The story sounds as if it were a dreamed up tale; however, this sort of thing was real in Palestine. There, the grape harvest comes on in September very quickly, and must be harvested before the rain comes. It’s a race against time. Anybody who can work, does, even if he can work only an hour or two. The pay for a day’s work was the average for that time.

The men standing in the village square waiting for work was a similar scene to our union halls of today – very common in that part of the world.

They would stand there with their tools all day waiting for a job. The fact that some of them stood till five o’clock shows that they really wanted to work.

These people always lived on the poverty line. Whether they got a job or not determined if they and their families ate that day. To have no one hire them was a disaster.

So this was a common sight and situation in Palestine, that all who heard Jesus would understand. It could be seen in any small town where the grape harvest was being rushed before the rains came.

There are some truths here that go right to the center of our Christian belief. When Jesus first told the story, it had a special significance to those who heard it.

There is a warning here to the disciples who heard it. Jesus was telling them that they were very fortunate to be in on the beginning of the Christian movement. He warned them that there would be others who would join much later. He was warning them that they must be careful about thinking they are better than those who join later than they did.

Jesus was saying that all people, no matter when they come to Christ and his church, ALL are precious in his sight.

It is easy for us who have been in the church a long time, investing so much of ourselves in it, to feel we are above or better or more important to God than those who have joined recently.

Often when the young and “new blood” in the congregation want to change things, or begin to operate with different methods and procedures, we can come to resent it.

We feel as though we have so much more invested in the congregation that things just ought to be done the way we are used to doing them.

This story tells us that seniority does not so much mean honor as it does responsibility in the family of God.

Jesus was also speaking to the Jewish sects of the day. There is a strong warning here against exclusiveness. No doubt these Jews saw themselves as the chosen people, God’s special folks – thus they looked down on the Gentile people.

Jesus must have told this story to warn them that the Gentiles were also God’s people. Even, though they come late, they still are rewarded the same gift.

Someone has said, “In God’s economy, there is no such thing as a most favored nation clause.”

One race, or one denomination, or one nationality is not more important to God than another.

Let’s put that on the billboards of our lives and in the life of our church. There is no single franchise on God’s grace.

These two things Jesus must have wanted to say to the Jews and the disciples in his day when he told the story.

But we must also ask ourselves, “What does this parable say to us now?” What is God and his Kingdom like?

Here we learn a lot about our God, and it’s all very reassuring.

Jesus’ story tells us that God is kind. To be unemployed is a devastating thing. It robs us of our sense of self-worth. It removes from us our pride and feelings of accomplishment. It degrades and embarrasses us. It is a tragic thing when our talents, our capability to do things is wasted and idle.

Jesus’s story paints a picture here, these desperate men standing in a line: sad, depressed, angry, and hurt.

The owner of the vineyard took pity on them – he couldn’t bear to see them idle – to think of them returning home with another tale of no employment and no income and another night seeing their family’s going to bed with empty bellies.

So he hired them just for a brief time, and gave them the whole day’s wages. He knew they couldn’t return home with less, and still hold up their heads.

There is real kindness and compassion and tenderness in this picture of the owner of the vineyard.

Jesus pictures our God as concerned, caring about our welfare. When we are embarrassed, unable to support ourselves, feeling frustrated and anxious because of helplessness in our situation, God hurts for us and wants to help.

There is a basic kindness here that is beyond beautiful, it is glorious! There is also encouragement in this story. God comforts us. He reassures us that those who came into his kingdom at the very last moment still are dear and precious to him.

Don’t worry about the latecomers to the faith. God still loves and cares for them. Be encouraged – our God doesn’t check your years of service – we have the great reward for them here.

When a missionary had told a Chinese mother about the love of God, the mother exclaimed: “I’ve always thought there should be a God like that.”

It’s encouraging, isn’t it? God loves us – those who are dedicated as infants, those who are baptized as youth, those who come to him at marriage, those who are baptized as adults, those who seek him out in tragedy, even those who at the last moment of their lives, finally give in to God.

