The Offense of Grace Matthew 20:1-16

ESV 2 Timothy 2:1 “…be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ “

Jesus was a fascinating figure in his day. He attracted attention from those enthralled with him, and those who were enraged with him. The writers tell us over and over that people were amazed at his teaching. Wouldn’t you love to have been there to hear the teaching of Christ for the first time?

ESV Matthew 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Jesus’ Odd Yet Potent Stories The Greek word “” means to throw alongside or down beside. are much more than nice little stories that are easy to remember. They take a challenging concept or truth and throw it down alongside something that is familiar, so that we can better understand how things really work under God.

“[Jesus’] stories portrayed [the kingdom] as something that was happening, not just a timeless truth, and enabled his hearers to step into the story and make it their own.” Tom Wright

The Story Let’s step into the story by putting ourselves in the place of the first workers.

As the denarius is dropped into your hand, how do you feel?

1. The Story Reveals the Heart of God

The landowner is on a hiring binge.

Putting the Parable into Practice – Test your ______of God.

ESVJeremiah 9:23 “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” “The acid test for any theology is this: Is the God presented one that can be loved, heart, soul, mind and strength? If the thoughtful, honest answer is; “Not really,” then we need to look elsewhere or deeper. It does not really matter how sophisticated intellectually or doctrinally our approach is. If it fails to set a loveable God — a radiant, happy, friendly, accessible, and totally competent being — before ordinary people, we have gone wrong. We should not keep going in the same direction, but turn around and take another road.” Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy

2. The Story Reveals the Heart of Man

In the parable, the 1st hour workers are the 12 disciples. And do you recall in the parable that when the payment came the 1st hour workers are aghast that they are being paid the same wage as the 11th hour workers. And the Scriptures say that they

ESV Matthew 20:11 “…grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?”

This parable reminds us that God’s grace is so extravagant that it can be an offense to our sensibilities.

Putting the Parable into Practice – Ask the Lord to ______your ______(Ps. 139:23).

Is there any person, any ethnicity, or a person of any orientation that you view as outside the reach of God’s grace? Is there anyone for whom you would withhold a warm welcome?

3. The Story Reveals a Better Way – the Kingdom Way!

ESV Matthew 20:13 ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

Evil Eye – Are you giving me the evil eye because I am generous?

ESV Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Putting the Parable into Practice – This week, strengthen yourself in the grace that is in Christ Jesus by

reviewing the ______that Christ paid on your behalf and then purpose to extend a

______to an 11th hour person.

ESV 2 Timothy 2:1 “…be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus “

Resources A Matter of Balance, a sermon by Earl Palmer Matthew for Everyone by Tom Wright Partnering with the King by John L Hiigel Tell It Slant by Eugene Peterson