The Heart of a Servant

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

C.I.: The Servant's Call to Work

Today we begin a new series entitled, “Heart of a Servant” from Matthew 20.

Jesus just spoke of salvation ( Matt. 19:25 ), and eternal life ( v. 29 ).

Now He begins by telling us - the nature of the servant's call and the Lord's reward.

•  The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, (Matthew 20:1-16)

•  God Calls People to His Work, (vs. 1-7)

•  God is very serious about finding people who will be willing to serve Him!

•  ( vs. 1-2 ), “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went our early in the morning to hire laborers for His vineyard. – And when he agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into His vineyard.”

•  The Nature of a Parable: “It is an earthly story – that has a heavenly meaning!”

•  Landowner = God; Vineyard = the world; Laborers = Xns (those who will work for God); The day = our lifetime; Denarius = the pay, i.e., salvation!

•  Note: God always gives His people something to do – ( Gen. 2:15 ), “The Lord God put the man into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” – ( Mk. 16:15 ), “Go into all….”

•  So if this (evangelism) is our job – how are you doing??!! – ( Acts 8:4; I Pt. 2:9 ).

b. ( vs. 3-5 ), “And he went out about the 3 rd hour and saw others standing idle in the market place;
and to those he said, ‘You too go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' – And
so they went. – Again he went out about the 6 th hour and the 9 th hour, and did the same thing.”

1) Illust.: Day-labor places in Denver – people hanging around looking(?) for work….

•  There are different sorts of people and different sorts of responses – to the call for workers:

a) The willing and eager :– these responded “early” v. 1 . – ( Col. 3:23 ), “Whatever you
do, do your work heartily as for the Lord, rather than for men.”

b) The standing idle : Not much interest in work – just are hanging out. – ( Eph. 6:6 ),
“Not by way of eye-service as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ , doing the will
of God from the heart.”

•  The slackers : Sleep late, don't work unless the boss is watching, spectators – ( Jn. 6:60, 66 ), “‘This is difficult' … many of His disciples turned and followed Him….”

c. ( vs. 6-7 ), “And about the 11 th hour he went out, and found others standing; and he said to them,
‘Why have you been standing idle all day long?' – They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.' –
He said to them, ‘You too go into the vineyard.'”

1) This is God's last call ( “11 th hour” ). – He is more forceful – “Why standing idle all day?”

•  These have excuses, “No one hired us” – but this is just self-deception.

•  Yet in spite of this – God still calls to them. – God grace is greater than we believe/deserve!!

•  When people stand before God in judgment – no one will be able to say, “You didn't try!”

•  God has Called Golden ( each one of us ) to a Great Work!

•  Last week our leaders shared with us their vision for the work here in 2007.

•  Jim Rouse quoted from Joel's prophecy – ( Acts 2:17 ), “Your sons and your daughters shall prophecy [ Matt. 28:19 – evangelism; Acts 20:20 – teaching; Acts 4:31 – boldness ], your young men shall see visions [ deacons/ministry leaders will catch a vision of what God can do through their various ministries – Pro. 29:18 ], and your old men will dream dreams [ presbuteros = elders ].”

•  Last Sunday our elders shared their dream of new leadership (elders, deacons), new staff (Children's Minister), new location (new and larger facilities to handle more people).

•  Brethren, we have seen bold leadership and direction.

•  Now God is calling us to “BOLD FOLLOW-ship!!!!”

b. It is time for some of you to get into the game (you have watched others long enough –they need
you with them). – Its time for others to get back into the game (something took you away from
the work – hurt feelings, fatigue, sin, etc., - “Forget what lies behind and reach forward to what
lies ahead” ).

a) God hasn't called us to come here weekly just to “look good”! – Servants don't look good. –
The root of the word servant = “One who raises dust by hastening.” – Working in a vineyard
is hot, dirty work – and brethren, God is calling us to it!

b) This may be your “11 th hour call” !!!

•  God will Settle All Accounts (vs. 8-16)

•  God's pay is according to His grace.

•  ( vs. 8-9 ), “And when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' – And when those hired at the 11 th hour came, each one received a denarius.”

•  “Foreman” = Jesus, “Father has given all judgment to the Son,” ( Jn. 5:22 ).

•  Those who answered the Lord's call, even at the end, received the same reward ( Rom. 2:11 ).

•  Thus, it is not how long we work – but who we work for (Jesus/self) – Eph. 2:8-9.

b. ( vs. 10-12 ), “When those hired first came, they thought they would receive more; and they also
received each one a denarius. – And when they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,
saying, ‘These last men have worked only 1 hour, and you have made them equal to us who have
borne the burden of the scorching heat of the day.'”

•  When Jesus told the parable – the Jews had been God's people for a long time.

•  But now when the Gentiles are also allowed into the kingdom of God, Jews would be angry!

•  But the ground is level at the foot of the cross – all who obey gospel receive the same reward

c. ( vs. 13-16 ), “He answered and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with
me for a denarius? – Take what is yours and go your way, I wish to give this last man the same
as you – Or is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own?'”

•  God's awesome grace is seen in how He rewards those who come to Him.

•  But His awesome justice is also seen in those who refuse Him!

CONCLUSION:

1. Have you been working? Great, keep on reaching!!

•  Have you stopped working? Then it is time to begin anew!!

3. Have you not yet answered our Lord's call…?! ( 2 Thess. 2:14; Mk. 16:15-16 )!!!