Restoring the Joy of Salvation
Matthew 20:13-16
“He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’
“So, the last will be first, and the first last, for many are called but few are chosen”
What is Jesus telling us here in this "parable of the vineyard".
There are primarily two lessons we need to learn from this.
1. The Lord sent people into his vineyard. Did you ever think about that before? You didn't find him, he found you, and He sent you to work for Him. In fact, throughout this story, he's going out looking for people who are interested in work but haven't found any yet. Even until the last hour of the day he's finding people to do His work.
2. The Lord is also teaching us that ALL who are faithful in their service to Him will be rewarded, no matter how much they work, no matter how often or how much fame they have in it. He rewards them even if they've barely touched a Bible. He extends grace to ALL as he pleases.
Friends,
The Cross of Jesus represents community. The vertical beam is relating to Jesus Christ and his connection with his Father God. And the horizontal beam relates to Jesus Christ reaching out to all humanity through the power of The Holy Spirit. The cross not only relates to the community of the trinity and the Church, but also to the commitments and responsibilities that disciples themselves have toward other Christian people and toward Christ. All these parables and teachings are epitomizing the cost of discipleship.
These lessons in Matthew chapters 16-20 show how radical obedience to the will of God has implications in the life of the believers. Deep and abiding implications. These things aren't meant to become catch phrases and cute little stories for the children's story time. There are very important lessons to be learned and to be taken to heart. These are lessons meant to transform your thinking.
Jesus often shocked people with these radical views and some never got over the shock. Friends, count yourself blessed that you were given the lessons and didn't flee from them in your arrogance or Pharisaical manner. Instead you heard his gospel and you received it. Maybe you came to it late in life. Maybe you were a devil minded atheist who worked hard to persecute the Christian Church. Maybe you've been spiritual all your life but recently discovered that these pagan gods you've been living with are shallow and fake. Whatever your preChristian state, now you've been chosen to work in The Lord's vineyard. You've answered his call. Your name is written in the Lamb's book of life. And your reward is whatever The Lord wants to give you.
No Christian is going to be keeping books on the value of the harvest. Jesus sends his angels to separate the sheep from the goats. No Christian person is doing the reaping of the Church.
Jesus sends his Church into the world as lambs among wolves. Not fools who foolishly believe, tolerate and accept as gospel truth every kind of spiritualism and religion that the world dreams up. But instead, he equips and sends his workers into the vineyard to shrewdly filter through the mixed-up truths and redirect those energies towards holiness and heavenly things.
Matthew 10:16
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."
Jesus wants his workers to understand one thing about these people he's sending them to reach out to. He wants them to see that they are like sheep without the protection of a shepherd. They're harassed, and helpless, they're facing off against evil and destructive forces. Sometimes they're possessed by these demonic creatures. And Jesus wants his children of light to be a light to those lost ones.
Yes they are to minister boldly, as people who have been sent out under the authority of Jesus. They will cast out demons and have the authority to make them flee. Yes, they are to minister aggressively, they are not sent to simply be content with a lukewarm message that massages the truth.
I know...you're expecting a "but".
Good on you...here it comes.
But...They must depend entirely on God for all their efforts. They must know with absolute certainty that God is able and willing to give them all they need as they do their labor in the vineyard for him. And they must rely upon his wisdom when he pays the vineyard workers for their work.
This means that he equipped those so-called baby Christians. He called her, he equipped her, he is inspiring and instructing her, and he rewards her as HE sees fit.
Friends, the time is short, the vineyard workers must focus upon the job at hand. Many will be unreceptive to the gospel message. Many will hear it and be saved. Our job is to preach it and teach it. The truth is the response will be largely negative, but some will respond positively. The primary factor that gets someone from a life of sin to repentance is forgiveness.
Forgiveness restores joy and brings salvation and creates in the converted person a spirit that is willing to do God's will.
Psalm 51:12
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
The Joy of Salvation:
What Is It?
It's described by the prophet Isaiah as a fountain, as the source of life. It's more than just forgiveness of sin, it's a restoration of our relationship with God. And that restored faith brings great joy and peace.
For me the verses that truly captured my heart for God was when I first read about when Jesus was confronted by Simon the Pharisee who had invited him into his home. And a woman in his town who had the reputation as one who had lived a sinful life came in also and she began anointing Jesus with her perfume from an alabaster jar. And she washed and kissed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair.
Jesus uses this moment to teach Simon, and frankly all of us, a lesson about sin, humility, forgiveness, restoration, and restraint. He begins as usual with a short to the point parable and then he quickly brings it home with the verse that broke me when I was converted.
Luke 7:41-48
“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet."
"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
And OH BOY did they murmur about that one.
HOW DARE HE FORGIVE HER SINS!
Final thoughts:
In this lesson from Luke's gospel, we see an invitation. Jesus is invited into the Pharisees home. He's treated poorly by their own standards. Now look back at the opening gospel lesson from Matthew. There again we see an invitation. People all over at many different times and places are invited to come and work in the vineyard. And all receive their reward according to the grace of God.
See the contrast?
The Pharisee, he showed no grace.
The Vineyard owner was more than generous.
The Pharisee had little to no love to give. The sinful women literally pours out her extravagant love and worship upon Jesus and he forgives her sin restoring her to him.
Everybody in the Pharisees home, including Jesus, came to Simon's home for a dinner party, but the sinful woman came to go to church. She came to this strange and unwelcoming place because Jesus was there.
Now ask yourselves...why are you a Christian?
Why do you go to church?
Is it because Jesus is there, and you love him? Do you come with tears flowing out of your shame and gratitude?
Friends,
There are two kinds of people in the world:
1. Those whose sins have been forgiven. Those who have repented of their sins.
2. Those whose sins have not been forgiven. Those who remain steadfast in their impenitence.
Both groups are capable of claiming faith in Jesus Christ. Some praise, some refuse to submit, and many shades of gray in-between. At any given moment it's very much likely that many inside the church sanctuary are unrepentant and unforgiven. And none of us knows at what state others are in regarding their repentance and authentic faith. We can only know their spiritual fruits. And the greatest of these is the love we have for God and one another. That love is a gift from God, it cannot be earned. And the more we understand that gift He has given us, the greater the love we will have for Him, because he who is forgiven much, loves much.
Go in peace and in the love of God my friends. If indeed you have faith, that faith has saved you. Love one another and love God with all your heart, mind, spirit, and strength.
Amen.
#Redemption #JesusIsKing #JesusIsLord #JesusIsGod