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Please turn in your Bibles to 
Matthew chapter 20. We return to our exposition of 
Matthew's gospel. Matthew 20, we'll look at verses 
1 to 16 this morning, the parable of the gracious landowner. I'll 
begin reading in chapter 20 at verse 1. For the kingdom of heaven 
is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire 
laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the 
laborers for denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing 
idle in the marketplace and said to them, you also go into the 
vineyard and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. 
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise. 
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing 
idle and said to them, why have you been standing here idle all 
day? They said to him, because no 
one hired us. He said to them, you also go 
into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive. So 
when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 
call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the 
last to the first. And when those came who were 
hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 
But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive 
more, and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they 
had received it, they complained against the landowner saying, 
these last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal 
to us who have borne the burden, excuse me, and the heat of the 
day. But he answered one of them and 
said, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with 
me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your 
way. I wish to give to this last man 
the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do 
what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I 
am good? So the last will be first and 
the first last. For many are called, but few 
chosen. Amen. Well, let us pray. Blessed 
Father, we pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit now. Again, 
we ask for the forgiveness of sins. We pray that you would 
cleanse us and help us to receive with thankful hearts the word 
of God Almighty. May we have a proper understanding 
of justice and grace and goodness and sovereignty and all the things 
that the Bible says concerning you. Help us, Lord God, to be 
humble before you and help us to reckon or realize that the 
kingdom of God is administered by a great and a glorious king. We ask now that you would guide 
our thoughts and instruct our hearts and grant us help and 
strength to glorify you in all that we do with the knowledge 
of your word. And we pray these things through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Well, just to refresh ourselves 
concerning the movement that we find in the Gospel of Matthew, 
if you go back for just a moment to chapter 16, what we find there 
is that Jesus has concluded his Galilean ministry. That's the 
northern part of Israel. And now they're going to head 
south into Judah with the specific intention that the Lord Jesus 
be offered up in sacrifice in Jerusalem. Notice in 1621. From 
that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must 
go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief 
priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day. 
Turn over to 19.1 where we see them actually come into the land 
of Judah. Now it came to pass when Jesus 
had finished these sayings that he departed from Galilee and 
came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And great multitudes 
followed him and he healed them there." So the shadow of the 
cross is certainly looming large over this entire narrative, over 
this entire half of the gospel record. In fact, after the section 
that I read in our hearing up to verse 16, verses 17 to 19 
is another formal announcement by our Lord Jesus concerning 
his coming death in Jerusalem. Well, in this particular section, 
this parable, it connects us back to what has preceded. Remember 
the account of the rich young ruler. He comes to Jesus, what 
good thing must I do that I might inherit eternal life? Jesus then 
points him to the law, and the man says, all these things I 
have kept from my youth, what thing do I lack? And then Jesus 
says, I want you to go and sell everything you have and I want 
you to follow me. I think what Jesus is doing there 
is using the law to expose to this young man his own sin. He sort of was like those Laodiceans. They thought they were wealthy. 
They thought they could see. They thought that everything 
was just so. And yet Jesus says, you don't 
know that you're blind, that you're wretched, that you're 
miserable. Well, the same thing with this rich young ruler. He 
thought he was doing quite well. So Jesus says, go sell, go give, 
and then follow me. What Jesus is showing the young 
man is that his obedience to the law was not as fastidious 
as he himself thought. And this man went away sorrowful. So among the disciples, they 
start to wonder about the difficulty of rich men entering into heaven. 
Remember back in those days, and probably much to the same 
degree in our day, we associate a rich person with the favor 
of God. In other words, if someone has 
a lot of stuff, he has a lot of possessions, he has a lot 
of money, then he must have a lot of the favor of God. Well, that's 
the way it was there. And Jesus tells them it's difficult, 
it's impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 
And the disciples essentially throw up their hands and say, 
who then can be saved? And Jesus says, with men it is 
impossible, but with God all things are possible. And on the 
heels of that, Peter then says, notice in verse 27, of chapter 
19 see we have left all and followed you therefore what shall we have 
so Jesus said to them assuredly I say to you that in the regeneration 
when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory you who have 
followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel and everyone who has left houses or brothers 
or sisters or father or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, 
for my name's sake shall receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal 
life." Now notice verse 30, "...but many who are first will be last, 
and the last first." Now notice 2016, "...so the last will be 
first, and the first last." So Jesus tells this parable in chapter 
20, verses 1 to 15, to underscore this reality of 1930. Many who 
are first will be last, and the last first. So that's the function. The way that it starts in verse 
1 of chapter 20, it says, for. This ought to be understood as 
an explanation for the statement of verse 30. And I want to look 
at this parable, I call it of the gracious landowner, because 
that's the focal point. I call it that because that's 
the focus that our Lord Jesus is setting forth to us. want 
to look at three things. In the first place, the subject 
of the parable. Secondly, the teaching of the 
parable. And then thirdly, the summary 
of the parable. But note in the first place, 
the subject would argue that it not only connects with what 
precedes, as we have seen, 1930 and 2016 are just about the same, 
but it also probably has something to do with what follows. You 
see, Jesus highlights this reality in 20, 1 to 16. He then announces 
his coming crucifixion at the hands of godless men in verses 
17 to 19. And as they're traveling, the 
sons of Zebedee now come to him in 20, 20 to 28, and they're 
somewhat jockeying for position. This is probably the natural 
tendency or a default position in all of our hearts. We want 
position. And it's not wrong to want heaven 
by any stretch of the imagination. If you don't want heaven, you're 
out of your mind and you ought to lay down your rebellion and 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But this desire to have a special 
place, a privileged place. I know my brother and I have 
often mused on the blessed reality of the psalmist when he says, 
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell 
in the tents of wickedness. I would rather sweep the streets 
that are paved with gold and just be content there. But there 
is this innate principle, perhaps it's our pride, perhaps it's 
our arrogance, perhaps it's the fact that we actually think the 
God of heaven and earth owes us something besides hell and 
punishment and damnation, that we want this special privilege. 
And I think that's the point of 21 to 16. It is to help us 
all see that what we think in terms of where we ought to be 
isn't necessarily the right way we ought to think. I think that 
what we have in 1 to 16 looks backward and it looks forward. It serves as a basis upon which 
our Lord Jesus will hopefully humble us under his mighty hand 
so that we will not be proud and contentious and arrogant 
and think that we have more coming to us than We believe. Now notice 
the subject, verse 1, for the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner. We've seen many of these sorts 
of parables in chapter 13, the kingdom parables. Notice the 
kingdom of heaven is like. It's not exactly the same. There's 
a correspondence here. There's an analogy here. We are 
not to take 20, 1 to 16, and somehow conclude that we are 
saved by our works. In fact, it is just the opposite. 21 to 16 highlight for us the 
grace of God and not our works or what we deserve. So there's 
a similarity or an analogy. The Lord Jesus is a wise master 
teacher and he takes these parables and he throws them alongside 
of us and he teaches us things that we can sort of sink our 
teeth into. He gives us these word pictures. 
And in this one, I think it's masterful in the sense that if 
you are honest, you will respond just like the men who believe 
they got shorted in this particular parable. Because, I mean, it 
isn't fair, is it? That those who have worked all 
day get the same wage as someone who's only done an hour's worth? 
I think Jesus is reeling us in. I think Jesus wants us in a particular 
position so that the glory of God's sovereign grace is what 
shines, and not what we think we deserve. You see, what is 
absolutely crucial in our study of the Bible is not to come out 
on the other end with a higher esteem of ourselves. A study 
of the Bible ought to yield this observation. God is glorious. That grace is truly amazing. That this word of Father, Son, 
and Holy Spirit is something to be praised and adored. He 
is to be worshipped and glorified. And these things ought to humble 
us. It ought to put us in the ground. 
It ought to make us a lowly and a contrite people. It ought to 
make us a people who tremble at the word of God and not to 
bring arrogance to pass. Now notice, as well, what group 
is Jesus talking about? If you read the commentators, 
there's a lot of sort of suppositions. Some say that Jesus is dealing 
with Jews and Gentiles. The Jews, who were the first 
to be called, and the Gentiles, who were the last to be called. 
That's not in the context. Some say it's talking about the 
leaders of the twelve themselves very specifically. Peter and 
the other apostles. They'll have a rude awakening 
if they somehow think they're going to be better off than those 
persons called in the eleventh hour. Some suppose it's referencing 
different ages of those who come into the kingdom. Some of the 
commentators make a plug for the older convert. I want to 
make a plug for the older convert as well. If you're older and 
you haven't believed the gospel, you should believe the gospel. 
Spurgeon said, there is no fool more foolish than a gray-headed 
fool. Lay down your rebellion and flee 
to the Savior and know the joy of being found in Him. Some say 
it applies to deathbed conversions, you know, those who are converted 
in the 11th hour of life. Now, none of those are absolutely 
dealt with in the context. I think if any of them, it's 
probably the leadership that the context leans more toward, 
for the reasons I gave you before, what precedes and what follows. 
But it applies in all those situations, doesn't it? It applies in all 
those situations because it highlights to us the grace of God. In the Jew-Gentile distinction, 
yes, to the Jews first, and also to the Greeks. Those same Greeks 
or Gentiles enter into that same heaven by grace alone, through 
faith alone, in Christ alone. It applies to age groups. Those 
who are converted at 15 or 20 and live their lives for 50, 
60, 70 years and they seek to be faithful, they'll enter into 
heaven. And that man who on his deathbed, by God's grace, lays 
hold of Jesus is going to enter into heaven. It's truly amazing, 
isn't it? It's truly glorious grace. That's 
the focus that we need to appreciate in this situation. Now let's 
look at the teaching of the parable. It's two broad sections here. 
First, the hiring of the workers, verses 1 to 7, and then reckoning 
with the workers in verses 8 to 15. So they're hired, and then 
they're paid. They are collected and then they 
are given their recompense. Now note in the first place with 
reference to the hiring. We see that the kingdom is like 
a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers 
for his vineyard. This smacks of God. He is the 
one that we are to understand as the landowner. And it would 
only be God who functions that way. We would not function the 
way that this landowner does. We would say to the 11th hour 
worker, you didn't do much work. We're only going to give you 
a fraction of a denarius. It is God's abundant grace that 
is conspicuous here. The prophets referred often to 
God and Israel with reference to this vineyard imagery. It's 
going to come up again in chapter 21 when Jesus teaches more parables 
on this particular subject. Now notice, in the early morning 
he hires some workers and the reckoning is based on the Roman 
calendar. or the Roman way to reckon the 
day. The early morning, six o'clock. Third hour, nine o'clock. Sixth 
and ninth hour, twelve o'clock and three o'clock respectively. 
And then the eleventh hour is five o'clock. So that was the 
work day in the Roman reckoning and that's how this proceeds. 
So he first of all goes to these early morning men and he hires 
them. Notice specifically what it says in verse 2. Now, when 
he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent 
them into his vineyard. The denarius was a common wage 
for one day's service. It was the common wage. It's 
neither miserly, it's neither generous. It is what it was. 
That's the common pay for a day laborer. He goes out again in 
verse 3, about the third hour, and saw others standing idle 
in the marketplace. And he said to them, you also 
go into the vineyard, and what is right I will give you. You 
know what that does? What is right I will give you. 
If you had never read this before, it would increase the tension 
of the parable. There's a curiosity hopefully 
building upon our hearts. And we come to parables like 
these having heard them preached, having read them ourselves, and 
coming to them as sort of old hat. But it's a story that Jesus 
tells designed to highlight the generosity and the graciousness 
of his Father in heaven. We ought to feel that tension 
build. He says, whatever is right, I 
will pay you. Well, what is right? If it's 
right to pay a man who starts at 6 a.m., a denarius, what's 
it right to pay a man who works at 9 a.m.? It's probably less 
than a denarius, isn't it? I mean, come on, brethren, appreciate 
the passage. Jesus, as I said, is setting 
forth something to us to show us this principle, that God's 
grace is not a commercial transaction. God's grace is not parceled out 
to men based on their merit or their deserts. We have to understand 
this fundamental principle set forth in the entirety of God's 
Word. The only thing we deserve, the 
only thing we have merited from God is hell, damnation, judgment, 
punishment, and wrath. That's what we deserve. Have 
you felt that in your own heart? Have you embraced that reality? Have you come to grips with the 
fact that you're really not as good as you think you are? The 
standard of goodness is God. The standard of righteousness 
is you shall have no other gods before Him. You say, well, Pastor 
Butler, I don't worship sticks. I don't worship stones. I don't 
bow to idols. I submit that every time you 
look into a mirror, there is a rival God in your life. That 
is what we're drawn to, isn't it? Ourselves, a love of self, 
my worth, my value, my hopes, my dreams. Narcissism isn't just 
a problem out there. Narcissism is a problem in here 
for all of us. The Lord God Almighty says we 
are to honor Him in all that we do, in all that we think, 
in all that we say. The Lord God Almighty says we 
are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we slap our head 
and say, well, what does that mean? Commandments 5 to 10 highlight 
what that looks like. We have fallen miserably short, 
brethren. We have sinned against a gracious 
God. We deserve hell and wrath and 
punishment and damnation and judgment and every vile thing 
that we can imagine. It's grace that taught our hearts 
to fear. It's grace that has secured a 
place in heaven. What's fair in this passage? Notice what goes on. Verses 4, 
I'm sorry, verse 5. Again, He went out about the 
sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. Some say this just 
isn't realistic. This just isn't realistic. Well, 
again, it is a parable. It's like the kingdom of heaven. It's not the exact correspondence. But some say, well, why wouldn't 
the man plan better? In other words, he knew what 
was necessary in his vineyard. He knew how many men would be 
needed to collect the grapes and to bring these things to 
harvest. He knew all of this. I think this highlights the compassion 
of the landowner. Certainly he knew what he needed 
in terms of harvest, but the landowner goes out in the sixth 
hour. He goes out in the ninth hour. He goes out in the eleventh 
hour. He is a man full of large heart, 
full of compassion, and full of kindness. Notice what we find 
in verse 6. And about the eleventh hour he 
went out and found others standing idle and said to them, Why have 
you been standing here idle all day? They said to him, Because 
no one has hired us. These are probably not the best 
and the brightest. They had stood there all day 
not being hired. I don't mean to be unkind to 
these particular men, but they're probably not the best and the 
brightest. They probably don't look like 
the fellows that you want to bring into your harvest field. 
Again, there's a similarity with experience in this particular 
passage. And notice what the landowner says, you also go into 
the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive. Again, 
what is right for the eleventh hour? If a man hired in the early 
morning receives a denarius, a man hired in the eleventh hour 
should only get a fraction of that. I mean, one hour of work, 
right? He's not entitled to much. They 
probably weren't expecting much. When Jesus says, you also go 
into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive, those 
11th hour guys probably weren't expecting a full denarius. Those 
11th hour guys were probably expecting a fraction of a denarius. 
They just wanted to do something for that particular day. Now 
let's look at the reckoning with the workers in verses 8 to 15. 
