Centreville Presbyterian Church
Have you ever felt like God was unfair? Or maybe something that happened to you just doesn't fit into a "good plan" for your life? This week in our Parables series, Jesus tackles the question head on as He tells us the story of an employer who makes a very controversial decision... Join us Sunday as we dive in together!
Matthew 20:1-10 ESV
Matthew 20:11-16 ESV
A Rich Man Speaks with Jesus….
The Disciples are right there, watching and comparing
We’ve all had this moment…
-We’ve prayed the prayer…
-We’ve held out hope…
-We’ve kept our values intact…
-We did the right thing, nobody cared…
-We prayed, but the illness still came.
-Our family member found a new way of hurting us.
-The job didn’t come through..
-Or life have just been hard..
-Or its just that old demon….Comparison
Jesus does two things….
1) He makes them an absolute promise… The reward for your sacrificial faith will be beyond measure.
2) Jesus tells us about an Eccentric Employer:
Who is always kind, generous and fair...
But doesn't treat people equally..
AND He keeps His own counsel..
Five Key Lessons from this Story:
1) God’s Sovereignty will sometimes seem like Eccentricity.
2) Fair does not mean everyone will have the same life…
3) At times it will take great faith to trust in how God has governed the lives of others…
4) In the end, God’s grace for others will astound us…
5) In God’s Vineyard all have much to be grateful for…
Jesus has a last, even more dramatic teaching…
He says, If you really want to secure that first spot, then join me at the bottom, become a servant, live not to be served, but to serve…