Receiving God’s Unexpected Grace (Matthew 20)

Evening Scripture

Matthew, Chapter 20

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Evening Reflection

Grace is truly an amazing word. By definition it means to receive unmerited favor. What I love about the Christian journey of faith and being a follower of Christ is that grace levels the playing field. None of us are saved because we deserved it. Instead, we are all saved because of God’s amazing grace.

In the first part of Matthew 20, the workers were complaining because everyone got the same reward even though it seems as if the ones who started earlier in the day did more work. The workers who started early in the day complained and that’s because they didn’t understand grace.

Recently, I was listening to a reporter talk about a criminal who had committed murder and was sentenced to life in prison. She was disappointed that this person did not get the death penalty. The reporter said this person may not have gotten what they deserved in this life, but when they die, they will find there is a place waiting for them where they will get what they deserve.

This reporter also does not understand grace. She was deciding who is worthy of grace and who is not. She saw the sin in the man and deemed his sins unworthy of receiving God’s grace. Strangely, by default she was assuming that her sins were worthy of grace.

When we understand grace, we recognize that all of us are sinners and none of us deserve salvation. The Father gives it because he wants to and because it is his to give. Instead of arrogance, that should make us feel more deserving. It should bring us to a place of humility because we know we are not worthy.

I invite you today to walk in God’s grace. It is enough to save you, but it is also enough to keep you. His grace truly is amazing. This should always humble us and remind us that we are all the byproduct of grace we did not deserve, but grace we have freely received.

Evening Prayer

Lord,

Today I want to thank you for your grace. I don’t know where I would be today if your grace had not rescued me from my sin. I acknowledge your grace does not come because I deserve it, but because I need it.

Father, help me to walk humbly and to never forget that I am not more deserving of salvation than anyone else. Instead let me share your wonderful grace and let others know that despite what they have done, there is salvation and forgiveness, and it is all because of your grace. Let this be the way I live all the days of my life.

I pray all this in Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.

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