What Are you Waiting For? 6 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 6 of 10

Laborers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1-16 NLT… “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. [2] He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. [3] “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. [4] So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. [5] So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. [6] “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?’ [7] “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ [8] “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. [9] When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. [10] When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. [11] When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, [12] ‘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.’ [13] “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? [14] Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. [15] 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?’ [16] “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Introduction: The questions of Matthew 19 are the backdrop of Matthew 20. Jesus uses this contexually comfortable parable to answer Peter (19:27).

Transition: This parable is about the urgency of God’s kingdom building work, our role in it and our response to it.

Exposition: Don’t get lost in attempting to make allegory of this parable…

-You don’t want what you deserve

-You want the Master’s grace

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Get off the sideline and get in the game!