1. Matthew 20:1-16 Page 832 in Pew Bibles 1.“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2.After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

2. 3.When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4.To those men he said, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. 5.About noon and at three, he went out again and did the same thing.

3. 6.Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’ 7.“‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him. 8.“‘You also go to my vineyard,’ he told them.

4. 8.When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’ 9.“When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius.

5. 10. So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11. When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: 12. ‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!’

6. 13. “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? 14. Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. 15. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’

7. 16. “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

9. God Both Owns and Rules it All Vs. 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” Vs. 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” hl >

10. God Both Owns and Rules it All Literally, “House Lord” One who owns an estate Vs. 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” Vs. 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.”. >

11. Mission Accepted Vs. 2 “After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.” Vs. 2 “After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.”. >

12. We Are Not Self-Sufficient Without work Vs. 3 “When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.” Vs. 3 “When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.”. >

13. God Can Be Trusted To Do Us Right Vs. 4 “To those men he said, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went.” Vs. 4 “To those men he said, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went.” Q >

14. Warren Wiersbe. > We should not serve Him because we want to receive an expected reward, and we should not insist on knowing what we will get. God is infinitely generous and gracious and will always give us better than we deserve.

15. God Continues to Invite People to Join Him Vs. 5 “About noon and at three, he went out again and did the same thing.” Vs. 5 “About noon and at three, he went out again and did the same thing.”. >

16. God Calls to the 11 th Hour Vs. 6-7 “Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’ Vs. 6-7 “Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him. “‘You also go to my vineyard,’ he told them.. >

17. In the End it Pays To Serve the Lord Vs. 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’ Vs. 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’. >

18. Don’t Assume God Will Do His Business Our Way Vs. 9-10 “When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius.” Vs. 9-10 “When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius.” Vs. 10 “So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each.” Vs. 10 “So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each.”. >

19. God isn’t Obligated to Our Sense of Fairness Vs. 11-12 “When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: Vs. 11-12 “When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: ‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!’. >

20. God isn’t Obligated to Our Sense of Fairness Vs. 13 “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?” Vs. 13 “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?”. >

21. God Has a Right To Do as He Pleases Vs. 14-15 “Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business?...” Vs. 14-15 “Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business?...” Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases.”. >

22. Recipients of Grace Have No Room for Resentment Vs. 15 “…Are you jealous because I’m generous?’” Vs. 15 “…Are you jealous because I’m generous?’” Young’s Literal: “…is thine eye evil because I am good?” Young’s Literal: “…is thine eye evil because I am good?”. >

23. God Has His Own Standards for Evaluation Vs. 16 “So the last will be first, and the first last.” Vs. 16 “So the last will be first, and the first last.”.