God's Economy

Matthew 20:1-16

God’s economy makes no sense to a lost and empty world built on greed and fulfilling the desires of the flesh, but what about the Church, does it make sense to the Church?  I’m a conservative in the way I live, the way I vote, the way I manage the things God has entrusted to me, and being conservative comes with a curse to some degree.  I like the playing field to be level, I do not like someone to con or talk his or her way in front of the line, especially if I am standing in the line.  So today, I’m writing to guys and gals like me who have worked, saved, and prepared for what is to come, people of faith, who are willing to help others in need, but have little concern for the freeloaders of our society.

My friend Bill Gillham would often say, imagine the kingdom of heaven at 12” off the ground, and if you adopt that mindset it is no longer a thing in that you and I call the future, but something you are involved with at this moment.  Will you join me in the kingdom of heaven?  Listen to what Jesus is saying, my conservative brother and sister, and all who desire to experience the joy of following Jesus.

Jesus is the master of the house in this story, and He has already acted in this manner to each of us, and yet many have missed the message in the story of the laborers in the vineyard.  “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. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. 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? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

I was one who refused the early call of the Master of the house, but praise God, the Master kept coming back asking why I was idle in the market place, and I had many reasons to not join the others in vineyard, but the Master did not withdraw His offer, and at a late hour I accepted His offer, and I’ve received the generosity of the Master’s kingdom.  What is so amazing is the offer is still open, if your sitting idle all day long, His grace is still open to you, come be part of the kingdom of heaven.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice