What’s In It for You?
Matthew 20:1-16
February 9, 2019 anno Domini – Redeemer
“What’s in it for me?” That’s the question Peter asked, on behalf of the disciples. Jesus, we have left everything and followed you. What’s in it for us? Jesus answers Peter in part with the parable of the vineyard workers.
Peter’s question is the same question we’re asking in this election season. If I vote for you, what will I get? The capitalists promise “you’ll get to keep what you earn” and in so doing will encourage people to work hard. The socialists promise, “You’ll get the same thing everyone else gets” which appeals to a notion of equality. The Kingdom of Heaven is neither capitalist nor socialist. It is not Republican or Democrat. In the Kingdom of Heaven, in the place where Jesus rules you don’t get what you earned and you don’t get what everyone else gets. Neither the Unions nor Wall Street would ever go for God’s economy – the last will be first, and the first last.
The Union Office of Local Grape Pickers 101 would have authorized a strike on that payday in the parable. Their men were at Union headquarters bright and early when the master of the vineyard showed up to hire. First up, first hired, and promised a full day’s wages according to union standards – a denarius. Anyone showing up later than that should have received less.
Those hired first guys were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, Matthew, Thomas, and the rest of the 12. Jesus called them first and ordained them into the apostolic ministry. They would bear the heat of the day. They would die in the harvest fields. No retirement, no pension, no living out their days in a warm climate, drinking an umbrella covered cool beverage. Eleven of those twelve bright and early workers were killed for the faith. John, the brother of James, died in his old age, after writing 1/3 of the New Testament. The first shall be last.
The master of the vineyard wanted the greatest harvest possible. So he went back at 9 am, noon, and again at 3 pm. Who doesn’t show up for work until 3 pm? Who expects to a job if you show up hours late for your shift? By now you should realize that Vineyard labor practices are not set by the union. The Kingdom of heaven is not about fairness or about you. It’s about the Owner, but the Owner is gracious to you.
In every age and generation, even in the lateness of the day, the Lord calls, gathers, and enlightens us in the faith. He calls all. He desires all to be saved. He has never left an age without pastors to preach His Word and give His gifts in the Sacraments. We know their names. Saint Nicolas stood up for Christ at the Council of Nicaea. Saint Patrick preached the Gospel to his enemies in Ireland. Saint Valentine died for the faith. Saint Boniface preached to the German barbarians. Martin Luther was persecuted and condemned to death by the very church he was trying to reform and restore to Jesus.
The vineyard is not about the workers though – it is about Jesus. The economy of the Kingdom of Heaven is an economy of grace. God chose the undeserving nation of Israel to be the family from which Christ would come. God stuck with His Old Testament bride even though she was faithless and flirted with every false god on the block. God chose a Virgin named Mary to be the mother of Jesus, but she was a sinner like every other young woman in Nazareth.
God sent His Son to us who have rejected God. Jesus fought Satan for us who regularly surrender to his temptations. Jesus obeyed His Father for us rebels and runaways. Jesus carried our sins to the cross. He offered up His blood when we begrudgingly offer Him an hour a week or a small percentage of our wealth.
Like the Centurion from a few weeks ago we confess, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come to my house,” but Jesus will not hear it. His Father has declared you worth the Son of God dwelling in human flesh, hanging on the cross, suffering hell for your sins. The Father’s love alone makes you worthy of the gift of His Son, of the gift of pastors and congregations calling you to faith in Jesus who brings you into the Kingdom of heaven. Some of you came at the beginning of your lives, some came at the noon. I’ve known a few who came at the 11th hour of their lives.
Those 11th hour workers really upset our economy of fairness and equality. The owner of the vineyard went to town one last time. At five pm in the afternoon there was only one hour to go in the day. Most of us don’t think much of people who sleep to noon. What about those who don’t show up till suppertime? Were they at the bar all day? Or just returning to the bar? They had no idea how generous the vineyard owner was. They were just hoping to get enough money for a bottle of cheap booze and a pack of smokes.
Remember this parable was given in answer to Peter’s question, “What’s in it for me?” Lord, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? (Matt 19:27) From our perspective Peter would be justified in his anger when someone got in at the 11th hour. Peter was the guy who worked all day, suffered imprisonment and beatings, and was finally killed for the faith. Yet, some child abuser or meth head could be called at the last moment of life, or right before Christ returns and he would be in the same kingdom of heaven that Peter was in – the last worker receiving the same wage as the first.
We cannot judge God’s Kingdom from our perspective because God does not work like us. If He was a capitalist you would all go to hell because that’s what you’ve earned. If He was a socialist you would all go to hell because then you all be treated equally as the sinners you are. God’s perspective is this – everything is His, He loves you and He created you to receive His gifts, so He sends Jesus for you.
By grace Jesus called Peter, Peter of little faith, Peter who didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross, Peter who denied His Lord three times. When Peter sees that God’s grace has justified him for Christ’s sake through faith he is going to welcome that meth head or child abuser or you. Peter, like Paul, knew that he was the worst sinner in the world, because he knew his own sins. Therefore Peter also came to know that God had been more gracious to him than anyone else. When you see the Kingdom of heaven runs on gifts, when you believe God sent His Son for you, when you trust that all your sin is forgiven you don’t care if you worked the whole day or if someone got in at the last moment. You rejoice in the abundant forgiveness God has given you and you also rejoice in the forgiveness your neighbor has received.
These three Gesima Sunday, approximately 70, 60, and 50 days before Easter are meant to prepare us for Lent, to ready us for a season of repentance. Historically Christians practiced three disciplines in Lent – fasting, praying, and almsgiving. They are all selfless. They are ways to confess that you are in the Kingdom of Heaven and understand its economy – God is gracious to you. So you deny your belly some food and fast. You deny yourself Netflix and Fox News and spend more time in prayer. You deny yourself some of your wages and give more to charity. As you prepare for the 40 days of Lent remember the question of Peter and the answer Jesus gave.
What’s in it for me? More than you deserve, more than you can imagine. What’s in it for you? Grace upon grace in the name of Jesus. Amen.