Matthew 19,20

January 9, 2011

Matthew 19,20

Overview:  Jesus talks marriage and fidelity with the Pharisees, tells a great parable about the wages paid to workers hired at different points in the day and has an uncomfortable moment with the mother of James and John.

The parable at the beginning of Chapter 20 is one of my favorites and actually was the text for my first sermon in my first call in St. Charles, Missouri.  In it Jesus tells of a landowner who hires workers at various points through the day.  When the end of the day comes and it's time to settle up with the workers he authorizes all of the workers to be paid the same amount.  Those who worked all day take offense believing it unfair that they, who had labored all day long, should receive the same amount as the last ones to the fields.  It's a great story about God's grace and it's a great story about fairness.  Bottom line, it's a great thing that God is not fair.  Fairness would result in us always being in a deficit position in our relationship with God.  God does not give us what we deserve.  God gives us far more and far better.  God gives us Christ.  God gives us Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter.  God gives us a call and God gives us a purpose.  It's way better than fair could ever hope to be.