Have you ever felt overlooked? Maybe in your workplace, maybe at home, or even the church. Yeah, even the church. You show up early, you stay late, you give your best effort all the time, and no one seems to notice. Even worse, there's someone else who puts in far less effort than you, and they seem to get recognition and maybe even reward. That can be so frustrating when the outcome of all your time and energy put in doesn't meet your expectations.
And so, if you've ever felt like that, if you've ever felt unseen and underappreciated, this message is for you. First, rest assured that Jesus sees you and he understands your frustration. And yet, he also invites all of us to shift our perspective. He actually calls us to stop focusing on what we think we deserve and instead start embracing a surprisingly new perspective based in God's generosity and grace. You see, in God's kingdom, it's not about earning recognition. It's about receiving what only he can freely give. We're in a series titled, That Thing Jesus Said, and we're unpacking some of the tough teachings of Jesus throughout the gospel accounts. He's challenging us in how we think, how we act, and how we even live. And today, we're diving into one of his most surprising statements, the last will be first, and the first will be last.
This phrase appears more than once in the gospel accounts, both in Matthew's and Mark's account, and throughout Christian history, it has become an essential teaching to understanding faith and service, the combination of what we do and how we perceive or what we perceive to receive from what we do. In this message, I hope to unpack the differences in the earthly and eternal perspectives, and we'll see how vastly different they are from each other. But before we continue, I want to welcome anyone out there who's new to Mountain View Church. We'd love to connect with you. You can visit mountainview.church slash connect or text connect to 867-322-8001. And if you're in-house today, fill out a connect card and hand it into the welcome desk and one of our team will get in touch with you. For parents out there, we offer a children's program titled Base Camp and it runs every Sunday morning at 9.30 or 11 a.m. Or if you're at home, you can download the lessons and activities at mountainview.church slash base camp and your kids can enjoy those lessons at home.
For any teenagers out there, our youth group meets every Sunday evening between 6 and 8 p.m., with junior high meeting on the first and third Sundays, and senior high meeting on the second and fourth Sundays. Now let's get ready to dive into our scripture passage. If you don't have a Bible, you can use a Bible app or go to Bible.com. And if you'd like a physical copy of the Bible, we can send you one. Just text Bible to the number on the screen. And if you're in-house, simply grab one from under the seats in front of you, and it's yours to keep if you'd like it. Hi, my name's Adrian, and today I'm reading from the book of Matthew, chapter 20, verses 1 through 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. 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 he said to them, 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 me my generosity? So the last will be first and the first last. From a human perspective, this parable doesn't sound fair. Those who arrived last received the same reward as those who worked all day long. And it feels unjust, doesn't it? The landowner has paid every worker the exact same wage, even those hired at the very last hour of the workday. Naturally, the earlier workers who labored all day long were grumbling, which kind of makes sense. Wouldn't you feel the same? And from our modern perspective, we might assume that the latecomers have been lazy. We might create a false narrative that they've been just wasting the day away doing whatever they wanted.
But we need to remember this part of the parable. It reads, You see, they weren't being lazy at all. They wanted to work. They had been there all day long, since early in the morning, waiting to be hired. But these workers simply hadn't been chosen. For whatever reason, we don't get that part of the story. But these two verses point us to some important historical context.
You see, in first century Judea, it was very common that day laborers would gather early in the morning in the marketplace, hoping for someone to hire them. Now, in that society, at that time, no work might mean no food, not just for them, but for their family, that very night even. So Jesus' original audience would have understood that reality, and some of them in the audience might have even been living that reality. They might have been able to put themselves in that story, and they would have been tracking with his story until they hear this statement. And when those hired about the 11th hour came, each of them received a denarius. This would have been shocking to them. A full day's wage for an hour. And not in the way you might think.
You see, the first century audience would have immediately felt the weight of blessing, the weight of the landowner's generosity. Again, a day's wages for an hour. Who does that? And depending on the circumstances, the latecomer getting a full day's wages for that single hour of work, it would have been like receiving a life-saving gift. In a way, the landowner became a sort of earthly savior, maybe for him and his household. This was huge in the first century. This would have been a massive gift. They would have understood this story. But this is also where the tension comes in.
There would have also been some in the crowd who identified with the earlier worker in the parable. As they listened to Jesus, they felt those workers were treated unfairly. These people would have missed the underlying lesson for the early workers. They didn't have a justice problem. They had a comparison problem. They had received exactly what the landowner had promised to give them. It was agreed upon. Their frustration came from a sense of entitlement, believing that their longer time of service should have earned them more money. And yet, if the later workers had not been hired, they never would have thought of it.
The proof that it was their problem of comparison is in that statement. And it's not the landowner's problem of injustice. They just kept comparing themselves to the later worker. They missed the point. Through this parable, Jesus is revealing that God's kingdom is built on grace, not entitlement.
At first glance, it can feel like an upside-down kingdom, doesn't it? You see, in our world, the people who have status and wealth and influence are considered first and the best. They're high up. But in God's kingdom, anyone can receive his grace, regardless of their current position or past mistakes, anything. Worldly status doesn't matter at all. Some are called earlier and others later, but the reward is the exact same. As Jesus stated to conclude his whole parable, so the last will be first, and the first, last. The first will be last.
Jesus was showing them and showing us that God's generosity doesn't work in human terms. It's not issued based on effort or position or the time served. It's not about that. It's freely given according to God's grace because God's kingdom is open to anyone who comes with open hands and a humble heart. It doesn't matter whether you've been striving to follow God for years or you've just started pursuing him. The gift of grace is the same, no matter who you are. That being said, if you're just exploring Christianity, this can sound absolutely absurd.
If you've been raised in a different faith or religious system, well, it might sound too simple. And it might feel like there's got to be more work involved, that God's grace can't be that easy, kind of an easy believism. But maybe for you, you don't even have a faith position. Either way, I'm sure you're well-versed in the mantra of our modern era. Be first, be the best, climb higher, do more, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
And yet in some families and communities, there's a literal class system, and that's how it gets higher, you get higher. In others, the value is placed on high grades and awards and job offers or promotions. For others, it comes through acquiring property and assets. Others still, it's social media followers or subscribers. There's lots of different things, but the mantra's the same. Bigger, better, best. You see, these are all the pursuits of our modern time that will always leave us tired and empty. They'll always leave us wanting more.
And so God sends Jesus and Jesus offers us something much more meaningful. He invites us to leave the endless race of comparison entitlement and rest in the freedom of God's grace. That word again, grace. In the spiritual realm, the reward doesn't go to the strongest, the loudest, or the most impressive. It just doesn't. It goes to those who come in humility, repentant, humble, meek, open-hearted, open-handed. That's the posture that we come.
to be accepted by God. That's the posture that Jesus demonstrated. And those who choose gratitude over resentment, they get it. Those who choose grace over entitlement, they get it. But let's dig a little deeper. There's actually a deeper theological principle found within this parable. Jesus was pointing to another level of God's grace that wouldn't be fully realized until the end of his ministry and through his death and resurrection.
You see, the people of Israel were called first as God's chosen people. We read about it and see it fulfilled through the Old Testament. They received the law and the prophets and the covenant promises found within them. But now, God was revealing that other nations would also be invited into a covenant with God. Through Jesus, Gentiles or non-Jewish people would share in the same eternal blessing. Now, this idea was offensive in Jesus' day and it remains offensive in many Jewish circles today.
The thought that God would save those who have not adhered to his law and prophets might be seen as false. And the idea that God would establish a new covenant for all nations is often viewed as heresy in Judeo culture. And yet, the scriptural evidence of the Old and New Testaments and historical evidence around Jesus and the apostles and the early church testify that God sent his son, Jesus, to reveal a new kingdom that's built on grace and generosity and mercy, not merit, not heritage, not bloodline. His grace is not earned by years of service or religious status. It's given freely according to his mercy and compassion. Salvation is God's gift through Jesus Christ, offered to all, all, all who come with humble open hearts. It's not about how long you've been faithful, or how much you've accomplished, or any other thing. Fill in the blank. It's simply, completely all about his grace.
