The Laborers in the Vineyard
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“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 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?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
“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.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 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.’ 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? ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ‘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?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
Central idea of the text or main idea of the text:
God rewards his workers as He sees fit.
Homiletic idea: God is fair, but His fairness is not our fairness. It is better.
Introduction:
Pro players negotiate contracts based on what they think they will do and what they think they are worth. Both sides agree to the terms. Several years ago the game changed. When new contracts were negotiated with other players, those with contracts didn’t think their pay was fair. They wanted to renegotiate. Some held out and would not practice until their contract was rewritten. I have always had a problem with this. They signed a contract to play and should honor that contract. When it expires, then they should be able to renegotiate. I couldn’t believe owners would even allow this.
What I didn’t realize is that contract renegotiation didn’t start with pro athletes. It has been around for centuries.
God calls us to labor in His kingdom.
God calls us to labor in His kingdom.
Each person is called on God’s terms.
Each person is called on God’s terms.
Some early, some later. 6am, 9am, noon, 3pm and 5pm.
Some are called when they are young, others while old and others, still, on their deathbed.
Each person agrees to their labor willingly.
Each person agrees to their labor willingly.
“When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
The first group in v2 agreed to work for a days wages, they were not coerced.
God does not deal in forced labor. Who forced you to become a God-follower? In our parable we see “they agreed”. God sets down the rules. He offers the contract. There is no negotiation. He offers the contract and you either accept it or reject it. My way or the highway. I used to hate that! Here we see they willingly signed up for a days work and a days pay.
ii. The second group agreed to work for whatever the landowner was willing to pay. They were just happy to be working. Vss 3-4
“And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went.
Did you catch this? There is no talk of pay. You want to work? Come on, I will pay you what I think is fair. And they went.
1. Illustration – Day laborers. As the day wears on they just want to work, because they are going to get nothing if they get no work. Some money is better than no money at all.
The master will determine when He no longer needs laborers.
The master will determine when He no longer needs laborers.
They had no idea he would come back looking for more laborers, but he did. The day workers on the side of the road are there hoping more work will come. But only the master knows when he will stop calling workers. You can’t hold out for a better offer. When God calls you answer. Some of you understand this. you were very young when you came to Christ. Others were older. What matters is that you are here and following God. But there are those who think, “I’ll have plenty of time for that church stuff later.” Maybe, but maybe there won’t be a later. When God pulls up with His truck and says, “Do you want to work?” You better scramble for the truck!
The master of the vineyard went our several more times throughout the day, even hiring some for just an hour at the end of the day. Then, the day is over and it is time to pay the laborers and the workers learned an important lesson that day.
God’s fairness does not look like our fairness.
God’s fairness does not look like our fairness.
2. God’s fairness does not look like our fairness.
After the first group went to work, the others trusted the master would be fair.
The first group agreed on their wage for the day. they knew what they would get. The other groups were just happy to be getting some kind of pay for the day.
They surely could not demand a full day’s wages.
They surely could not demand a full day’s wages.
They were in no position to haggle.
Whatever they got would be fair. They had to trust this.
It is God’s prerogative as to how he will compensate each person.
It is God’s prerogative as to how he will compensate each person.
“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.’ “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.
i. God’s fairness determined to pay those who only worked one hour a full day’s wages. Vss 8-9
It is his money.
He makes the rules.
We have no right to be envious.
ii. Those watching, who had worked all day, thought it only fair they receive more. Vss10-11
“When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,
Matthew 20.10-11
How is this fair?
They worked more.
It wouldn’t be fair; the others didn’t work as much.
God’s agreement is with each person.
God’s agreement is with each person.
“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?
i. When God called they willingly answered, with no regard to others.
God honored his end of the bargain.
V14
What He pays someone else is not our business.
Illustration – We always want to compare ourselves to others, especially at work. But, we are responsible to our bosses for ourselves and not others. How others are paid is the boss’s business, not ours. (Comparing paychecks)
God owes us nothing
God owes us nothing
‘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?’
V15
God can do what he wants with his property. It is all His, anyway.
God is not unfair when He gives more to one than He does the other.
We should be grateful, not envious.
Conclusion:
· We are all about fairness. We learn it from a young age. “That’s not fair.”
· We want fairness when we believe we are owed something, we want justice when we owe someone else.
· Be thankful Jesus isn’t fair. (By our standards)
· When someone comes to Jesus, late in life, especially near death, the tendency is to somehow feel as if God has not been fair.
o “I’ve worked my entire life for you.”
o “How is it fair they get the same salvation and eternal life?”
· Instead of feeling short changed, maybe we need to look at it from a different perspective.
o They have missed out on the joy of serving the Lord for their entire lifetime.
o They have missed out on the peace and comfort that only Jesus can provide.
o They have missed out on all the blessings that come with serving God over the years.
God is more than fair, He is merciful and loving.