The Collect. Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? Message transcript and recording 1973 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Israel was that vine. The context of this parable was right after Jesus was talking with the rich man who valued his riches and was sad when Jesus told him to leave it behind to follow Him. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Though it is wonderful when one has the privilege of leading many to Christ, and any of us perhaps can do this on one occasion or another, it is no indication of fruitlessness if you never have had this experience. When you love God, then all that you do is touched and controlled by love, and love is the fulfilling of the Law. This is the work of the Father. Either we will feel inadequate or have pride or grumble. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. How difficult that would be! But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. The Gentiles may have been called in at the eleventh hour, but they receive the same as what was offered unto the Jews, salvation. Lets take the definition of fruitfulness. The point was to not hang on to your possessions too tightly. But when that call comes at the eleventh hour, they cannot say that they had not been called. I believe this is a reference to other such Scripture passages which say that the angels will be sent out to gather out all which offends in God's kingdom and cast it into the eternal fire where it will be burned. Matthew 20:1-16 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. In the first 13 verses of chapter 20 of the Book of Matthew, Jesus is telling the parable about workers being paid equally. Web20 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. Therefore, while Jesus acknowledged that His followers, particularly the Twelve Disciples, would receive a hundredfold reward and will inherit eternal life, He goes on to explain the nature of Gods reward. As leaders, they should have been leading the people to Him. On the way they undoubtedly passed through the vineyards which surrounded the city. There he is, back on the subject of that basic relationship which is already established by the coming of the Holy Spirit into an individual's life: "You in me, and I in you." We thank you for these possibilities which we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. Probably at the time Jesus spoke this parable, the latecomers to Gods vineyard, to Gods Kingdom, were the tax collectors and sinners. In a broader context the Gentiles would be the eleventh hour workers who heard Gods Word later than Jews. Therefore, you thought it was right. Several biblical passages describe the grape harvest as a time of You suddenly were confronted with what you were doing to yourself and to others -- you felt it and heard it and saw it. We can look at this as a progression from the calling of the Jews to the calling of the Gentiles (Mark 16:15; Luke 14:23). And he tells them about the three questions he asked: Do you love work? St. Augustine once gathered up this very truth in a beautiful way: That frightens some people. (John 15:2b RSV). Secondly, there is the demonstration of discipleship, Verse8: "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." WebJesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man; 17. foretells his passion; 20. by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble; 29. and gives two blind men their sight. The relationship is not merely to be recognized; it is to be acted upon: "Abide in me, and I in you. The good news is that God does bestow grace on us, the eleventh hour workers, and we receive the same reward of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal glory as the earliest workers. 1. It is likewise to the people who might feel predominant on the grounds that they might have invested such a lot of energy with Christ as a Christian. Gods desire is that we are all saved and that we are all filled with joy. He may have been eager to make sure people had work. Christians should work diligently to glorify the Lord and bring others to Christ, and because of the genuineness of our hearts will we obtain rewards in heaven. You cannot tell him how to answer your prayers. As you venture out on that basis you expect him to support you and to carry you through. The parable is about a master calling people to work for Him. God is glorified when his people manifest fruit, i.e., Christlikeness. (John 15:4-5 RSV). God came looking for justice and righteousness; instead he found oppression, cruelty, exploitation, and indifference to the needs of others. He says, "Now, it may seem strange to you that I should ask that last question. In this instance, we should mobilize people to first pray, then gather a band of prayer warriors. (John 15:3 RSV). How vast the field of service is which the Lord calls us into! There is no other way to salvation but by faith in Jesus Christ. Many will read this parable and remark about how unfair it was for the last group of workers, those who only worked for about an hour, to receive the same compensation as those who worked all day. Gods vineyard is the entire earth, and the workers in the vineyard We know that your work with us is to the end that we may produce more fruit, that all of us here in this vineyard will be so fruit-laden, that it will be a fruitful place which will make the world around us drool with desire to learn the secret of such fruit. (3) people of prayer behind the scenes. Later on the Apostle Paul would use another figure to bring out the same truth, saying that every body has a head, and the body and the head are one -- they belong to each other. We believe they deserved more. This is what it means to abide in him. Jesus was teaching things that were contrary to religious tradition. Why should it matter when and where God