Matthew 20
Being Called to God’s
Vineyard, Presence or Position, and Spiritual Eyesight
Hired into
God’s Vineyard
This chapter
has a whole lot to do with calling, timing, commitment, and reward. When Jesus
came, the first ones He was sent to was the Jewish nation. After that, the Gentiles
would be called. Paul came in later, out of due time. Yet, he didn’t come
behind the chiefest of apostles and outdid those that were in Christ before
Him.
Like the
prodigal son who returned from his wandering to the Father and was held as dear
as the brother who never wandered. See Matthew 18. The reward would be given to
the saints not according to the time of their conversion, but according to
those who followed Him and are faithful to Him even in the latter end. They will
have the same reward as the apostles who entered in so many years ago. Faithful
sufferers for Christ will have the same reward as those of primitive times.
All rewards
will be according to each one’s work, so people will not receive all the same
rewards – that’s not what this is saying. But as far as the rewards for doing
what they were called to suffer for Christ, regardless of the time in history and
life that they entered in by God’s grace
- the same rewards would be given. God is the one who gives us a calling
to do a work in His kingdom/vineyard.
Until we are
called into the kingdom of God, we are standing idle in our lives. The soul of
man was created to be called to work in God’s kingdom. Being idle is the
reality of living in a sinful state before we are born again. All people are
standing idle until they are born again and assigned to their work. They are
doing nothing effective that applies to the very purpose God created them to
fulfill.
It’s our job to
humble ourselves and ask Jesus to come into our hearts. God will make sure
every person hears it before they die. Once that happens, God will prepare us
for our specific assignment. We all have one.
The marketplace
represents the place of concourse, where people gather and meet. That’s the
place where wisdom cries in the streets – see Proverbs. Wisdom cries out to the
public to come to know the Lord and be about His business, not busyness. People
are playing and fooling around with this and that, but the wisdom of God calls
us to a life of business in the Father’s house – like Jesus.
Luke 2:49
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you
not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
The kingdom of
God is God’s vineyard. He is the One who planted it, waters it and cares for
it. We as His children must be in this vineyard doing what we were created to
do to bring Him glory. He wants us to be His family and His co-laborers to
reach each other with the gospel.
A person who is
idle may end up in hell, but the one that will go to heaven must be busy –
about His business. The reward we will get has nothing to do with religious
“works.” It is a loving offering of a life willingly laid down for Jesus to
serve Him and go above and beyond the norm to walk in love and obedience to
what He is asking of us day by day.
We aren’t
rewarded for just checking the duties off a list. Religious activities are
useless. There’s no love in that. We discussed this is a previous chapter. We
are called to walk in love and lay down our lives for our brothers – in this
world. They need us. That means we will have to crucify our flesh – our own way
of doing things and allow Him to lead us by His Spirit day by day as we go.
1 John 3:16
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And
we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Getting the reward of a crown of righteousness is a blessing to
embrace for eternity for the work He calls us to do in His kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:8
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also
to all who have loved His appearing.
What does work
for a day really mean in relationship to this passage? Look at this.
John 9:4
I must work the works
of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming
when no one can work.
The night is
coming. Darkness is coming on the earth. There is already a lot of it here. We
are called to work while we can. If we do not finish what God called us to do,
then it will be unfinished forever. Who would want that to happen? Yet for
many, it is happening. They leave the earth with their work undone. The reward
of rest will be to us at the end of the day and when this life is finished.
Revelation
14:12-13
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those
who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice
from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the
Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works
follow them.”
Think of the hours in a day. Think of the first
apostles. They were the first workers to go out to call in the Jews. Later in
the day, they went to call in the Gentiles. The timing was interesting. Some are
called early in life by God’s grace. Think of John the Baptist who was called
from his mother’s womb. Then Timothy as a child and Obadiah in His youth. When they
were called to go, they went speedily. Mary Magdalene came in later on and was
healed of many devils – then she clung closely to Jesus.
