Parable of Laborers in the vineyard
Parables of Jesus (Deer Creek) 2023 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Parable of laborers in the vineyard (Mt20:1-16) Lesson 25
Introduction:
Introduction:
We can read Mt19:30 and Mt20:16 and see the position Jesus tells the disciples, first will be last, last will be first. What do you think that means?
A main purpose that Jesus speaks this parable the his comment to Peter previously in chapter-19, is that oftentimes man can get our priorities in the wrong order.
Worry before God (Mt6:25-32; 33-34)
Temporal possessions before eternal (Mt21:33-46)
Womack states: “Many of the laborers in the vineyard of which Jesus spoke had the wrong emphasis on things of this world, and Jesus told them that there were more important elements of our existence that we should be concerned with.”
(Transition) This is a part of the warning and reward section of our study, you will see these emphasized in our passage as we look at it this afternoon
(Insert Mt20:1-16) Ask the usual questions
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 “When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 6 “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9 “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. 10 “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ 13 “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
Background:
Background:
This parable is only found in Matthew. Other gospels, like Mark have similar teachings but not this parable. Mark does not use workers in the vineyard but yes first shall be last, last shall be first type language.
Crowd, from what has transpired just before this (Mt19:16ff) where a young rich ruler came to Jesus we can assume the setting has not changed, there is a crowd
I would be negligent to jump past a so vital part of that (insert Mt19:23-26) then summarize the rest of the chapter ending with (v.30) first last, last first.
23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Another proof of the crowd you can see (Mt19:1-2) where Jesus takes us teaching on divorce followed by the illustration and demonstration of little children (Mt19:13-15)- - - so you have the setting, I would like you to remember the question from the disciples (Mt19:25) who can be saved, for that plays into the passage of study today.
Coming from CA, You could go to about any Home Depot parking lot as well as other street corners and find migraints, laborers there looking for day work. People would come by, hire, and if more needed would go back, but maybe not in the 11th hour like we just read, but this meant something to them then too.
This is not an easy to grasp, to apply parable as many of the others,
Taylor: “this parable is harder to interpret than any other which the Savior uttered.” why, the laborers in the 11th hour getting the same pay. - - - - some have taken this to mean that it does not matter what you do with your life as long as you are right with Jesus at the end, and all will receive the same reward.
Now there is a historical recording by Josephus who wrote of the high pries Annas who paid laborers who labored in repairing the temple a whole days pay regardless of the hours that were worked.
Have you ever cried out for help, physical help needed and found out you needed more and got more, asked for more? So the concept is not really that uncommon.
Explaining the text:
Explaining the text:
Landowner went out different times in the day, the way they reckoned time was from 6am would be the first hour of the day, so in our parable
(v.1) early in the day
(v.3) third hour of the day (9am)
(v.6) 11th hour of the day (5pm)
To the first it was negotiated for a denarius for the day’s labor (v.2), this was about .20.
To the second (v.4) he had gone out and said would pay whatever is right.
To the third (v.6) there was only a question about why there, no mention of agreed pay, but they went and worked.
Landowner called to foreman to call in the men, from last hired to first (v.8)
The last received a denarius (v.9) and that made the others jealous for they had labored all day, or most of the day.
Jesus speaks in parabolic language (v.13) saying he gave them what they agreed to.
Jesus further states is it not lawful to do with what I have in a manner in which I want? - - why envious of his generosity. - the landowner should not be criticized for being generous.
(Transition) hold on there is much to the purpose, and the application from this parable as we press on.
Purpose and Application
Purpose and Application
This parable teaches us that we will be rewarded more for our motive than for our deeds.
There is nothing we can do to win God’s favor, to deserve God’s grace and mercy
RC Trench says: “This parable is directed against a wrong spirit of mind, which was notably manifested int eh Jews, but which all men in possession of spiritual privileges are here warned against.” (Trench, notes on the parables)
God has the right to reward us however He chooses to, however He wishes and we really have nothing to say in the matter.
Our birthright was taken away in the garden when sin entered the world and covenant was broken with God
Womack: “God mad humanity cleand and pure and without fault, But Adam and Even fell from God’s good favor, and we lost all ‘bargaining power’ with God. Whatever God gives us as our eternal reward will be far more than we could ever imagine or deserve.”
Consider, and turn with me (1Cor2:9-10) a quote Paul takes from Isaiah.
9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
Taylor emphasis in his comments that this deals with a “hireling spirit.” HE calls one selfish-unamiable, elder-brotherly surly, where as the trustful spirit is “humble, contented, happy, choice.”
We are rewarded on the basis of how we face opportunities
Each face opportunities every day, we make choices every day, we must choose to seize opportunities, for when it passes there may not be anything to grasp.
In the parable the workers each seized the opportunity as it arose, and were rewarded for the labor done for the landowner, in our case as we have opportunity to work for God, we too will be rewarded.
Lets consider the opportunity of Israel (turn to Rom9:30-32)
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
(Transition) - purpose, we have purpose, can you think of purpose that you have in this world today, that God has set before you, before us?
Good works (Eph2:10; Tit2:14)
To share the good news and make disciples (Mt28:19-20)
Do we seize opportunities to do these things?
(Transition): One more thing to cover this afternoon.
Learning to live the parable
Learning to live the parable
As mentioned before some have taken this parable to mean everyone will receive the same when we get to heaven, that there is no degree of reward or punishment. - - - - that is not the point of this parable. We should look at this at no matter what gracious things God gives us when we get to heaven is great. We are all recipients of God’s grace, unmerited favor for salvation
Some take this parable to mean that those who entered the 11th hour (Gentiles) will be treated the same way those called earlier (the Jews) would be treated, now just let that simmer a bit, for when you think about it, we are in the final hours in looking at Daniels prophesy, and the Jews have to come the same way we did, through Jesus.
Womack then says “it is better to work for what we can give than for what we will receive.”
Are we working for the kingdom of God now? Are we giving to the Lord now? Not because of some reward in the future, but as a result of what we have already been given.
Are we contributing to the kingdom through our works, or only working for what we can, may get? This will tells us what kind of spirit we have and that is what this parable addresses. Many had the wrong priority, the wrong spirit. - avoid an envious spirit and serve the Lord with a cheerful heart, a grateful heart.
The envy in this parable was about wages, but the spirit of the parable is about grace (undeserved favor).
“The message in this parable is that motive is more important than deeds, if we miss his message, we’ve missed grace; and if we have missed grace, we’ve missed salvation. All of the laborers were rewarded for their willingness to work, not their work.” (Womack)