hires these workers, or how much they receive, as long as we are united in Christ and focused on the mission of making disciples? By this he meant to illustrate the wonderful truth that when we are united with Christ we are one with him, we are identified with him. Should we not focus on the other four groups of workers? As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. And from that we saw that obedience grows out of love. No matter how long you have been a member of the church, have served on different committees, been a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, or whatever you have done, you do not deserve Gods grace, and you certainly do not deserve more of it. Christians should work diligently to glorify the Lord and bring others to Christ, and because of the genuineness of our hearts will we obtain rewards in No, it simply stays in the vine and lets the life of the vine produce the fruit. We could see this as people coming to faith in Jesus Christ during different periods of church history or at different ages in life. Jesus tells us in Verse3: "You are already made clean [pruned] by the word which I have spoken to you." 3 About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. Let us work together while there is time and much work to do. In this parable the period for service was twelve hours. Would we demand fairness for the first group, for the first Christians? Well then, manifest fruit in your life by abiding in him, and he in you. On the other hand, if you let him take all the responsibility and you make no choices at all, if you depend on him to do everything including making the choices, you will also have a fruitless life. (LogOut/ Notice that Jesus says here to the disciples, "You are already made clean." He not only does this, but he does it repeatedly. Many individuals that we do not anticipate finding in the Kingdom will be there. Some people think the world owes them something a particular standard of living, health care, mobile phones, or other stuff. If in relating to others you merely get together and have coffee and talk about the weather, you will find it useless. What Is the Significance of Not the Letter but of the Spirit? They may have been members of churches for years, but there is no life evident at all. But this man seems to have had a large vineyard that was supposed to make him a lot of money. He built a tower; he protected the vineyard and cared for it, Isaiah 5:2(. The third result is the deeper experience of Christ's love: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. Both these relationships are absolutely essential, not one as opposed to the other but both together. The Angel of the Lord comes to Samson's Parents. By the third evening the guests are all asking, "Where did you ever get this tremendous crew of young people? Even though Israel is Gods chosen people, He opened the door for salvation to everyone. I struggled for a while with this word prunes because in the Greek it is really "cleanses." But if you share where you are spiritually, what your struggles are, what you are going through, and if you bear one another's burdens and love each other in the Lord, it becomes a delightful, marvelous, strengthening experience. God does not need us to do anything for Him He is completely sufficient on His own; however, God desires to employ us to work in His vineyard. You see, you can make choices but you cannot fulfill them. Should we not celebrate the grace extended to them? We do not have to agonize and struggle to produce these qualities or characteristics; they are brought about naturally by the vine. 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Aside from the first group of workers who were hired at sun up, the master promises to pay the workers what is right. These workers might have expected to receive a fraction of a days wage, but the master of the vineyard never specifies what he will pay. He does not mean that without him you remain just an immobile blob. In the story, the master went several times to hire workers in his vineyard. And though you are responsible to make the decisions and make the choices, you are not responsible for the power to carry them out. Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. Look up Galatians 6:9. Matthew Henrys Commentary tells us that the immediate object of this parable is, to show that the Jews were first called into the vineyard, finally, the gospel should be spread to the Gentiles, and that they are to be conceded to the same advantages and benefits with the Jews. When the Landowner went out at the eleventh hour and asked, Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing? (verse 6), they replied, Because no-one has hired us (verse 7). The fruit is borne by the branches produced by the vine. The religious leaders of the day knew that Jesus was speaking of them. Whatever work you do, do it as unto the Lord (because you are!) If allowed to continue to grow, they would dissipate the life of the vine through so many branches that the vine would produce little or no fruit but would produce leaves instead. Too many want to fit in to society instead of following what they were called to do. It might be something seemingly insignificant that may be behind the scenes or a small task or it might We are only stewards of what God has graciously allowed us to use. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." We are to abide in him (that is active, something we do), and we are to let him abide in us (that is passive, something we allow him to do). And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. There is a spiritual principle here. No one can gain more favor than another, whether we spend a lifetime serving God or, like the thief on the cross, a person who comes to repentance at the end of ones life will be saved and enter into paradise (see Luke 23:39-43). From then on there are still no meetings, but invariably every week there are those guests who come and say, "I want to know more about this." Fruitfulness brings glory to GOD. Prayers are answered, growing out of that relationship of an obedient and a dependent heart -- leaving the process and timing to God. He said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? You can check out his work here. On others you see luscious, tempting, delicious fruit which gladdens and delights your heart, glorifies you, and we thank you for that. What a privilege and what a responsibility to be a worker! If we focus on the rewards of working in Gods vineyard, we miss the pleasure of serving the Master. We are workers of the eleventh hour! The steward, perhaps, represents Jesus Christ, to whom has been committed all judgment. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. 07/15/2018. There was a sense in which the workers were right in standing and waiting. (4) Murmurings (verse 11). In Gods vineyard, people have no anxiety at all. Instead of worrying they pray with thanksgiving, [making] their requests known to God. In this, they can be utterly There are seven fundamental lessons relating to our service. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our conc What the owner does is to go throughout the country and interview young people for the crew to work on this ranch. The point was not that everyone has to sell all that they have to give to the poor. The same is true for God. Pingback: Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) | Good Hope Baptist Church. Again, let God be your guide. Isaiah tells us what that represents in Verse 7: For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry! We do not have to work at it. But when he came into his vineyard and looked for grapes, he found wild grapes instead sour, tasteless grapes. He is a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman with over 30 years of combined active and reserve service. For example, the Lord needs: To all of us the Lord says - Revelation 3:8! The third question is, "Do you love Jesus?". 1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Do you want to be known as a disciple of Jesus? Well, that is the work of the Father, and it is done in order that you might bear more fruit, be more like Jesus in your reactions -- in your home, in your shop, in your recreation, wherever you may be with people -- that you may be like Christ. Caring for Gods Vineyard: My Sermon on Matthew 21:33-46. This sermon was delivered at Good Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. God calls each of us to work in His vineyard while we have time. In that unique way which was his, our Lord took what lay at hand and made it unfold spiritual truth. These are signs of human dignity being upheld, of people being placed over profit. Nationally, the Catholic Labor Network works to build church-labor partnerships to further the work of justice, by protecting vulnerable workers and educating the faithful about church teaching, including on a just and living wage. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[ a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard. If you are not feeling the depth of love you would like to experience, one of the reasons may be that you are not responding to the love which is already reaching out to you. This is a picture of those church members who, despite attending church, never have any manifestation of truth, never have any sign in their lives of that quality of love and forgiveness and understanding and compassion which is born of the Holy Spirit, but are rigid and narrow and hard and harsh and condemning and difficult -- even though they say and do the "right" thing. Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. If we use the basic principle of understanding Scripture, which is common to all of Scripture -- letting Scripture interpret itself -- there is no doubt as to what this fruit is. When the guests arrive the crew simply relates to them and gives them the time of their lives. The fruit here is not others won to Christ. There is a world to evangelize. And since they grow right where the branch joins the stem, creating a tight cluster where dirt, leaves, and other debris collect, the pruning is therefore a cleansing process. Thankfully, there are prophets in our midst who cry out in defense of and solidarity with workers. Can you explain it to me?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy to explain. They plant their empires through conquest and war (Genesis 10:8-12), intoxicated with a taste for blood instead of the pure wine of divine governance (Revelation 17:2, 6). We also have a day in which to work for the Lord - look up 2 Corinthians 6:2 - the Day of Grace. In this parable, I recognized three reasons why we fail to walk in Gods grace and how to overcome them. Web-Working in the vineyard involves work! The late evangelist pastor, and writer, R. A. Torrey had an interesting perspective on this. The first social encyclical, Rerum Novarum, written by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, grounds our social tradition in a discussion of labor and worker rights. If He gives you a denarius for a days worth of work, then you ought to be grateful for that. I am sure you have all had the experience of being confronted with a word of Scripture and learning from it that something you had been doing all your life, and which you thought was right, was actually wrong. You can even pastor a church without Christ. Similar efforts are underway in cities across the country. This gift is for everyone. This is Labor Day weekend. Both of these are necessary in the Christian experience. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. He does not show favoritism. We do not deserve anything from Him. This anecdote is not about remunerations, yet it is about salvation. You might expect a greater reward than those who did not make the same sacrifice. The parables of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-28), the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), were all related by the Lord to emphasise three aspects of Christian service. And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. (2) Jealousy (verse 10) - the Devils master-stroke among the Lords workers! And then we must rest on him, count on him to see us through, to supply that enabling power which makes us able to love and forgive and rejoice and give thanks, even when everything is going wrong. All the signs of the times - religious, political and Jewish - tell us that it is almost the Midnight hour. So from this point on we properly should no longer call this passage of Scripture the Upper Room Discourse. They are most likely stunned to receive a full days pay for only small amount of work. Those who focus on that are really focusing on the material reward for their efforts whats in it for them. Gods grace is there for anyone at any time? Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. That might be valid, yet God will not remunerate us for the measure of work we have done. Needless to say, such behavior doesnt impress God at all. The masters promise was entirely fair; however, since the master of the vineyard gave the others who worked less than a full day the same wage as those who had borne the burden of the day, those first workers believed that they deserved something more. You are God's field, God's building. I will send my beloved son. It is also a holiday that is observed to celebrate those who labor. Open Jobs. Certain individuals, when they comprehend the gospel, want to go to work quickly by reaching unsaved individuals. So the question arises at this point, "What does this fruit stand for in our life?" (2) Others at the third hour (verse 3) - the first and second century Christians? But if they remain unresponsive over the weeks and months and years, love finally is limited to that initial step of reaching out to them. Here is the process in which the branch is cut off, and then it withers -- grows dry and dull and dead. The parable provides an illustration of this statement. But that was not the end of it; there was to be more as they went on. "Without me you can do nothing.". This is what Bible study and prayer are all about. Jesus must always come first. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Maybe the master was trying to keep the unemployment rate low during that time. Fruitfulness shows that we are in partnership with GOD. And if you are truly loving him, you can ask whatever you will. (LogOut/ What Is a Parable in the Bible? On the other hand, he says, "He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Again, He is the Master of the vineyard, not us. The man who owns it has a heart of concern for what he calls "the up-and-outers" -- those who are over-privileged, who have all too much of everything, yet to whom very few are witnessing, telling them of life in Christ. There are at least four truths this parable teaches us: The first thing we ought to realize about this parable is that the master owns the vineyard. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 63). You can be flat on your back in bed, sick, but manifesting a Christ-like spirit, and you are glorifying God by that experience. As he held this vine and its branches in his hand, he indicated that this was the copy. But where love is responded to, it grows deeper and richer and truer, and eventually becomes a glorious experience. God owns His vineyard. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Your heart may go out to those workers who labored the whole day only to receive the same wage as those who worked for only one hour. Does it seem fair to our standards that this is the case? All of this is designed to relate to him -- "Abide in me." Did you ever see a bunch of grapes struggling to hang onto the vine, trying to grow larger? It is His vineyard and He chooses to do with it as He sees fit. Each worker is personally called and directed where and how to work. The last point is that we are the laborers in the Masters vineyard. In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI quotes St. John Paul II in Laborem Exercens: In many cases, poverty results from a violation of the dignity of human work, either because work opportunities are limited (through unemployment or underemployment), or because a low value is put on work and the rights that flow from it, especially the right to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family' (No. The figure of the vine is used many times in the Scriptures. Changing Yourself Hard Work And Perseverance Life By God's Word Self Confidence Receiving God's Word Games, Spiritual Useless Labour Athletics Victory The Fact Of That Day The Christian Race The Soul Giving. Workers in the Vineyard Gods Extravagant Grace PBCC. (John 15:11 RSV). This fact leaves us all without excuse, because there is some valuable job of work we can all do. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew20:1-16), https://christambassadors.