The Last Will Be First

New Testament: Matthew 20:1-28

Summary:
Laborers in the Vineyard
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
A Mother’s Request

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
~ Matthew 20:1-16

Overview: Matthew 14 – 28 – Click Here

Grace to You

The Last Will Be First

Matthew 19:30–20:16

Tax gatherers and harlots which come in at the end of their life are going to stand with missionaries and martyrs who gave their all. All believers will be equally given the blessedness of glory. We’ll all live in the Father’s house. Nobody’s going to be down the street eight blocks and four blocks to the right. We’ll all be part of the bride adorned for the Bridegroom. We’ll all inherit the whole inheritance. We’ll all become like Christ. We’ll all live forever in the celestial city. We’ll all manifest the glory of God. We’ll all take on the image of the Savior. It’s a wonderful thing.

But the work is evangelism; it’s harvest. And everybody does it. Everybody is called to work. We don’t all work as well as we should, but the work is there. And if we are in the kingdom, we’re at the work.

God redeems those who are willing. And that’s the other side of His sovereign choice. They were there. They were available. They were willing. They knew they were dependent. They knew they had nothing apart from this. They were not the rich. They were not the self-sufficient. They were not the satisfied. They were the poor and the meek and the beggars and those without resources who would take whatever the Master would give.

Why does he keep coming back?” The only answer to that is that he represents God, and he’s coming back not because he needs more workers, but because he has such compassion.

~ John MacArthur

Please do not take God’s compassion for granted.

The Kingdom’s Common Reward

Matthew 19:30–20:16

The Sufferings of Christ

Matthew 20:17–19

What is the purpose of life? The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, Jesus told his disciples in the gospel of Matthew. The video reminds us that as followers of Jesus, we are always looking for ways to serve others. ~ Our Daily Bread

January

January 30

New Testament: Matthew 20:1-28

Overview: Matthew 14 – 28 – Click Here

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