He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
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. …
… Look now in verse 2. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. That means an agreement had to be made. That means there was some haggling. And finally they agreed. There's a contract and they go into the vineyard. I was called into the vineyard early. God saved me at 14, called me to preach at 16. I've been pastoring since I was 19. It's all I've ever done. And if you've been called early, praise God that you've been kept from much sinning. Praise Him for that. I praise God I've never known what it is to use alcohol or tobacco or to be morally impure with fornication. I'm so glad that God saved me from all of that. I'm so glad that God called me early in the morning into his vineyard. And if God has called you that way, thank him, praise him that you have been saved from much sinning. But if God calls you late in the day, praise him that he has forgiven you much. …
… For the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man, that is, an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, now it's not a penny like our penny, that's a day's wages, he sent them into his venue. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said unto them, Go ye also into the venue, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again, he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour, now they were working a twelve-hour day, about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They saith unto him, Because no man has hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. …