The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 20 Part 3 The Parable Of The Laborers And The Vineyard: The Calling Of God.

We are studying the Parable of the Laborers and the Vineyard.

We learned about the householder who is a picture of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who created all things and to whom all things belong.

Like a heavenly householder, Jesus administers and governs all things related to the family of God.

We saw how the householder displays the lovingkindness in the heart of God by rising up early each morning, seeking laborers for his vineyard.

Now we are going to learn about the hiring of the laborers, which pictures Christ calling sinners to repentance through gospel preaching. 

The faithful householder goes out early calling people to himself, seeking to hire them.

Matthew 20:1-2  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

The householder rises up early with the intent to hire laborers to work in his vineyard.

The word translated "hire" is only used three times in the New Testament, all in this parable.

In the New Testament Greek language, this word has the form of an "aorist tense, middle voice" verb. 

Why do we care about this? 

Because the "aorist tense middle voice" action of "hiring" people to work in the vineyard, is based upon a completed past action of the householder. 

The verb shows that he is actively seeking workers to meet his specific needs.

Therefore, the householder goes out early in the morning, specifically to hire laborers for work in his vineyard.

The householder's intention to hire people does not have an end date, because it represents an active, ongoing initiative.

This reminds us that all Christians from pastors, elders, parents and parishioners, are to keep on preaching and teaching the gospel until Jesus calls us home to heaven.

2 Timothy 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

The word "hired" is very closely related to the word "calling" with regard to our salvation.

Paul tells us we are "called" to faith in Christ through the gospel and he tells us about our "calling" because what we believe must direct how we live this life.

God is the one "calling" sinners to repentance through preaching the gospel of Christ.

He initiates the action of calling us and like the word "hire", the "calling" of God is an ongoing action with no end date.

The "calling" of sinners to repentance is based upon the past action of Christ's suffering, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

In the text above, Paul calls it a holy calling, because we are called to repent and believe and enter the kingdom of God.

The reason Christ is pictured as the Heavenly Householder hiring workers for His vineyard, is to preview Jesus calling sinners to repentant faith through gospel preaching.

There is no expiration date on the Great Commission that Christ gave us (See Matthew 28:18-20).

We are commanded by our Lord Jesus to actively seek and save the lost, making disciples of Christ by preaching, teaching and bearing witness to the gospel.

As long as God lets us live here on earth, we are to be engaged with gospel activity.

"Hiring" is an action undertaken for His own benefit, at His own expense and at His own initiative based upon a certain past action.

Remember that the householder in this parable pictures Christ and this is teaching us about Jesus and the kingdom of heaven.

The Great Commission is given to us to call sinners to repentance, which corresponds with the householder hiring workers for his vineyard.

The calling of God is sharing the gospel of Christ so that His Spirit can call sinners to repentance.

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

He gave us the great commission to tell us what we must do in this life.

We are to use our time and resources to advance Christ's kingdom, teaching all people to observe all things that Jesus commanded His disciples.

We must be faithful witnesses who live our lives according to Jesus' commands as given in the Sermon on the Mount and in His wonderful parables.

The gospel of Christ calls sinners to repentance and this corresponds to the householder going out early to hire workers.

The past event that is the basis for Christ rising early to hire workers, as pictured by the householder, is His suffering, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

Therefore, the actions of the householder show us that the heart of God is one of lovingkindness toward mankind.

Remember that the householder pictures Jesus rising up early like the Old Testament prophets, to bring the Word of God to all the people. 

What is the purpose of hiring workers? 

This pictures people hearing the gospel and being born again and adopted into the family of God.

God receives glory when a sinner repents and turns to Christ.

His lovingkindness toward all humanity is fulfilled in each sinner who converts to Christ.

What is the past action that makes hiring workers possible?

It is the full redemptive work of Christ.

The householder's motivation is shown by his rising up early to hire workers.

It is that the householder who pictures Christ, rises up early seeking to save sinners which corresponds with the act of hiring them.

This is the powerful truth taught to us in Jesus' parable by the simple verb "hire."

This pictures Jesus Christ and His redeemed children, rising early each morning to share the gospel so that God will save sinners who repent and believe.  

Therefore, the past action that is the basis for the Heavenly Householder, Jesus Christ to actively hire laborers for His kingdom, is His full, perfect, redemptive work done on the cross. 

There is no end date for preaching the gospel and we have no excuse for not sharing it with people who do not yet know Christ.

At work, at play, in school, at home or in any other place, we must be ready to share the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation!

The "calling" of God is complementary to Christ the Householder "hiring" workers.

Ephesians 1:3-6  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Paul teaches us that the Father has poured out exceeding riches of His grace upon us, by giving us all spiritual blessings from heaven for all who are "in Christ" through repentant faith.

God chose us to be a people who live holy lives because we love Him who first loved us enough to sacrifice His Son to save us.

Jesus gives each person who has repentance and faith in Him, a full adoption into the family of God.

This is according to the good pleasure of the Father's will and for His glory and our eternal benefit.

