Matthew 20.1-16
In a 2023 issue of Christianity Today magazine, author Jen Wilkin writes:
Individualism says that I should do what’s best for me regardless of what’s best for others. Instant gratification assures me that waiting is an enemy to eliminate. At every turn, I am told that I can and should have what I want when I want it.
Earlier this year, my husband and I spent two weeks with an apparent narcissist named Charlotte. From the moment we stepped into her space, it was all about her. She demanded our full attention day and night. Forget rational arguments or the needs of others; it was The Charlotte Show 24/7. She thought only of herself and demanded loudly and often that her needs be met. Our schedules bowed to her every whim. She uttered not a word of gratitude during the entire 14 days.
And we didn’t mind one bit. Because all 7 pounds and 15 ounces of her was doing exactly what she should. Our newest grandchild’s age-appropriate focus is to declare, Me, right now! Any time she is tired, hungry, or needs a clean diaper. Babies self-advocate as a survival instinct. They understand only the immediate need.
But what is appropriate in an infant is appalling in an adult. In its obsession with “me, right now,” our culture doesn’t just worship youthfulness; it worships childishness, legitimizing it into adulthood. An adult who demands what he wants when he wants it is a costly presence in any community, prioritizing his own needs above those of others and of the group. He has not learned to “put away childish things,” as the Bible says (1 Cor. 13:11, KJV); he has managed to grow physically from a baby to an adult without shedding the childish mantra of “me, right now.”
In our Biblical text for this morning, chosen for us by the Lectionary, we enter into “Story-time with Jesus.” In this story that Jesus tells, referred to Biblically as a a “parable,” we hear about the sinful human heart that lives in entitlement with the mantra, “me and my will, right now!,” and it’s opposite, the heart changed and led by God with the mantra, “God’s will, right now!
Let’s hear from Matthew 20.1-16 now
Matthew 20.1-16 has Jesus speaking this parable:
[1] “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. [2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, [4] and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ [5] So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ [7] They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ [8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ [9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. [10] Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. [11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, [12] saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ [13] But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ [16] So the last will be first, and the first last.” (ESV)
In this story, the early morning laborers believed that their work was more important and more effective than their companions who arrived later in the day.
Even though the early morning laborers agreed to work for a set wage, they were still upset that they didn’t get paid more than the laborers who started in the afternoon hours.
Their sin driven selfishness made them think that the vineyard owner was unfair in his dealings with them.
When it came time to get paid, they weren’t happy with what they were getting paid. They believed they deserved more money or that their work companions deserved less money. They were demanding, “Me and my will, right now!”
What we need to realize is that this parable isn’t really about laborers working in a vineyard. As the parable starts out telling us, it is about how God and His Kingdom work. And, God and His will and His Kingdom very often work in ways that are opposite to our sinfully selfish human sensibilities.
As we heard in several of the text’s during this morning’s Elder Ordination, God gifts people differently but God is equally gracious to all.
Some grow up in the church and cannot remember a day that Jesus was not a part of their life.
Some grow up outside of the church, living in ways that ultimately give God the middle finger at every turn but find themselves later in life awe struck by and fully devoted to Jesus’ cross-centered sacrificial love for them.
Through faith in Jesus Christ alone, these two different people receive the same gift and blessing from God. Through faith in Jesus Christ alone, these two different people receive the forgiveness of Sin, full righteousness, and eternal life. No one gets more. No one gets less.
In the church, some people are talented musicians and volunteer to use their time practicing songs and leading the Church in worshipping their Creator and Redeemer.
In the church, some people are able to teach the Bible so that the Scriptures are opened and understood and received by children and teenagers.
In the church, some people are able to preach the Gospel so that God’s Holy Spirit reaches into hearts convicting the hearers of their Sin while at the same time bringing comfort to those convicted that Jesus Christ has made all things right for them.
In the church, some people have the ability to use tools to fix broken things and build new things that make God’s Church buildings safe and welcoming to all who enter.
In the church, some people have the ability to make coffee and lemonade, to set up tables and chairs, to sweep and mop so that those that attend feel like they are being hosted by family members.
In God’s Kingdom here on earth, people enter into the Kingdom, meaning they come to faith and find themselves believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, at different times and in different places, in different situations in life, with different talents and different passions.
Through faith in Jesus Christ alone, all of these different people receive the same gift and blessing from God. Through faith in Jesus Christ alone, all of these different people receive the forgiveness of Sin, full righteousness, and eternal life. No one gets more. No one gets less.
However, in our sin struggle, it is way too easy to fall into the temptation of thinking things like, “How come I don’t get to sing and be in the front of the congregation every Sunday,” “How come I don’t get to teach a Bible study and be told how wise I am?,” or, “How come I don’t get asked to take on a position of leadership or authority?” “After all, I have been here longer than those doing the things I should be doing by now.”
In all honesty, each of thinks that there are areas in life that we deserve to get more than we are currently getting.
However, in all honesty, if we got what we truly deserve we would all be doomed.
Romans 6:23 says that
[23] …the wages of sin is death…
The only thing we deserve is to be punished by God’s wrath and separated from Him forever.
But, the good news for you is that the verse goes on to say,
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)
We don’t get what we deserve. God, the Creator and Redeemer as revealed in the Bible, gives us the exact opposite. God gives us exactly what He graciously wants to give us — forgiveness and eternal life.
In my studying and preparation for this morning, I pulled out an older commentary on the Biblical book of Matthew that I haven’t used in many years. This was a Holy Spirit guided move because I read the following comment on today’s text that is couldn’t be more appropriate.
The author says,
“Are any persons especially targeted by the parable? Matthew may have in mind the seniority claims of the original apostles, who claim hierarchical authority (see 23:8–12). Perhaps he is thinking of Jewish Christians in his congregation who resent the leadership now being exercised by former pagans. Perhaps older members begrudge the spiritual gifts manifested in the youth. We understand such tensions. How easy it is for us to grumble to ourselves or to others when newcomers to the church (or recovering alcoholics, or ex-convicts, or “people of a different background”) receive more recognition than we who have worked so long and so hard! Such resentment can be overcome only by fixing our gaze on the goodness of God who is generous to all.”
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, we hear Jesus telling us this in 1:17–18:
[17] … “Fear not, I am the first and the last, [18] and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (ESV)
Jesus willingly chose to be the absolute last in line by dying on the cross and being punished for all of your disobedience against God and your denial of God’s existence.
Let me tell you something that you need to know.
The Bible is very clear. A time is coming that God is going to shut things down here as we know them to be.
At that time, the Kingdom of Heaven will be opened to only those who have faith in Christ will be welcomed in with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You who have faith will hear those words, not because of what you have done in this world, but because you are united with Jesus who has perfectly done all that God has asked of you, for you.
Up until the moment that God shuts things down for this world, the Kingdom of Heaven is open for anyone and everyone to come into. The entrance is not open to you because you worked harder or more hours than anyone else, but the entrance is open to you by realizing your only hope for being welcomed in is through God’s rescuing you through Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave, confessing your Sin, repenting of your Sin, and placing your full and complete trust in Jesus Christ alone to get your name written in God’s book of life that waits you at the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The sad and scary thing is that once God’s shuts things down for this world, those outside remain outside. They will hear, “I do not know you.” And, they will cast away with all other unbelievers to the place of eternal death and torment.
The amazing thing is that a person coming to salvation is so exciting to God that Scripture tells us that every time a person places their trust in Jesus to save them, the angels already in Heaven throw a party and rejoice.
And, it is so exciting, that the last people to believe in Jesus before God closes up shop, will be the first on the list to walk through the gates into the Kingdom of Heaven.
We shouldn’t care about our place in line at the gates of Heaven. We should be joyously thankful that we have a place in line at all.
Right now, there is still room for you. Right now, the gates are still open for you. Put your contempt before investigation aside. Put your pride aside. Put your arrogance aside. Put the skepticism that is deceiving you aside. Put the devil’s false belief that many roads lead to God aside.
Come to Jesus.
You, who who grew up in the church, come to Jesus.
You, who came to the church later in your life, come to Jesus.
You, who who are still living in shame, doubt, fear and uncertainty, come to Jesus.
Jesus knows your name. Jesus is calling your name.
Jesus does not desire to punish you or hold you accountable for your past, present, or future. Jesus desires to finally set you free from the burdens of attempting to work your way into God’s good graces by doing enough good deeds.
Come to Jesus.
Surrender your foolishness and find the freedom to take deep deep breathes and live life to the fullest today and forever.
Right now, come to Jesus and get in line for the Kingdom of Heaven!
This is the Word of God for you today.
This is the Grace of God for you today.
And all the people said, Amen.
Reverend Fred Scragg V.
September 20, 2026.
