On others you see luscious, tempting, delicious fruit which gladdens and delights your heart, glorifies you, and we thank you for that. (1) preachers who are used by their Spirit-filled preaching. In the second parable, Jesus teaches that all are equal in Gods kingdom. (3) people of prayer behind the scenes. The person might have never addressed hundreds or thousands of individuals like some ministers and evangelists do, yet they loyally brought up their youngsters, and possibly those kids became teachers who served God on unfamiliar soil or someplace within their own country. There is an activity which is to be done, and a passivity which is to be acknowledged -- an active voice and a passive voice. Gods vineyard is the entire earth, and the workers in the vineyard A vineyard is planted not for ornamentation, but to produce grapes, to bear fruit. In light of the countrys stagnant federal minimum wage, the network is supporting a Nashville Living Wage certification program to honor employers who pay a more just minimum wage by choice. That is what Jesus is talking about. The parable provides an illustration of this statement. RayStedman.org/permissions. Israel rejected God and were disobedient. There are no Bible studies, no meetings; it is a very low-key approach. This ranch is owned and operated by a mutual friend and is designed as a guest-ranch for wealthy and affluent people. No one can gain more favor than another, whether we spend a lifetime serving God or, like the thief on the cross, a person who comes to repentance at the end of ones life will be saved and enter into paradise (see Luke 23:39-43). When he said, "I am the true vine," he did not mean, "true in contrast with something false, fake, counterfeit," but rather "real, genuine, as opposed to the mere copy or symbol." What a fantastic group they are!" Christ then becomes real to you. He was with the Lord -- spent three and a half years with him. The third question is, "Do you love Jesus?". (5) stewards of the Lords money, seeking to extend His work. (1) Idleness (verse 6). Then the last result of fruitbearing -- the fullness of joy, Verse11, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (Aimee Shelide Mayer is a social justice and spiritual formation consultant to nonprofits, churches and schools. We think of God as some sort of vending machine where we can deposit a prayer or two and get a specific result. God sent prophets to Israel to tell them to get right with God, but they were ignored, beaten, and/or killed. We pray in his name, Amen. In making claims of unfairness, we forget who the boss isand it is not us! He even shared in the experience of ministry with the other disciples. Would we demand fairness for the first group, for the first Christians? By the third evening the guests are all asking, "Where did you ever get this tremendous crew of young people? No, they are means by which we know him. And many a churchgoer is in that state. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. The invitation has been given, many will accept it and work, many will not. His beautiful analogy has helped a great many Christians to understand the relationship God wants them to know. Maybe the master was trying to keep the unemployment rate low during that time. Many are called to do Gods work. Not one of us deserves anything from God.. He is really praying in his own name, and God will not hear our prayers when we approach Him in that way. By doing so, we heed Pope Franciss advice in Evangelii Gaudium to say no to an economy of exclusion and inequality andyesto an economy that restores human dignity (No. It was then that the Landowner said, You also go (verse 7). The Lord requires faithfulness and not necessarily (as judged by human standards) success. Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? In that respect, this parable is not based on reality. The relationship is not merely to be recognized; it is to be acted upon: "Abide in me, and I in you. It is a solid education about the grace of God and his generosity toward humanity. And in the 80th Psalm, the Psalmist says that God "brought a vine out of Egypt" and planted it in a good land, Psalms 80:8). He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others., And when they heard it they said, Certainly not!, Then He looked at them and said, What then is this that is written: THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE ? The day of work is their lifetime. Even though Israel is Gods chosen people, He opened the door for salvation to everyone. We believe He owes us something. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. He is a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman with over 30 years of combined active and reserve service. Each worker is personally called and directed where and how to work. (4) Murmurings (verse 11). You can check out his work here. Some of you may have been there and seen it. They may have been members of churches for years, but there is no life evident at all. The parables of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-28), the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), were all related by the Lord to emphasise three aspects of Christian service. How vast the field of service is which the Lord calls us into! This gift is for everyone. He not only does this, but he does it repeatedly. And on the third evening the owner of the ranch sits down and says, "Many of you have been asking about our crew. Maybe God has not called a few of us to accomplish something extraordinary or fantastic for him, yet would we say that we are unwavering in doing what he has allocated for us to do? 