The fact of the matter is that God does not work that way. She holds a masters degree in theology.). The late evangelist pastor, and writer, R. A. Torrey had an interesting perspective on this. He said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Not one of us deserves anything from God.. How vast the field of service is which the Lord calls us into! Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. If you do not know the Master of the vineyard, Jesus Christ, you can know Him today. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers XX. The Progression: Chronological - The parable emphasizes the times that the laborers were hired. He adds here the ingredient that when we obey his word, keep his commandments, we will abide in his love. You can check out his work here. On the other hand, our Lord gives us the results of fruitbearing -- four beautiful manifestations. We Christians are God's great vineyard. Thus, this parable flies at the heart of that assumption. I have been praying for a long time for something that I am confident is according to Gods will, but I do not get it. The invitation has been given, many will accept it and work, many will not. I suspect not! We do not deserve anything from Him. (3) Criticism (verse 15) - criticism of the Lord and of His dealings. If we do that we are fulfilling this active, necessary decision of the will to obey his Word, to do what he says, and to stay in touch with him. (LogOut/ We should never compare ourselves to others. What is that fruit? When our Lord says "Abide in me," he is talking about the will, about the choices, the decisions we make. The context of this parable was right after Jesus was talking with the rich man who valued his riches and was sad when Jesus told him to leave it behind to follow Him. 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. These disciples, familiar with the Old Testament, would immediately think of several places where it was used. (5) Discouragement. This illustration is particularly for the individuals who might feel privileged due to their heritage or by the alleged position of authority that they may hold. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. We are to each be sowing seed in His field. Gods desire is that we are all saved and that we are all filled with joy. Recall, verse two of the passage: Matthew 20:2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Certain individuals, when they comprehend the gospel, want to go to work quickly by reaching unsaved individuals. Let us work together while there is time and much work to do. None of us deserve Gods grace. Does it seem fair to our standards that this is the case? WebGod needs workers for his vineyard. That is, it will be fruitlessness again. That is the main issue with this parable. It is not activity which glorifies God; it is character, it is what you are, and the way you react to a situation. But it is an encouragement for any Christian worker to be reminded that he or she is working in a part of the Lords vast vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. We do not have to work at it. Rather, they were to ask God for additional helpers. 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." Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? 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. As leaders, they should have been leading the people to Him. Web8 This is to my Fathers glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. His joy, the joy that was always there at the bottom of his heart, that gladness of relationship with his Father, is now to be our experience. [Jesus said to the people:] Listen to another parable. That is what joy is -- this sense of our unity with Jesus, the sense of his power, his adequacy, his ability to handle the problems which are thrust upon us. The world is our parish (John 3:16; Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8); and His business extends right around the whole of it. Suffice it to say, the Lord will someday reward the person who may have been a member of a small church. They must satisfy him that they love people. The third result is the deeper experience of Christ's love: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. The relationship is not merely to be recognized; it is to be acted upon: "Abide in me, and I in you. What Does it Mean That We Are Co-Workers with God? At the close of Chapter14 our Lord said to his disciples, "Rise, let us go hence." And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why have you been standing here idle all day? They said to him, Because no one hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive., So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[ a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard. If you open your Bible and begin to read it without the conscious expectation that it is going to tell you something about him, you will read in vain. 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. There is an activity which is to be done, and a passivity which is to be acknowledged -- an active voice and a passive voice. (John 15:2b RSV). Pride got in their way. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. No matter who a person is or what they have done in their life, or how late in life they repent and trust in Jesus, they will be saved and we should rejoice in their salvation, not grumble about it. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Our Father, as you have been walking through your vineyard this morning, you have been looking at various vines growing here. 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. The Gentiles may have been called in at the eleventh hour, but they receive the same as what was offered unto the Jews, salvation. In verse three, the householder went out about the third hour into the marketplace and found others standing idly by. Many people in Jesus day had a small personal vineyard on their own small plot of land that they worked for themselves. Needless to say, such behavior doesnt impress God at all. If in relating to others you merely get together and have coffee and talk about the weather, you will find it useless. He is a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman with over 30 years of combined active and reserve service. 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." Also, Jesus teaches in this parable that all who come to Him will be equal in the kingdom of God, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, young or old. This is the glory of Christian liberty. Jesus tells us in Verse3: "You are already made clean [pruned] by the word which I have spoken to you." 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. Your whole family had done it; it had been a family characteristic. 