Fair is Fair
Matthew 20: 1, “aFor the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into aahis vineyard.” [1]
I. Heaven
A. Went
B. When
II. House
A. Why
B. Workers
III. His
A. Work
B. Wage
Introduction: Jesus used the idea of a householder to describe what heaven is like. It was once understood that whoever holds the deed to the house is the one in charge of what happens in the house. In other words that person or those people are in charge of what happens with what they are charged to hold onto.
Joshua gave a charge to the Israelites after they had crossed the Jordan. He told them that what they decided was up to them. Joshua decided what was good for Joshua and his family. Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, mchoose you this day whom ye will serve; whether nthe gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or othe gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: pbut as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” [2]
We have many examples of things to give us choices in this life. Nobody is ultimately responsible for those choices except for the one making the choice. We seem to take great pleasure in telling others what they must do and not do but the choice is only up to the one who’s the holder of whatever the individual is living under.
It once what up the parents of underage children to make decisions for the children under the care of their parents. There are so many children who have been abused now that the role of parent has been reduced and the role of government has increased so that the government is the householder now. There has been a reversal in fitness to make proper decisions.
This has not been an instant change but has taken years to evolve into what we see now in society. Once we said the Lord’s model prayer each morning even in public schools. Now parents are being blocked from making decisions on whether the underage child decides to mutilate his/her body.
We review all this because without knowing what is intended, this parable from Jesus is foreign to people hearing it today. The owner of a business once understood that unless the customer was satisfied, there would be no business. Fair wages were decided by the business owner by competition. If a business owner wanted to keep a business, he/she would balance wages and prices. Today the government has done all they can to eradicate new business that is based in this country. Other nations are not held to the same strangle-hold regulation imposed by this government, so the business headquarters are based in other countries now.
What we see today in raising children and developing businesses is not what works in a democracy. Jesus walked this planet in such a time that people understood that to have and hold something meant you oversee that which you hold onto. We might see many more changes here before we leave here. Heaven will not change. Perhaps that is why this scripture is so fitting because Jesus was speaking of how things are supposed to be and not how things are here now. God oversees all.
Scripture: The scripture for this message is Matthew 20:1. Please Stand Under the reading of God’s word.
Prayer: Please be seated and keep your Bible open to the text.
Message: First, the kingdom of heaven is where God the Father is on His throne. He is in charge, and nobody overrides His veto. God is home in heaven. That is His house, yet God decided to go elsewhere. This verse said that the householder went out early. We know that God did visit this planet in the beginning because we read about it in Genesis 2:8, “And the Lord God planted a ggarden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” [3] God went out from heaven and planted a garden before the world was sinful. He planted a garden there for mankind. It was very early in the story of creation when God did that.
Jesus used a parable to describe another man who was the holder of his household. He had a farm, and he went out to hire people to work there. This farmer didn’t create the workers like God the Father, but he had to go out and find the workers as God found us. Those workers agreed to their wages. “2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for ba ||penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” [4]
There is much more spiritual truth here. This farmer saw that the work on his farm was great, but the workers were few. He decided to call some more. “3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.” [5]
Why did the farmer need? He had a nice farm, but he still needed something. It’s one thing to have but what good is it unless you have someone that is like-minded to share it with? Notice that the workers didn’t ask about wages. They simply agreed to go. Do you think that they believed that the man was fair minded? Back then people understood that the person who had the work that needed to be done oversaw the wage to be paid. If they decided to work, they agreed to the wage. There was no mention of wages for this second group. The man saw people standing around that needed something to do, and he needed more people. God saw that too. He chose the Israelite race to bring Jesus, but God needed more. Thank God that He decided that He needed me.
Now on to the rest of the story. There were still people standing around. There was still more work than workers. “5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the celeventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, dBecause no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So ewhen even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his fsteward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” [6]
Before we go on, I have a question for those old enough to remember. How much did you make per hour in your first public job? Honestly, I cannot remember. It was working in a gas station and the wages didn’t matter much. I just wanted some spending money.
