A Kingdom Of Equals

A Kingdom of Equals

Matthew 20.1-16

August 17, 1997

Morning Service

Introduction

I. New Series of Sermons: Stories from Heaven - Study of the Parables,

II. Quote: God created all men but Samuel Colt made them equal

III. World Measures: wealth, occupation, position, power or other such stuff

IV. The Battle for Equality: Racial - Reconcile differences, Gender - Battle of the Sexes, Denominational - Who has the final word on doctrine

V. True Equality: Read Text

Body

I. Participants in Equality

A. The Landowner:

1. Work to be Done: Great deal of work, digging the trenches, planting the vines, pruning the vines, harvesting the grapes - Needed workers

2. Calls the workers - Early before the work day begins, Offers the Denirius - excellent pay, Roman Soldier,

3. Continues the Calling: The owner goes again to the market, 3rd 6th 9th & 11th hours and gathers more workers, No mention of the final pay, these were people who could not get other work or worked only a partial day,

B. The Workers

1. The Work Day: Begins at 6 am - first hour, Workers who were day laborers were always looking for work, the market was where the employers went to hire,

2. The Early Morning: First hired and best workers, bare the most crucial part of the work, they start the work, work the longest

3. The Third Hour: Workers who gained only part of a work day or were not yet hired, they were called to go and work

4. The Sixth and Ninth Hour: This reveals the mercy and kindness of the owner, hired people who were still without work, not as able and were slower to get to the market, not the best workers

5. The Eleventh Hour: These were the least able and least productive workers, usually the oldest or disabled workers

II. Objection to Equality

A. The Payment: The Mosaic law stated that workers were to be paid the day they worked, Owner pays the workers - last to first,

B. The Objection: Last workers receive the full wage, all receive the same wage, the first workers are furious, believe that they were treated unfairly, believe that they deserve more, raise objections with the Landowner

III. Vindication of Equality

A. Statement of Fact: Landowner states the facts - workers agreed to work the day for the wage, No right to anything more, nothing has been done or handled wrong

B. Statement of Fault: Landowner states the intention - claim of unfairness had no basis, bargains were kept and nothing more was owed, Claim was based on selfish motives and intentions, total lack of love and justice, they were throwing a temper tantrum when they didn’t get what they wanted

Application

I. Participants in Equality

A. The Landowner:

1. God has Work to be Done: Great deal of work, witnessing to people, sharing the love of Christ, giving with compassion, God needs His servants

2. Calls the workers - God calls for workers, The gift of salvation, Harvest is ripe but the workers are few, all are required to serve and to work,

3. Continues the Calling: God is constantly calling, God pursues new people and uses new servants,

B. The Workers

1. The Work Day: Begins at New Birth, when people get saved they are called to serve,

2. The Early Morning: servants in the early stage of life, serve the longest and work the hardest, work because of love for God

3. The Third Hour: Next stage of workers, people saved in little later, work hard but not for as long,

4. The Sixth and Ninth Hour: This reveals the mercy and kindness of God, calls even in the later stages of life, still has a need for people in His Kingdom,

5. The Eleventh Hour: The final stage of life, God still calls and those who answer get the same reward

II. Objection to Equality

A. The Payment: All who answer the call of God will be saved, All who answer do the work of God, All gain the same reward,

B. The Objection: we call that’s unfair, we do this or we do that, we have served for this long, we deserve more or no one can do this as good as we can, we raise objections with God, Our objections are out of selfishness

III. Vindication of Equality

A. Statement of Fact: God states the facts - we agreed to serve Him, No right to anything more, we serve God not ourselves,

B. Statement of Fault: God states the intention - claim of unfairness has no basis, God is not into bargains, Claim was based on selfish motives and intentions, total lack of love and compassion, throwing a temper tantrum

IV. Spiritual Implications

A. God alone initiates and accomplishes the work of salvation