Pastor and evangelist David Platt explains this concept so well. He writes, This parable is not difficult to follow. Those workers hired at the 11th hour only had to work one hour, yet they were equally compensated. We learn from this that God's grace is surprising, for it surpasses our normal expectations. We tend to recoil at a story that's all about people not getting what they deserve. It's not fair. And that's the point. God's grace in salvation is, by definition, not fair.
He concludes his statement with this. Gratefully, God surprises us with his mercy. He does what he would never expect according to what we could never earn. Once again, we see this underlying truth emerge. God doesn't owe us salvation for something we have done. He gives us salvation despite everything we've done.
Salvation is a free gift of divine mercy, totally devoid of human merit. God owes us nothing, yet he gives us everything in Christ. Not only is God's grace surprising, but also God's grace is sovereign. God is under no obligation to extend forgiveness to sinners like us. He has the right to dispense his mercy as he pleases. At the center of this parable, we find the heart of the gospel.
that grace is surprising and undeserved under God's wisdom and oversight. As he sees fit, God chooses to give salvation freely through Christ and our role is to receive it with gratitude and humility and simply offer up praise and thanksgiving. Thank you, God. It's not about how long you've been faithful. It's not about what you've accomplished. I can't say that enough. It's about God's grace poured out on all, everyone, even you, anyone who comes with a humble open heart. And I get it. Maybe you're thinking to yourself, you're listening to this and there's just something in your gut that's crying out.
This can't apply to me. Not after what I've done. Jeremy, I hear you, but you don't know the choices I've made. You don't know what I've done. You don't know what I've seen. And maybe that's true. Maybe you've done something awful. Maybe you've lived a completely immoral and self-destructive life. You've made bad choices and decisions, and you have deep, deep, deep regrets. Maybe you feel like you are miles away from anything even resembling following God.
If that's where you're at, the invitation of God's grace is still waiting in the same capacity. His forgiveness and freedom are found in Jesus alone. It's not up to you. And the greatest example is when we witness the thief on the cross as Jesus is being crucified. Look, during Jesus' crucifixion, two criminals hung beside him. One mocked him. It was awful. But the other knew Jesus was different, knew there was something true about him. And he acknowledged who Jesus was and then he humbly asked, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
this man hanging on the cross beside Jesus had no good works to his name, no standing of faithfulness, no religious credentials, and nothing of moral or spiritual value from the world's perspective. He was a criminal deserving of the worst punishment that was known to man at that time or any other time, excruciating painful death. And so in every way, shape, and form, this man on the cross speaking to Jesus, acknowledging Jesus, he was the very last in the line. He was deserving of nothing, absolutely nothing. And yet, Jesus' response shows us the eternal picture of this parable. He says, truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. That's crazy. That's absolutely mind-blowing. The thief, deserving of nothing, came to faith and was invited into God's kingdom at the very last hour, the end of his life. He had nothing. He had absolutely nothing to offer. The only thing he had to offer was that humble heart and a request for mercy. That's it.
This alone granted him the same eternal reward as someone who had followed God's law to the letter for a lifetime, yet they were received into God's kingdom equal. How is this possible? Because you can't earn your salvation. It's a gift. Again, it's a gift. Just like the Apostle Paul explained to the Ephesian church, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
At the cross, Jesus took the punishment for our sin, for your sin. He died and was buried, but then rose again, defeating death and sin. Through him, God has offered us eternal life. Whether you've been pursuing God for decades or you're just beginning your journey and just beginning to ask questions of faith, the invitation of eternal reward is the same. This grace found in Jesus Christ is surprising, but it's also inspiring. The grace of Jesus is for all people, from every nation, tribe, or language, equally invited into God's kingdom. It doesn't matter where you're from or what you've done, where you've been. Fill in the blanks. Whoever is listening right now, you are invited to receive the gift of grace. But now, let's get into some application. As I thought about wrapping this up, I decided to focus on those of us who have grown up in the church.
For those of us who have attended hundreds of Sunday school classes and church services. For those of us who have memorized dozens of scripture passages and served in a variety of ministries. Here's why we need to be careful and why we need to pay attention to this passage and this parable. If we're not careful, we can be tempted into the mindset of the early workers. Comparison thinking can slip in easily when you're a constant and lifelong church goer.
