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The Parables of Matthew
Receiving More Than We Deserve
Matthew 20:1-16
Introduction: My Favorite Day!
What is your favorite day? Saturday was always
my favorite day growing up on the farm. It was my favorite
day because it was pay day! My dad hired a number of kids
from our youth group. As we worked that morning the question
would be asked of each other, “How much will I get?” The answer
always was, “Whatever you have earned this week?”
The way we were paid was an interesting process. With the records for the
week in hand my parents would invite us to come one by one
to where they sat with the cash box. They started with the
person who had made the least amount and worked up to those
who had made the most. You really wanted to be one of the
last people waiting to be called. Being called near the end
meant that you made the most because you had probably worked
the hardest and longest.
It reminds me a lot of the story Jesus tells that
is our parable of Matthew this morning.
The Parable of the Laborers
"For the kingdom of heaven
is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius
for the day and sent them into his vineyard. "About the
third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace
doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and
work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.'
So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour
and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh
hour he went out and found still others standing around. He
asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long
doing nothing?' " 'Because no one has hired us,' they
answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in
my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard
said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their
wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to
the first.' "The workers who were hired about the eleventh
hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came
who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each
one of them also received a denarius. When they received it,
they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who
were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you
have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the
work and the heat of the day.' "But he answered one of
them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree
to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give
the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I
have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are
you envious because I am generous?' "So the last will
be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:1-16
President William McKinley once wrote to Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge, “For
labor, a short day is better than a short dollar.” I
wonder what he would have said to the workers Jesus tells
about working a long day and receiving what they considered
a short dollar.
The Parable of the Laborers stuns us. What does Jesus reveal about God through this story? We must be careful to avoid the temptation of
jumping to the conclusion that Jesus didn’t know or understand
what He was talking about. Jesus studied life carefully. He
drew His illustrations from the things He observed. He had
seen the workers in the marketplace waiting, hoping to be
hired. He had listened to them haggling over wages and had
heard the complaints at the end of the day. Remember that
Jesus grew up with the daily experience of being a working
man in Joseph’s carpenter shop. He knows what He is talking
about and His listeners hear that as He speaks.
Two Concepts To Keep In Mind
There are some important interpretive concepts
we need to keep in mind as we study this parable.
1st Concept: The Parable Isn’t Dealing With
Salvation
Salvation isn’t the end result that God as the
landowner has in view at the end of the day. You don’t work
for salvation. You can’t earn salvation. As one who has had
several relatives accept Jesus as Savior near the end of life,
I can safely say that no one is going to complain about someone
receiving salvation even in the last hour of opportunity.
2nd Concept: The Parable Isn’t Dealing With
Rewards
God determines the rewards He will give to us.
Rewards are given for faithfulness and service. There is no
sliding scale by which you accumulate greater rewards depending
on the length of time you serve as a servant in the Kingdom.
Once again it’s helpful to understand what Jesus
isn’t teaching. We eliminate rabbit trails to help us figure
out what Jesus was teaching in this stunning story.
The Key To Understanding
The key to understanding comes with the first word
that we can read over all too carelessly. The key is the word “for.” It points us back past the chapter break
to what Jesus was saying at the end of chapter 19.
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last
will be first. Matthew
19:30 NIV
This verse wraps up the encounter Jesus had with
a rich young man who had come to Jesus seeking eternal life
but refusing to give his all to follow Jesus. He went away
sadly disappointed. Jesus used this as an opportunity to warn
the disciples about the dangers material wealth pose for spiritual
well-being.
Peter responded to Jesus as only Peter can respond.
We have left everything to follow you!
What then will there be for us? Matthew 19:27 NIV
Peter picks up on the fact the rich man wasn’t
willing to forsake all. He points out that what he wasn’t
willing to do they had done. His question, however, looms
over the scene, “What then will there be for us?” It’s a question
we have all asked in one way or another of God: “When it comes
to following you, which means I’m willing to sacrifice everything
for you, just what is in it for me?”
Jesus gives an encouraging answer.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you
the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man
sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will
also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive
a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:28-29 NIV
One has to think Peter liked what he heard. There
is a throne reserved for him from which he will serve as a
judge. Any investment in the kingdom will be returned one
hundred times over. Oh, and there is the item the rich, young
man was seeking—eternal life!
The reminder about the first being last and the
last being first indicates Jesus picked up an attitude in
Peter’s question. Was Peter following
Jesus only for what he would get? This is the point
of the story Jesus tells.
Point: There was a wrong attitude about serving Jesus.
Jesus wants to make sure they won’t be among the first who
will become last.
Through this story Jesus gives 3 warnings that
we need to be very careful to hear.
Three Warnings
1st Warning: Be Careful About Making Bargains
With God
Take a minute to review the situation Jesus describes.
A landowner is anxious about harvesting his crops. Early in
the morning he goes to hire workers. He soon sees he is going
to need more help so he returns to the marketplace to hire
more workers. Two more times he returns to hire even more
workers. Finally, with just an hour left before dark, he hires
another set of workers. Some treatments of this parable criticize
the men who aren’t working for their laziness. That’s not
the problem. They want to work, but no one has hired them.
There are two
categories of workers in
this story. The very first group hired negotiated the common
wage for a day’s work. They had a contract to which they had
agreed. The rest of the workers agreed to work for “whatever
is right.” They trusted the owner’s character and word.
As the sun sets and the workday ends the workers
are called to be paid in the reverse order of hire. Maybe
the owner wanted the early bird group to see how generous
he was. Can’t you just see the mental calculators spinning
as the group who worked for only one hour received the same
pay for which they had negotiated? Let’s see, “If they received
for one hour’s work what we’re supposed to receive for a full
day’s work, then multiply that by 12…Bonanza!”
Now, can you feel the worry start to rise and turn
to anger as they realize that each group is receiving the
same amount of pay? They wonder, “He’s not really going to
pay us the same amount for 12 hours of work, is he?” I know
how I would have felt if my parents had paid all of us the
same amount for picking strawberries when we were paid for
the number of quarts picked! In Jesus’ story about the kingdom
of heaven, the first group with a negotiated salary and last
group working for whatever the owner deemed right received
exactly the same pay.
Jesus exposes the motive behind Peter’s question,
“What then will there be for us?” He wants to sign a contract.
Jesus is helping Peter to understand that he needs to learn
to trust God to always do what is right.
We need to learn the same lesson, don’t we? If we press God to write a contract to make sure He is being fair (which
means, doing what we think is right) we will always be last.
We may strike a deal with God, but in the end we lose. The
other approach is to let God do it His way. Instead of concentrating
on the first group, we need to focus on the last group. If
we simply trust God, we will receive far more than we deserve.
Trusting Him we can join in the great doxology of praise penned
by Paul.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through
his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely
more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 NLT
God will not only do what is fair, but what is
right. He will do that which is generous but will also do
that which is gracious. All we need to do is trust Him and
do His will. God is interested in our heart attitude as we
serve Him. Be careful about making bargains with God or you
may receive what you deserve—and only what you deserve!
2nd Warning: Be Careful About Watching Other
Workers
Work back through the situation again. Peter watched
the rich, young man walk away. That man had tried to strike
a bargain with Jesus and he simply couldn’t handle the terms.
As Peter watched him walk away, he compared himself to the
sad young man who had given up nothing and was still rich.
Peter gave up a fishing business. It wasn’t much, but it was
something. Peter’s mental calculator is spinning and it tells
him, “I gave up everything to follow Jesus and now I’m really
poor!”
The group of workers hired by the landowner watched
what was taking place and made comparisons. In the process,
they drew some very wrong conclusion.
We come again to the lesson we need to learn. We do the same thing, watching what God does for other people and drawing
some wrong conclusions. We turn into the Christian version
of Mrs. Cravits—the nosy neighbor on the television show Bewitched. Instead of keeping
our eyes on the Master, we spy on other saints to see how
God is treating them.
The dangers of comparing quickly show up because…
Comparing Leads To Envy
Jesus exposes the ugliness of our envy.
