As we approach the Lenten season, and we prepare the time of repentance, we hear this morning’s Gospel text as Jesus told a parable describing the workings of the reign of heaven. He said: “The kingdom of heaven is like…”
A man who needed some help in his vineyard and so he went to the market to hire some laborers. He hired some at daybreak agreeing to pay them a denarius, then went again and he hired some more about three hours later, some more about lunch time, and some a while after that. Each time he found men being idle, he hired them.
Even into late in the afternoon, he kept on hiring even with only one hour left in the day. By the time they got to the actual vineyard they would have labored for almost no time at all. Then it was time to pay them all. He began with those he hired last. Those workers who barely had time to get out to the vineyard before the sun went down received a full denarius, a full day’s pay even though they hadn’t worked all day. The other workers seeing this thought that maybe they would get more for having worked more, but they were shocked and upset to receive the same wage. It certainly does not seem fair to the workers who had put in more hours, who had more “total productivity” toiling even under the heat of the sun.
Yet, Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like this man who hired all these laborers paying them all the same regardless of the amount of work. The kingdom of heaven does not make sense from an earthly point of view. That is, if you get hung up on the concept of “earning” salvation.
The “wage” is not really a wage in the kingdom of God, but is actually a promised salvation at the end of earthly life, or the end of time when all judgement will be given. So, the wage represents: salvation, the vineyard represents the work and toil within the Church for the kingdom of God and those outside represent the world existing in lazy unbelief.
This parable puts forth this truth: “Regardless of when you are called to faith or come to faith, it is the same promised salvation, the same forgiveness of sins given by the owner of that so-called “wage” at the end of the day.” You do not receive an extra portion of salvation for having been Christian the longest, nor for suffering the most trouble or persecution. To those who have been life-long Christians it may not seem fair. “But we have worked so long and so hard in your name, Lord, shouldn’t we get more?”
But then again, our own salvation is not fair. We need to be honest, when it comes to wages and how that salvation came to be. The true wages that all people deserve is death. That is the wages of sin: death eternally and physically. Who earned the opposite of death? He who came into the vineyard and marketplace and earned a wage. He who truly worked faithfully, perfectly, fulfilling the law in totality. He seemingly received for His labor, the heat of persecution and hatred by humanity, and being forsaken taking upon Himself the wrath and the punishment of death from His Father which sins deserved. The Creator of the entire universe took on human flesh, suffered, and died so that sinners could have a hope of eternal life.
How is that fair? Even as the Son suffered on the cross for the sins of the world He turned to the thief and said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” A thief who would be able to “contribute” nothing to the kingdom by his labor is granted paradise because of the labors of the innocent Son of God.
Is it unfair that Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross offers the same forgiveness, life, and salvation to the best of saints as well as to the worst of sinners?
Yes, because we don’t deserve any grace or any wage at all. The conversation that the landowner had with the resentful laborers at the end of today’s parable warns us against begrudging God in His giving of grace. It is a warning against thinking we deserve anything because we have done XYZ or have been Christian for “so long”. Satan will surely tempt us to think more highly of ourselves than we should. That we deserve more power, glory, and honor because we have been Christians for a longer time and have in a sense labored longer than others in His vineyard, the Church.
There is a place that continuously doles out things in fairness: the fair and just punishment that sin deserves. That place is Hell. Hell is filled with people who the Lord went to the cross to save. They are there because they are getting what their sins deserved. They are there because they rejected the gift of salvation which the Lord earned for them with His totally unfair yet merciful suffering and death. God does not want them there, but they insisted on an eternity that was fair, thinking they could be saved by works, without God’s grace. Or they rejected the message of salvation and the work and change that comes with faith. Instead, they embraced the worldly temptation of spiritual sloth and laziness, doing whatever the flesh desired, taking the easy way.
The fact of the matter is that when people are called into the kingdom, it is a rescue from pointless, hopeless, temporary existence. No one is worthy to be called and nobody’s labor is perfect when entering the kingdom, but the entrance to the vineyard is Christ, the failures are covered over in Christ. Though blisters may form as we work faithfully our earthly vocations with repetitive witnessing to a world that cannot understand the purpose of our labor, nor the fact that we are different in hope and life from the world. Though we receive the hatred and scorn from the world for speaking humbly the truth in love that there is an objective truth which says something is bad and unhealthy and contrary to God’s will, but there is a way of hope, forgiveness and change. Yet, we are encouraged. We labor joyfully. Because it is a privilege to labor in God’s kingdom. But we do not work and labor as hired hands, but as sons and daughters. Those who share in the profits of the wage of salvation earned for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s true and Holy Son.
We deserve nothing, but He has offered us the everything in His kingdom. We spiritually dead and lost, He called by His Word, baptized into the blood and death of Jesus Christ, brought forth by His resurrection as those brought into the vineyard, to eat and to drink the fruit of Christ’s labors. So, for those who understand, who repent, who believe, who labor, and desire rest in the true objective realities of God’s Grace here offered is the fruit of the vine, Christ Jesus. In the wine, we receive His blood shed for you, poured out from the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. His wages: to you, His grace, so that you know the victory of life eternal that is yours through faith in Jesus Christ, the life you shall receive in full at the end of the day when your labor is done and you are received into His full presence. Received: not to be handed over for your just wages of your sin and cast into Hell. No. Received into the fullness of His presence for joy, life, eternal refreshment, and comfort. What we receive here in part in the labors of the vineyard shall there be received in full.
How thankful we can be that God’s salvation is not fair. If God were utterly fair, then we would all have to spend an eternity in hell for every slander, every adulterous thought, every jealous grumble, and every time anything or anyone has been more important than God in our lives.
The parable in today’s Gospel illustrates the unfair nature of God’s generous grace. No matter when we receive saving faith from the Holy Spirit, we all receive the same heaven, the same righteousness of Christ.
Some may then say “If God is gracious regardless of when I come to faith, why not enjoy life in dissipation and then become a Christian at the last minute?”
Why not? Because no one really knows when the sun will set on their life. Sometimes death is the result of a long illness and there is time to prepare. But accidents and tragedy happen and sometimes quickly. If you have heard the Truth, why continue to live in that which does not give life? Why not already live in His hope, in His forgiveness, His peace, to be prepared, and ready?
God’s grace is for you now. As you labor in His vineyard fulfilling your vocations, have that confidence and knowledge that because of God’s generosity, for the sake of Christ, your sins are forgiven through faith in Him. Jesus is with us in this world. We never labor alone. We have the privilege of talking to God in prayer at any time, giving Him our anxious cares, and then thanking Him for all His blessings as He come to us in His Word and Sacraments.
The parable in today’s Gospel reminds us that the Lord promises to deal with us not according to our sins, but according to His great generosity, mercy, and love in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. May He keep each and every one of us in that faith, in His service, until He comes again in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas