Rev Gideon Lee
This morning I want to talk a little bit about something different.
These two passages of scriptures are linked.
Matthew 19:16 - 20:8
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Chapter 20
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’
This young man knows his scripture. When he asked Jesus what he should do, Jesus pointed to the Ten Commandments and the young man said all these I've done. But he still felt there was a lack and a hole in his life. Religious acts don't save you. That's why he asked what else must he do. And Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. And he walked away saddened. Jesus is saying that his treasure was in his wealth and that's where he set his heart. Jesus wants your heart.
Jesus here is talking about salvation. Let's keep it in context. Peter responded and said that they have left everything to follow Jesus and he wanted to know what's in it for them. I like how Jesus answered. He said those that followed him will be seated at the throne and their rewards are in heaven.
The Kingdom of heaven is like that of the land owner. Where the hired workers will earn a denarius or one silver dollar a day. The strange thing is that they are paid their wages from the last to the first. That reflected what Jesus was saying about the last will be the first. So that means the one that worked less hours earned the same as those that worked longer. So they grumbled to the land owner.
But he answered that they agreed to a denarius for a day's wages.
Matthew 20:9-16
9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Some of you may think that you have been a long time Christian while a young believer who died young also go to heaven. So you may think it's unfair. Salvation is for everyone. Jesus is telling Peter their reward is in heaven. Sometimes we feel that it's not fair. We serve the Lord all our life and we go to heaven same as someone who just became a Christian.
If you talk about being fair as sinners what do we rightly deserve? We deserve hell. Salvation is for all. That is God's grace and mercy and it is God's right to give. He is not talking about what is fair but rather what is needed. One denarius is enough to feed one family for the day only. They will have to work again the next day. If they were not hired for that day their family would have gone hungry for that day.
None of us know when we will be called home. That's why we cannot say we will wait till our last day then only we become a Christian so that we can have the best of both worlds. None of us know when is our last day. We don't know when is our eleventh hour.
What we need is his mercy and grace. None of us deserve it so the question of fairness is not there. This is not about reward but about salvation. Salvation is for everyone. Salvation is not for the select few. This is unmerited favour. He offers it to anyone who asks. We need to understand this.
Sometimes we think that only sinners need salvation. But what about you and me? Are we ready?
How many of you remember the prodigal son? How many of us will do that like what the father did. Some of us would have brought out the cane. But he was given much and a party to welcome him home. He was lavishly dressed. So the elder son was not happy. Why did the father welcome his prodigal son home this way? Such is unmerited favour. The father said to the elder son what he has is already his. It is up to him how he wants to reward his lost son.
God has no grandchildren. Only children with equal access to him. And that is his unmerited favour and grace. When we go to heaven we may see some people we never expected to be there is there and some that we expect to see is not there.
One day there was a missionary who served in darkest Africa. He served there for many years preaching the gospel. One day he got so sick they needed to send him back to England. That took a few months by sea. After two or three months of sailing, they reached the dock. And he could see through the pothole that there was a band to welcome someone home. What he didn't know was that the president was on board who went to Africa on a hunting trip. So they welcomed him home. So he was upset with God that it's not fair. That he was in Africa to serve for so long and was not welcomed like this president. God answered and told him son, you're not home yet. Home for him is in heaven. I can imagine God calling him home, well done my faithful servant.
The cost of discipleship is our reward. If you love someone, that in itself is the reward. Even our worst enemy deserves to be saved. Let us not become like the younger brother. Let's walk with love and integrity of heart. Really loving God and not compare with another. Or about what benefits we can get. Let's do it because we love him.
If you brought someone who don't know God, he deserves salvation like us. I hope one day to see all of you there in heaven. What all of us need is his mercy and grace.
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