Monthly Archives: January 2024

Life in the Vineyard – Sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 for Septuagesima Sunday

Matthew 20:1–16

1 “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. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 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?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 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.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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 a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Bible refers to Christians as many things. Christians are God’s sons (Ro. 8:14; Gal. 3:26), daughters (2 Cor. 6:18), children (Mt. 6:9; Ro. 8:16; 1 Jn. 3:1), and heirs (Ro. 8:17; Gal. 4:7). All Christians are called the bride of Christ (Eph 5:25-27) and the body of Christ (Ro. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27). The Bible will refer to you Christians as sheep with Jesus as your Shepherd (Jn. 10:1ff). There are all sorts of other things I could mention, but in this parable, Jesus calls you workers or laborers in God’s vineyard, and that is what we are going to focus on.

In the parable, the vineyard is the kingdom of God or the Church, the master is Jesus, and, Christian, you are in this parable as a worker who was brought into the vineyard by Jesus. Some of you were brought in early and some later, but you were all brought in by the invitation of Christ. You were brought in to the kingdom of God for a purpose.

Christ has called you into His kingdom not just to lounge around and dangle your toes in the pool while you get a tan. No, He has work for you to do. Husbands and fathers; wives and mothers; children; students; employees with a boss or business owners with staff; citizens of cities, states, and countries – all of these are tasks put in front of you as you work for God in His kingdom. There are times when the work Jesus puts in front of you is hard, difficult, and requires more strength than you can muster on your own. There are times when that work is easier. But it doesn’t matter how challenging or easy the work is, it is work in God’s kingdom.

And this parable harkens back to our origins, back to what God created us to be. Remember how it was at the beginning of creation and before the Fall? God creates everything, plants a garden, and puts Adam and Eve there so they could work it and keep it (Gen. 2:15). Those of you who have been attending our adult class Sunday mornings will, hopefully, remember this. Those two responsibilities – to work and to keep the Garden of Eden – are the same duties that God gives to the priests who served in the Tabernacle and Temple (Num. 3:7-8, 8:26, 18:5-6); the Hebrew words are the same. God didn’t just create Adam and Eve to be gardeners, they were guardians of sacred space. So, this parable refers to how God calls you to be guardians of the sacred space of His kingdom.

This vineyard, the kingdom of God, is a blessed place. Yes, there’s work to do. You have tasks and responsibilities to faithfully carry out, and at times you will struggle and even fail in those responsibilities as laborers in the vineyard. But remember, Scripture doesn’t only call you a laborer; again, you are also a child of God. As a laborer in God’s vineyard and as a child of God, you are part of the family business. Now, please know that I’m going to push past the boundaries of the parable a bit here (i.e. this goes a bit past the scope of the parable), but it is still in line with what the Scriptures teach.

In a family business, the children get all sorts of perks, freedom, and leeway that regular employees, who aren’t part of the family, don’t get. Now, I don’t know enough about vineyards to know if they regularly use tractors, but sick with me on this for a minute. Imagine a normal vineyard with a worker who crashes the tractor because he’s being careless or reckless. That guy is probably going to get fired. But if one of the vineyard owner’s own children makes the same mistake, sure he might get a lecture or not be allowed to drive the new tractor that replaces the one he broke, but he’s still going to be in the business because he’s family.

Now, what might that look like for you as a laborer in God’s vineyard? Again, as a Christian, you are working in God’s vineyard no matter what you are doing. You adults – in your job, whatever it is; in your home with your spouse and children; or in your town, state, and country – every responsibility is vineyard work that God gives you to do. You kids – at home, you empty the dishwasher, make your bed, brush your teeth; in your school, whatever subject you are studying or even being a friend to others at recess – all of that is vineyard work.

There are times you are going to mess up in that vineyard work. You’re going to burn the supper. You’re going to bomb the spelling, math, or science test. But you’re family, so there is forgiveness and mercy extended. You’re still going to be in the vineyard. Sure, you’ll have lessons to learn (and, sometimes, those lessons won’t be pleasant). You might be relegated to different tasks that better fit your abilities (see 1 Cor. 12:21-26). But you’re still in the vineyard because you’re family. Ultimately, the only failure is not learning from your mistakes and doing better the next time.

According to the parable, the thing that gets you thrown out of the vineyard is being angry with the master because of his generosity and goodness toward others (Mt. 20:13-15). But now, I have to add this just briefly: None of that is an excuse to be lazy or reckless with your labor in the vineyard. Remember, the better you work in the vineyard, the more you will benefit. So, take your work in the vineyard of God’s kingdom seriously, but also know that your place in the vineyard is safe and secure.

