A Diligent Labourer in the Lord’s Vineyard?

Matthew 20:1-19

Friday, 11 April 2025

“So the last shall be first, and the first, last.”- Matthew 20:16

Jesus’ parable about the labourers in the vineyard is in the context of Peter’s question to him in Matthew 19: 27 “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” Through the parable, Jesus lays emphasis on the prerogative of a righteous God who decides what reward each person should rightly receive. 

     In the Parable, Jesus presents a land owner, who early in the morning, hires a few labourers who consent to work in the vineyard for an agreed wage. Later, at different hours of the day, he finds more and hires them also, for a fair but unspecified wage. At the end of the day, they are all paid equally, which upset those who were hired first. The landowner told the complainers that he had treated them fairly as he had paid them as was agreed by them. He then added “…but I want to give to this last person the same as to you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?” (Matt.20:14-15). 

Many may share the sentiments of the first batch of labourers in thinking the landlord wasn’t fair in his dealings. But Jesus spoke the parable for all of His disciples through all ages to understand a fact—God is just and as well as generous! There may have been those who are called by Christ at an earlier period like Peter and the other disciples or even at earlier age in life—they may have laboured long and hard in the “vineyard” (i.e., the kingdom of God).Then there are other workers who received the call by Christ at various times or later part of their life.  Some may not have had the opportunity to do as much for the Lord. But through the parable Jesus explains the following:

• What each labourer receives will be fair [Jesus asks: “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? V.13]

• No one has the right to question the generosity of the Lord [“Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own?” V.15]

• Those who may serve long and hard should not be envious if others receive the same reward [“Or is your eye envious because I am generous?” V.15] 

• No one should serve the Lord with a business/lucrative mentality—a potential danger for all

    It is time to check our motives in serving the Lord. Surely the Lord will reward us. We may be blessed to offer a full life of service to the Lord or we may only have a short time. At whichever phase of life the Lord has called each, one should do his given tasks with an attitude to please the Master and not with a “what-shall-I-get-out-of-this” mentality.” The parable teaches us that there is no room in the kingdom of heaven for those with either a covetous spirit or an envious spirit! As labourers in the Lord’s vineyard, we should work diligently at all costs despite the type of reward. It shouldn’t surprise us that some who we thought had no prominent work in our eyes are rewarded better. Its thus good to remember what Jesus said here: “So the last shall be first, and the first, last.” (V.16)

Dear brother / sister, what is your attitude toward your service to Christ? Remember that out of the generosity of the Lord, you and I are called into His Kingdom—we are saved by grace and nothing of our merit or good deeds. Ours can only be an attitude of gratitude and good stewardship! Why not live out the rest of our lives in grateful service to Him?

Think about it: God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with. ~ Billy Graham