A Messiah's Sense of Urgency
Text: Matthew 20:1-16
Introduction
1. Illustration: Richard Baxter, the Puritan preacher of the 17th century conveys the urgency, the zeal of Christian witness when he said, "I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men!"
2. We can look around, see on the news, and read on the Internet more reasons than ever before for a sense of urgency.
a. We see wars and rumors of wars.
b. We hear about earthquakes that happen almost daily.
c. We see respect for human dignity fall to all new lows.
3. In this parable, Jesus tells us about...
a. The urgency of the Gospel
b. The invitation of the Gospel
c. The grace of the Gospel
4. Read Matthew 20:1-16
Proposition: Jesus emphasizes to us that the urgency to spread the Gospel is greater than ever before.
Transition: First, Jesus tells us about...
I. The Urgency of the Gospel (1-7).
A. The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like
1. In this parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a vineyard. He said, “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard."
a. This parable does deal with the idea of rewards for service, but with the ultimate reward - eternal life, the "wages" of grace.
b. In this parable Jesus is comparing the Kingdom of Heaven with the vineyard's harvest.
c. Grapes were picked at the end of September, and were harvested until the rainy season.
d. If the crops were not stored by that time it could be a total loss. So there was always a sense of urgency.
e. Work began as soon as there was light and continued until dark.
f. It demonstrates the urgency with which God views salvation.
g. More than anyone, He knows how little time is left for those who don't know Him to come to faith.
h. Believers need to work while there is still time (Horton, 417).
2. He goes on to say, "He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work."
a. As He often did, He used a common earthly story to illustrate a heavenly truth.
b. These laborers were usually unskilled at a trade and were near the bottom of the social-economic scale, many of them not far above beggars.
c. They worked from job to job, many of which lasted no more than a day and often less.
d. They had no guarantee of work beyond what they might be doing at the time.
e. They would gather in the market place before dawn to be available for hiring, and that is where the landowner found these particular men early in the morning (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
f. The "normal daily wage" that is referred to here was called a denarius, which was a Roman coin equal to a Greek drachma or one-half a Jewish shekel.
g. It was the standard days wage for a common worker or a soldier.
h. A denarius for the day, the wage of a Roman soldier, was good pay for such workers.
i. It is likely they were usually paid less, and they readily agreed to this man's equitable offer (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
j. These first workers wanted to know what their wage would be before agreeing to work.
k. As we will see, there was no such agreement with the last group of workers, which indicates that the first group may have been more concerned with their wage than the rest (Horton, 417).
3. However, the landowner was far from over. “At nine o’clock 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."
a. The fact that these men were not working doesn't mean that they were lazy.
b. They were temporary workers who were waiting in the market place, which was the best place to look for work in Jesus day, for someone to hire them (Horton, 417).
c. He comes back to the market place about nine o'clock, and saw others standing idle in the market place.
d. These others may have been latecomers who had to travel a greater distance or perhaps were less able-bodied than the others and moved more slowly (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
e. Notice that there is no agreed upon price only that the owner would be fair to them.
f. They probably thought they would get a half days wage since that would have been fair.
g. As in most rural communities, everyone knew everyone else, and these workers no doubt trusted the owner as a man of his word.
h. In any case, they were doubtlessly extremely glad to have work to do at any wage, and so they went (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
4. But the landowner was still not done. "At noon and again at three o’clock 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.’"
a. It seems odd that the owner was still recruiting workers so late in the day.
b. This shows the importance and urgency of the work because the harvest had to be brought in before night fell.
c. The fact that the man kept going back to the market place is in keeping with Jesus teaching that the work was great but the workers are few.
d. He has a place, a work, a plan for everyone who will respond to His call.
e. He is willing to use anyone who is willing to be used. Even those that the world overlooks.
f. The owner paid special attention to those he hired at the last hour. He seemed surprised that they had missed His earlier invitation.
g. He was concerned about them because they were people without hope of employment. Their situation must have seemed hopeless (Horton, 419).
h. Their answer to the owners question indicates that unemployment was a serious issue in that day.
i. They were willing to work but no one had hired them. The word "us" is emphatic.
j. This action shows that God's call will go on until the end of the age. It also indicates that it is never too late to decide to come to Christ.
k. It doesn't matter how old or how young, any sinner that come to Him will be accepted (Horton, 419).
