April 24th, 2022
The Eleventh Hour Workers
Matthew 20:1-16
God has a harvest field
Matthew 20:1-2
John 4:35
Matthew 9:37-38
God is calling workers
Matthew 20:1, 3-9
John 9:4
God will reward as He wills
Matthew 20:10-15
Jonah 3:10
Jonah 4:1
John 21:20-22
Matthew 20:1-16
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Sermon Introduction
There are important truths found here for us. In short, a man on a vineyard and was anxious to reap a great harvest. He made five visits to the marketplace to find a team of laborers who would work for him. Each time he went, he found people idly standing by as if there were nothing to do. The landowner would employ as many as were willing to work, and at the end of the day, he rewarded each one by paying him the wage previously agreed upon. Remember, he sought from dawn to dusk for anyone willing and available. This parable speaks about the one thing dearest to the heart of God – the harvest of lost souls, even in the last hour!
God has a harvest field
We read the phrase “his vineyard” or “the vineyard” throughout this parable. The Vineyard owner is representative of God. God has a harvest field. The harvest was ready. He needed workers. The harvest is ready. According to Jesus, there is not a problem
with the harvest. There is a laborer shortage.
Matthew 20:1-2
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
John 4:35
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Matthew 9:37-38
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
God is calling workers
The owner of the vineyard kept going out to find workers to work in the harvest field. He went out early at 6am. He went back to the marketplace at 9am. He went again at noon. He went again at 3pm. His last visit was at 5 o’clock pm, which was the last hour
of the Jewish day. It is the eleventh hour referred to in the parable. He kept coming back to find more help. I am so thankful that God is as concerned about today’s harvest as He has been in the past. Without a doubt, we are living in the eleventh hour. He is still looking for workers. The strongest rebuke given in this parable is the phrase we read, “Why stand ye here idle?” God is
asking the same question today. We have very little time for idleness. It is time to be in motion and busy for our King! The time is short. Night is at hand, like Jesus, we must work NOW!
Matthew 20:1, 3-9
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
John 9:4
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
God will reward as He wills
The Bible says they “supposed.” It’s never a good idea to think that we know better about God. We should never try to dictate that God should do this or that – that God should save this one and not that one – that God can use this one but not that one. Jonah felt like the Assyrians didn’t deserve a revival. They didn’t, but neither do we. There is Nineveh in all of us. Likewise, we should not be consumed with the calling of others. As Jesus said to Peter, we must focus on our calling. We must fulfill our purpose in this eleventh hour! May the Lord help us!
Matthew 20:10-15
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
Jonah 3:10
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Jonah 4:1
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
John 21:20-22
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
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