The Vine: September 9, 2024
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”
This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’”
The preceding story to our parable for today from Matthew 20 involved a conversation between Peter and Jesus. Frustrated at the demands of Jesus regarding wealth and the ability of those who trust in wealth to into the kingdom of heaven, Peter said to Jesus, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Then Jesus launched into this parable (story) about laborers in a vineyard to drive home the point about the first being last and the last being first. It is one of my favorite stories in all the Bible because it says so much about God’s grace and the fact that God’s grace, forgiveness, and salvation are God’s to share as God pleases, no matter what you and I think about what is “fair”.
It was common in those days for day laborers to arrive early at an appointed site to see if they would be selected for work. The usual daily wage was a denarius, and the landowner went out early in the morning to select workers for the vineyard. The process started at 6:00 a.m. when the landowner selected the first group of workers. Then he came back again at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and finally at 5:00 p.m. to select the last of the workers. The workday ended at 6:00 p.m. so one would assume that those who worked half the day would receive half the pay and so on. But remember, Jesus told this story and Jesus had a way of turning things upside down, especially the ending of a story we assume is going to turn out a certain way.
The day had ended, and it was time to pay the workers. Since direct deposit was not an option, the workers would line up to receive their pay. The landowner decided to pay the 5:00 p.m. group first and much to the shock of everyone, including the 5:00 p.m. group, he paid them for a full day’s work even though they worked only one hour. When the group who had worked since 6:00 a.m. reached the front of the line, they must have thought, “This is going to be great! The 5:00 p.m. group was paid for a full day. We can’t imagine what we are going to get paid!” And then Jesus provided a major twist in the story – everyone was paid the same, regardless of how long they worked.
When the 6:00 a.m. group complained to the landowner about how unfair the pay practice was, the landowner replied, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous. So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
There it is again – “so the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Jesus told this story to Peter and the other disciples to reinforce his point from Matthew 19 about grace and what the kingdom of heaven is like. In the other gospels the phrase “kingdom of God” was used to describe the same thing Matthew highlighted in his gospel as the “kingdom of heaven”. The “kingdom of heaven or God” had present and future dimensions. Through Jesus’ teachings, actions, and miracles, Jesus marked the beginning of the kingdom of heaven in the present, while recognizing a future time where there will be a new heaven and new earth where all things will be made right by God. Entering the kingdom of heaven is a transformational process that helps us to not only see the world from God’s perspective but also to live our lives differently.
If you find this parable troubling, then join the club! On the surface few of us read this and walk away thinking, “What a great story!” Perhaps that’s because we assume we are always in the 6:00 a.m. crowd, but if we are honest with ourselves, there are points in our lives where we are with the 5:00 p.m. crowd. Read from that perspective, this might be one of the best stories we will ever hear. In the Church, we call it the gospel – the good news of God’s grace for those who deserve it the least. Or as Jesus put it, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.”
PRAYER
“Thank you God for loving all of us. Thank you for loving us when we associate more with the 6:00 a.m. group and especially when we find ourselves at the end of our rope with little hope at 5:00 p.m. Help us to extend grace to all as we have received your grace so freely. Amen.”
Questions for Reflection:
How does this parable challenge the idea of fairness in our culture?
Which of the workers do you most readily identify with? The 6:00 a.m. group or one of the others, especially the 5:00 p.m. group?
If we applied the concept of God’s grace and forgiveness to this parable, would it change how you understand and apply it?
As followers of Christ, we are “forgiven” forgivers. In other words, we are expected to share the same grace and forgiveness we have received from Christ with others. Why is it often difficult to share that with others, and especially those we believe are undeserving?
The vineyard owner was a generous person. Generosity often flows out of gratitude. What are you grateful for in your life?
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