This one still needs the grammar/ spelling fixed!
This week we will be reading Jesus’s words from Matthew chapter20. My goal is to reach verse 16, but we’ll just see where the Holy Spirit leads us.
Matthew 20:1-16 (New Living Translation) Parable of the Vineyard Workers 20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage[a] and sent them out to work.
3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.
6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’
“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’
8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Now, I have not had the finances, or the opportunities, to travel to foreign lands. When I was 16, I was rewarded for my hard work, and was given a trip to Spain. However, I do a lot of research and I read a lot about different lands. A tech company came over and installed satellites in Africa. Not only that the tech company gave everyone in the village a phone. They thought that this would be great, because they connect to the world around them, but instead it established envy in their heart. You see, the people were content with the things they had, because they could only imagine what the western world had, but now they could see for themselves what they were missing.
The same thing happens to us! We become entangled with entangled with envy.
We, however, do not always lead social media. This is a problem inside of us. We rarely see it ourselves. In fact, most of us would deny that we have a problem with envy. DMV is a problem! It kills community. Yet destroys relationships. It exhausts unity. Tears as a fart from our neighbors. For example, neighbors that want to talk to you. The core of the problem is actually envy. They are envious of what you have and who you are in Christ. NV causes financial problems because person is all of envy. They are struggling to keep up with their neighbors or what they see on social media and television. There is at least a little of it, and all of us; if we can be honest. Today, the Holy Ghost invites us to confront the sin of envy.
So, let’s start with the first one. Jesus is telling a story; which is, a parable. Master of the house was most likely the farmer, because it was a agricultural society. Jesus’s audience would have been very familiar with the story, because there would have been vineyards and gardens everywhere.
Olives and grapes are a major cash crop in Israel, Andrew shalom; so the people were very familiar with the term vineyard. So the master of the home was in charge of managing the Vineyard. Made sure that the work was done; in order, to harvest the cash crop.
Sometimes, the master of the farm would need more laborers than normal. It was custom that all workers would go to a certain spot in the community and wait for the master or foreman to come bye and select people to work on his farm. Sometimes, they would make several trips during the day to meet their needs. That means you could be hired in the morning or close to the end of the day.
Here, in verse one the master of the farm or Vineyard sent out he is skilled laborers for one denarius. One denarius was just a copper coin. It would be similar to our Kenny. It was the average pay for someone who worked in the field. So the master hired the laborer for one coin a day and both parties agreed to that.
In verse three, we see the master going back to the city, and probably back to the same spot to obtain more. This time it was third hour of daylight. Perhaps, about 9 AM. so, Scripture says that the master seen the laborers standing in the marketplace, and invited them to come to work. Now, is skilled laborers, probably didn’t expect to make the full days wage; which, we wouldn’t either. We are hired to do a job and we work 8 a.m. to 8 PM we expect to be paid the hourly rate. We don’t expect that if we can work from noon to 8 PM that we are going to get the same wage as the first crew.
Skipping down to verse, scripture tells us that the master yes, back to the same marketplace, and is inviting more workers to come into his field. However, he is there a bit later this time, the master is arriving at the market place about the time we would eat lunch. Then, the master repeated his appearance in the marketplace, and this time it is the nine hour; which is about 3 o’clock. I find it interesting that we would consider this to be our afternoon break. Then, master went back into town about the 11th hour. It was possible about 5 o’clock. Yet, the farmer took the Adomian that he found at the market them in the Vineyard.
According to verse eight, the master called the foreman, and gave him the order to close business for the day. However, he gave him an unusual request. The master said, for the foreman, to pay the crews, their wage, from the last in the field to the first in the field.
Therefore, the first crew in the field were getting excited, because they thought they would receive a pay raise. I can imagine when the last crew was pulled out first, and they received one coin the people who were first in the field, were really ready to see how much money they were going to get.
Thus, verse 10 reads as follows: “10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.”
So here’s the scene: the first screw that was hired came to the foreman and the foreman handed them one coin! These men we’re all riled up and when he handed them one coin it was a slap in the face. They were disappointed to say the least.
This, verse 11 reads as follows: 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
Next, just as we would do, we would tell the employer what we thought.
So verse 12 reads as follows: “12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.”
These men were out in the scorching heat all day long; while, some we’re only out for a couple of hours and got the same pay. If we were in the situation, we would be mad! If we worked for some company, and we put in long hours, worked the weekends, and even missed our children’s activities and at the last minute the boss brought an extra people to push it through. Then, we had to share our bonus. We would be ready to quit. Last word bash company on social media! Bad review on the Internet! So, this is the situation.
Now, let’s read the reaction of the boss! Let’s consider verses 13 through 16 and they read as follows: “13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ 16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Our God is the master of the house in the story. Our God, distributes gifts, talents, and blessings as he chooses. Let’s face it, I may have been hit with the ugly stick a couple of times; while, some of you are way more attractive than I am. God has blessed some people more with financial blessings. But our God knows what we can handle and what we can’t. And if you look around at your church members, you can start pointing fingers, but if you look around the world and compare your church to a church in Africa, you are well off financially. However, we have trouble enjoying what we have, because we have a tendency to look around and be bitter at someone else for being blessed. This is called envy!
When it comes to our weaknesses, we look at people who are worse off. Then when it comes to our resources, we have a tendency to compare ourselves with others and question God: why?
I bet, that, if you’re honest with yourself, you can look at someone else and desire what they have.
The Holy Ghost wants us to model what we did in last Sunday’s message, because we are going to look at some of the symptoms of envy! When we look at these symptoms, we will be able to tell if we are struggling with the sin of envy.
One of the symptoms, perhaps, the largest, is a dislike for someone else.
Some of you don’t like someone else and you don’t even know why! You just don’t like them. But, if you would dig around enough and be honest with your self you would probably admit that you believe they are ahead of you in someway, they have something or control of something that you do not have control well, or they have more material possessions than you have. Perhaps, you feel that they are more financially secure? Maybe you feel they were given something more than what you were given? Maybe, you feel they have more friends or that they are more likable? so your emotional response to them is:. Therefore, I just don’t like them. but if we would examine ourselves and be honest with ourselves, the reason we don’t like that person is because we are jealous of them. And, that jealousy causes us to withdraw from that person. Make matters worse. Jealousy causes gossip and rumors and the ruining of someone else’s reputation. sometimes, the closer you get to the the worse ugly feel about yourself. So, instead of admitting that we have a problem with envy, we set out on a destructive path; which, often times creates a stumbling block for the lost.
The second symptom of envy is a focus on fairness. We live in a culture that is focused on fairness. Fairness is a cover-up or a masking for envy. we can’t treat people the same, as everyone is different. When you look at your children, or your grandchildren, you say that you treat them exactly the same? Sometimes Johnny needs just a little bit more attention than Jamie. Sometimes, and leads basketball stuff; is great at horseback riding, and a whole set of something else. Is it say one something and the other one doesn’t? Treats, his children individual. Or, we are also to treat our children as individuals. In the church, would it be fair or just or right if we made someone with a hearing problem in a certain spot? Do you see how the word they are can’t be misconstrued and envy can take its place?
I question people that say: “I just want everything to be fair.”
No, you don’t! Because, if everything was fair the United States would have to give away billions of dollars to other nations and we would all live like in sub-standardly. Most of the world live below the poverty line. Most of the world does not have adequate food, drinking water, and clothing. Is that fair?
If things were fair hell would be our home! Was it fair to God to give his only begotten son? No way! It is fair that Jesus left all of the splendor of heaven, was born poor, and crucified for our sin?
We don’t want what is, because we want more! We look around with others that have more and we claim it! the real problem is in our hearts. It is that deadly sin called envy.
The third symptom of envy is as on others.
In our parable, yes, the first crew did not see what the last crew, and they would have been perfectly happy! That’s just like the kids in Africa getting the telephones. If we wouldn’t see with our eyes as what others had, then we would be less envious. What happens is that we continuously have our eyes when others and it stirs up envy inside of us.
when I have envy against you. I have a problem with you, but you can’t solve my problem. The only thing that the person could do to help you with your envy is fail. Then, our hearts become even more
sick and twisted.
We know what I’m talking about.
1. We pull up Facebook and we see that she doesn’t look so good anymore.
2. We read the newspaper and see a divorce announcement.
3. or, just for the guys, you see the high school football jock, who got all the awards and all the ladies, and now he’s old, fat, bald.
Now, you feel a whole lot better! Why do we feel so good? Because we think their miss fortune is leveling the playing field. This made it more fair somehow, in our minds.
So, what is the treatment for behavior?
Number one. Celebrate the success of others. Biblically, we overcome our doing the opposite of the sin. For example, if we have a habit of over eating, we may introduce another habit like distraction. Instead of over eating, we might create a card to lift someone else up. It is the take off and put on one process that Paul tells us about in his writings.
Number two. Realize that your issue is with the giver not the receiver!
In the parable, that we just read; who does the laborers have a problem? Was it the foreman? Was it the laborers? No! It was with the master. In the story, who is the master of the house? It was God!
When we are envious, our issue is not with the person who we are envious of, but ultimately, we have a problem with the father! Our envy says that God owes me what he gave that other person.
This is why, when we hold envy in our heart, we can’t worship God. Envy creates a reft between us and our Creator.
The third treatment for envy is to remember the gospel.
If we remind ourselves of the gospel will be encouraged because Jesus Christ paid our penalty for sin, and we are all headed to our heavenly home. We will be reminded that the giver, the master, our creator has prepared a heavenly home for us that human hands can not corrupt. It doesn’t matter how big our house is or how small our house is and it doesn’t matter what we drive, because we can take none of this with us.
How could we want more when God has given his son to die for our sins, so that, we could be reconciled to him? We will have so much more in our eternal home, then we can humanly fathom in our.
So the Holy Spirit wants us to end today’s lesson with two questions and Frank.
First, who are you jealous of today?
Secondly, the Holy Spirit wants to know: are you willing to rid your life of envy? What steps are you going to take now?
Now, let’s take a few silent moments to listen to the Holy Spirit, and let’s take a few more minutes in silence to answer him. Then, I will lead us in a closing prayer.
Think about it: what do you feel has been unfair towards you? Envy will destroy you, and your worshiped with God spiritually. We just cannot worship with envy in our hearts.