They are paid. Verses 8 to 10. So when evening 
had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, call the 
laborers and give them their wages beginning with the last 
of the first. This is in accordance with the 
law. Leviticus 19, 13. Deuteronomy 24, 14 and 15. What was requisite upon faithful 
covenant Israel? It was to pay those who worked 
for you. Don't make people follow you. Don't make people seek you 
out. Don't make people knock on your 
door to get what is due. This is just a common courtesy 
afforded to us in this life. It was stipulated by law. If 
a man is a day laborer, do not withhold from him his wages. The landowner here is a man who 
operates according to the law. The landowner here wants to make 
sure he pays His laborers, he is a faithful landowner in this 
regard. Now notice, he instructs them 
to begin with the last. Why do you think that is? It's 
so that the first could see everything that was happening. If he had 
paid the first and they went and spent the money in the marketplace, 
When he gets to the last and he hands them the same thing, 
the first wouldn't be there to complain. And we need the first 
there to complain so that Jesus can underscore the lesson of 
the parable. You have no right to complain. 
It's about the grace of God Almighty. See, that's where the parable 
is driving us. Notice the complaint of the men. verses 11 and 12, and when they 
had received it, this is the first, and when they, the last 
rather, when they, the last had received it, they complained 
against the landowner saying, these men, these last men have 
worked only one hour and you made them equal to us who have 
borne the burden and the heat of the day. The men hired first 
believed that they should be paid more. Don't you agree? You don't have to nod. You can 
nod, that's okay too, but really, don't you agree? What rises up in your hearts 
if you didn't know where this parable was going? That doesn't 
seem fair. That's not right. That doesn't seem politically 
correct. I believe this landowner has 
committed a microaggression against me because I deserve so much 
more. It's the new PC word out there, 
microaggression. These are us. See yourself in 
the text, brethren. I doubt you're the one among 
the rest of us who can say, well, it never wells up in my heart 
to be proud or arrogant. I never think anything that happens 
is unfair. Look it. Verse 11, when they 
have received it, they complain against the landowner saying, 
these last men have worked only one hour and you've made them 
equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. The men hired first believed 
they should have been paid first. The men had also received a denarius, 
just like those 11th hour men. France says they need to understand 
that the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven does not operate 
on the basis of commercial convention. God rules by grace, not by dessert. They don't get this. They don't 
see this. They don't understand this. But again, it's not confined 
to this passage. There's probably in all of our 
hearts something like this. We hear about a great notorious 
sinner that gets converted and we almost think, well, that doesn't 
seem right because he's so bad. Have you thought about your own 
conversion? Can you imagine there's people 
out there that when they heard that you're heaven-bound would 
say, that's not right, he's such a bad guy. Have you ever considered 
the time that you actually enter into the New Jerusalem, there's 
going to be people that are surprised at your entrance? Have you ever 
pondered that reality that someone there is going to scratch their 
heads and say, you're here? You see it happen even in churches 
sometimes. People come and they visit and 
they see someone. You're here? Well, thanks. Thanks 
a lot. It's a legitimate response. We 
are God-hating rebels by nature that deserve wrath, judgment, 
punishment, and hell. These men do not understand, 
in the parable, the nature of the kingdom of God. And they 
complained about the landowner. They complained about him. Spurgeon 
says, at the sight of great grace, envious hearts grow sour. You say, you know, this isn't 
right. We have borne the heat of the day. We deserve more. Our beak should be wetter than 
those 11th hour men. You should make our pay packet 
bigger. You should do this because it's 
right. Now notice the response by the 
landowner. In the first place, he highlights 
his justice. It's an amazing thing that embedded 
in this parable is the doctrine of God. In this parable are the 
attributes of God by which we are supposed to judge this world, 
the kingdom of heaven itself. Jesus highlights in the first 
place the landowner's justice. He says, friend, I am doing you 
no wrong. Did you not agree for a denarius? You see, it would have been injustice 
for the landowner to give them a fraction of a denarius. Wouldn't 
it have been? If they had agreed in the early 
morning at 6 a.m. for a denarius, and they come 
to reckoning time, and the landowner has his servant hand over half 
a denarius, that would be unjust. That would be unfair. But the 
Lord God, Jesus Christ himself, highlights with the Lord God, 
this is justice. This passage made me reflect 
upon another instance where Israelites complained about what's fair 
and what isn't. And I want to underscore this 
with all of us. We need to be very careful when 
we cry out for fairness. Do you know what fair is? Do 
you know what just is? Fair and just is for God to send 
us to hell. Be very careful before you start 
crying out, Lord, treat me fairly. In the prophet Ezekiel, in chapter 
18, verse 25, God says, through the prophet, yet you say the 
way of Yahweh is not fair. Hear now, O house of Israel, 
is it not my way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? In other words, Ezekiel, I want 
you to encourage Israel. They're in no position whatsoever 
to enter into a dialogue on what is fair. May I say that is the 
case with each and every one of us? We are in no position 
to enter into dialogue with God Almighty and start parlaying 
about fairness. Fairness is that God sends us 
to hell. It was grace that taught my heart 
to fear. Have you ever read this where 
people write or they say, we deserve or you do this and you 
will get God's grace. Well, if you do something to 
get something, that's payment. Grace is exactly opposite, isn't 
it? Isn't it an unmerited favor? 