I think the enemy convinces us that we deserve more recognition or more reward than those who are newer to the faith. They don't understand as much. They haven't gone in long enough in their discipleship journey. You know, they're not actually members of the church, whatever, whatever the reason. But we need to resist these temptations. We need to resist this comparison thinking because we start measuring ourselves against others, which is completely against what the parable is all about in the first place. The kingdom of God isn't about status or seniority. We've established that. It's about grace.
And we, above all people in the church, should know that and remember that. And so therefore, we need to continually remind ourselves that the last can be first and the first can be last, all according to his mercy and his will. When we're serving in the church, instead of comparing, we should embrace humility. And we should celebrate God's grace in our lives and the lives of other people, as we see it, in whatever measure it's displayed. We should serve with gratitude, knowing that God sees every act of faithfulness, whether anyone else notices or not.
And I'm happy to report that we see this all the time in our local church here at Mountain View. There are so many people here who humbly serve behind the scenes without ever seeking attention or recognition. Most of you in the congregation probably have no idea all the different things that are done by people that are sitting beside you on a Sunday. And I could list them all off for you and everything they've done, but I know they wouldn't want that to begin with. They may never be publicly recognized, but you can see the impact of their service in our gatherings and our ministries.
More importantly, you can see it in their walk with Jesus and how connected they are to our church community. It is very evident for me as a pastor, and if you speak to other pastors, they'll echo what I'm saying, that people who serve with humility and joy in their local church, they seem to be so well connected to Christ and so well connected to each other. There is something unique and something powerful about using one's spiritual gifts and natural and learned abilities. for God's kingdom in the church, in Christ's bride, or as part of Christ's bride, there's something powerful about it. And there's something that impacts them as a person. Like I said, there's more peace, there's more joy, there's more community. It's amazing. But here's the bonus. This is the bonus. When we stop chasing recognition and start trusting in God's grace,
there's a freedom that comes. And it's a freedom from jealousy and pride, which those two things can eat us alive. We can cheer on others without resentment. And we serve with joy and we don't think anything about it because we know that God's reward is so much greater than any earthly praise. That is sunk deep inside of us. His blessing is on our lives in ways we can't really measure in human or earthly terms. And we get that. And that's the real success. Belonging to Jesus in a deeper way and belonging to a local church, his church, in a deeper way, that gives us so much more than any praise or recognition or reward.
And so if you haven't connected to a local church, well, first, if you haven't connected to Jesus and then connected to a local church, run to it. Accept that grace and start working, serving, regardless of whether it's your first hour or the 11th hour. Just serve Jesus wholeheartedly. And the benefits will wash over you. And they're spiritual. They're heavenly. They're eternal. There's an earthly picture. There's an earthly feeling. There's an earthly benefit we get that is a picture of our eternal reward and our eternal life in heaven.
Before we close in prayer, I have a small reflection exercise for us to do. I'm going to ask three questions, and some of them might feel uncomfortable depending on your circumstances, but I encourage you to answer them because they're going to be helpful. You can feel free to pause this video or the audio as you contemplate each question, or if it helps, you could take some notes in your phone or pull out a journal and a pen and write them down. It'll just help the process. All right, let's get started. Question number one, ask yourself, where am I tempted to compare myself to others? Where am I tempted to compare myself to others?
Question number two, have I been serving with humility or striving for recognition? Have I been serving with humility or striving for recognition? Question number three, how can I celebrate God's grace in others this week? How can I celebrate God's grace in others this week? Assuming that you've had some time to reflect and maybe even jot some answers down, let's close with this prayer. Let's pray together. Dear God, thank you for your surprising and generous grace.
a gift I could never earn. Forgive me for the times I compare myself to others and feel entitled. Help me let go of pride and serve with humility and gratitude. I choose to trust your mercy and rest in your sovereignty. Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, my Lord and my Savior. Today I look to only you and surrender my life into your hands. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
If you prayed to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City of Whitehorse UConn.