Some are called in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and
beyond. There are different hours of the day we receive our call. Paul was
called in middle life years while in pursuit of worldly lusts. The Lord has
work for all ages and He is willing to have anyone who will come in and pursue
His work and fulfill their God given purpose. He doesn’t turn away any who are
willing. Unfortunately, not all will come.
The 11th hour is the last season of
life – in old age. While there is life, there is hope. But at the 12th
hour, the day is done and there is no more time to work. Anyone can come at any
age. God is not willing that any should perish. They can still do the work of
the Lord – even in their 90’s. He can set to work those who have lived a life
of idleness. Nothing is too hard for the Lord to do. Nicodemus was an older
Jewish leader – yet he had the hope of being born again.
The Gentiles came in when they heard the gospel –
certainly not before. Those that hear the message of salvation many times and
refuse to accept it will not be able to say at the 11th hour that no
man has offered them hire. In other words, that no one told them about how to
be saved and put to work in God’s kingdom. Now is the accepted time.
2 Corinthians 6:2
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have
helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
When evening comes and life is over, then will
we be rewarded or judged. The workers did not come to get their reward until
called. In God’s timing we rest and wait for His call to the rewards. Those that
came in at the 11th hour, it is mentioned in Matthew Henry’s commentary,
would not be called last in order not to discourage them. God is so kind.
I think a point is made here that the Lord shows
no partiality to people. The last being first and the first being last shows
that God is no respecter of persons. See Acts 10:34. No preference is given to
seniority. I believe this eliminates the issue of pride – like “I got here
first.”
Verse 15 shows us that God is the Owner and He
has a right to do what He will. In verse 12, the servant is complaining that
others got the same pay when they came in later to work. Who are we to argue
with God? An envious person is considered evil. It’s an evil eye that doesn’t
appreciate good things happening to others. After all, why should we fellow
servants be concerned about someone who came in later in life than we did? Aren’t
we eternally glad they did – no matter when?
Many of the
ones that come into the kingdom later end up doing more by the blessing of God,
attaining greater levels of knowledge, grace, and usefulness. And the ones who
have been walking with the Lord a longer time may not be used as effectively
for various reasons.
We must not boast
about when we came into the vineyard or how zealous we are. The most important
part it to keep up that zeal, that newness, that excitement for Jesus. We don’t
want our good beginnings to end up as of little use to us.
Many are
called, but few are chosen. Those who endure to the end will make it. Once
called, it is a love walk – not a duty walk. No matter the call, we must not give
more attention to the call than to the love of the Lord Jesus Himself. Therein
lies our whole purpose for living and dying – to be with Him, now and for
eternity. Let’s make our calling and election sure and stay with it.
Matthew
24:13
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
2 Peter 1:10-11
Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for
if you do these things you will never stumble; for
so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Presence of
Position
The brothers
who asked for position did so through their mother. The fact that they put
someone in front of Jesus who had some type of authority to avoid asking for
themselves is interesting. A subject in itself. But the bottom line in these
passages was the reason for which they wanted to be placed at Jesus right and
left hand – in other words, in a high and prominent position.
Jesus
immediately asked them if they could drink the cup He was about to drink. In
ignorance, they promptly said yes. They wanted to have a high position and it
looks like it was more important than just being in Jesus’ presence. The cup of
suffering that Jesus would drink would not be achievable by any man because all
have sinned.
Jesus never did. He was the only One who could provide the payment
for our sins. He did say however, that we as His disciples will drink from His
cup. Notice the word “from.” This means that we will suffer as followers of
Christ as we lay down our lives for Him. We will suffer indeed as He did, just
not the full measure of all that He did.
Philippians
3:7-11
But what things were gain to me, these I
have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also
count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as
rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in
Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which is from God by faith; that I may know Him
and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I
may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
One can look at Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 to get a
real up close and personal look at the sufferings of our Savior. Our sufferings
will be worth it. Why? Because being in the presence of Jesus for eternity
would be to a Christian who really loves Him the ultimate goal, regardless of
where we are placed in His heavenly kingdom.