Aren't you here because you're washed in the blood and that's 
not because of you? Aren't you going to heaven because 
you're washed in the blood and that's not because of you? If 
God gave you what was fair, if God paid you according to strict 
justice, if God dealt with you in those terms, you would be 
in hell. Isn't this what moves the psalmist in Psalm 130? Out 
of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord. O Lord, hear my 
voice. He said, if you, Lord, should 
mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? That's the reality 
of the problem. That's the gravity of the situation. If God should mark iniquities, 
who could stand? But he doesn't stop there. He 
says, but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared. 
It's grace, brethren. Grace is offensive to the carnal 
heart, isn't it? Grace is offensive to the believing 
heart, even. We've got a lot of ways to go. 
We've got a long way to proceed until we understand and appreciate 
what God does in His gospel. So the first response is justice. 
Notice in the second place the sovereignty of the landowner. 
Verse 14, take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give 
to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for 
me to do what I wish with my own things? This is sovereignty. Isn't it? Oh, you guys are reformed 
or you guys are Calvinist. That means you hold the sovereign 
grace. That's the only kind of grace there is. God is no man's debtor. God owes 
no one. Read Paul at the Areopagus in 
Acts 17. God didn't create because there 
was some empty part of God. God didn't create because He 
needed us. God didn't create in order to 
complete himself. From everlasting to everlasting, 
thou art God, Father, Son, and Spirit, dwelling in blessed blissfulness 
from everlasting to everlasting. God created according to his 
own pleasure, according to his own sovereign purpose. And in 
this instance, this is underscored to this man or to these laborers 
who complain about the landowner. This isn't fair. This isn't right. This isn't cool. This isn't good. This isn't legit. We're going 
to call our congressman. We're going to call OSHA, we're 
going to call whatever group gets involved in these sorts 
of things because we don't think it's just and legit that these 
11th hour workers take home a denarius and that we, those who have been 
here since the early morning, take home the same denarius. 
He says, is it not right for me to do with my own what I wish? 
See, we have a problem with God's sovereignty. We think He owes 
us. We think He ought to save certain persons and not save 
others. God is not beholden to us. Look 
at Romans chapter 11 for just a moment to underscore this reality. In a passage, in a context where 
the Apostle Paul is underscoring the absolute sovereignty of our 
God. He highlights this reality at 
the end in chapter 11, verses 33 to 36. Oh, the depth of the 
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable 
are his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who has 
known the mind of the Lord or who has become his counselor? 
God doesn't call you and me. God doesn't ask our opinion. 
God doesn't surround himself with advisors. God doesn't need 
someone to speak to him concerning foreign policy or job growth. 