B. Preach the Gospel
1. Illustration: Did you come here in a car this morning? Somewhere around 100 people die in the US in car wrecks everyday. No one plans on that happening to them today, but for around 100 people, that’s what will happen…today. Today, somewhere around 1,300 people will die of heart attacks in the US. None of them are planning that, but for around 1,300 people, that’s what will happen…today. So, how much time do you have? All I can be sure of, all you can be sure of, is right now – a moment.
2. Jesus has commanded us to preach the Gospel.
a. Mark 16:15 (NLT)
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
b. The word "preach" in this verse is an active imperative. In other words, "preach now."
c. Jesus has commanded us to share the Good News with anyone who will listen.
d. This isn't just a command for Pastor's and Evangelist's this is a command to everyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ.
e. It's not an option.
f. You don't get to pick and choose.
g. Jesus has commanded YOU to preach His Gospel!
3. Jesus has commissioned us to be ambassadors of the Gospel.
a. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
b. He has commissioned us to be His ambassador's.
c. He has commissioned us to represent Him on earth.
d. He has commissioned us to plead with people to turn to Him.
e. He has commissioned us to call others to Him.
4. Jesus has cautioned us that time is short.
a. Obadiah 1:15 (NLT)
“The day is near when I, the LORD, will judge all godless nations!..."
b. He has cautioned us that His coming is near.
c. He has cautioned us that His judgment is near.
d. He has cautioned us that eternities are at stake.
e. He has cautioned us that heaven and hell are at stake.
f. He has cautioned us that now is the time to preach the Gospel!
Transition: Jesus also tells us about...
II. The Invitation of the Gospel (8-12).
A. Full Days Wage
1. As Jesus continue the parable he introduces a bit of a surprise. He says, “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."
a. According to Jewish law wage were to be paid at the end of the work day.
b. Although this was not always followed, the worker had the right to demand it.
c. The fact that the last were paid first shows the owners concern for the poor, unemployed, and the helpless.
d. It also sets up the confrontation to follow between the first group and the owner (Horton, 421).
e. The primary idea of the parable, is not a simple reversal of payment order.
f. Although that procedure was certainly not customary it would not in itself have caused much concern.
g. The radical action of the landowner, which reflects the parable's main point, is that those hired about the eleventh hour... each... received a denarius, a whole day's wage, as their pay (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
2. This sets up the confrontation because "When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage."
a. When those that were hired first saw what those who were hired last were paid they got excited expecting they would get more.
b. They thought that since they worked all day the owner would pay them more.
c. However, they were greatly disappointed to discover they received the same wage as the others.
d. God rewards according to motive. Those looking for more than was agreed upon had an ulterior motive that is not in keeping with what God requires (Horton, 421).
3. The workers that were hired first got upset that they didn't get anymore than those who worked only one hour. It says, "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.’"
a. Those that were hired first began to complain that they were treated unfairly.
b. The same coin that satisfied those hired last was not enough for those hired first.
c. They were upset for two reasons. First, they worked longer, and second, under more difficult circumstances.
d. The word heat comes from a Greek word which means, "to burn," and refers to heat given off by the sun.
e. The grape harvest comes at the hottest time of the year in Palestine, and certainly it was difficult to work under those conditions.
f. Some people have a hard time when others prosper and they do not, especially if they feel as though they are more deserving.
g. However, their attitude does nothing but make others uncomfortable and adds to their own unhappiness (Horton, 423).
h. We must remember that the knowledge and approval of God is all the reward we need.