Psalm 84:10
For a day in Your courts is better than a
thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of
wickedness.
Whenever we just go to Him to be in His presence,
through worship and just sitting with Him, it is the best place any human can
be. That’s where we will find rest, joy, peace, comfort, and fulfillment. Doesn’t
that sound like what the world needs now?
Psalm
16:11
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of
joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Jesus winds up His teaching on this subject of
position by showing His listeners that those who will be greatest among them
will be those who give themselves to service. He didn’t want His followers to
follow the pattern of the Gentiles mentioned in these passages who considered
it great to rule over people. They liked bossing people around and being the
boss, but not doing it in a loving way. It was more an issue of pride and position.
Jesus warns that this should not be so
for His followers.
He used Himself as an example stating that’s
exactly what He came to do – be a servant to the lost and hurting world. He
laid down all His mighty weight and glory as God in heaven and came to earth to
serve us the best thing we could ever be served – eternal life and the ability
to be in His presence for all eternity.
2
Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that
we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This chapter finishes strong by showing us the
compassion and tender mercy of our God by healing the two blind men. They
humbly approached Jesus, worshipped, and honored Him, seeking something that
was really important to them – their eyesight. Jesus immediately gave it to
them.
What they asked can be taken from the natural
realm of healing blind eyes to the supernatural realm of spiritual eyesight. So
many times we are blinded to the truth. Seeing things that are in the natural
realm is not all there is in this life. We need Holy Spirit to open our eyes to
the spiritual unseen things. It will make all the difference in our journey
with Jesus through this life. We need to see this life in the light of eternity
because that’s what matters most.
1 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at
the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Reflection
Talk
about seeing unseen things! Wow! Today I spent most of my time studying from a
commentary about this parable. I had never really dug deep into it. I always
just assumed it meant that we would get saved no matter when in life we come to
Jesus. While that part is true, I didn’t see it like I did today. As I read, I
discovered there is so much more to this. This Bible study is helping me, and
as I get help from Holy Spirit, I count it a joy to do what I am called to do
in God’s vineyard, and share the word with people all over the world.
I
surrendered my life to Jesus later in life at the age of nearly 50. I spent the
last many years learning, learning, learning. I was a lot like Mary Magdalene
in many ways. I needed a lot of healing work. I have participated in many ministries
and events and outreaches. Evangelism was a big part of my call. Teaching is
yet another. It’s such a blessing when I can share with you what the Lord is
sharing with me.
Has
it been challenging for me? You bet it has. I have been rejected by family and
friends, had a gospel tract thrown in my face, been yelled at, cussed at and
mocked, suffered rejection within the church, and lost a job for standing up
for Jesus, just to name a few things. I have had to learn to lay down a lot of
my desires to eat or shop the way I might otherwise want to. Where I go and how
I spend my time is very devoted to the Lord and being in His service. No more
hanging around the “marketplace” so to speak.
I’m
still working at all of these things, yet I remember that no matter how hard and
painful it can be at times, Jesus is worth it. He tells us that His power is
perfect in our weakness and that He will supply all our needs. He tells us that
we can do all things through Christ. We may suffer for just a brief moment in
this life, but the rewards for being in and working in His vineyard are well
worth it.
There
is a song coming to me right now. It says, “I wouldn’t trade You for silver
or gold. I wouldn’t trade You for riches untold. You mean more than this world
to me.” Is that truly the song of our hearts dear friends? I want that for
all of us. It doesn’t matter to me when you get born again and take up your
assignment in God’s vineyard – it just really matters that you do.
How
About You?
What
speaks to you the most in this chapter? Will you take it to the Lord in prayer?
He will help you if you do.
Questions
or comments? Email me at: Hannylynn05@gmail.com
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