WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:24.000 If you would take your Bible and open it to Matthew chapter 19. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:26.960 Chapter 19 and chapter 20. 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.519 We've been making our way through Matthew's gospel. 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:34.880 We're going to look at some of 19 today and some of 20. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:36.960 I'll tell you why in a moment. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.799 But while you're making your way there, I'll tell you a story. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.560 I think this goes back to when I was 14. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:48.880 It's a little too long ago for me to remember if it was when I was 13 or 14 or 15. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:50.079 I can't remember. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:54.479 I've worn glasses for most of my life. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.119 Eight years old? 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:00.000 Nine years old? 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:01.200 Something like that. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:03.920 I detest glasses. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:05.680 I detest them. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:14.319 So when I was about 13 or 14 years old, these things came out called soft lens contacts. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.640 I wanted them. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:21.840 But my mom and dad said, you got perfectly good glasses. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.760 We can't afford that. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:24.400 No. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.640 But if you want to spend your own money, go right ahead. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.879 So I mowed lawns all summer long. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.799 And I didn't spend any money that summer. 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:41.760 I didn't spend any money. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:45.200 I didn't buy my Dr. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:46.079 Pepper. 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:51.359 I only bought gas for the mower. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:58.000 I lugged that mower and that trimmer all over town all summer long. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:08.479 That was hard for a teenager to go all summer long looking and anticipating for something at the end of the summer that I really didn't know was going to be worth it. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:17.840 But I scrimped and I saved every penny that I could so that at the end of the summer before school started I could get those soft lenses. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:19.360 And I did. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:25.919 And it was worth it until I got an infection in my eyes and can't wear them anymore. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:33.520 Later, the Lord was gracious to give me LASIK surgery, and you can see how long that lasted. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:40.240 You'll see in a little while how that story fits in. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.560 We are in chapter 20 of Matthew, beginning in verse 1. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.879 But verse 1 starts with an interesting word. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:49.840 For. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:52.879 Not F-O-U-R, but F-O-R. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.639 For the kingdom of heaven is like. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.080 That word for tells us that he is explaining something. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:01.840 Something comes before that. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:06.960 So to understand how this all fits together, we have to back up a little bit into chapter 19. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:11.520 And so if you would, look back at chapter 19, verse 27. 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:18.879 Peter says to Jesus, look, see, we've left everything and we've followed you. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.159 What then will we have? 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:29.919 So this follows the account of an interaction with a rich young man who came to Jesus, and Jesus told him, Here's what you need to do to follow me and to enter into eternal life. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.759 And the man said, Sorry, that's not worth it. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.240 And he walked away. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.599 Peter says, Look, Jesus, we've left everything and we've followed you. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:41.120 What then will we have? 00:03:41.759 --> 00:04:14.080 Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, and everyone who's left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or fathers, or mothers, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:19.519 But many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:33.199 For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:40.560 And after agreeing with these laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:52.319 And going out about the third hour, that's about nine o'clock in the morning, he 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. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:54.000 So they went. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:59.279 Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:10.959 And about the eleventh hour, this is about five o'clock in the evening, about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing and said to them, Why are you standing here idle all day long? 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.519 They said, Well, no one's hired us. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:16.800 He said to them, You go into the vineyard too. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:27.680 And when evening came, the Lord of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:33.680 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:38.639 Now, when those who had come first early in the morning, they thought they would receive more. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:42.160 But each of them received a denarius. 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:46.480 And on receiving it, they grumbled at the master of the house, who wouldn't, right? 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:53.759 Saying, These last worked only one hour, and you've made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:06:00.240 But he replied to one of them, Friend, I'm not doing you any wrong. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.240 Didn't you agree to me with me for a denarius? 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.319 Take what belongs to you and go. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.920 I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:13.839 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:17.439 Or do you begrudge my generosity? 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:25.279 So the first, the last will be first, and the first will be last. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:26.959 Amen. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:38.879 If Jesus came by your workplace and said to you, come on, follow me. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:41.439 Would you do it? 