Jesus gives a comparison in
Matthew 20:1-16 that I think is really telling. It’s fairly long,
but I have
chosen to include the entire passage for convenience.
“1For the kingdom of heaven is
like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to
hire labourers into his vineyard.
2And
when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his
vineyard.
3And
he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the
marketplace,
4And
said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will
give you. And they went their way.
5Again
he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6And
about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith
unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7They
say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into
the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8So
when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the
labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9And
when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man
a penny.
10But
when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and
they likewise received every man a penny.
11And
when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12Saying,
These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us,
which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13But
he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou
agree with me for a penny?
14Take
that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15Is
it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil,
because I am good?
16So
the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few
chosen.”
Notice that Jesus said in
Matthew 19:30, the verse just previous to our passage,
“But many that are first shall be last; and
the last shall be first.”
Then in the last verse of our
passage He says,
“So the last shall be first, and the first
last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
Now just consider how that
would fly today. Even at the time when Jesus said these words, they would have been
hard to swallow. If someone tried that today however, they would have the labor
boards and unions crawling through every file in their offices. But here’s the
kicker. Jesus isn’t talking about how much one person works as opposed to
another, or how much each is paid by the hours they may or may not work. He is
talking about “grace.”
Even though we now see that
Jesus is referring to grace, we still can’t help but let our minds wander back
to our works.
For the unbeliever, he/she
thinks they must have works to be saved, if they’re interested at all in being
born again in Christ. Even some Christians mistakenly think they were saved by
their works and must keep their Christianity by works, failing to recall,
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) and,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not
of works, lest any man should boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
Could it be that some
Christians think that because they have been saved for many years, they are
more worthy in God’s eyes? I can assure you from personal experience that it is
not only possible, it is definitely true. I have met many of them.
As a Christian, I am no more
worthy and no more loved in God’s eyes than someone who got saved two minutes
ago. I am no more worthy and no more loved in God’s eyes in my service to Him
than someone who was saved on their death bed and had no time for Christian
service. It isn’t about me. It’s about the grace of God.
Every child of God is loved
just as much as any other. That is grace. Every child of God will be welcomed
in Heaven with opened arms and just as exuberantly as another. That is grace.
Every child of God will be just as much an heir as another. That is grace.
So why are there peacock
Christians who walk around like they’ve got a two-by-four stuck up their
keister? It’s called pride.
Jesus was letting the
disciples know that even though they were with Him from the beginning and would
reign in Heaven upon twelve thrones, they were no more important than the blind
man Jesus healed, or the woman with an issue of blood that He healed, or anyone
else that comes to Him.
Let me make this real clear.
No one can be saved apart from God’s grace. No one can keep their position as a
Christian apart from God’s grace. Works cannot save, and works cannot keep. God
has promised that if we come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ, He will save. He has promised by the
seal of His Holy Spirit that He will
keep. Period. Anything other than that is an attempt to make God a liar.
For those of you who have
been beaten in the dust from self-righteous snobs, think GRACE. There will be
no one in Heaven by their own merit. It will be all grace. There will be no one
in Heaven who ever even once lost their promised new birth in Christ because THEY couldn’t “hold on.” GOD HELD ON! GRACE!
Let us take the opening
passage and praise God that He provides everything by His grace. Never feel
inferior to another for any reason. You are a child of God and you are just as
important to Him as any other brother or sister in Christ.
There will always be immature
Christians who think they are better because they have been saved longer, or
served Christ longer, or are serving Him more “prestigiously” (by their
estimation), or are wealthier, or whatever. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying,
“I wish I could buy him for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks
he’s worth.” Well, apart from the grace of God, we all fall short.
I’m sure at this point
someone is thinking about rewards that Christ will give to Christians per 1
Corinthians 3:12-15. There will be rewards, but not based upon OUR guidelines. They will be
administered, again, by God’s grace for faithfulness that HE rewards, not on what WE
think we should be rewarded for. Many of us will be rewarded and surprised.
Also, many of us will lose rewards, and I’m sure, surprised, but our position
as a loved heir intact.
So put your shoulders back
and stand erect, not through pride, but through thanksgiving. You are a child
of the King of Kings! You are a child of God!
Grant Phillips
My articles are posted at
“Pre-Rapture Commentary” http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
and many are also posted at “Rapture Ready” http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html.
