The parable of the vineyard workers lets us know that all are invited to come.
As I read this parable recently, I came to understand more that the way the Kingdom of God operates is a lot different than the way the world operates.
A wealthy man, a landowner, needed to hire laborers for his vineyard. So, at daybreak, he went out and found workers agreeing to pay them the standard days wages. A little while later he went to the town square and he found others and said, “Come and work for me in my vineyard and I’ll pay you a fair wage.” (Matthew 20: 4)
As the day went on, at noon and at 3:00 pm he did the same thing going into the town to gather more laborers to come and work for him. As evening approached, at 5:00 pm, he found even more folks who were idle and invited them to come and work too.
When the day finally ended, the landowner called his foreman and told him to line up all the workers, starting with the most recent ones hired first, all the way to those who were working since daybreak. The wages were passed out and each worker, “Was given a full day’s wages.” (Matthew 20: 9) Everyone was given the exact amount. It didn’t matter who worked the longest!
Ugh Oh! That doesn’t seem fair! In the workforce today, when younger folks are hired and they receive the same hourly wage as those who have been there for years, it just doesn’t sit right! A trip to the boss’s office to discuss things usually is in order.
KINGDOM PRINCIPLE: The economy of God operates differently than the economy of the world.
In our parable, like any hard worker, the ones who worked all day, “Were offended and complained to the landowner saying, “You’re treating us unfairly.” (Matthew 20: 12a) Now furious, the “first ones on the job” said, “You’ve made them equal to us.” (Matthew 20: 12b)
The landowner replied, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want to with what is mine? Why should my generosity make you jealous of them?” (Matthew 20: 15)
This is why Jesus said, “The first will be last and the last will be first.”
As believers, we will all receive a reward.
KINGDOM KEY#1: Everyone is invited in to come.
KINGDOM KEY#2: Everyone, by God, is extended grace.
Some will follow the Lord all their lives, then others will follow maybe only a short time. But when it’s time to go home, we all receive entrance into heaven.
KINGDOM KEY #3 Having the right attitude in our service to God is a gift of grace.
Remember, the workers were passed by. They were unemployed and maybe needed to feed their families. The landowner gave them an opportunity and provided for them.
- God’s grace extended to them was His way of using them.
KINGDOM KEY #4: All followers are to be useful in the Kingdom.
The Kingdom reward is not on length of service but on depth of service.
I see our depth of service as faithfulness to the Lord.
All of our faithfulness will be rewarded.
There is not one who is better than any other one. God loves all of His children and desires to use us.
KINGDOM KEY#5 We are all equal in the eyes of God.
One commentary about this parable said, “The Jews are the early-laborers; the late-comers are the Gentiles, which are welcomed in as equals in God’s Kingdom.”
KINGDOM ASSURANCE
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