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 3 About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. From then on there are still no meetings, but invariably every week there are those guests who come and say, "I want to know more about this." And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. You see, Peter asked Jesus what the disciples would receive because they had left everything to follow Him. We might ask that, too, if it were us. He may have been eager to make sure people had work. They are most likely stunned to receive a full days pay for only small amount of work. But Jesus explains that salvation is for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. (John 15:9-10 RSV). 63). Given the circumstances, we should center around God's benevolence toward us, and be grateful for what we have. I believe this is a reference to other such Scripture passages which say that the angels will be sent out to gather out all which offends in God's kingdom and cast it into the eternal fire where it will be burned. Therefore, while Jesus acknowledged that His followers, particularly the Twelve Disciples, would receive a hundredfold reward and will inherit eternal life, He goes on to explain the nature of Gods reward. And do not compare yourself to others. In verses four-six, the householder went out each time the workers went out, compelling those to come and work in the vineyard. They plant their empires through conquest and war (Genesis 10:8-12), intoxicated with a taste for blood instead of the pure wine of divine governance (Revelation 17:2, 6). This is the glory of Christian liberty. Somebody might vocally protest that "those individuals did not function or work as hard as I did." Do you love God for Who He is, or do you love Him for the benefits He gives you? We have been placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Judas was a paramount example of this. (1) For the kingdom. What then will we have? 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. Another principle to this parable is what people focus on as being unfair. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? The Angel of the Lord comes to Samson's Parents. By the time it became a federal holiday, thirty states had already officially celebrated Labor Day. I am sure you have all had the experience of being confronted with a word of Scripture and learning from it that something you had been doing all your life, and which you thought was right, was actually wrong. We would be foolish to appeal to God for justice rather than grace, for if we really received justice, we would all be condemned. This sermon was delivered at Good Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." The Father is at work to cut them off, to prune them back. A certain sense of fairness comes into question among some of the workers, and the parable ends by emphasizing the owners generosity over any subjective view of None of us get to dictate to God what we will receive. Furthermore, it is added to any new believers as a consolation of the grace of God. He owns everything. And leave pride out of it. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. These three vineyard texts insist that God remains in personal relationship with his people, continues to care for and preserve them and stays faithful even when the people fail to do so. That is, a vine produces certain shoots (called "sucker" shoots) which start to grow where the branch joins the stem. If we focus on the material reward of working in the vineyard, we miss the masters generosity to the majority of his workers. There was no fruit. Perhaps you were manifesting or defending some attitude. The vineyard is the kingdom, the sphere of Gods rule. Would we really begrudge Gods grace on the latecomers, including ourselves? The religious leaders of the day knew that Jesus was speaking of them. Catholic social teaching upholds the dignity of work and the rights of workers. It is now generally viewed as a time for barbecues and the end of summer, but it was originally observed to acknowledge the contribution workers make to our society. He was the true vine. That is abiding in him. [Jesus said to the people:] Listen to another parable. 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. If indeed this is the location, they then took their way down across the Tyropoeon Valley, which separated the Temple from the rest of the city, around the wall skirting the Temple area, down into the Kidron Valley, across the brook, and then up the slope of the Mount of Olives to the garden. So you can do what you please when you love God. This is the point our Lord makes in the story. Some people think the world owes them something a particular standard of living, health care, mobile phones, or other stuff. (LogOut/ (5) Discouragement. It was the 25th Sunday of the Year, cycle A. He committed suicide within a few days, and he was burned -- eternally lost. Needless to say, such behavior doesnt impress God at all. We expect that those who work harder and longer will receive a greater reward than those who do not. We know that your work with us is to the end that we may produce more fruit, that all of us here in this vineyard will be so fruit-laden, that it will be a fruitful place which will make the world around us drool with desire to learn the secret of such fruit. But if you pray because you are talking with One whom you love and want to know more of, sharing with him out of the fullness of your heart, then prayer becomes a beautiful and marvelous experience. So he has designed this ranch for that purpose. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? He is responsible to see that the purpose of the vine is fulfilled. Then He began to tell the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. Should we not celebrate the grace extended to them? We are only stewards of what God has graciously allowed us to use. See how many times the Landowner went out to appoint workers - verses 1, 3, 5, 6. Every Christian, everywhere, should be fully engaged in active service for the Lord in these desperately needy days either by prayer (Matthew 9:38), or by preaching (Acts 5:42) - or by both (Acts 6:4). The fruit here is not others won to Christ. The same is true for God. And if you are truly loving him, you can ask whatever you will. I am the vine, you are the branches. On the other hand, he says, "He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Jesus told a couple parables that deals with the heart of those who are called to do Gods work. No, it simply stays in the vine and lets the life of the vine produce the fruit. He called workers at the beginning of the day agreed with We believe they deserved more. You might expect a greater reward than those who did not make the same sacrifice. Gods vineyard is the entire earth, and the workers in the vineyard are all of Gods people, earning our daily bread as co-creators with God, no matter our craft. Cultivating the vineyard of the Lord includes cultivating the lives of those who toil in the vineyard. The Jews would grumble when salvation is provided to gentiles as well. It is not part of the fruit itself; it is the result of a life which increasingly is becoming Christlike. Only believing in Christ and accepting him as Lord and Savior is what prompts a home in heaven. That is a hard lesson to learn, because oftentimes when we go to God in prayer thinking we deserve something from Him. First, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you [this is the way we let him abide in us -- by his word], ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you." When you love God, then all that you do is touched and controlled by love, and love is the fulfilling of the Law. Here is the process in which the branch is cut off, and then it withers -- grows dry and dull and dead. In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI quotes St. John Paul II in Laborem Exercens: In many cases, poverty results from a violation of the dignity of human work, either because work opportunities are limited (through unemployment or underemployment), or because a low value is put on work and the rights that flow from it, especially the right to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family' (No. But if you try, you find that there will be no fruit, no Christlikeness, no manifestation of that beautiful character which arrests the attention of others. Again, let God be your guide. This parable is about the masters generosity His grace. WebThe Workers In The Vineyard Matthew 20:1-16ESV / 10 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire We are His Laborers Working for His Harvest. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. And then we must rest on him, count on him to see us through, to supply that enabling power which makes us able to love and forgive and rejoice and give thanks, even when everything is going wrong. Both of these are necessary in the Christian experience. In Verses4 and5 our Lord goes on to set forth, in the most helpful way I know of in all of Scripture, what might be called the law of fruitfulness: "Abide in me, and I in you." The fact of the matter is that God does not work that way. One is in Isaiah5: "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house [the nation] of Israel," (Isaiah 5:7a). Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. We are to each be sowing seed in His field. The land was Gods planting (Psalm 80), Gods vineyard (Isaiah 5). For permission to use this content, please review Many individuals that we do not anticipate finding in the Kingdom will be there. Probably they will respect him when they see him. But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir. We must be willing to give up anything and everything for Christ. We find that the master of the vineyard has a rather strange way of rewarding his workers. (3) Criticism (verse 15) - criticism of the Lord and of His dealings. This huge story represents a vital truth: it is not the measure of time, which we serve nor the unmistakable quality or significance of our position, which decides our reward. In agriculture theres a sowing season, then a reaping season. On the other hand, if you let him take all the responsibility and you make no choices at all, if you depend on him to do everything including making the choices, you will also have a fruitless life. Do you want to be known as a disciple of Jesus? The point here is that it is the masters money and he can pay as much or as little as he wants. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? The marketplace represents the world, furthermore, it is from there that the Gospel of Christ has called us. But where love is responded to, it grows deeper and richer and truer, and eventually becomes a glorious experience. (2) Jealousy (verse 10) - the Devils master-stroke among the Lords workers! They wanted the power and prestige and didnt want anyone to take that from them. ", TEN OF OUR LORDS PARABLES by Francis Dixon Scripture Portion: Matthew 20:1-16. Your whole family had done it; it had been a family characteristic. If we use the basic principle of understanding Scripture, which is common to all of Scripture -- letting Scripture interpret itself -- there is no doubt as to what this fruit is. Can you explain it to me?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy to explain. Israel was that vine. And he tells them about the three questions he asked: Do you love work? By this he meant to illustrate the wonderful truth that when we are united with Christ we are one with him, we are identified with him. Without both of those, fruitlessness is the result. Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.. When we understand ourselves as all workers in Gods vineyard (Mt 20:1-14), we cannot help but join the fight for our fellow workers who are being mistreated. Be broken ; but on whomever it falls, it is the of! The masters generosity his grace no, it grows deeper and richer and truer, sent! Was burned -- eternally lost our Lords parables by Francis Dixon Scripture:. 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