in longer hours, they’d get more; therefore, getting the same, man, that just wasn’t fair. And yet, when the owner explained the situation, he reminded his disgruntled employees that he’d been totally just in dealing with them,  because they received exactly what he’d promised: no more but no less. And frankly, according to what he said, it was none of their business, if he decided to be generous when he paid the rest. I mean, it was his money to do with as he pleased; therefore, the first group had no reason to be jealous. Now that’s what the owner said, after he paid those whom he hired. And that’s the second thing he did.

And even though this was where the story ended, Jesus added one line that I think really brought it all together.

Jesus then said, “So it is. Everyone who is now last will be first, and everyone who is first will be last.” [Matthew 20:16, CEV]

Now, that’s what he said, and just think about what that might mean. You see, based on the story, the Kingdom of Heaven, the rule of God, is really grounded on two things: on justice and on generosity. I mean, that was what motivated the owner to pay the wages he paid. And just like it was in the story, those who were hired first and those who’d been in the vineyard at the crack of dawn, in other words, those who had followed Jesus the longest, they will be the last in line when it comes to receive their ultimate salvation. And since they will be last in receiving what had already been promised by God, they will be able to see all those who didn’t seem, in any way, deserving receive the exact same blessings from the one who is both just and generous. Now that was the parable about the Kingdom of Heaven which Jesus shared with his disciples.

And so, with both the audience and the parable so firmly established, well, the only thing left for us to do is to apply it. And I’ll tell you, I think the application is the most important part of all. You see, all the rest is just “nice to know” information until we take what Jesus said about the rule of God and relate it to ourselves. And you know, it’s right here, where I think we have two options. In other words, the ball is now in our court. I mean, on one hand, we can simply reject what Jesus said and believe that God is “fair” as we define fairness, you know that he ultimately gives people what we’ve earned and deserve, which of course means, that folks who’ve been around the church for a while and who’ve said all the right words and all the right things and made all the right promises, man, they’re going to get so much more in the way of blessings than those who haven’t. You see, for them, salvation is like a wage that’s earned. And even if they don’t believe that one of the perks is having the opportunity to see sinners being dropped into Hell, well, let’s just say there’ll be plenty of extra jewels in certain crowns. You see, on one hand, we can choose to believe this kind of stuff and simply reject what Jesus said about God’s rule, you know, that he’s both just and compassionate. 

Or, on the other hand, we can decide that Jesus really did know what he was talking about and that, because he’s just, God’s promises to us are in concrete, and because he’s also generous, ultimately, he just might give folks far more than we think they deserve, in other words, far more than we’d offer if we were God, something that we’ll be able to see and know because, as Jesus said, “Everyone who is now last will be first, and everyone who is first will be last.” [Matthew 20:16b, CEV] You see, instead of spending our time and energy redefining God’s justice and negating his compassion, we can choose to be sincerely thankful for what we’re about to receive and to be truly happy that, as Jesus reminded his disciples right before telling this parable, when it comes to salvation, “there are some things people cannot do, but God can do anything.” [Matthew 19:26b, CEV] You see, I think this is how we can apply this parable Jesus directed to his disciples.

And I’ll tell you, speaking for myself, I’m glad he did. I mean, I’m glad he taught disciples, you know, folks who’ve responded to his call and decided to follow, I’m glad he taught them and teaches us so much about his father’s rule. You see, I’m glad that, in his kingdom, God is just; therefore, we can count on his promises, but that he’s also generous; therefore, he’s not bound to our definition of fairness as he deals with us and those outside our circle. And I’m glad that in light of this reality, we have the opportunity to accept the words of Christ and look forward to the time when we’ll be able to see both God’s justice and his generosity. And I can trust that all of this is true because of the parable of laborers in a vineyard. And next week, we’ll look at a little story from Matthew 21, one about two sons.