B. Everyone Who Calls
1. Illustration: Kind of makes me think of the current labor situation in Pro Football. For those of you who aren't sports fanatics like myself, the NFL owners have locked out the players because they cannot come to a labor agreement with the NFLPA. The situation is basically that millionaires and billionaires can't come up with a plan to divide $9 billion dollars. Seems that they have about 9 billion reasons to come to an agreement!
2. The Gospel is for anyone willing to accept it.
a. John 1:12 (NLT)
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
b. The offer of salvation is for anyone willing to accept it.
c. The offer of salvation is for anyone who is willing to say no to their sin and yes to Jesus.
d. The offer of salvation is for as many as our Lord shall call.
e. The Gospel is not exclusive it inclusive!
3. The Gospel is for all who call on the name of the Lord.
a. Romans 10:13 (NLT)
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
b. Your color doesn't matter.
c. Who your parents were doesn't matter.
d. What you wear doesn't matter.
e. What kind of car you drive doesn't matter.
f. Where you live doesn't matter.
g. The only thing that matters is your heart.
4. God wants everyone to come to Him.
a. 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
b. God is patient with sinners.
c. God is patient with the rebellious.
d. God is patient with the stubborn.
e. God wants everyone to repent and be saved.
Transition: Jesus also talks about...
III. The Grace of the Gospel (13-16).
A. Friend, I Haven't Been Unfair
1. One of the great truths of Scripture is the sovereignty of God. He makes the decisions and whatever they are they're fair.
2. As Jesus continues the parable He says the landowner said, "‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?'"
a. The word used for friend, is not the term for a close friend but rather a casual companion.
b. The owner let them know firmly but courteously that they were out of line.
c. He was doing them no wrong, because they had a clear agreement early in the morning at the market place (v. 2) that they would be paid a denarius apiece, a fair wage (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
3. The owner then tells these complainers to "'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?’"
a. Jesus' hearers may have been shocked that workers would openly react so negatively to a benevolent landowner from whom they might need future favors.
b. But the landowner puts them in their place, politely shaming them by reminding them that they are objecting not to injustice but to generosity (Keener).
c. The charge of unfairness was not grounded in a love for justice but in the selfish assumption that the extra pay they wanted was pay they deserved.
d. In reality of course, what the latter-day workers were paid had absolutely no bearing on what the all-day workers were paid. They had, as it were, entirely separate contracts with the owner.
e. But selfishness sees what it wants to see, and all those envious men could see was that they did not receive the grand bonus they expected and thought they deserved.
f. It was not that they did not get the wage that they earned and had agreed upon but that they could not stand seeing someone who was hired at the last minute get paid the same as they did (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
g. No one has a right to question the grace of God. He is free to not only exercise His authority but He is also just in doing so (Horton, 423).
B. The Graciousness of God
1. Illustration: "John Newton, clerk [pastor], once an infidel & Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy." You may not remember his name, but all of us know the song he wrote as a testimony of his life: "Amazing Grace."
2. We are saved only by grace.
a. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
b. We did not earn it.
c. We will stand before the throne of God because we deserve it.
d. We will stand before His throne only because He paid the price.
3. We are saved by His mercy.
a. Exodus 33:19 (NLT)
The LORD replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.
b. God's mercy is limitless.
c. God's mercy is incomprehensible.
d. God's mercy is His choice.
4. Because God is sovereign we have no has the right to question Him.
a. Job 38:1-3 (NLT)
1 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
b. God is God and we are not.
c. He judgments are true.
d. His decisions are just.
e. His actions are right.
Transition: In the end, God will save as many people as are willing to come to Him in repentance.
Conclusion
1. In this parable, Jesus tells us about...
a. The urgency of the Gospel
b. The invitation of the Gospel
c. The grace of the Gospel
2. Are you sharing your faith with urgency?
3. Do you live each day as though it was your last?
4. Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
