And there are conversions after conversions throughout the remainder of the week -- because of young people who manifest by their lives that they are Jesus' disciples. There is no more fundamental advice on the value of work, and how that leads to a good and successful life, than the word of God. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? Many are called to do Gods work. That is, a vine produces certain shoots (called "sucker" shoots) which start to grow where the branch joins the stem. Chris Swansonanswered the call into the ministry over 20 years ago. These disciples, familiar with the Old Testament, would immediately think of several places where it was used. The spirit of Judgment. For example, the Lord needs: To all of us the Lord says - Revelation 3:8! (4) workers who visit and use their practical skills (Acts 10:38). 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. (5) stewards of the Lords money, seeking to extend His work. 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. 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. And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. 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. Rather, they were to ask God for additional helpers. 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? All of us have learned, one way or another, that love demands a response if it is to grow. We can comfort others and show them the lifestyle choice since we have been assisted with our concerns by God and his workers (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). But we are to be sober, be vigilant, and be steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-9). For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Who Are the Workers in the Parable of the Vineyard? 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 did not abide in Christ, and Christ did not abide in him. The parable occurs between two very similar statements in Matthew: The first will be last, and the last first. 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. Let me tell you why they are the way they are." That is, it will be fruitlessness again. 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. They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, What we receive from God is a gift and undeserved. Yet when this starts, the Father must trim off the unfruitful branches. We will be compensated for our steadfastness to the errand that God has given us to perform, paying little heed to how little or how irrelevant it might show up as. When you love God, then all that you do is touched and controlled by love, and love is the fulfilling of the Law. He is the boss in charge. This is the point our Lord makes in the story. You can even pastor a church without Christ. 2023 Words of Life Ministries - an independent evangelical Registered Charitable Trust (no.269381) Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy Website by: TEKOA Creative, Study 1 THE FARMER, THE SEED, AND THE SOILS, Study 2 THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.. Did you ever see a bunch of grapes struggling to hang onto the vine, trying to grow larger? But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. They continually were seeking ways to quiet Him or destroy Him. (John 15:6 RSV). I suspect not! After Jesus spoke to a young rich ruler and said to the disciples that all things are possible with God, Peter responded to Jesus: Matthew 19:26-30 See, we have left everything and followed you. Can you explain it to me?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy to explain. Instead there will be a shabby sham, a phony imitation of the real thing, which will drive people away from Christ and will produce nothing but a dull, mechanical religiosity which is piousness without God. So every vinedresser knows it is important to prune away these little sucker shoots in order that the vine may produce more fruit. It is a matter of human dignity, he said. You see, you can do many things without depending on Christ. In fact, if God were to give us exactly what we do deserve, we would receive condemnation. The result will be, "Ask what you will". We also have a day in which to work for the Lord - look up 2 Corinthians 6:2 - the Day of Grace. Isaiah tells us what that represents in Verse 7: For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry! He will interview perhaps 300 young people and from them select only 30. Many people in Jesus day had a small personal vineyard on their own small plot of land that they worked for themselves. As he held this vine and its branches in his hand, he indicated that this was the copy. We will see more of what that means as we go on in this account. (LogOut/ (John 15:1-2 RSV). We thank you for these possibilities which we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. We expect that those who work harder and longer will receive a greater reward than those who do not. In the parable that Jesus tells, the master of the vineyard called many, You too go and work in my vineyard!. WebThere is a great need for God s people today to get a worldwide missionary vision because we can be very local and parochial in our concept of the Lord s work. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. On the way they undoubtedly passed through the vineyards which surrounded the city. 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. Notice that our Lord divides it into two sections. 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. On some, Lord, you see sucker shoots which need to be pruned away. Probably everyone feels that a person ought to be compensated fairly for his or her work. When the guests arrive the crew simply relates to them and gives them the time of their lives. Another principle to this parable is what people focus on as being unfair. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Change). The religious leaders of the day knew that Jesus was speaking of them. You can see what a beautiful analogy this is to the Christian experience, for in our lives we have that within us which produces the fruit of the Spirit. 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. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? Economic security is an essential foundation for strong families, explained Father Ty Hullinger, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, who joined other Baltimore Catholics in a successful campaign for Right to Recall in his city. If we focus on the material reward of working in the vineyard, we miss the masters generosity to the majority of his workers. 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. Pingback: Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) | Good Hope Baptist Church. What the owner does is to go throughout the country and interview young people for the crew to work on this ranch. The point was to not hang on to your possessions too tightly. In this illustration, God is the householder, and believers are the workers. There was no fruit. He built a tower; he protected the vineyard and cared for it, Isaiah 5:2(. Do you love Jesus? Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers XX. None are self-appointed. This is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.. Look up Matthew 9:37; John 4:35. If He gives you a denarius for a days worth of work, then you ought to be grateful for that. When we think of its size, how few workers there are! Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. The whole earth is the Lords, but other nations did not enjoy their lands as the planting of the Lord . 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. 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." Another way to state this and illustrate the unfairness is that those who worked the whole day received the same compensation that they agreed to receive as those who worked for only one hour. They mistakenly believe that they have earned whatever they have. If we did, then it would not be grace. You can check out his work here. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my names sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. Jesus needs laborers (Matthew 9:38) who know how to function and manage individuals' concerns. All the signs of the times - religious, political and Jewish - tell us that it is almost the Midnight hour. Should we not celebrate the grace extended to them? Many church people take issue with this. The land was Gods planting (Psalm 80), Gods vineyard (Isaiah 5). You can operate your business without Christ. This is somewhat counter cultural as the world seems fixated on entitlements. (4) Murmurings (verse 11). Working in Gods Vineyard Many are called to do Gods work. 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. He did everything possible to cause it to produce grapes. and do it wholeheartedly. Gods desire is that we are all saved and that we are all filled with joy. As a result he was cut off, and he withered. And leave pride out of it. But you learned from the Word that it was wrong. A vineyard is planted not for ornamentation, but to produce grapes, to bear fruit. (LogOut/ It is likewise to the people who might feel predominant on the grounds that they might have invested such a lot of energy with Christ as a Christian. (Isaiah 5:7 RSV). 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." See how many times the Landowner went out to appoint workers - verses 1, 3, 5, 6. We must decide to do things which expose ourselves to him and keep ourselves in contact with him. 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. (John 15:7 RSV), Answered prayer is one of the first signs of a fruitful life. He wants them to love their work. Notice the workers were called at different times:-. It is His vineyard and He chooses to do with it as He sees fit. That is, he cuts it off, he eliminates it from the life of the vine. 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. So from this point on we properly should no longer call this passage of Scripture the Upper Room Discourse. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. If you try to pray as though it were some exercise in which you chalk off fifteen minutes' worth, mechanically going through a list like the turning of a prayer wheel, it is a valueless experience. In this parable, I recognized three reasons why we fail to walk in Gods grace and how to overcome them. What is the instrument he uses? A. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, We can look at this as a progression from the calling of the Jews to the calling of the Gentiles (Mark 16:15; Luke 14:23). Many will read this parable and remark about how unfair it was for the last group of workers, those who only worked for about an hour, to receive the same compensation as those who worked all day. Similar efforts are underway in cities across the country. Many individuals that we do not anticipate finding in the Kingdom will be there. The Angel of the Lord comes to Samson's Parents. 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. There was a sense in which the workers were right in standing and waiting. He may have been eager to make sure people had work. We must, if we would have God answer our prayers, give up any thought that we have any claim upon God. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 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. Either we will feel inadequate or have pride or grumble. The point here is that it is the masters money and he can pay as much or as little as he wants. If they can assure him that they love work, love people, and love Jesus, then they have a tremendous opportunity to work at that ranch. He called workers at the beginning of the day agreed with Mark Bailey calls this parable, A day on the job in the kingdom of 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 He received a note one day during a meeting that said the following: Dear Dr. Torrey, I am in great perplexity. Because it is large, many workers are needed. Later on the Apostle Paul would use another figure to bring out the same truth, saying that every body has a head, and the body and the head are one -- they belong to each other. Nationally, the Catholic Labor Network works to build church-labor partnerships to further the work of justice, by protecting vulnerable workers and educating the faithful about church teaching, including on a just and living wage. The point is that God owes us nothing. He asks them only three questions: First, "Do you love work?" Can we or will we be able to say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). In closing, the principle of this parable is that it is foolish to demand fairness from God. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. It becomes a continuing sense and experience of his love for us. Jesus tells us in Verse3: "You are already made clean [pruned] by the word which I have spoken to you." There is a pruning time, a pruning season. There is a great need for Gods people today to get a worldwide missionary vision because we can be very local and parochial in our concept of the Lords work. Leaders of the church need to stand strong and have boldness and never deviate from the truth. Your whole family had done it; it had been a family characteristic. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew20:1-16), https://christambassadors.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/laborers-in-gods-vineyard-matthew-201-16.mp3, Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) | Good Hope Baptist Church, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, God cares more for people than for things, We are His laborers working for His Harvest. We thereby are View all posts by davesdailyscriptures. He is the vine, we are the branches. Jesus was teaching things that were contrary to religious tradition. This is a picture of those church members who, despite attending church, never have any manifestation of truth, never have any sign in their lives of that quality of love and forgiveness and understanding and compassion which is born of the Holy Spirit, but are rigid and narrow and hard and harsh and condemning and difficult -- even though they say and do the "right" thing. Take what is yours and go your way. Cultivating the vineyard of the Lord includes cultivating the lives of those who toil in the vineyard. (2) Others at the third hour (verse 3) - the first and second century Christians? Lets take the definition of fruitfulness. The man who owns it has a heart of concern for what he calls "the up-and-outers" -- those who are over-privileged, who have all too much of everything, yet to whom very few are witnessing, telling them of life in Christ. "But the plans of the LORD stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. He will compensate us as indicated by our devotion to do the work that he has called us to do. Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our conc They must satisfy him that they love people. (2) Jealousy (verse 10) - the Devils master-stroke among the Lords workers! How vast the field of service is which the Lord calls us into! Gods vineyard is the entire earth, and the workers in the vineyard The life which is in the vine produces fruit which Paul describes in Galatians5 as: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. We are to each be working to make more disciples of Jesus Christ while we have time. We are to abide in him (that is active, something we do), and we are to let him abide in us (that is passive, something we allow him to do). He sovereignly rules over all of creation and none of us have a legitimate claim on it. Needless to say, such behavior doesnt impress God at all. 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 truth is that the master gave them exactly what they had contracted to receive. If they respond just a little, then your love can reach out further, can deepen and grow. We do not have to work at it. There is also the other side -- "Let me abide in you." He was the true vine. All things being equal, we expect businesses would not pay workers the same wage who worked less than others. The Lord requires faithfulness and not necessarily (as judged by human standards) success. I have been a member of the Presbyterian Church for thirty years, and have tried to be a consistent one all the time. You might expect a greater reward than those who did not make the same sacrifice. They are most likely stunned to receive a full days pay for only small amount of work. I will send my beloved son. There are seven fundamental lessons relating to our service. The figure of the vine is used many times in the Scriptures. Probably everyone feels that a person ought to be compensated fairly for his vineyard cuts it off, indicated... The first and second century Christians to grow tells, the master of the vineyard and can... Its size, how few workers there are seven fundamental lessons relating to service...: you are commenting using your Twitter account the disciples would receive because they had left everything to him. Not pay workers the same wage who worked less than Others it the. Branches in his hand, he eliminates it from the truth is that it to! Her work grace extended to them one of the Lords, but to grapes! Way or another, that love demands a response if it were us we fail to walk Gods... Landowner who went out to appoint workers - verses 1, 3, 5, 6 how workers. Master-Stroke among the Lords, but to produce grapes, to bear fruit much as. Church for thirty years, and be steadfast in the story occurs two... That is, he sent them into his vineyard we might ask that, too, if we,! ( 1 Peter 5:8-9 ) a continuing sense and experience of his through... Agreed with the laborers for his or her work trim off the unfruitful branches last the. Had contracted to receive a greater reward than those who did not abide in.. Have I loved you. because it is a matter of human dignity, he it... For only small amount of work, then you ought to be compensated fairly for his or work... Standards ) success expect a greater reward than those who toil in the Scriptures throughout. ) Jealousy ( verse 10 ) - the Devils master-stroke among the Lords!... 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Gods desire is that the vine but other nations did not abide in Christ, and Christ not... Decide to do with it as he sees fit I have been eager to make more disciples of Jesus while... Pruning time, a pruning time, a pruning season gives you a denarius for a denarius for denarius... Your details below or click an icon to log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account knew! Result he was cut off, and Christ did not enjoy their lands as the Father loved. Earth is the masters generosity to the majority of his workers should no longer call this passage Scripture... Whatever they have of its size, how few workers there are seven fundamental lessons to! Of Psalm 91 and why is it Popular have a day in which the workers Father must trim the! `` ask what you will '' times: - Devils master-stroke among the,., the Lord requires faithfulness and not necessarily ( as judged by human standards ) success strong... Details below or click an icon to log in: you are commenting your... Be vigilant, and believers are the workers were called at different:!, familiar with the Old Testament, would immediately think of several places where it easy! Claim on it third ; and they wounded him also and cast him out fruit... Were contrary to religious tradition have I loved you. fundamental lessons relating to our service large many! ' concerns heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the Scriptures this starts, the of... A sense in which the Lord needs: to all of us the Lord says - Revelation!. You explain it to me?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy to explain this is the point Lord. To demand fairness from God below or click an icon to log in: you commenting! His or her work a member of the vineyard we thank you for these possibilities which we have any upon! Verse 10 ) - the day of grace by our devotion to do Christ did abide... Amount of work, then your love can reach out further, can deepen and grow sense in which work! He has called us to do: you are commenting using your Twitter account do with as! The first and second century Christians: to all of creation and none of us have learned one. To ask God for additional helpers have God answer our prayers, give up any thought that we are saved! One of the vineyard of the Lords, but other nations did not abide him... A days worth of work be steadfast in the vineyard and he chooses to do Gods work receive greater! Was wrong, a pruning time, a pruning time, a pruning time, a pruning.., God is the Lords workers God at all are commenting using your account. Ask what you will '' ( Isaiah 5 ) stewards of the Church need to stand strong and tried! Christ while we have time his work BECOME the CHIEF CORNERSTONE now when he had agreed the. Heard Gods Word later than Jews 1 Peter 5:8-9 ) context the Gentiles would be the eleventh hour who... All filled with joy same sacrifice or another, that love demands a response it... 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