The gospel offer of salvation through repentant faith in Christ is to whosoever will believe.

God chooses us to be in Christ because He is omniscient and knows the beginning and the end of all things.

God knows each individual person born since the creation of Adam and Eve. 

He knows whether or not they heard His Word and chose to believe Him. He knows if they ignored or rejected His Word.

Therefore, when it says that a believer in Christ was chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, it simply means that God, who knows all things, knew when a sinner would hear the gospel and cry out to Jesus to save him. 

The choosing and election of God do not override our free will and the personal, individual response we make to the Lord's invitation to be born again.

How do I know this for a fact? Because God tells us in scripture that His will regarding mankind's salvation from sin is that all people repent and believe. 

He is not willing that any person die in their sins and because He expressly says that He wants all men to be saved (See Ezekiel 18:31-32; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:1-6)

God wants all sinners to hear the story of Jesus' life and ministry so that His Spirit can magnify Christ and call sinners to repentant faith (See John 16).

Jesus' parable about the laborers and vineyard teaches us this truth because there are no special qualifications for being hired.

The only requirement is saying "Yes" when the Christ as the Heavenly Householder calls people through gospel preaching.

No degrees, no status, no special skills or abilities are asked for by the householder. 

Why? Because when we repent and put our faith in Jesus Christ, we come to Him just as we are.

This corresponds with Jesus stressing that childlike faith is needed for His kingdom.

Ezekiel 11:19-21  And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21  But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD. 

We cannot amend our lives by self reformation because at its core, our heart is depraved and we need a spiritual heart transplant from God. 

This is why God promises to give us a new heart and a new spirit when we repent and call upon Jesus to save us (See Ezekiel 11:19-21; 36:22-32; Titus 3:4-6). 

God will give a new heart that is open and tender toward Him to all who repent and trust God.

God will give a new spirit by sending His own Spirit to live in us, giving us eternal life through faith in Christ.

There are only two responses to the gospel of Christ: Belief or unbelief. 

If one chooses to reject the gospel God will allow that person to remain in unbelief, but he or she will suffer the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ.  

We cannot come claiming good works, because all that we do in the flesh is contaminated (See Isaiah 64:6; Romans 7:18). 

We cannot come claiming perfection according to God's law, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (See Romans 3:23).

We cannot use money to buy our salvation because it was paid for by the precious blood of God shed by Jesus on the cross (See Acts 20:28).

Our Great God knows all these things and this is why He made the only possible provision of salvation from sin, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 3:15-16  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Repentant faith in Jesus Christ is the requirement to enter the kingdom of God because no man comes to the Father except through faith in His Son.

Those who repent and believe receive eternal life.

Acts 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 10:43  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 13:26  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We could add dozens more scriptures to support the clear teaching that God will save whosoever repents and calls on Jesus to save their soul from eternal condemnation.

When the householder seeks to hire a worker, the response of the worker is to accept the position he is offered. 

He can refuse to accept the job but he will lose out on all the benefits offered by the householder.

This is like God calling us to repentant faith in His Son through gospel teaching.

Those who believe on Jesus shall receive all spiritual blessings from heaven as God promises to give (See Ephesians 1:3).

Those who refuse to believe and choose unbelief, stand condemned before God and subject to His holy wrath because of their sins.

The soul of man stands ready to be hired into some service because we are created to work, but we are born as servants of iniquity. 

Scripture tells us that we were born as servants of sin, enslaved by the Devil, working in the fields of cultural depravity and the kingdom of darkness.

The devil tempts our fleshly lusts, seeking to "hire" labourers into his fields of sin, to feed the swine (See Luke 15:11-32). 

Through gospel preaching God is hiring labourers into His vineyard, to dress it, keep it, and to do the work He wants us to complete.

Therefore, a believer in Christ is "hired" by God and made servants of righteousness, pursuing holiness and laboring for the kingdom of light. 

Philippians 3:13-14  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

We must forget our sinful past because we cannot change what happened. 

Our life is made new in Christ and we must learn to walk in newness of life. 

Like being hired to work in the householder's vineyard, our calling in Christ is a high calling worthy of giving our best attention and energy to pursuing.

Indeed, there is nothing higher in this life than being regenerated and indwelt by the Spirit of God so that we can love and serve Him each day.

Paul tells us that following Christ is a holy calling according to the mercy, grace and good purposes of God for each one who repents and trusts His Son (See 2 Timothy 1:7-9).

May each one of us apply these truths to our lives today.

May we rise up early each morning to spend time with the Lord in His Word, and to ask Him to help us be ready to share the gospel of Christ with other people.

Those who are not yet believing, may this be the day of salvation for you. 

I pray that you will take up your Bible like a nursing baby, to drink in its pure milk, so that you may grow in your faith and be used of God in a mighty way (See 1 Peter 2:1-3).

May each of us learn to pursue with all our energy, the high calling of God upon our lives, and that we count it a joy to he hired as a worker for Christ and His kingdom.

Bob