Outloud Bible Project Podcast
Mike Domeny, actor, author, and founder of Outloud Bible Project (outloudbible.com), reads the Bible out loud in a conversational and approachable way so you can read the Bible like it makes a difference! This isn't simply an audiobook version of the Bible! Every episode offers helpful context so you won't get lost, and a brief takeaway to help apply that reading to your life.
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Starting with episode 279, the Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® https://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved
Outloud Bible Project Podcast
Matthew 20-21: Not fair!
What happens when Jesus's teachings don't align with our expectations of comfort and fairness? Matthew chapters 20-21 confront us with this very tension, revealing a kingdom that operates contrary to our natural instincts.
Jesus delivers a string of teachings and parables that systematically dismantle our human-centered perspective. The parable of the vineyard workers challenges our sense of fairness when those hired last receive the same wage as those who worked all day. When the disciples argue about position and status, Jesus flips the script: "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant." As he enters Jerusalem to shouts of "Hosanna," the religious establishment questions his authority, unable to recognize God's work before their eyes.
Throughout these passages, a profound truth emerges—the more extreme Jesus's words sound to us, the greater the gap between our willingness to obey and what he's calling us to. Following Jesus means acknowledging that he doesn't owe us anything for our obedience. Rather, we owe him everything because he first gave us life. As he reminds us, obedience isn't just saying "yes," it's doing "yes." And while Jesus is good and just, he isn't fair—thank God for that! If he were truly fair, none of us would receive the grace we so desperately need.
Ready to embrace the upside-down values of Jesus's kingdom? Join us as we wrestle with these challenging passages and discover what it truly means to follow Christ with our whole lives.
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Hey, welcome back to the Outloud Bible Project podcast. This is Mike and I was just reflecting on some of the recent episodes here from our readings from the book of Matthew and I remember even last episode I was thinking, oh man, that was some pretty extreme stuff Jesus was saying. And I was like, well, that's extreme. And then I saw just a couple episodes prior to that the name of the episode was well, that's extreme. And I was like, wait, did I upload something wrong? And I was like no, that was everything right. And I looked back, it's like yo, that was extreme too.
Speaker 1:And this was wow, this whole section of Matthew Jesus is saying a lot of things that really do not make it look easy or comfortable to follow him, which has to get our attention right, like we have to give up some sort of expectation that following Jesus is going to make our life more easy or comfortable and it is not popular to follow him. We have to accept, just take him at his word and lean into that right. And I was thinking, well, why do we feel like this is such extreme things for him to say? Why do we feel like this is such an extreme lifestyle that he's calling us to, and I think I kind of put my finger on something here. I think the more extreme Jesus's words sound, the more it reveals a gap of our willing to obey versus what he's calling us to. It doesn't sound so extreme if we're in step with him, obeying him and sharing the same heart and seeing things from his perspective. That wouldn't seem so extreme. So if these things seem extreme to us, it's because we're not seeing things the way he sees them, we're not seeing ourselves the way he sees us. We're not, frankly, obeying him in step. Okay, so what do we do about that? And does he let the foot off the gas for a second? Well, no, but what can we do about it?
Speaker 1:Let's discuss this more here, as we read Matthew 20 through 21 in the New English Translation, for the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard and after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When it was about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work and he said to them you go into the vineyard too, and I'll give you whatever's right. So they went, and when he went out again about noon and three o'clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. And about five o'clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around and said to them why are you standing here all day without work? They said to him because no one's hired us. And he said to them you go and work in the vineyard too.
Speaker 1:And when it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager all right, call all the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last hired until the first. And when those hired about five o'clock came, each received a full day's pay. And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each one also received the standard wage. Oh well, when they received it they began to complain against the landowner, saying hey, these last fellows worked one hour and you've made them equal to us who bore the hardship and the burning heat of the day. And the landowner replied to one of them friend, I'm not treating you unfairly, didn't you agree with me to work for the standard wage? Take what's yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave to you. Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me, or are you envious because I'm generous. So the last will be first and the first.
Speaker 1:Last, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 aside privately and said to them on the way look, we're going up to Jerusalem. He took the twelve aside privately and said to them on the way look, we're going up to Jerusalem and the son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law and they will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. And yet on the third day he will be raised, crucified, and yet on the third day he will be raised. Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee, that's James and John, came to him with her sons and, kneeling down, she asked him for a favor. He said to her oh, what do you want? She replied permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom. Jesus answered you don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup I'm about to drink? And they said to him oh, yeah, we're able. He told them you will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and my left is not mine to give, rather, it's for those for whom it's been prepared by my father. Now, when the other 10 heard about this, they were angry with the two brothers, but Jesus called them and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in high positions use their authority over them. It must not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the son of man didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Speaker 1:As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them. Two blind men were sitting by the road and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted have mercy on us, lord, son of David. The crowd scolded them to get them to be quiet, but they shouted even more loudly Lord, have mercy on us, son of David. Jesus stopped. Lord, have mercy on us, son of David. Jesus stopped, called them and said what do you want me to do for you? They said to him Lord, let our eyes be opened, moved with compassion. Jesus touched their eyes and immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Speaker 1:Now, when they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, jesus sent two disciples telling them Go to the village ahead of you and right away you'll find a donkey tied there and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me, and if anyone says anything to you, you're to say the Lord needs them and he will send them at once. This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet. Tell the people of Zion look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them and he sat on them, and a very large crowd spread their cloaks on them and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Speaker 1:The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, in the highest, as he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown into an uproar saying who is this? And the crowds were saying oh, this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. And then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. And he said to them it's written my house will be called a house of prayer, but you're turning it into a den of robbers. The blind and the lame came to him in the temple courts and he healed them.