Don't I have the right to do what I want
with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? Matthew 20:15 NIV
Envy Leads To Complaining
They could have taken their pay and kept quiet.
No, they grumbled.
The workers who were hired about the
eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those
came who were hired first, they expected to receive more.
But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received
it, they began to grumble against the landowner. Matthew
20:9-11 NIV
Complaining Leads To Bitterness
The workers are upset.
These men who were hired last worked
only one hour and you have made them equal to us who have
borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.Matthew
20:12 NIV
They were getting the short end of the stick and
they didn’t like it.
Peter struggled to learn the lesson about the dangers
of watching others and making comparisons. After the resurrection
he still falls back into the habit. Jesus meets Peter on the
shore by the Sea of Galilee to restore his soul and reinstate
him to active duty. Jesus even provided some glimpses of the
end of life for Peter.
I tell you the truth, when you were younger
you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you
are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else
will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter
would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
John 20:18-19 NIV
Tradition tells us that Peter died by being crucified
upside down. He understands enough of what Jesus says that
he isn’t ready to say, “All right, then, I’ll follow you!”
Instead he wonders why this should be his outcome. He looks
around and sees John.
Peter turned and saw that the disciple
whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who
had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said,
"Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter
saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
John 21:20-21 NIV
Peter understands enough of his deal to want to
know how it compares to John’s. Before I agree to follow,
I need to make sure there isn’t a better deal to be negotiated.
Jesus essentially tells Peter that what God has for John is
none of his business.
Be careful about making comparisons as you serve
God.
3rd Warning: Be Careful About Unrealistic Expectations
Expectations are very powerful… and very dangerous.
The workers had negotiated a price for their labor. As they
saw what others were receiving, they didn’t want to stick
to the agreement. They portray the attitude of the 21st
Century athlete who negotiates the best salary one year and
then watches as others make better deals in the following
years. Rather than honoring the signed contract, the star
decides to hold out until the owner of the team shows him
the respect that he deserves with a new contract that puts
him back on top.
Peter’s expectations were completely out of line.
Remember his question?
Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given
up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
Matthew 19:27 NLT
Here’s what I think Jesus wants Peter to hear:
“Peter, what makes
you think you should receive anything?”
We come now to the strongest point of application
for us as we live today. Peter thought he was among the first.
Jesus warns him he might find himself among the last. The
warning acts as bookends for the story. It prompted Jesus
to tell the story; it also concludes it.
So the last will be first, and the first
will be last. Matthew
20:16 NIV
Some who think they are first by their own estimation will be last.
Here’s the point as clearly as I can state it:
We must watch ourselves as we serve God; serving
Him not for the reward we expect to receive, but because we
love Him.
When we begin to serve for what we will get instead
of what we are privileged to give, we put ourselves in danger
of being last. The workers hired in the first hour completed
their work, but the owner wasn’t pleased with their attitude.
We need to be very, very careful about unrealistic expectations.
Conclusion: Peter Learned The Lesson!
From this parable we learn an important aspect
of God’s character as we pursue our desire to know Him better.
God says, “I will give you whatever is right.” You don’t have
to be concerned with what is fair. You don’t need to negotiate
a contract with God. He simply says to you, “Trust me. You’ll
receive far more than you deserve.”
Peter learned the lesson and he learned it well.
In Act 3, Peter sees a man crippled from birth begging for
a few pennies near the temple. Peter, the one who had questioned
Jesus about what he was going to receive, asked the man to
look at him (which was unthinkable to do). Luke tells us,
So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something
from them.
Acts 3:5 NIV
He expected money; he received something much,
much, much better!
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold
I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right
hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles
became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then
he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,
and praising God. Acts 3:6-8 NIV
It’s a long road from “what will I get” to “what I have I give to you.” You may still need to walk farther down that road.
You may still be more concerned about what you are going to
receive for following Jesus than what you are able to give
for the privilege of serving Him. If that’s the case, you
make progress on the road by getting to know Jesus. As you
become better acquainted with Him you will make the wonderful
discovery that He gives us far more than we deserve.
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