Focus:
kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(
FaithOfJesus thread begun by r
RandyP )
Today's Verse:
kjv@Matthew:20:1-16
kjv@Matthew:20:1 @ For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
kjv@Matthew:20:2 @ And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
kjv@Matthew:20:3 @ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
kjv@Matthew:20:4 @ And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
kjv@Matthew:20:5 @ Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
kjv@Matthew:20:6 @ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
kjv@Matthew:20:7 @ They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
kjv@Matthew:20:8 @ So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
kjv@Matthew:20:9 @ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
kjv@Matthew:20:10 @ But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
kjv@Matthew:20:11 @ And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
kjv@Matthew:20:12 @ Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
kjv@Matthew:20:13 @ But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
kjv@Matthew:20:14 @ Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
kjv@Matthew:20:15 @ Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
kjv@Matthew:20:16 @ So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Today's notes: Evil Because I am Good
Context:
- Before - with men impossible
- After - shall be betrayed
What is man believing/doing?:
- agreeing to work full day for a full day's wage
- murmuring strongly against the householder/Lord
What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:
- day's wage is good amount, what more could a laborer ask for
- anticipation of something more based on what others were receiving , feeling as if wronged by the equality of pay for the inequality of work duration and work condition
Notes:
Who is being hired and to do what?
(context = followers (made possible by God) leaving all behind) doing whatever work the Father would have (unspecified)
The first = (relative) those who have been at it harder/longer
The last = (relative) those of the truer mindset
What are they being paid? The last agreed for whatever the Lord saw to be right, the first agreed to what they thought fair. No matter what they were paid it is exactly what any person going into it would have thought of as fair and agreeable.
Why weren't all the workers hired at once? To make the point of the parable visible. People come to the employ of the Father at all different times. There are those judging the HIS equal treatment of the others who have put less time and effort into the day. There are those just glad that He is a generous GOD.
Why pay the last first so as to disturb first in the end? The first need to be disturbed, shaken from their evil eye. There is something constant and frequent enough in this message that differentiates the "called" from the "chosen".
Key Messages:
What does this say about our present condition?
- Many are called. However, agreeing to proceed forward based on what one thinks is reasonably fair is ultimately subject to our limited vantage point of what reason and fairness actually are in the larger scale.
- Few are chosen. In the employ of moving the call forward, what does it matter what others do and receive? Ultimately, our reward has nothing to do with any of our efforts, but by His righteousness and by His grace.
Further Resources:
Comment Board:Matthew:20:1-16
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:20:1-16 rwp@Matthew:20:1-16 mhcc@Matthew:20:1-16
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index
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