Ok, back inside the boundaries of the parable and to the elephant in the room – the wages. 

In the parable, the only place outside of the vineyard is the marketplace. Markets are where goods and money are exchanged. This thing costs so much, and if you don’t have enough, tough cookies. The marketplace operates only in justice. Now don’t get me wrong, justice is a good thing. We need justice, but because we are sinners, justice is a terrifying thing. God be praised that we have a God who is merciful andjust (Ro. 3:26; 1 Jn. 1:9). The marketplace is where the master of the vineyard finds his laborers and calls them out of it. Notice how the master says to the eleventh-hour workers, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They don’t respond, “Well, we like it here.” No. The marketplace is a terrible place to be as it is presented in this parable. When the master says, “You go into the vineyard too,” they don’t respond, “Aw man, now we have to work.” They willingly and joyfully go into the vineyard.

Again, notice how the judgment in this parable is being tossed out of the vineyard because the grumblers didn’t like the master’s pay scale based on mercy and generosity. Dear saints, we want to remain in the vineyard where we are benefactors of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because of what Jesus has done, we are in the vineyard where we get better than our sins deserve.

The parable is not just a description of the last day and final judgment. The parable is also about the life of faith. Some of you have said something like this to me, “Pastor, I don’t really like this parable. I’ve been a Christian my whole life and worked in God’s kingdom. And Jesus is saying that all I’ve done as a worker in His kingdom doesn’t really matter because anyone who converts on their deathbed or in a foxhole gets treated the same way I will. I know this is a wrong attitude, but I still don’t like what the parable teaches.” 

I’ve done my best to address that in the past, but after studying this week, I’ve got an answer that is better than what I remember sharing in the past. If you look back to the end of Mt. 19, the context of when Jesus tells this parable is also recorded in Lk. 18:18-30. Luke doesn’t record this parable, but Jesus tells this parable in the context of Peter’s little brag and question, “Jesus, we disciples have left our homes and everything and followed you. What are we going to get?” (see Mt. 19:27 & Lk. 18:28). And in Lk. 18:29-30, Jesus promises, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Did you catch that? Jesus promises eternal blessings and rewards to you in the life to come, but you also get blessings and rewards in this life for your labor in His kingdom. That’s what Jesus says. And He wouldn’t say it if it weren’t meant to be enticing to you to do the work that He has for you in His kingdom. Plus, consider this: you know what those eleventh-hour workers, who got paid the same denarius as those who worked the whole day, you know they did the next day? They got up and worked a full day in the vineyard. They got more strength, more endurance, more experience, and did what they could for the benefit of the vineyard.

Finally, and I’ll leave you with this: Remember your Christian life is work and labor in the vineyard. Jesus doesn’t tell the parable about the owner of a factory that produces sweatpants or sneakers or frozen French fries. No. It’s about a vineyard. Vineyards exist to produce wine which God gives to make glad the heart of man (Ps. 104:15). The work you do in Christ’s kingdom brings joy, rest, and feasting to you and to those around you. May we all be diligent and faithful and joyful as we live out our faith in the life of the vineyard. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Love & Respect – Sermon on Ephesians 5:22-33 for the Second Sunday after Epiphany

Ephesians 5:22–33

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Working with Jesus – Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17 for the Baptism of Our Lord

Matthew 3:13–17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

At Christmas, we celebrate the fact that the eternal God the Son came down to us so He could bring us up to Him. God, who is spirit (Jn. 4:24), became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14). This is the wonder of wonders and deserves our eternal contemplation, thanks, and praise. That being said, God simply becoming flesh wouldn’t have done us any good unless He did more than simply have a body. God came in the flesh and used that body to be your Savior from sin, and that is what we see happening at Jesus’ Baptism.

Today, we’re mainly going to focus on how Jesus responds to John’s objection, but before we do that, we need to consider for a minute what Jesus’ Baptism accomplishes. John said the reason he was preaching and Baptizing in the wilderness is for repentance (Mt. 3:11), and Lk. 3:3 says John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sins. But Jesus doesn’t have any sin, so He doesn’t need either repentance or forgiveness. That is why John objects and would have prevented Jesus from being Baptized (Mt. 3:14). Jesus isn’t Baptized because of His sins because, again, He didn’t have any. Instead, Jesus is Baptized to be anointed with the sin of the world. In His Baptism, Jesus steps into the office of being the Messiah or the Christ, both of those titles mean ‘the Anointed One.’

