Dying At 10:30

DYING AT 10:30

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

I. The Householder = Master of the House --> God is the Householder

A. Hiring --> God hires labourers in kindness to them, to save them from

idleness and poverty, and pay them for working for themselves.

1. The Devil by his temptations, is hiring labourers into the field, to feed swine.

It’s a pig’s life.

2. God, by his Gospel, is hiring labourers into his vineyard, to dress it, and

keep it, paradise-work.

B. The Vineyard is His Vineyard--> The Church is God's Vineyard

C. Who Are You Working For?

II. God's Children Must Work

A. Some stand Idle

Define Idle:

692 argos {ar-gos'} from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2041; TDNT - 1:452,76; adj

AV - idle 6, slow 1, barren 1; 8

1) free from labour, at leisure

2) lazy, shunning the labour which one ought to perform

For Synonyms see entry 5814

Prov 19:15 “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer

hunger.”

Ezekiel 16:49 “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of

bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”

1. The soul of man stand ready to be hired into some service or other; it was created

to work, and is either a servant to iniquity or a servant to righteousness.

2. A man may go idle to hell; but he that will go to heaven, must be busy.

a. Jesus starts to work early

Luke 2:49 “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

b. Redeeming the time

Eph. 5:16 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Col. 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

B. Standing Idle in the Marketplace--> A place of concourse.

58 agora {ag-or-ah'} from ageiro (to gather, probably akin to 1453);; n f

AV - market 6, marketplace 4, street 1; 11

1) any assembly, especially of the people

2) the place of assembly

2a) for public debating,

2b) for elections

2c) for trials

2d) for buying and selling

2e) for all kinds of business

3) market place, street

In essence, the activities of life in this world.

C. Hired

1. For a penny = 4 farthings = 15 cents = a day's wage (not an insignificant amount)

2. For a day = a man's average life span (The time of life is the day.)

It is a short time; the reward is for eternity, the work is but for a day.

3. God turns away none that are willing to be hired.

III. Significance of the Day

A. Jewish time:

Early in the morning = before 6 a.m.

Third Hour = 6 to 9 a.m.

Sixth Hour = 9 to 12 p.m. midday

Ninth Hour = 12 to 3 p.m.

Twelth Hour = 3 to 6 p.m.

Eleventh Hour = 5 p.m.

B. Hours of the Day = various ages of life

Notice is taken of the several hours of the day, at which the labourers were hired.

This may be, and is commonly applied to the several ages of life, in which souls

are converted to Christ.

John 11:9 “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk

in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.”

The average life span in the U.S. is approx. 72 years for man. (threescore and ten)

Psalms 90:10 “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of

strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

If you divide 72 years by 12 hours, each hour is equal to 6 years. Then:

1. Early in the Morning = Perhaps called (hired) before birth as

4404 proi {pro-ee'} from 4253 adv

AV - in the morning 5, early in the morning 2, early 2, morning 1; 10

1) in the morning, early

2) the fourth watch of the night, from 3 o'clock in the morning until

6 o'clock approximately

a. Jeremiah-->Jer. 1:4-5 “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

(v. 5) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

b. John the Baptist --> Luke 1:13-15

(v. 13) “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

(v. 14) “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.”