Sermon for March 17

The reading

Matthew 20:1-16

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, "Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, "Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 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.' 13 But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

The message

Jesus talks more about the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God than any other topic.

Matthew contains many parables teaching what the kingdom of Heaven is like as well as many that reveal how different a place it is.

Today, we have another lesson on the kingdom of Heaven, this time it might be the most counter-cultural, a reminder that the kingdom of heaven is not just a better version of our world where everyone does the right thing and people are nice to each other.  The Kingdom of heaven is more, it is God entering God’s creation, a total and complete change.  

This is simply a story about a man who owns a vineyard, who goes out to hire workers, making several trips to where those looking for work wait and hiring them throughout the day.  At the end of the day, he pays them all the same.  Its unfair.  We have no idea why he does this, it could be a way to build a good reputation, ensuring he will get the best workers as the harvest goes on, ensuring loyalty, maybe it is guilt about how he has so much, it could be that he feels bad, pity and mercy for those who need work but could not find any, maybe its a protest of the minimum wage. the way workers are treated, the start of a major change.  All we are told is "it's my money and ill do what i want with it".

This parable could easily happen today, we have people waiting for work, some decades ago it was the Irish and Italians at the docks, now its people from Guatemala, Ecuador and other places on 69th st (and many other places). We can easily imagine the same generosity, same complaints and same conclusion,

Its rare,  but it happens.  I can think of one time in my life. I went to a funeral for a friend.  When I arrived, the Pastor there, who had been working on this service and care for the woman who died for several months, invited me to help with the service. I shared a short eulogy and did a few parts of the service, I was glad to help and be a part of entrusting to God's promises someone who had always shown me great kindness and encouragement.  After the service, the woman's family told the funeral director " They should give me something".   After discussion, the director comes back a few minutes later with a check for the same amount the other pastor received and said something like "its a good day to be you".

I was uncomfortable (especially as the funeral home people started to whisper, as though some great injustice had been done. This was quieted by someone in the group stressing, its their money) It had to be even, I had to jam a few hundred dollars worth of thankfulness, comfort and wisdom into a few minute conversation, I had to offer to take the other pastor and his wife out to a nice dinner,  I had to rationalize this, maybe my words were the most awesome they ever heard (they weren't). I did have a long trip to the church, I had to move some other appointments. It was hard to just accept the generosity.

Today's reading is a reminder of 2 things,. that the kingdom of God is not fair,  Its something better and that the kingdom belongs to God. T

he kingdom of God is better than fair I think back to one of the few quotes i have memorized, its from Issac the Syrain, a saint of the early church "never say that God is just, if God was just, you would be in hell., Instead rely on God's injustice which is mercy and grace"  God's injustice is Jesus on the cross, getting rid of sin.     The Kingdom of God belongs to God, God can do what he wants with it.  St Issac the Syrian (also known as Issac of Ninevah, if that’s more familiar) an early church saint and ascetic: never say that God is just, If God were just you would be in Hell. Instead, rely on God’s injustice which is mercy and grace.  

Issac the Syrian finds this passage too. 

How can you call God just when you come across the Scriptural passage on the wage given to the workers? “Friend, I do thee no wrong: I choose to give unto this last even as unto thee. Or is thine eye evil because I am good?” How can a man call God just when he comes across the passage on the prodigal son who wasted his wealth with riotous living, how for the compunction alone which he showed the father ran and fell upon his neck and gave him authority over his wealth? None other but His very Son said these things concerning Him, lest we doubt it, and thus bore witness concerning Him. Where, then, is God’s justice?—for while we are sinners Christ died for us! But if here He is merciful, we may believe that He will not change. (I.51, p. 387)