Imagine what was happening as John was Baptizing. People who recognized how they had sinned against God by idolatry, profaning God’s name, and breaking the Sabbath; people who were convicted of how rebellious they were toward their parents, murderers, adulterers, thieves, liars, and coveters; they were all coming to John repenting and to have those sins washed away in the waters of the Jordan River. So, imagine all the sins of all those sinners floating around in the water, making it filthy.

But then, Jesus steps into those repugnant waters. Since Jesus didn’t have any sin to wash away, He soaks up all those sins into Himself like a sponge leaving the waters clean again. This is why, the next time John sees Jesus, he says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). It is at His Baptism that Jesus, at least, begins to fulfill what was prophesied about Him back in Isaiah 53 – that He would be numbered with the transgressors (Is. 53:12), and that God would lay on Him the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:4-6).

One of my favorite verses is 2 Cor. 5:21, which could be viewed as an interpretation of or teaching about what happens at Jesus’ Baptism, “For our sake, [God] made [Jesus], who knew no sin, to be sin.” And I’d encourage you to personalize that verse: “For my sake, God made pure, perfect, sinless Jesus to be sin. God did that for me.” And the verse doesn’t stop there. It also tells you why God did this. He did it so that in Jesus, you “might become the righteousness of God.” Because of Jesus, believer, you are pure as God is pure (1 Jn. 3:3). Because of Jesus, dear saints, you are holy as God is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). Because of Jesus, Christian, you are righteous as God is righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).

Now, that brings us back to Jesus’ response to John’s objection. John doesn’t want to Baptize Jesus because John is the sinner who needs to be Baptized and have his sins washed away by Jesus. But Jesus replies, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15). Notice that, Jesus doesn’t tell John that He needs to be Baptized so He can fulfill all righteousness by Himself. No. He tells John that John has a role to play in fulfilling all righteousness, “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

John had a role and works to do with Jesus in Christ’s work fulfilling all righteousness. John’s role was to prepare the way of the Lord (Jn. 1:23), to proclaim a Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Lk. 3:3), to point people to Jesus (Jn. 1:29) and finally, to Baptize Jesus. That was God’s purpose for John. God put John into that specific office and vocation, and God did that long before John was born. 

The Old Testament closes with the prophet Malachi, which was written about 430 years before Jesus was born saying that God would send Elijah before the “great and awesome day of the Lord comes” (Mal. 4:5). And Jesus says that John is the fulfillment of that prophecy (Mt. 11:13-14). All four Gospels say (Mt. 3:3; Mk. 1:2-3; Lk. 3:4; Jn. 1:23) that John the Baptizer was the fulfillment of what God said in Is. 40:3 about the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord, which was promised about 750 years before John was born. For at least three-quarters of a millennia, God had planned that John would work with Jesus to fulfill all righteousness. John’s identity and purpose is completely bound up to Jesus’ identity and purpose as the Savior of the world.

Dear saints, the same is true for you. Jesus has also called you to work with Him to fulfill all righteousness. Christ calls you into particular offices and vocations to work with Him in fulfilling all righteousness. Sure, you weren’t called to do the things that John the Baptizer did, but you are called to work with Jesus – even from before the foundation of the world (Mt. 25:34). You’re familiar with Eph. 2:8-9 which says, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” And don’t forget what the next verse (Eph. 2:10) says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

God places you into different offices in which you work with Jesus to fulfill all righteousness. You kids here, from the moment you were conceived, God put you in the office of being a child so you can work with Jesus to fulfill all righteousness by honoring and obeying your parents. You who are married, at your wedding, God put you into the office of husband or wife to work with Jesus to fulfill all righteousness. As God blesses you with children, He places you into the office of parent where you fulfill all righteousness by raising your children, training them in the way they should go, and teaching them the faith. The same is true in your job, in your extended family, and with your friends. In each and every relationship you have, God is placing you into an office and giving you good works to do in order to fulfill all righteousness.

Whenever you do what God gives you to do in the different offices He places you in, you are serving God by loving your neighbor, and as you do that, you are working with Jesus to fulfill all righteousness. In every good work you do, God’s light shines through you, others see your good deeds, and they will glorify their Father in heaven (Mt. 5:16). Dear saints, you are God’s fellow workers (1 Cor. 3:9) and your deeds follow you (Rev. 14:13).

Now, to strengthen you in those tasks and to give you what you need, your heavenly Father invites you to His table where He will fill you with Jesus’ Body and Blood given and shed for the forgiveness of your sins. Through this meal, He fills you cup so it runs over with His righteousness (Ps. 23:5) and spills over to those around you. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.