Saint George's Anglican Church

                                                                        Septuagesima Sunday, 2010

                    « So the last shall be first, and the first last : for many be called, but few chosen. »

                                                                                   (St. Matthew 20.16)

                                In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

At first glance, nothing seems right or fair about today’s Gospel. How could the Lord Jesus justify paying someone who worked for an hour the same as someone who worked all day? But that is what we heard a few minutes ago. How is this possible? Well, let’s start by reviewing the details. You may want to follow along, beginning on page 133.

Please note that the parable in today’s Gospel reading was told by the Lord Jesus, and written down by St. Matthew – and, it is found at the beginning of chapter twenty. However, allow me just a brief word of introduction. At the end of chapter nineteen, St. Peter had asked Jesus a question. He said, “We have forsaken all, and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore?”  In other words, ‘What are you going to give us as a reward for giving up everything to follow You?’ In reply, Jesus assured Peter that he would receive a seat of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven, and that he would inherit everlasting life; but, Jesus said, “Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first”. This is important to note: that today’s Gospel is framed by this statement  --  ‘the first shall be last, and the last first’.

Okay, let’s check out the details in between. First of all we are to understand that this parable is meant to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven. Second, the parable centers around a vineyard. If a vineyard is unfamiliar to you, picture a farm at haying season. The owner (or the farmer) went out early in the morning to the local Employment Office to hire some workers; and, he agreed to pay them a penny for their days’ wage. He went again to the Employment Office at the third hour, which would be approximately nine o’clock in the morning; again at twelve noon; again at three in the afternoon; and again at five o’clock – ‘the eleventh hour’. In each of these later hirings, he agreed to pay the labourer ‘whatsoever is right’.

At quitting time, he instructed his steward to pay the workers, beginning with the last ones hired. As you know, when those eleventh hour workers came, they were given a penny. When those who were the first hired got wind of that, they expected to be paid more; but, surprisingly, they only received what they had been promised – a penny. Of course, they complained, and who could blame them? “These last have worked only one hour,” they said “and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day”. 

The owner had an answer ready, and it is a difficult one to argue with: he said, “Friend, I do you no wrong; did you not agree with me to work for a penny? Take what is yours, and go your way; I will give to this last worker the same as I give to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own money? Is your eye evil, because I am good?  “ His point is simple:  basically, He is saying, ‘What’s the problem? I am paying you exactly the amount you agreed to work for; and, at the same time, I am being generous with those who didn’t work as long.’

Legally, and even morally, he is right – he is honouring his word. He is paying the earliest workers exactly what he promised them. So, the problem is not with the owner in the story, the problem is with us, and with what we perceive to be fair. But hold on, Jesus told this parable for what reason? To teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven. Do any of us think that Heaven will be a carbon copy of earth? Of course not. If it is, it will be a great disappointment! Heaven, as the Lord said, will be beyond our human experience and understanding, for there, “God shall wipe away all tears…and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” Everything will have been made new.  How? Through Jesus’ Suffering, Death and Resurrection – through His precious Blood that was shed for us on the Cross, and through His victory over the grave. By Christ’s defeat of death, everything will one day be made new.

But stop right there! Why did Jesus suffer and die for us? Not because we were worth it, and not because He owed us. Think about that – none of us, no matter how good, deserved to have God’s only Son suffer and die as our Substitute. Who would dare suggest that? …..So, why did Jesus offer Himself in our place? For one reason only – because He loved us. That’s what the Good News is all about! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (St. John 3.16)

This perfect Love –this holy Charity – is the key to understanding today’s parable. Why did the owner pay everyone the same? Because he was merciful. What is this parable about? The great Mercy and Charity of God. It is about God’s gift of forgiveness to us, something that we do not deserve to be given.

Let’s pause here for a minute, because we all need to think long and hard about God’s gift of forgiveness. We need to consider every day how much the Lord has forgiven us over the years. There are too many things to count – things we have done wrong that we don’t remember, and things of which we are not even aware! And, if we forget how gracious God has been to us, we will be impatient and unforgiving with others – just like those who were first hired. You see, God’s definition of ‘justice’ is different from the world’s. What did the owner tell those who were hired last? “Whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive”. What is the difference? The owner met his legal obligation by paying them, but he went far beyond it by the amount he paid them.

God’s justice, then, is measured by the Cross of Christ, not by the law. In God’s courtroom, the guilty verdict we deserve as miserable sinners, has been exchanged for an acquittal and pardon. How? Through the righteousness of Christ. For God, the basis of justice is grace rather than law.

This understanding was difficult for God’s chosen people, the Jews, to accept. They operated on a system of religious laws, and, every ‘t’ had to be crossed, and every ‘i’ dotted.  In a certain way, then, the first workers represent the Jews. The later workers, who accept the owner’s gracious offer, represent the Gentiles – the non-Jews – including us. It is up to us, now, to pray for God’s chosen people that they, too, will come to receive God’s saving grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also up to us not to take God’s mercy for granted. As one preacher put it, “This parable is a warning to all believers of what might be – that, however long their work for Christ continues, and however important their responsibilities in the Church, without the humility and Charity of Christ, all is for nought. Pride and self-reliance will spoil our work, no matter how good it may seem, since that work stands only by God’s grace. Without Him, we fall from first to last.”

In the end, all of us are called today to work for the same thing – a penny. And, although some entered the vineyard late in the day, we should NOT delay in our work for God. Once we hear His call, we should answer Him immediately. But what does the penny represent? It represents the one Reward which shall bless everyone in the whole world for all of eternity. Can you guess? …The penny represents God Himself. There is a place in the story of Abraham (while his name is still ‘Abram’), at the time when God promised to give him a son, that the Lord appeared to him in a vision, and told him, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”……….”Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” In the New Testament, we hear something very similar from the Lord Jesus. What does He say? “I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” (St. John 6.35)

With thanksgiving and praise for God’s amazing grace in Jesus Christ, let us enter into His vineyard again this week and take up the work that He gives us to do, remembering that in calling us, He will reward us with more than either we can ask or imagine – namely, a place in His House of many mansions where we shall see Him face to face, and worship and adore Him forever.  

And now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only Wise God be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, power, honor and glory as is most justly due, henceforth and forevermore. Amen.