Speaker 1:But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts Hosanna to the son of David, they became indignant and said to him do you hear what they're saying? Jesus said to them yes, oh, have you never read out of the mouths of children and nursing infants? You have prepared praise for yourself and leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there. Now, early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry and after noticing a fig tree by the road, he went to it but found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it never again will there be fruit from you. And the fig tree withered at once. And when the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying how did the fig tree wither so quickly? Jesus answered them. I tell you the truth if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it'll happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you'll receive.
Speaker 1:Now, after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said but what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority? Jesus answered them. I'll also ask you one question, and if you answer me, then I'll also tell you by what authority I do these things when did John's baptism come from? From heaven or from people? They discussed this among themselves, saying well, if we say from heaven, he'll say Then why didn't you believe him? But if we say from people, we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet. So they answered Jesus we don't know. Then he said to them. Well, neither will I tell you by what authority I'm doing these things. What do you think?
Speaker 1:A man had two sons. He went to the first and said son, go and work in the vineyard today. And the boy answered I won't. But later he had a change of heart and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing, and this boy answered I will, sir, but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will? Well, they said the first. Jesus said to them I tell you the truth tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God, for John came to you in the way of righteousness and you didn't believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
Speaker 1:Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and he put a fence around it, dug a pit for its wine press and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, killed another and stoned another Again. He sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. And finally he sent his son to them, saying although respect my son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves oh, this is the heir. Come, let's kill him and get his inheritance. So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Speaker 1:Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? They said to him, he'll utterly destroy those evil men. Then he'll lease the vineyard to the other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest. Jesus said to them have you never read in the scriptures? The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes. For this reason, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces and the one on whom it falls will be crushed. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.
Speaker 1:Well, if you're a follower of Jesus, you have a lot to consider here in this reading from today in the book of Matthew. And of course we do go through quite a lot of what Jesus taught in the Echo Discipleship Guide. On outloudbiblecom you can go download your discipleship guide based on the sermons of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus, and this being one of those times, but for today, let's try to identify the followers of Jesus and the different situations they find themselves in. In this section we saw some of his literal disciples arguing about who would receive special honor in the kingdom and in a similar note we see in his parable of the workers in the vineyard. We see some followers of Jesus who are lifelong followers, kind of represented by the workers who got hired to work in the vineyard at the beginning of the day. Like they've been around for a while. They've been faithfully working and serving, in contrast with those who were brought in later, maybe those who were saved later in life, or maybe those who are saved right before Jesus comes back and don't necessarily have a lifetime worth of serving him under their belt. And yet they all receive the same reward.
Speaker 1:And we start to think well, hold on, I've been faithfully serving this whole time. What about us? Kind of like Peter last time, after the rich young ruler left because he had to sell everything he had, and Peter was like well, we've given up everything, right? Jesus, though, reminds his followers, especially those who have been following for a while, that, look, I don't owe you any favors for following me. No, here's how it works I give you life and then you give me that life. That's what following Jesus is. That is the dying to your old self and carrying your cross and following him. It's that he gave us everything, so we can only give him everything in return.
Speaker 1:Trying to fight for some sort of position or expecting that we get some more rewards because we've been faithful longer or something, is just a worldly way of thinking that it can appear in our life in terms of well, I'll give money and I'll assume that God's going to bless me with more money. No, no, no Generosity. Give back what he's already given us. He doesn't owe us anything. We're only giving back because he's already given us. He doesn't owe us anything. We're only giving back because he's given us something in the first place. Or? God, I've been faithfully serving you for years, for decades.
Speaker 1:Why is it so hard? Right now? I feel like other people who have been Christians not nearly as long are doing just fine, and here I am suffering over here. I know I've said these things. Have you said these things? Jesus reminds us I'm free to give what I want to give to whoever I want to give it to. If it pleases me, I'll do it. Listen, jesus is good and he is just, but he's not fair. And you know what? We better thank him for that, because if he was fair, we would not receive anything but a death sentence. It's already not fair and because he was treated unfairly on our behalf. What can we give him in return? Obedience. And like he reminds us, obedience is not just saying yes, it's doing yes. And that's the Thinking Out Loud thought for the day.
