Sermons on Matthew 20:1-15:

Grace I Can't Explain It

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Apr 2, 2011

Grace is outrageous. It’s hard to accept, It’s hard to believe, and It’s hard to receive.

Imagine yourself in this story. You show up bright and early, dressed for work, lunch pail in hand. You're thrilled when the owner comes by in his flatbed pickup and hires you. He promises a generous wage, the wage of a soldier, more than you are used to getting paid. You already start thinking ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Will There Be Degrees Of Rewards? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 19, 2012

Will I be rewarded for what I do for the cause of Christ? It is a question many Christians ask, and perhaps many more hold unconsciously in their mind.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Workers In The Vineyard

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 18, 2011

A look at all of us who work in the vineyard and our attitude in our work.

I can remember as a boy riding with my Dad into the downtown area, in my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, and seeing a crowd of men standing on a certain street. There were so many of them that there did not seem to be any room left to walk on the sidewalk. I asked my father what they were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Methodist

The New Deal

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Sep 18, 2011

A different twist on the parable of the vineyard owner that offers who to those in desperate need of relief and recovery through the reforms of Jesus Christ.

INTRO Between the years 1933 and 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted a series of economic programs called “The New Deal.” "His programs served as a response to the effects of the Great Depression, and “focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Lutheran

It Is All About Grace / Grace Is The Difference

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Sep 19, 2011

When Edward Everett Hale was Chaplain of the Senate, someone asked him, Do you pray for the senators, Dr. Hale? He replied, No, I look at the senators and I pray for the country. We all need to receive the Grace of God. It Is All About Grace! (Updated September 2023)

For those who are not familiar with an Anglican Service; Four Scriptures are read prior to the Message. Today's readings are Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105: 1-6,37-45; Philippians 1:21-30 and Matthew 10:1-16 When Edward Everett Hale was Chaplain of the Senate, ...someone asked him, ... "Do you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 6:5-15, Romans 6:23

Denomination: Anglican

God's Generosity

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Sep 28, 2011

A short talk given at Maiden Newton during Walk West Dorset 2011, speaking about the generosity of God and our response.

Between 1996 and 2000 I was a Senior Branch manager with the Woolwich, and I have no doubt that I would not have been able to run my branches like the landowner in that parable. If I’d hired a member of staff in January offering to pay them £12,000 for the year that would’ve been fine; ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Anglican

Workmen's Compensation Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Oct 9, 2011

God's blessings don't come as a result of the work we put in, but rather are totally dependent on God's grace.

Matthew 20:1-16 “Workmen’s Compensation” INTRODUCTION We all have a gut reaction when we perceive what we believe to be unfairness or injustice. Mention illegal aliens and blood pressures will rise as you talk about how they’re using our health and educational systems ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Lutheran

Can You Live With Grace?

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Oct 20, 2011

Can you really live with grace?

“Can You Live with Grace?” Matthew 20:1-16 On the first day of class the professor says, “I have this very complicated Math problem, the solution of which shall constitute you grade for the entire semester. I’m giving you the problem now so you can start working immediately ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

"Pro Sports And Our Paycheck"

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 21, 2011

We can become discontent when we look at other peoples income. We were happy when we got hired to do a position and happy with our wages. This lesson will help you to see how you can get out of this rut of always wanting more.

Matthew 20:1-15 ““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 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-15

Is God Fair?

Contributed by Dustin T Parker on Jan 31, 2010

In light of the trauma in the world (and especially in our church) how can we call God fair? Or is that not the right question?

Concordia Lutheran Church January 31, 2010 Is God Fair? Matthew 20:1-16 † IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THE MESSIAH † May the gifts and the peace of God our Father, and our Master, Jesus Christ be poured into your lives, as you work in His Kingdom! Parabolic Treatment of Parables! I have had a hard ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Lutheran

The Labourers In The Vineyard

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 30, 2014

An illustration of God's new order of things.

THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD. Matthew 20:1-16. This parable is part of Jesus’ response to Peter’s question: ‘Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?’ (cf. Matthew 19:27). This challenging part of the reply is framed with a formula concerning the ‘first’ ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Householder: Hero Or Jerk?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 7, 2014

God truly is different in His reality than the gods of pagan religion, and so we too are different from their followers.

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Course 2014 What Kind of Vineyard Owner? When you first heard the parable from today’s Gospel, perhaps when you were a child, what did you think of the householder, the vineyard owner? Was he mean, or generous? I suppose the hired hands in the original story would ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Catholic

Don't Begrudge God's Generosity

Contributed by William Baeta on Sep 20, 2014

“Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matthew 20:14-15)

Theme: Don’t begrudge God’s generosity Text: Jonah 4:1-11; Phil. 1:21-30; Matt. 20:1-16 The decision to believe in Christ is an important decision every person has to make in life as it affects where we will spend eternity. Paul believed in Christ and knew he would spend eternity in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Is It Fair? Series

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Sep 20, 2014

An interwoven set of stories reflecting on the parable of the eccentric employer

We are in the one hundredth anniversary of the first World War at the moment, so I would like to take you back to an event that happened in the middle of it. When Emperor Franz-Josef I of Austria died in 1916, his was the last of the extravagant imperial funerals. A processional of dignitaries and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Anglican

The Last Will Be First And The First Will Be Last.

Contributed by Reginald Knight on Sep 20, 2014

THE WAY IN WHICH WE BEHAVE TOWARDS OTHERS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUWN LIVES. THIS PARABLE INDEED REPRESENTS THIS.

Proper 20 by: Seminarian Reginald Knight Sunday September 21, 2014. St. Mary’s Anglican Church (The Diocese Of Barbados) Matthew 20: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Anglican