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:53.680 Now before you answer too quickly, would you get up from your desk, grab your wallet and your keys, and leave your job? 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:58.879 On the way out, would you would you tell your boss that you're not returning? 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:11.120 Would you go home that evening and tell your spouse that you quit your job to follow the teacher and that you don't know where the money to pay the bills will come from? 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:15.839 You don't know what will happen to your home, but that you trust Jesus to provide? 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:20.560 Would you still follow Jesus? 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.279 If your family never spoke to you again? 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:32.720 What if Jesus lands you in hot water with local authorities? 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:46.160 What if following Jesus, quitting your job, losing your family, and following Jesus means getting beaten and left for dead because someone didn't appreciate you telling them about Jesus? 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.920 Would you still follow Jesus? 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.680 What if following Jesus means life is hard? 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:01.680 What if following Jesus means that sometimes there may not be food for a meal? 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:08.160 What if following Jesus means you can't have the car that you want? 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:14.959 Or the house that you want, or that you have to keep on working until the day you die. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.199 Don't let anyone deceive you. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:37.600 You cannot follow Jesus unless you are willing to demote the things of this life so that Jesus can rule your life. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:43.679 Put simply, it will cost you to follow Jesus. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:58.320 It may cost you financially, it may cost you physically, it may cost you emotionally, it may cost you your deepest desires that you hold in this life. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:04.000 But let's make one thing very, very clear. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:16.000 While it will cost you to follow Jesus, following Jesus is worth whatever cost it exacts from you. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:22.399 It is worth it. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:28.000 That was a hard, hard summer for me. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:38.320 Watching all of my friends spend their money while I had to scrimp and save every bit. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.720 I think it was like a hundred dollars. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:46.080 That was a lot for 13, 14-year-old. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:48.480 But I couldn't do what everybody else did. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:50.480 But in the end I was worth it. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:57.120 For the first time in my life to be able to see without clunky glasses. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.919 It cost me something, but it was worth it. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.200 Now that pales in comparison to following Jesus. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:07.039 But let me make sure you understand. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:08.879 It will cost you to follow Jesus. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.720 I don't know what it will cost you. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:17.440 I don't know what the payment will be that comes from you, that is exacted from you. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:23.360 But let me tell you, following Jesus is worth it all. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:26.399 Do you believe this? 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:35.919 And are you willing to entrust your life to this God man? 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.960 The rich young man in Matthew chapter 19 was not willing. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:45.039 His wealth was more important to him than Jesus. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:58.879 His financial status had become his God, and Jesus told him there could be no eternal life for him or entrance into the Lord's kingdom unless that God was dethroned and replaced with Jesus. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:07.759 Now he gave Jesus the impression that he was willing to do anything to earn entrance into God's kingdom. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.879 But when it came time to follow through, he showed, yeah, not willing to do that. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:14.960 That cost is too high. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:18.159 He was not willing to take up his cross to follow Jesus. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:23.679 But he understood following Jesus is going to cost you something. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:31.919 So Peter, our good friend Peter, the businessman, the fisherman, asks a very important follow-up question. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:40.879 What would those who had already left everything and followed Jesus receive? 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.399 Jesus, surely there's going to be something for us. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:47.919 Look, we've left everything to follow you. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:57.840 So here we have, on the one hand, a wealthy young man who refused to follow Jesus' commands, to sell everything that he had and to give it away and to follow Jesus. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:00.639 We never hear from him again. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:06.000 We're left to assume that he rejected Christ to maintain his lavish lifestyle. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:10.639 He enjoyed his reward, which was just in this life alone. 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:15.600 You see, that young man was seeking to serve two gods at the same time. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:23.679 The command was to reject the God of money and possessions and wealth and comfort and follow Jesus alone. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.279 And he said, No, that cost is too high for me. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:33.360 Then there are those, on the other hand, who, as Peter said, have left everything and followed Jesus. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:34.879 What a contrast. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:44.080 You see, it's really important for us to eliminate that chapter 20 division because we need to see how all of this is fitting together. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:46.480 That four at the beginning is really important. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:50.639 It answers for us why Peter asked the question. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:13:00.000 There's a massive contrast between this rich young man who doesn't leave anything and the disciples who do leave everything. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:08.320 One gets everything in this life, the other group gets nothing in this life, but is that worth it? 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.039 Is that worth it? 