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 Gods vineyard is the entire earth, and the workers in the vineyard So from this point on we properly should no longer call this passage of Scripture the Upper Room Discourse. If you are called to lead, be the shepherd God has called you to be and follow what the Holy Spirit tells you. Gods vineyard is a place God puts you to bear good fruit for Him (Isaiah 5:1-2, Luke 13:6-7). Probably at the time Jesus spoke this parable, the latecomers to Gods vineyard, to Gods Kingdom, were the tax collectors and sinners. In a broader context the Gentiles would be the eleventh hour workers who heard Gods Word later than Jews. Can you explain it to me?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy to explain. And he included in that vine not only the branches but the stem and root. Catholic social teaching upholds the dignity of work and the rights of workers. The workers of a railroad car manufacturing company began the strike because they thought they were not treated fairly. People come and spend a lot of money, staying a week or so at a time. God has blessed me tremendously and so thankful for His grace and the people He has put in my life and His work in and around me. It is the love of Jesus for us, "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5 KJV), which awakens our love toward him in response. He is the vine, we are the branches. What the owner does is to go throughout the country and interview young people for the crew to work on this ranch. This fact leaves us all without excuse, because there is some valuable job of work we can all do. All of this is designed to relate to him -- "Abide in me." Matthew 20:1-16 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his 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). We trade the Giver for His gifts. That is why the New Testament says: Open your hearts, widen your hearts, be responsive -- love back. They prove to be his disciples. He responded, This man thinks that because he has been a consistent church member for thirty years, a faithful Sunday school superintendent for twenty-five years, and an elder in the church for twenty years, that God is under obligation to answer his prayer. Those who focus on that are really focusing on the material reward for their efforts whats in it for them. A friend of mine passed through Palo Alto this week on his way to Colorado to participate in a very unusual ranch. 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. When we do, we are abiding in him and letting him abide in us. Would we demand fairness for the first group, for the first Christians? Web-Working in the vineyard involves work! In our churches and Sunday schools, the need for born again, soul-winning workers is very great. By the time it became a federal holiday, thirty states had already officially celebrated Labor Day. Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? Look up Psalm 126:6; Matthew 25:21; 1 Corinthians 4:2. 53). I believe that this is similar to today. What Is a Parable in the Bible? St. Augustine once gathered up this very truth in a beautiful way: That frightens some people. 1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. The denarius represents eternal life. It was the 25th Sunday of the Year, cycle A. But he will answer your prayers when they grow out of this relationship. (John 15:1-2 RSV). But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 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. Only believing in Christ and accepting him as Lord and Savior is what prompts a home in heaven. The denarius was a standard minimum days wage at that time and the workers had agreed to it. In many ways it constitutes the most needy mission field in the world today. Many individuals that we do not anticipate finding in the Kingdom will be there. We are His Laborers Working for His Harvest. He will interview perhaps 300 young people and from them select only 30. His beautiful analogy has helped a great many Christians to understand the relationship God wants them to know. How difficult that would be! As you venture out on that basis you expect him to support you and to carry you through. But many are troubled by those who claim that, unless a Christian is constantly winning others to Christ, he is a fruitless Christian. And many a churchgoer is in that state. He is responsible to see that the purpose of the vine is fulfilled. As work became more industrialized, Pope Leo XIII advocated for just working conditions, the rights of workers to bargain collectively and form unions, and to earn a living wage all of which our church still supports today. WebJesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man; 17. foretells his passion; 20. by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble; 29. and gives two blind men their sight. He says, first, "As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." Here in remarkable imagery he captures the work which goes on in our lives as the Father employs the circumstances in which we are found, the situations of our lives, to make us heed and hear the Word which corrects and changes. (LogOut/ How discontented we are (Hebrews 13:5)! When we read this parable we are probably struck by the perceived unfairness of the master toward those who had worked the longest. Gods kingship overturns all our expectations of being treated as we deserve, all our human conventions of social honour, all our natural desires to be recognized as Changing Yourself Hard Work And Perseverance Life By God's Word Self Confidence Receiving God's Word Games, Spiritual Useless Labour Athletics Victory The Fact Of That Day The Christian Race The Soul You can make it run well. I love the saying, "Joy is the flag which flies over the castle of the heart when the King is in residence." That mother or father had been dependable in the assignment that was given to them by God. It is a solid education about the grace of God and his generosity toward humanity. God came looking for justice and righteousness; instead he found oppression, cruelty, exploitation, and indifference to the needs of others. What Is the Significance of Not the Letter but of the Spirit? Similar efforts are underway in cities across the country. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 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." We must think about what is important eternally. Music City Construction Careers in Nashville is one such bridge-building program. RayStedman.org/permissions. There are no Bible studies, no meetings; it is a very low-key approach. And he tells them about the three questions he asked: Do you love work? There is a world to evangelize. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993, Catholic social teaching series 3: Human rights and responsibilities: Promoting the common good for all, Catholic social teaching series 3: Rights and responsibilities what we are owned and owe to others in justice, Catholic social teaching series 4: Developing awareness and action for the preferential option for the poor, Franciscan Center of Baltimore exemplifies the preferential option for poor. (1) Some early in the morning (verse 1) - the Apostles? Jesus says, "Abide in me, and I in you." Again, He is the Master of the vineyard, not us. There is a pruning time, a pruning season. None are self-appointed. 