But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling?
3 sermons cite this verse
… The last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew chapter 20, verses 1 through 16. It's a symbolic story, and Jesus is showing us that he's well aware of our tendency to compare ourselves to others. He knows that we imagine ourselves in a story of survival, in a race to the top of the food chain. And it's a dog-eat-dog world out there, survival of the fittest, competition for scarce resources, limited attention, diminishing returns. And if you get more for you and your people, then that means I have less for me and mine. And if I want more for me and my tribe, then I have to take it from you and yours or from someone's. And the clock is ticking and time is running out. Jesus understands our default view of the world. But in this parable about this odd vineyard owner, he offers an alternative. Because the owner doesn't see the world through the lens of competition, but participation. Not through the filter of scarcity, but generosity. …
… and suffered the heat of the day. But he answered one of them 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 to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? Or one translation, does it make you angry to see me be generous? So the last, he says, will be first and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. I will never forget the day. my dad taught me the difference between grace, mercy, and justice. I was in third grade. This was before I got pukey when I was bad, but I still got bad. And I did something I knew full well was wrong. My siblings, two of them, were involved, and my mom said the words nobody wants to hear, wait till your father gets home. And it was like so bad that she wasn't going to deal with it. We had to like sit with this like fear, you know. My dad gets home. She told him what we had done. He asked us to line up in the living room and I was just sure it was my last day on earth, you know. …
… which have borne the burden and the heat of the day. And he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? take that thine is and go thy way, and I will give unto the last even as I gave unto the first. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine heart evil because I am good? God is not fair, but God is good. Now you need to get the background of this passage of Scripture. There's a man who has a vineyard. He needs some workers, so he goes out early in the morning at the beginning of the day and hires some laborers. Then he goes out again at 9 and hires some more laborers. Then he goes out again at 12 and hires some more laborers. Then he goes in 3 in the afternoon and hires some more laborers, then also some at 5 at the last hour before sunset. …