GOD’S GRACE IS NOT JUST FAIR
Pastor Joel Bernardino | October 9, 2025
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever asked yourself these questions?
• “Why does my neighbor seem to have a better life than I do?”
• “I’m smarter and more resourceful, yet life seems easier for them.”
• “Life seems so unfair sometimes.”
Yes, many things in life are hard to understand.
That’s why we need to understand the grace of God.
Today, we will:
• See how grace operates,
• Observe how the grace of God overflows in our lives, and
• Learn how to live according to His grace.
THE WORLD’S VIEW VS. GOD’S GRACE
The world teaches us that nothing is free!
• To achieve more, you must work hard for it.
• If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded according to your performance.
• If you work less, you’ll receive less.
There’s nothing wrong with that — until we carry that same idea into our relationship with God.
Because when it comes to God, everything operates through grace, not merit.
We did not gain a relationship with God because of our good works,
but because of grace through faith in Him.
THE PROBLEM
Many of us still think that our relationship with God depends on how much we do for Him.
We think that the more ministries we join or the harder we serve,
the more we deserve His blessings.
But God’s grace does not operate based on what you do!
• It’s not about how much work you’ve done for Him.
• It’s not about how long you’ve been serving.
• It’s not about how skilled, talented, or dedicated you are.
Grace reflects the generosity of God, even though we don’t deserve it.
We experience more of His grace as we learn to trust Him.
TEXT: Matthew 20:1–16 – The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
He agreed to pay them one denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
He went out again at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and even at 5 p.m. — and hired more workers.
When evening came, he paid them all the same wage, one denarius each.
Those who worked all day complained, saying,
“These last men worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who worked all day in the scorching heat!”
But the landowner replied,
“Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for one denarius?
Take your pay and go. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money?
Or are you envious because I am generous?”
Then Jesus concluded,
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
MAIN TRUTH: GOD’S GRACE IS NOT JUST FAIR
God doesn’t treat us only fairly — He treats us far better than we deserve.
In the story:
• The landowner paid the first workers exactly what was agreed upon — that was fair.
• But to the others — those hired later in the day — he gave more than fair.
• He gave them full pay, even though they worked only a few hours.
This is not about the goodness of the workers,
but about the goodness of the landowner.
In the same way, grace is not about our goodness but about God’s goodness in our lives.
POINT 1 – Grace Is Not Just Fair Because God Blesses Us More Than We Deserve
The landowner was gracious and generous.
He cared not only for his vineyard but also for the needs of his workers.
In their culture, workers lived from day to day.
A day’s wage was just enough to feed their family for that day.
That’s why it was important to be paid immediately after work.
God called us not for what we can do for Him,
but for what He can do in our lives.
The landowner was not only fair;
he became increasingly generous with each group of workers.
He paid them according to grace, not performance; out of love, not obligation.
Likewise, God does not deal with us based on our performance.
Even when our effort is small, His grace remains abundant.
Like salvation — we cannot earn it.
Isaiah 64:6 says, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”
We are saved not because of what we do, but because of the grace of God.
God acts out of His love, not based on our performance.
The same truth applies to the Prodigal Son.
If the father had been “fair,” the son should have lost all his rights.
But instead, the father restored him fully — robe, ring, sandals, and celebration!
The older brother couldn’t understand this grace.
He said, “All these years I’ve served you and obeyed you, but you never gave me even a young goat.”
The father replied,
“My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31)
Many of us are like the older brother —
we try to earn grace, instead of simply enjoying it.
When you focus on your goodness, you become blind to God’s goodness.
POINT 2 – Grace Abounds When We Trust GOD to Fulfill His Promises
The landowner was trustworthy.
All who accepted his invitation and trusted his word received more than they expected.
Some workers worked based on a contract — they received justice.
Others worked based on trust — they received grace.
The difference?
Faith.
Those who trusted the landowner’s integrity received more than they deserved.
In the same way, grace abounds when we act in faith and trust God’s word.
When we serve God —
• Attending church,
• Volunteering in ministry,
• Giving tithes and offerings —
let us do it willingly and joyfully, not out of duty or expectation.
Grace abounds when we act with faith in God.
God will never be unkind to those who serve Him with faith and love.
He delights to bless us beyond what we can imagine.
God wants not only to be fair to you,
but to be generous with you.
POINT 3 – We Live by GOD’s Grace When We Continue to Love Him and Love People
To fully experience God’s grace,
we must live according to His grace —
depending on Him daily and loving others sincerely.
Remember:
• Every good thing comes from Him.
• Without Him, we have nothing.
Don’t complain about how God chooses to bless others.
Celebrate His grace for them — and for you.
This is part of loving God and loving people.
Jesus once met a rich young ruler who asked,
“What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
He had done everything right — he kept the commandments —
yet Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
The man walked away sad, because he loved his possessions more than God.
The point?
He trusted in his own goodness,
instead of trusting the grace of God to save him.
Peter, watching this, asked,
“We have left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?”
Jesus assured him that everyone who sacrifices for His sake
will receive “a hundred times as much.”
That means, God’s reward is far out of proportion to our service.
His grace exceeds all that we deserve.
CONCLUSION
Why do you serve Jesus?
• Because you love Him?
• Because you want to honor Him?
Coming to church, praying, and serving —
these are not ways to earn His favor,
but expressions of our love for Him.
Serving God out of love means giving your best —
even when it requires sacrifice.
Peter once asked Jesus,
“What will we get for following you?”
Jesus’ answer shows that God’s blessings are not based on what we deserve,
but on who He is — loving, gracious, and generous.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us.”
— Ephesians 3:20