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:15.919 So after the man leaves, Peter says to Jesus, Hey, we've done that. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:21.039 Remember Jesus that day you walked by my boat and said, Come and follow me? 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.000 I did. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.320 What am I gonna get? 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.879 What's in it for me? 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:34.879 Now the disciples hadn't given up absolutely everything to live as like a like an ascetic monk out in the desert. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.519 Peter still owned a home. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:43.519 At least one of the fishermen still owned his boat and his fishing equipment. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.080 Some were married and had families to care for. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:57.120 So that tells us that this isn't an account, it isn't a story about, hey, give up everything that you have, sell it all, get rid of it so that you have nothing and you're destitute so that you can follow Jesus. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.720 No, that's not what it's about. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:01.759 It's about priority. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.919 It's about the place that Jesus holds in your life. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:09.840 It's about which God is on top. 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:17.039 Remember when Jesus told the Old Testament Israelites, You shall have no other gods before me? 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:18.240 None. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:22.559 That's what we see being lived out here. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:29.039 Jesus demands to be the one and only God in our lives. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.840 The rich young man said no thanks and walked away. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:36.879 But the disciples answered Jesus' call to believe and have followed him. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:39.759 So naturally, there's a follow-up question. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:42.000 What are we gonna get, Jesus? 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:44.639 Is this really worth it? 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.759 Jesus, it's really hard. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:59.360 It's really hard to have you be the chief of my life when I live and work in a pagan environment that hates you. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:02.159 I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:05.120 Jesus, is it worth it? 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:16.000 Jesus, I'm going to a university where where I'm gonna be mocked and ridiculed. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:21.360 Is it really worth it to have you at the top? 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:26.399 Following Jesus, friends, is not the easiest thing to do. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.279 Don't let any TV preachers tell you otherwise. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:36.000 Don't let any preachers tell you otherwise, TV or otherwise. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:42.480 Matthew's already shown us the expectations for doing what Jesus says. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:51.840 The expectations include things like potential persecution or reviling for our faith. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.799 There's the command to turn the other cheek. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:59.039 Let somebody smack you twice for believing in Jesus. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.399 There's the command to go the extra mile. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:08.240 There's this statement again and again that family may reject us. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:14.000 But we're also called to trust in the Father's provision for us, knowing that he knows best. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:21.360 We are to expect the same kind of treatment that they gave to the Lord Jesus Christ, and we know what they did to him. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.399 So Matthew has shown us it's not easy to follow Jesus. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:40.240 It's not easy to dethrone the gods of this life and to put Jesus at the top, but he's shown us that Jesus demands the highest place in life with no other person or no other thing competing with him for that place. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:43.919 We signed up for that, Peter says. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:45.679 Yes, we want that. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:48.559 Now what are we gonna get out of it? 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:51.679 Jesus, will it be worth it? 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:56.080 Jesus, did we do the right thing? 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:01.360 You can almost sense Peter asking Jesus for some encouragement here, right? 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:06.799 Because life following Jesus can sometimes be rough. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.480 Jesus, give us some hope that it's worth it. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:12.559 The young man left in a sad state. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:15.200 Will we be sad that we followed you? 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.359 So Jesus responds with a very clear declaration. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.279 He says, truly I say to you. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:34.799 In the new world, when I make everything new and I sit on my glorious throne, you who have followed me, speaking of the twelve disciples, will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:48.079 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake will receive a hundredfold and will receive eternal life. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.559 But many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:55.680 So when Peter asks, What then will we have? 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:00.640 Jesus responds by saying, All true disciples will have treasure in heaven. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:06.640 The treasure in heaven that was offered to the rich young ruler that he turned down. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:11.759 When God is done with all of his work in this world, he will regenerate everything. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:18.640 That's the word behind the translation of the new world here, basically speaking of a new creation in which Jesus rules everything. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:27.680 In that perfect world, the twelve disciples will act as elders of the twelve tribes of Israel with an authority to judge. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.279 So the answer to Peter's question is yes, it is worth it. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:38.880 For those disciples, eternity will result in having an authority and a prominence that they did not have in this world. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.519 And then Jesus extends the promise. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.519 And everyone. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:54.400 That's me. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:55.839 Everyone. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:06.559 And everyone who has done this for my sake will inherit eternal life and receive a hundredfold. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:14.000 You know, in the first century, the natural result of having faith in Jesus as the Messiah was expulsion from your family. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:17.519 That was usually the first thing that you could expect. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:22.000 If you worked for somebody else, you could expect the loss of your job. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:30.720 You would expect the loss of an inheritance, loss of status, perhaps the loss of your home, potentially anything else of consequence. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.279 That didn't always happen, but it was expected. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:36.559 In fact, to be a Christian was to be rejected. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:40.720 Being seen as Jesus' disciple was an immediate loss. 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:46.480 And when it first came into use, the term Christian was derogatory. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.240 It was like a slap in the face. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:53.200 That was understood in the early church, in the book of Acts, for example. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.920 They knew what coming to faith in Jesus meant. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:01.599 They understood what Jesus meant when he spoke about leaving houses, family members, or lands. 00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:08.720 He wasn't speaking of a select group of people, those who were voluntarily leaving everything to follow him in full-time ministry. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.839 He was speaking of everybody with faith in Jesus. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:21.440 Those who, like the rich young man, were called to remove the gods that were taking the place of Jesus in their lives and to put Jesus in the first place. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:32.000 Jesus is talking to everybody who follows him to face the consequences of following him head on. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.240 That's for everybody. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:37.119 That message hasn't changed. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:41.039 We are all like the rich young man. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:58.799 Sometimes, sometimes at great expense and great loss, as a result of coming to him, the Lord calls us to dethrone the idols in our life, remove them, and put Jesus first. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:12.640 Now Jesus says to all those who have followed him in that way that the result of coming to him will be receiving a hundredfold and receiving eternal life. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:17.119 That receiving a hundredfold is an agricultural picture. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:25.839 A first century farmer could typically expect a 10 to 20% return on his investment in his fields. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.119 Not very much. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:30.160 Anything beyond that was an expected bonus. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:32.559 A bumper crop might be a return of 30%. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:38.400 So to receive a hundredfold was beyond imagination. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:43.440 That's like winning the lottery without even buying a ticket. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:52.640 And with that high point in the disciples' minds and in our thinking as well, Jesus clarifies but many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.279 Wait a minute. 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:53.920 Wait a minute. 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:59.759 We've just been told that everyone who comes to Jesus with the faith of a child to become his disciple is. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.319 And then who faces all kinds of unworldly things is going to receive blessing and eternal life. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:06.240 But now you're telling us that we might be last? 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:08.720 How does that make sense? 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:15.039 Well, first, it's Jesus' way of telling us, teaching us to think like him. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:21.440 See, the promised treasure in heaven is going to be given God's way, not my way. 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:29.119 The disciples were told that they were going to sit on thrones of authority and judgment. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:39.440 And so you can imagine how the riches of that young man who came to visit with Jesus are now replaced with visions of heaven on earth and twelve thrones. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:43.680 And now there's this confusing statement by Jesus. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.440 What does he mean by it? 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:53.359 How does receiving blessing and honor and glory and a hundredfold and eternal life now fit with being last? 00:22:55.119 --> 00:23:00.000 Well, in chapter 20, verse 1, we see a helpful statement. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:05.519 Jesus says, For the kingdom of heaven is like. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:07.920 And then he tells a story. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:10.160 We've seen that kind of statement before, right? 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:15.119 It's when Jesus tells a parable to help explain what he's saying. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:17.359 Look down at verse 16. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:21.200 You'll notice, so the last will be first and the first last. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:26.640 It's the same statement as the end of chapter 19, but flipped around. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.640 It's the reverse. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:42.559 And those statements are like bookends to Jesus' story, telling us that everything in between, everything in between the pieces of bread and the sandwich, explains Jesus' statement to Peter. 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:46.880 And Jesus explains all of that with a story. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:54.480 In the story, there's a Lord, a despot, or a ruler of a household. 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:59.680 He's the owner, he's the ruler, he's the Lord, he's the master of the house, and he owns a vineyard. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:02.400 Apparently a quite substantial vineyard. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:11.359 Presumably this story takes place at harvest time when there's a need for workers immediately out in the harvest fields. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:18.640 So the master goes out into the public areas of the community early in the morning, just after sunrise, to find some day laborers. 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:23.440 These were like our temp workers, seeking work every single day. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:30.400 They don't have their own land, they don't have their own vineyards, so they're seeking employment for each day from somebody else. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.759 They agree to work for the day for a denarius. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:40.480 A denarius was the standard amount given for one day's work. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:47.119 We think today in terms of hourly pay or bi-weekly or monthly salaries. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:52.400 But at that time, the pattern was to think in terms of a full day's wages. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:56.559 The first time he went out was about six o'clock in the morning. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:59.039 That was the typical time to begin the day. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:08.160 Now he goes out again at about 9 a.m., the third hour, going again into the public areas, and he sees more workers that apparently weren't there before. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:10.640 And so he tells them, Go to work in my vineyard. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:13.680 There's no negotiation, there's no discussion of pay. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.920 He just says, I will give you what is right, what is just. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:27.119 Happens again at noon, at the sixth hour, and again at 3 o'clock at the ninth hour. 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:32.079 We're not told why the owner keeps on going back and hiring more workers. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.079 We're only told that he does. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:44.400 And so we would expect in our normal American way of thinking that we expect him to give each set of workers a prorated portion of the going rate for a day's work. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:49.839 So those hired at noon would receive half of a denarius. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:26:01.680 But then we arrive at verse 6 of chapter 20, where he says, in about the 11th hour, that's 5 o'clock, he went out and found others standing. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:05.119 And he said, Well, what are you doing loitering around here? 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:07.359 Why are you standing idle all day long? 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:11.440 And he said, They said to him, Well, no one's hired us. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:14.319 And he said, Well, I'll hire you, go into the vineyard. 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:16.960 We're not told why. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:19.279 We're not told if he needs more workers still. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:25.759 We're not told, were these group of people at the very end of the day known to be slow, lazy workers? 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.799 We don't know. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:31.519 Did they arrive at the public square too late in the morning to be hired by most of the landowners? 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.640 We don't know. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:37.519 Whatever the case, they are sent into the owner's vineyard to work for one hour. 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:44.480 Now the standard workday was from sunup to sundown, typically six in the morning till six in the evening. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:46.400 A 12-hour day. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:53.680 At the end of the workday, the owner instructs the foreman to call in all the workers and to pay them their wages. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:56.480 That's right in line with Scripture, by the way. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:03.440 Leviticus 19, 15 and Deuteronomy 24, 15 instruct God's people to pay their workers at the end of each day. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:06.480 So Jesus' story is in line with God's expectations. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:10.480 But that's exactly when the tension in the story begins to increase. 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:18.640 Because the owner instructs his foreman, I want you to pay the wages for this day, but here's how I want you to do it. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.880 Pay the last ones first. 00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:27.839 We don't see a reaction to that particular method. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:31.680 The reaction comes when they receive their pay. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:38.000 Because the pay for working one hour is one denarius. 00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:44.400 And one denarius is equal to a full day's wage. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:54.160 Now, if I'm one of those workers saving up for my contact lenses, I'm thinking I got this good. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:28:02.559 If the guys that worked for an hour get a full day's wage, then that means I get almost two weeks of wages for one hour. 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:06.079 I'm sorry, for one day, one full day. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:15.920 But as we read on, our our modern sensibilities begin to get irritated a bit. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:23.759 Shouldn't the ones who were there the longest be the first to be paid and then the first to leave and go home? 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:39.359 And then we suddenly see dollar signs running around in some mines, because if you're there early in the morning and the late ones get a full day's wage, we're now up to 12 days' wages. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:43.440 But it says, now when those who were hired first came, they thought they would receive more. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:45.119 Naturally, who wouldn't? 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:49.440 But each of them also received a denarius. 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:53.200 It's a good thing there were no federal regulations or labor unions. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:59.119 There would be an instant investigation and multiple lawsuits, and the landowner would be desolate, but that's not part of the story. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:01.440 The workers began grumbling. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.519 Normal, right? 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.960 We expect that. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:13.119 They grumble about how much they were paid and the weather conditions in which they work, but the owner replies with just this soft kindness. 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:18.160 Friend, I've not done you any wrong. 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:21.359 You agreed to work for me for a denarius. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:29.440 Just take what we agreed on and go, because I want to give this last worker the same amount, and what's wrong with that? 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:32.400 Can't I do what I want with what belongs to me? 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:36.319 Or do you begrudge my generosity? 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:39.920 There's the key to the parable. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:45.119 You see, the complaints came as a result of the generosity. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:52.480 The protests against the landowner are not levied against him because he followed through on his agreement. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.960 The contractual obligations were met. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:56.640 What's wrong with that? 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:04.079 No, the griping came because his generosity was not equal across the board. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:12.799 And the story's point for the 12 disciples was that they would receive what is right for following Jesus. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:19.440 And what is right will come from the hand of a generous father. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:28.720 Had the rich young man sold everything and followed Jesus, he would have been investing in eternity, and that investment would return a hundredfold return. 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:33.440 It is worth every cost to follow Jesus. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:38.400 Now you may not see the return on your investment in this life. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:51.359 Because, like a young teenager who struggles to see around the corner, you have to look to the end of the summer for the return on your investment. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:55.119 In our case, we have to wait to eternity. 00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:57.359 We have to wait until we see Jesus. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:06.480 But you can be sure that your return on your investment, your reward will be received when Jesus rules over the world as king. 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:10.000 It will be worth every cost to follow Jesus. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:16.799 But that's not all we see in this perspective shattering story. 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:26.160 There are other perspective-shattering realities in what Jesus says in the story that are emphasized in the book-ended statements. 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:29.279 First, consider this, if you will. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:33.599 Man's way is based on fairness. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:37.920 Because we consider the equality of a person's. 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:41.519 And we consider the amount of work done. 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:50.079 I remember at one point in life going to my employer after watching every other employee and thinking, I do twice as much as they do. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:55.039 I end my breaks on time, I begin my breaks on time, I go back and I work hard. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:59.359 And so I went to my employer and said, hey boss, can I get a race? 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:01.599 That's the way we work, right? 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:03.359 That's the way we function. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:09.759 The complainers did not gripe because they received the agreed upon pay. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:15.839 They complained because they felt the owner wasn't fair in his generosity. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:19.279 Wait a minute. 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:21.039 That's not fair. 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.599 We've all said that, right? 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:25.279 I'm sure we have. 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:34.240 Fairness would mean being generous to all of the workers because our mindset is in terms of equality across the board. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:44.319 If the owner, if the owner doesn't give everyone the same percentage of generosity based on the time worked, then at least he could give them a little bonus and make them feel better. 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:50.720 It simply wasn't fair for the landowner to be generous to the last workers and not to the first. 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:52.400 That's our way of thinking. 00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:04.319 Fairness is an ideal based on personal expectations. 00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:12.240 We expect to be similarly benefited to someone else. 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:16.720 And it's all based on our perception of fairness. 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:21.599 We've been trained to think that way, haven't we? 00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:30.400 We've been trained to think that way from civil rights to gender equality, from minimum wages to taxes. 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:33.680 We've been taught to view things from the perspective of fairness. 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:36.559 And that's not to say that there aren't good things in those aspects. 00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:37.920 It's just the way we think. 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:45.519 In other words, we might say that Billy Graham ought to receive greater rewards than the thief on the cross. 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:51.839 Billy did far more for the Lord over a more significant amount of time. 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:58.079 So it would be fair, we would argue, if Billy received greater rewards. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:07.039 If the thief on the cross receives a day's wages, Billy should receive 12 times that amount. 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:12.960 Now we have to understand here that we're talking about fairness from our perspective. 00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:17.440 Fairness from God's perspective is a completely different thing. 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:23.519 Because fairness is always what is right from God's viewpoint. 00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:28.320 From human viewpoint, fairness is always what I think. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:36.400 We need to realize God's way is always grounded first in what is just. 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:43.360 By our standard definitions, God isn't fair. 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:49.199 Because God doesn't condescend to play by our rules of fairness. 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:50.719 Fairness is subjective. 00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:53.039 It's what I think is fair. 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:56.960 And what I think is fair may not be the same thing as what you think is fair. 00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:02.880 My children don't think anything is fair. 00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:05.920 But God is just. 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:09.039 God is just. 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:13.360 Now why do I why do I make a big deal about this? 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:17.760 I make a big deal about it because of verse 4. 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:22.159 You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right, I will give to you. 00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:23.920 That's the word for just. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:25.440 Justice. 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:26.559 Justification. 00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:29.440 God will do what is right. 00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:35.199 When God acts, God always does what is right. 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:40.320