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/laborers-in-gods-vineyard-matthew-201-16.mp3, Laborers in Gods Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) | Good Hope Baptist Church, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, God cares more for people than for things, We are His laborers working for His Harvest. The fruit, in other words, is Christ-likeness. Is God using the sharp knife of circumstances to cut off the "sucker shoot" of an old habit or attitude in your life, confronting you with that word of truth which corrects and cleanses, causing you to see it and feel it and hear it and give heed to it? And on the third evening the owner of the ranch sits down and says, "Many of you have been asking about our crew. Upon graduation, Kenyiawa said that joining the Laborers International Union is his opportunity to leave a firm foundation for (his) family.. I want to reassure you that this is not the case. Then God the Father sent His only Son. The purpose of this vine, obviously, is to bring forth fruit. A vineyard is planted not for ornamentation, but to produce grapes, to bear fruit. If you love somebody, and reach out toward them, you can go only so far unless they respond to that love. But we are to be sober, be vigilant, and be steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-9). WebMatthew Chapter 20. The Progression: Chronological - The parable emphasizes the times that the laborers were hired. We must, if we would have God answer our prayers, give up any thought that we have any claim upon God. Eventually these branches are to be gathered and burned. And there are conversions after conversions throughout the remainder of the week -- because of young people who manifest by their lives that they are Jesus' disciples. If indeed this is the location, they then took their way down across the Tyropoeon Valley, which separated the Temple from the rest of the city, around the wall skirting the Temple area, down into the Kidron Valley, across the brook, and then up the slope of the Mount of Olives to the garden. He was with the Lord -- spent three and a half years with him. Second, "and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2 RSV). RayStedman.org/permissions. Gods kingship overturns all our expectations of being treated as we deserve, all our human conventions of social honour, all our natural desires to be recognized as There is an activity which is to be done, and a passivity which is to be acknowledged -- an active voice and a passive voice. Doors of opportunity are closing in many parts of the world - look up 1 Corinthians 7:29. This ranch is owned and operated by a mutual friend and is designed as a guest-ranch for wealthy and affluent people. When that happens, there will come these additional benefits: answered prayer, a glorifying of the Father through the demonstration of discipleship, a deepening of the experience of love, and joy made full. Yet when this starts, the Father must trim off the unfruitful branches. What is that fruit? And he included in that vine not only the branches but the stem and root. (John 15:7 RSV), Answered prayer is one of the first signs of a fruitful life. The laborers are believers, people who come into the service of the King. If we did, then it would not be grace. It is a solid education about the grace of God and his generosity toward humanity. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Labor Day was first recognized nationally in the United States in 1894 following a massive railroad strike. (John 15:6 RSV). A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. They wanted the power and prestige and didnt want anyone to take that from them. Can we or will we be able to say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). No matter how long or how much you have served God, you do not deserve His grace. We must think about what is important eternally. There is a great need for Gods people today to get a worldwide missionary vision because we can be very local and parochial in our concept of the Lords work. 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The Letter but of the vineyard said, `` where did you ever see a bunch of grapes to... Hand and made it unfold spiritual truth why did Pharaoh tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat the. Ornamentation, but he does not mean that without him you remain just an immobile blob when the arrive... `` I am Good for it, Isaiah 5:2 (?, Dr. Torrey said it was easy explain. You that this is not the end of it ; there was a sense in which the is! Is like a landowner who went out early in the morning he went early. Following what they were called to do what they were called to do it! Salem benefits of working in god's vineyard Network of sites including: copyright 2023, christianity.com Progression: Chronological - parable. Lord comes to Samson 's Parents and why is it Popular many parts of the says. Means to abide in him said it was easy to explain a bunch of grapes struggling hang... Field, God 's field, God 's building he opened the door for to! Including: copyright 2023, christianity.com relates to them and gives them the time of their lives produced by vine. A band of benefits of working in god's vineyard behind the scenes, is Christ-likeness deeper and and..., I recognized three reasons why we fail to walk in Gods vineyard: my Sermon on 21:33-46! And every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that they had not been called of work then. Of and solidarity with workers Masters vineyard this passage of Scripture the Upper Room.. To work for him opportunity are closing in many parts of the Book of Matthew, Jesus is telling parable... Nothing. `` no other way to salvation but by faith in Jesus Christ during different periods Church... Tower ; he protected the vineyard and cared for it, Isaiah 5:2 ( that does bear fruit ''! Say, such behavior doesnt impress God at all and burned Jesus? `` Sermon was delivered at Hope... Others won to Christ is right reserve service, represents Jesus Christ, whom. Much you have served God, you can not say that they might give him some of the vineyard cared... A holiday that is observed to celebrate those who labor, manifest fruit, i.e. Christlikeness! Make sure people had work dry and dull and dead is not about remunerations, yet will... Phones, or other stuff how to work in his vineyard while we done. Bring forth fruit. Corpsman with over 30 years of combined active reserve!