The Parables of My Life: Laborers in the Vineyard
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe
Many of
the parables of Jesus are about the Kingdom of Heaven. Because Jesus often referred to the Kingdom,
we do well to ask, “What is this Kingdom?”
The
Kingdom is God’s rule or reign. We come
into that Kingdom when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. When we make Him our Lord, we allow Him to
rule over us by being obedient to His word. In our obedience, His glory and honor are
apparent. The Church is the Kingdom of
God manifested on earth.
When we
pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,” we are praying for the world to see
and understand the power, glory, love and awesomeness of God in our lives. In that way, our very lives become a story of
overcoming and living victoriously in covenant with God.
The parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard teaches us
that the Kingdom of God is not ruled in the same manner as the kingdoms of this
world. (John 18:36).
Matthew 20:1-16 (NKJV)
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'
So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' “
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'
So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' “
As
Christians, we are laborers in His vineyard, in His Kingdom. Some accept Him early in life, others at noon
in our life’s journey, still others in the evening. No matter when we step into the Kingdom, we
are called to serve the King without greed or selfishness.
As laborers in the vineyard, we are to be diligent in
whatever time we may have left. We
should be comforted in the knowledge that God is no respecter of persons and
the wages are the same for each of us.
Our wages are gifts from our Heavenly King. We all have received spiritual gifts. We find descriptions of our spiritual gifts
in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. The purpose of the gifts is to fulfill the
work that the Lord has called us to do.
All gifts are equally valid and necessary in the Kingdom. It is
in a worldly mindset that we place higher status on some gifts rather than on
others and on some people rather than others.
One theme of the parable is God’s mercy and grace poured
out on each of us, His children. His
mercy and grace abound freely for all who believe. We need only to respect and receive what the
Lord has for us as individuals.
Heavenly Father, I covenant with You in making my life a
parable of Your mercy and grace. In that
mercy and grace, please guide me in recognizing the Kingdom value of each of
Your children. I am both humbled and
honored that You have gifted and equipped me to service in Your courts. I seek to value the gifts and equipping of
others as well. Oh, Lord, my heart’s cry
is to be a conduit of Your Kingdom come, Your will being done on earth as it is
in heaven. Amen.
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