Matthew 20:4

Saturday, 23 May 2026   and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Matthew 20:4   “And to them, he said, ‘You go, also you, into the vineyard, and whatever if it should be righteous, I will give you.’ And these, they departed.” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that in the third hour, the housemaster went out and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. He continues, saying, “And to them, he said, ‘You go, also you, into the vineyard.’”   With a quarter of the day gone, the chances of getting a job are waning. This offer was certainly good news for the men who were dependent on work to make ends meet. It may be preferable to wait a bit more for a good tiling job in someone’s house out of the full sun, but what if such a job didn’t materialize?   And more, this guy was willing to be fair, as Jesus says concerning their conversation, “and whatever if it should be righteous, I will give you.”   If he is a man of integrity, his word is a surety that he won’t cheat them at the end of the day. That is as much a risk as waiting, because he may be a person looking to cheat those who are getting desperate for any work just to make enough for dinner. But he has promised, and work is needed. Therefore, it says, “And these, they departed.”   No easy job like being a donkey valet has arisen. No exciting job, like laying mosaic tiles, has been offered. Working in the vineyard means standing, cutting, weeding, carrying heavy buckets of grapes, or whatever else is demanded by the on-site foreman. And all of it will be in the weather, even if a storm arises, but at least it is a job. And so, off they go.   Life application: When we have a job with a steady income, we generally don’t worry a great deal about how we will get through the day, week, or month. Yes, we may have mechanical problems with our car, but that will just mean less fun stuff like movies and going out for dinner for a few weeks.   But what happens when we suddenly lose our jobs? We have to mentally reconstruct our entire life’s paradigm. What can we do without? What will we be willing to do if no comparable job arises to fill our void? How will we be able to keep our children in their favorite activity next becomes how will we be able to keep our car? That soon turns into, how can I keep the house?   Each part of our existence gets a bit more precarious, starting with the least important, but leading to the most important. Sometimes, these are self-inflicted wounds. But other times, such a loss comes right out of the blue. The company isn’t doing well, and jobs are being cut. Then what will you do?   During such times, we have spiritual decisions to make that we may have avoided during times of prosperity. If we believe in God, or if we “think” He might be there, we start to think about Him. Then we start to talk to Him. Then we start to really call out to Him. Eventually, we ask friends who know Him well to pray for us.  Finally, we even begin going to church. God has allowed the catastrophe to occur. In this allowance, we start to put Him first. This is good. If it is a permanent change, this is very good. However, we may get a job out of the blue. It is better than the one before. Things suddenly take an upturn in our lives. We forget to thank God for the relief. We stop going to church. We reprioritize with even more stuff in our lives.   This is just one set of possibilities. Maybe the return to church becomes permanent. We now see everything through a new and permanent God-centered paradigm. We become unshakeable in our faith, even if the new job collapses after a few months.   Where does your ultimate hope lie? If it isn’t in God in Christ, it is a futile hope indeed. But even that hope must have a sure context to ground you –   “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-19   If we have the hope of the resurrection deeply grounded in us. Everything, good and bad, that comes our way is just a blip on the road to eternal glory. What is it that motivates you above all else?   Lord God, may we find our hope in You alone. Everything else is temporary and ultimately tragic because it cannot last. But our hope in You is based on what is eternal. Thank You for the sure hope we possess in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.