For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
We never think we are going to get a fair deal. People will devise all kinds of constitutions, or contracts that they think will protect them from bad things. They do not want to be cheated out of their work. But here in our text those who went to work early in the day feel they got cheated because the owner followed their contract. They assumed he would be gracious to them because of their great work.
Often times compare ourselves to others, we determine from our own perspective who is better. These comparisons are generally based on what we have done, or who we are. But ultimately the sin here is expecting a greater gift, from a gracious master.
He did not have to hire anyone. He goes out at different times and does not just hire the required number, but all those who desire to come. He is gracious in hiring. He is even gracious in providing a full days wages for those who worked less than a day. He is gracious in calling all people to receive good gifts for their labor.
God does not provide each of us with a different gift. He provides us with the same amount of grace. He provides each of us the same amount of forgiveness. But even though some of us may have more sins that weigh us down, God still covers all your sins. Even though some of us may struggle with sins we have committed that appear to be greater than anyone would forgive. God still provides you with a full denarius. He still forgives you all your sins, because Christ died for all the sins of the World.
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