Matthew 19 and 20 The Last First, The First Last

ἐγόγγυζον   Gonzo the Great!

Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"
"when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Matt 19:30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the              master of the house,"

Remember God is Good

Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'

 

Matt 19:28 You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

There is No Competition     Did you notice

Competing for $'s   

Competing for Position

Competing for Power

Competing to Prove one's self

Why Do You Serve God? For a denarii?

The Search For Significance?  Gee

The Performance Trap

The Approval Trap

The Fear of Punishment Trap

The Shame and Hopeless Game

The Performance Trap             The Fear of Failure.  God's answer is justification.

The Approval Trap  From a wrong view of others, the fear of rejection.  God's Answer – Reconciliation

The Fear of Punishment Trap  The fear of punishment; punishing others; blaming others for personal failures   God's Answer – Propitiation

The Shame and Hopeless Game    Fear of being useless. My past experiences have ruined my future. God's Answer - Regeneration

Why Do You Serve God?

Romans 12: 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Remember God is Good

Remember  God is Great

I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?

Remember  God is Gracious

"Or do you begrudge my generosity?"

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, Rom 12:1

If Christians tend to grumble, commiserate, and feel sorry for themselves, is it because they've forgotten grace? Murmuring stems from a belief that one deserves something more. As a result, they're never happy and become a complaining people. In this parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20:1–16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the murmuring person has forgotten that everything is grace. To illustrate this point, Jesus gives us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. This sermon highlights the grumbling of those who have been in the faith for a long time. They are complainers; they feel they deserve more than the others. They started out well, but got into trouble later on. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this parable to the human condition today. Christians have the gospel of Jesus Christ, but if they do not continue in it, they get into the same trouble. They become entitled and believe they deserve more. What they forget is this: it's all grace. It's always been grace. In the Christian life, all is grace, from the beginning to the end. Christians are called to do all things without murmuring. What a tragedy when Christian people become miserable. What a tragedy when they murmur. The same grace that saved them keeps them. Listen and rejoice––it is all of grace.

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates the principle that everything in the Christian life is by grace from beginning to end.