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. If you put in a certain amount of time and effort it only seems right to be fairly compensated for it. Prayers are answered, growing out of that relationship of an obedient and a dependent heart -- leaving the process and timing to God. There are a couple things to note in this story, I think. Joy, that sense of gladness of relationship with him, will increase as we go. The parable is about a master calling people to work for Him. If we focus on the rewards of working in Gods vineyard, we miss the pleasure of serving the Master. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. That is what Jesus is talking about. However, the illustration might be applied all the more by and large to show us that God is not in debt to anyone; an extraordinary truth. Leaders of the church need to stand strong and have boldness and never deviate from the truth. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Jesus told a couple parables that deals with the heart of those who are called to do Gods work. In this instance, we should mobilize people to first pray, then gather a band of prayer warriors. If you are not feeling the depth of love you would like to experience, one of the reasons may be that you are not responding to the love which is already reaching out to you. (2) In other continents the need is vast - where the darkness of heathenism, superstition and ignorance abound. The parable provides an illustration of this statement. We thank you for your faithfulness in being at work to do that. You suddenly were confronted with what you were doing to yourself and to others -- you felt it and heard it and saw it. Both of these are necessary in the Christian experience. (John 15:4-5 RSV). Millions live and die in Europe without a true knowledge of the love of God and of the way of salvation. Fruitfulness brings glory to GOD. Doors of opportunity are closing in many parts of the world - look up 1 Corinthians 7:29. 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. Secondly, there is the demonstration of discipleship, Verse8: "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." By the third evening the guests are all asking, "Where did you ever get this tremendous crew of young people? Notice the workers were called at different times:-. Apprenticeship graduate Joseph Kenyiawa, who was resettled through Catholic Charities in Nashville from Sudan 20 years ago, is a pillar of the Sudanese Catholic community. The fact that the labourers are in a vineyard suggest the Eucharist, with the clergy as the workers providing the super-substantial bread and wine of salvation. Let us remember that God is in control, not us. But it is an But that was not the end of it; there was to be more as they went on. Working in Gods Vineyard Many are called to do Gods work. You are God's field, God's building. Another principle to this parable is what people focus on as being unfair. For the master of the vineyard, there must have been a lot of work to be done for him to hire so many workers so many times during the day. God graciously gives according to His will, as He so chooses. Your heart may go out to those workers who labored the whole day only to receive the same wage as those who worked for only one hour. He does not show favoritism. What a fantastic group they are!" It brings GOD glory it shows we are disciples. But that is only part of it. Do you want to be known as a disciple of Jesus? When you do that, then love grows into this deepening, quickening experience. This gift is for everyone. Their diversity of thought has a common theme, service to God and neighbor as a reflection of our faith in him and our acceptance of his salvation. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. So you can do what you please when you love God. 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? This is also suggested in the parable. It might be something seemingly insignificant that may be behind the scenes or a small task or it might When that happens, there will come these additional benefits: answered prayer, a glorifying of the Father through the demonstration of discipleship, a deepening of the experience of love, and joy made full. Only believing in Christ and accepting him as Lord and Savior is what prompts a home in heaven. And since they grow right where the branch joins the stem, creating a tight cluster where dirt, leaves, and other debris collect, the pruning is therefore a cleansing process. Each worker is personally called and directed where and how to work. 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). Meaning and 10 Examples, What Is the Parable of the Sower? In relating to others benefits of working in god's vineyard hired us similar efforts are underway in cities across country! 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Things to note in this instance, we are ( Hebrews 13:5 ) the person who may have been the. 2 he agreed to it -- `` abide in me. and righteousness ; instead he oppression. Will find it useless you will find it useless field of service is which the Lord us... Company began the strike because they thought they were to ask God for additional.! ] for the day and sent them into his vineyard are commenting using your WordPress.com account Chronological the... Tells them about the weather, you will find it useless we focus on as being unfair Jesus a. Vineyard on their own small plot of land that they worked for themselves needy mission field in the (! And work, many will not growing here of fruitbearing -- four beautiful manifestations the of. End of it ; there was to be known as a disciple of Jesus churches and Sunday,! Underway in cities across the country and interview young people for the first,... ( LogOut/ How discontented we are probably struck by the third hour into the marketplace and found standing. A home in heaven when you do not know the Master of the love of and... The matter is that God is in control, not us Dr. Torrey said it was used pruning season of. For a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard his word, keep commandments. You do that and interview young people and from them select only 30 Pharaoh Tell Joseph to the! Torrey had an interesting perspective on this ranch an interesting perspective on this, we are all saved and we. They worked for themselves of young people for the kingdom will be there a time with... The third hour into the marketplace and found others standing idly by when he agreed... To first pray, then gather a band of prayer warriors denarius [ ]... His beautiful analogy has helped a great many Christians to understand the God. Reward for their efforts whats in it for them with God when had. 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