It was the same with playing music. I’d get paid something, but it wasn’t about money. It was about attention. That was enough. People wanted to be around me, and I took advantage of it.
My first public job where I really needed to pay bills was at the power plant. I made $2.22/hr. Would you go to work today for $2.22/hr. in a power plant? Can you tell me anyone who would? Wages have gone up and so has everything else along the way.
Back then there was a union that would argue wages and benefits for the workers. Unions were necessary once and may be again if business owners don’t care to keep workers. We are seeing a great influx of workers standing on the streets all around this country and yet more are coming. More workers that work it seems.
What is a fair wage? What is a fair price? Who is in charge now in this country?
One day it will be payday. “9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against gthe goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last ||have hwrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and iheat of the day." [7]
Notice that there was no squabbling when the first wage was set back in verse two. A penny a day was not a penny an hour. There was no mention of hours. It was up to the goodman. There is a hint. When the Rich Young Ruler called Jesus, “Good Teacher”, Jesus informed him there is not good without God. The definition that some use for parable is this, An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. God is giving us wages. He is the Goodman. The wage for sin is one everlasting day of torture. The wages that Jesus worked for and has given to us free of charge is one everlasting day of salvation from sin. An everlasting day of being together with Him in heaven.
Prayer:
Invitation: We will all hear some words on that day as these men heard that day from that goodman. "13 But he answered one of them, and said, jFriend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take jjthat thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 kIs it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye levil, because I am mgood? 16 So nthe last shall be first, and the first last: ofor many be called, but few chosen." [8]
Many have been called. All have been called. It is up to each one called to answer the call. It is up to each one called to accept the call. We will all answer the call either by accepting Jesus or not. There is no partial answer. There is no partial surrender to God’s terms. There is no negotiation after the thing is done.
One day we will all appear to hear those words and unless we have a mediator, there will be nobody to argue your case. You will receive the wage you deserve.
Jesus is that fair mediator and He alone is there for you. Many are indeed called but very few are chosen because very few have surrendered to accept so much. Is that fair? There is only one who is fair. “Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, O thou of God and man the Son, Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.” Is He fair. Jesus is fair. Fair is Fair. Have you accepted that truth? Have you?
a ch. 19:27.
aa ch. 21:28, 33.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 20:1). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
m ver. 22. Comp. Ruth 1:15. 1 Kin. 18:21. Ezek. 20:39.
n ver. 2, 14.
o So Ex. 23:24, 32, 33. & 34:15. Deut. 6:14. & 13:7. & 29:18. Judg. 6:10.
p Gen. 18:19.
[2] Ibid., Jos 24:15). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] Ibid., Ge 2:8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
g ch. 13:10. Isai. 51:3. Ezek. 28:13. & 31:8. Joel 2:3.
b So Tobit 5:14.
|| The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence halfpenny. ch. 18:28. & 22:19. Mark 12:15. Luke 10:35.
[4] Ibid., Mt 20:2). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[5] Ibid., Mt 20:3–4). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
c Comp. 1 Cor. 15:8.
d Comp. Acts 14:16. & 17:30.
e See Lev. 19:13.
f Luke 8:3. Gal. 4:2 (Gk.).
[6] Ibid., Mt 20:5–8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
g ch. 24:43. Mark 14:14. Luke 12:39. & 22:11 (English).
|| Or, have continued one hour only. As in Acts 15:33. & 18:23. & 20:3. 2 Cor. 11:25. James 4:13?
h Ruth 2:19. 2 Kin. 12:11 in Heb. and Gk.
i James 1:11 (Gk.). Comp. Gen. 31:40.
[7] Ibid., Mt 20:9–12). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
j ch. 22:12. & 26:50. Comp. ch. 11:16.
jj ch. 25:25.
k Comp. Rom. 9:20–24.
l See ch. 6:23.
m So 1 Macc. 6:11. Luke 6:35. 1 Pet. 2:3.
n See ch. 19:30.
o ch. 22:14. Comp. Rev. 17:14.
[8] Ibid., Mt 20:13–16). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
