The Workers in the Vineyards
Grace is known as the freely given, unmerited favour and love of God. When we hear this, we don’t think of grace being unfair but there are times and instances where we can think that God’s grace can be unfair. Unfair in the sense that to those who have been Christians for a long time will be treated the same as to those who have only been a Christian for a day. We tend to think that all the work and effort that we put into being a believer means that we deserve salvation more than those who come in the last hour. Matthew 20:1-16 reveals the parable of the workers in the vineyard which teaches us that no one can work hard enough or long enough to earn salvation, but salvation is a gracious gift from God.
God is good to request us for his work (v. 1-2)
The landowner in this story is God, the vineyard is his kingdom and the workers are us. In this story, the landowner seeks out workers to work on his vineyard from the early morning until the afternoon. He accepted all types of people to work on the field, those who had some experience and some who were just hanging around doing nothing. To the workers that he hired in the morning they agreed to be paid a day’s wage and to those that were hired throughout the day, the landowner would pay them whatever he felt was right. Working in the vineyard represents serving in God’s kingdom. God allows us to serve in his kingdom as he wants us to be a part of it not because he needs us to serve. Serving should be seen as a privilege not as a duty or chore. We are God’s workers (1 Corinthians 3:9) and knowing what that means is important.
God is gracious to recruit us for his work (v. 3-7)
The landowner involved all types of people to be part of his work. He chose people who stood around doing nothing which means that these people were forgotten or may have been people who have been written off by society. Despite this he approached them and gave them work to do. He didn’t do any tests beforehand to check whether they were capable enough to do the work but all he said to them was to come to his vineyard and work. The landowner didn’t come to the marketplace just once but he decided to go out every few hours looking for more workers. It came to a point where the last workers that came to work on the vineyard only had an hour left to work. Hiring people near the end of the day is probably seen as a waste of energy but this landowner still searched for people to work on his vineyard at this time. It really paints a beautiful picture of how gracious our God is as he is constantly seeking out all types of people and at all times to be a part of his kingdom. There are times where we think that we are qualified to demand God to do something for us because he owes us for the serving that we do for God but God doesn’t owe us anything. We need to realise that what is owed to us by God is eternal wrath and punishment but instead he gives us the gift of grace and eternal life.
God is gracious to reward us for his work (v. 8-16)
The day came to an end and it was time for the landowner to pay the workers. Naturally we would think that those who came in first would be paid first but he called the last ones that were hired. Not only were the last workers paid first but they also earned a day’s wage for only a couple hours of work. Seeing this, the workers who came in earlier thought that they would earn more because the worked on the vineyard longer but they too also got the agreed pay of a day’s work. This set off the earlier workers to complain that the pay that they received was unfair but the landowner was quick to point out that he paid them what was promised. Also the landowner had the right to offer to pay the other workers whatever he saw as fair. It’s a reminder that we should be focused more on the grace of God instead of what others have received from God. When we start comparing ourselves to others, it takes away from the importance of knowing that only through God’s grace that we are rewarded and chosen to have a place in the kingdom.This parable is a warning for us to not be caught up in the idea that because we have served longer we expect more compared to those that don’t serve as much. The bottom line is that we must continue to serve Him faithfully because that in itself is a privilege and we should rejoice in knowing that God is continually inviting others to join also with a place and reward. All of this is only possible because of God’s grace and it is on offer for all those who accept, no matter how early or late.
Father,
Thank you for the gift of grace and how it is on offer for all those who accept. I pray that we understand that because of Your grace that we are able to have place in Your Kingdom and the gift of eternal life. I pray that we are not tempted to think that because of our service that we deserve more than those that are not as active in service. Instead we focus on serving you faithfully and rejoicing in knowing that this gift of grace will allow others to be part of this family that you have chosen us to be a part of.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen