April 11, 2011

Reading for April 11-15 Preparation for Holy Week Monday Jesus Tells A Story To Any Who Ever Say, "It's Not Fair!" "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. At nine o'colock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o'colock he did the same thing. At five o'clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, 'Why haven't you been working today?' They replied, 'Because no one hired us.' The landowner told them, 'Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.' That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each received a full day's wage. When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day's wage. When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 'Those people worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.' He answered one of them, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?' So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last." Matthew 20:1-16 Pastor's Reflection I like very much the following comments from my Life Application Bible Commentary: Reversed Order Jesus repeated a principle that is recorded in 19:30. There he used it to respond to the disciples' amazement that wealth was not a gauge of acceptance with God. Here he said, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last" as the moral of the parable of the workers (20:1-15). Clearly, Christ rejects the widely accepted notion: "first come, first served". Why? Here are three possible reasons: 1. God isn't impressed by our achievements. The workers did no more than they were asked to do. The landowner gave them work they did not merit and fulfilled his promise. Those who worked all day were not cheated. Those who worked an hour had no reason to brag. The idea that God "owes" us something is wrong. Instead of complaining, we should be grateful that God seldom gives us what we deserve. 2. God rejects our comparisons. To understand our sinfulness, we should examine our tendency toward discontent and ungratefulness. Like children, we demand equal treatment when we think that we have received less than others. Yet we are rarely concerned for others when we're ahead of them. Like the landowner, however, God holds us to our agreement. God keeps his promises. Comparing ourselves to others will not help our defense when we stand before God. 3. God's rewards are his domain. The landowner held the right to be generous to whomever he desired. If we are not astonished at God's grace toward us, we will miss it completely. Are there areas of ungratefulness in your life? Use this list to remind yourself of what God has done for you.