Then, too, people die at all ages – old and faithful for years and young and just beginning. From God comes the same open arms and welcome for both because of Jesus Christ.

Neither died too early or too late.

Notice how generous God is. They who worked only part of the day got a real gift. It’s true of God: the length and kinds of ways we serve him all rank the same – the preacher, the elder, the deacon, the choir member, the youth leader, the one who witnesses on her job at Publix.

Notice, too, you and I don’t even earn a reward from God. God gives us an undeserved gift. What the Lord gives is not salary, then, but a generous gift, not a reward, but his wonderful grace.

“Why did the earlier workers not rejoice that the man who had waited long in the marketplace was now at peace, with money to take home to his family?

Why did not the older brother rejoice that the prodigal was now restored, set free from the rags and hunger of the far country?

If only we had but a hint of God’s love would we not be glad, as heaven is glad, that the lost sheep is safe in the fold, delivered from briars and wolves? Or are you jealous because I am generous? …God asks.”

It’s so tough to give up our idea of earning what God gives us! The lovelessness of these all-day workers is set to contrast the generosity and graciousness of God.

The rewards of God just do not mesh with our human standards and ways of thinking. But these men who worked all day were not cheated – instead, those who only worked for a short time received a gift.

There is something important here. The big difference in the workers is the spirit in which they do their work.

Looking at it reasonably, those who worked all day had a legitimate gripe. The logical way of looking at it would say that they would be paid more than those who worked only a few hours.

The difference was that the first who came had an agreement.

The last ones merely worked because they were delighted to have a job and a chance to earn something. They were willing to leave the compensation up to the master.

The big difference here is motivation. If we go about our work asking “What will I get out of it?” that’s one reason to work.

Another, is to do the work of the kingdom for the joy of working and the joy of serving our God and God’s people.

Jesus ended his parable with these familiar words, “So those who are last shall be first, and those who are first will be last” (Matthew 20:16b).

The person who goes about serving with no regard for the reward, but working for the joy of it, will know the joy of the Christian life – to aim at regard is to fail to achieve it, and to forget reward is to find it.

When the wife of a couple on a mission trip took an Indian child up in her arms, she did not know that the fever burning body of the child was tortured with typhus; but three days later, the wife was dead.

Her heartbroken husband wrote the tribute for the stone that marked her resting place: “She died serving.”

Let us remember that the difference here is in the motivation to serve. Let us recall always that God is generous, and that God has encouragement for us.

The story tells us that God is kind.

BUT… We have a warning – to beware of being exclusive like the sectarians, and beware of thinking that we who are a long time in the church, are more privileged than others.

“Don’t I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?”

We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.  As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us.

Let us recommit ourselves to be the hands, feet, and beating heart of Jesus in a fragmented world by serving and welcoming all — Regardless of their position and condition.

Closing Prayer

Gentle, humble, savior Jesus, we are a strong people, gifted in many ways.

Each one of us, by your grace, has experienced the joys and endured the sorrows of this life. We are survivors. And being survivors, we resist admitting that we are also weary. So let us rest into your ever-loving arms. In this week to come, may we be reminded every day to accept your invitation to kneel at your feet, to lift up our burdens, to realize you carry those burdens with us.

Gracious God, there are people in our fellowship who are suffering. Wrap your arms around them and give them a sign of your care. For those who wonder about their health and worry about the future, lead them to sound medical advice, and remind us all that you hold our lives, that you know our futures. For those who have experienced the loss of a dream for themselves or for others they love, we pray for trust and the miracle of assurance that can only come from you.

Thank you for this place, for people who dreamed the vision of this sanctuary and this church. We sit in pews where others have sat in years past. And we sit in pews that will be filled in the future by those not yet born. But for now we are the stewards of your manifold grace in this time and in this place. Help us to be good stewards of that grace, shrewd managers of that grace, dedicated investors in the good news of your saving grace for the sake of others. 

For our many blessings, poured out each day, we give you all praise and thanksgiving. Hear us now, as we pray the prayer Jesus taught, the prayer that asks for your ways to prevail on this earth:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.