“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. . ." - Matthew 20:1
In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a strange parable about a master who hires laborers to work in his vineyard. He goes out early in the morning and hires some workers. He returns at 9:00 to hire more, and then at Noon, 3:00, and 5:00. At the end of the day, he pays them all the same, though they all worked different amounts of time. Well, that isn't fair, is it?
Jesus goes on to explain that this is the nature of the Kingdom of God. How can this be? Shouldn't God be fair to us? Actually, the last things you should ask of God is for Him to give you what you deserve. You should instead ask for what is merciful. As Martin Luther explained, "When you go to God, don't appeal to justice – appeal to Grace."
When we approach Jesus on the basis of what He has done and not what we have earned, we can pray to him for mercy, and he will grant it to us. That's the nature of God's grace. Whether you've done a little or a lot, the message is the same. Give all to Jesus and expect all from Him. His grace is not based on your righteousness, but His.
When we approach Jesus on the basis of what He has done and not what we have earned, we can pray to him for mercy, and he will grant it to us. That's the nature of God's grace. Whether you've done a little or a lot, the message is the same. Give all to Jesus and expect all from Him. His grace is not based on your righteousness, but His.