God doesn't need somebody that he can phone to give him encouragement 
or a nudge on who he ought to save. God doesn't seek our counsel. God is a sovereign being. God 
is most high. God is most glorious. Notice 
in verse 35, or who has first given to him and it shall be 
repaid to him. He's no man's debtor. For of 
him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be 
glory forever. Amen." It's the point in the 
parable, isn't it? He says specifically, take what 
is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man 
the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do 
what I wish with my own things? So the justice of God, the sovereignty 
of God. Now notice thirdly, the goodness 
of God. Or is your eye evil because I 
am good? You know what sinners think when 
they hear about sovereign grace? I think that just doesn't seem 
right. I mean, perhaps we think that 
as well. Miserable, horrible people that 
genuinely deserve the wrath of God are going to go to heaven. 
I mean, we never think that about ourselves, but others to be sure. 
That miserable, horrible person is actually going to go to heaven. 
There's a certain level or fundamental part in our hearts where that 
just doesn't seem right. They're so bad they deserve hell. 
They're so bad they deserve judgment. Again, we need to remind ourselves 
of what we are before a thrice holy God. But the last thing 
that sinners would ever conclude through a study of sovereignty 
and predestination is that this highlights or underscores the 
goodness of God. You find this fault or error 
within the professing church sometimes. You find those who 
say something akin to what one said about Whitefield. If that 
is truly the picture of God, then I don't want to worship 
that God because he's more of a monster than any God with whom 
I would have to deal. You see, it's offensive to people. 
Sovereign grace, predestination. Election according not to what 
persons do or don't do, but according to the free purpose of God. The 
last thing that certain persons ever associate is that this actually 
underscores His goodness. You see, if God was not good 
in this way, if sovereignty was not a reality, if justice carried 
the day, then all of us would be in hell already. I remember 
reading that in AWP. It was either pink or or Sproul, 
I think it was Sproul's book on holiness. He said something 
to this effect, that even in the heart of a reformed person, 
even in the heart of someone who has embraced, by God's grace, 
the teaching on sovereignty, there's just that crevice, there's 
that small nook or cranny, as they used to say about the English 
muffins, there is that nook or cranny that still somehow thinks 
that we deserve to go to heaven. We still somehow think, yeah, 
I understand election and predestination, but, you know, it was right for 
God to choose me. It's a misunderstanding of sovereignty. This underscores the goodness 
of this man. Not only Is he just? Not only is he sovereign, but 
he's good. If he wants to take of the riches 
of his bounty and confer that upon eleventh hour workers, who 
are we to complain? If God wants to bring into heaven 
persons undone by sin, living in filth and misery and godlessness, 
and He wants to come and clothe them, He wants to come and wash 
them, He wants to come and purify them, why would we have a problem 
with that? Why would we be standing at the 
foot of that sycamore tree when Jesus calls Zacchaeus down? Why would we murmur and grumble 
and complain? Why are you going to eat at Zacchaeus' 
house? You've never come to my house. 
The reason why we complain or murmur is because we haven't 
probably come to grips with the reality of our own sin and the 
glory of God's sovereignty. We operate in a barter system 
world. We do this, God gives us that. 
I've been an extra specially good boy this week, so God is 
going to reward me. It's a faulty doctrine of God. It's a faulty understanding of 
self. We are always debtors to sovereign 
grace. We always stand in need of what 
God gives. There's nothing we can do to 
earn or merit. There's nothing we can do ultimately 
to keep ourselves in this state of grace. It is the sustaining 
power of the Spirit of God at work in us. You see how Jesus 
responds when it comes to a question as simple as paying a particular 
man who starts, whether at 6 a.m. or at 5 p.m. It is theology proper. It is our understanding of God. 
He is a just God. He is a sovereign God. He is 
a good God. In other words, close your mouths 
when it opens to rail against him. Close your mouth when the 
temptation arises for you to call into question his dealings 
with his creatures. Remember, we're his creatures. Does not the potter have the 
right to do with the pot what he wishes? Again, we all affirm 
that if we're Calvinists or Reform, we all say yay and amen, except 
when he doesn't deal with this particular pot in the way we 
think he should. You know, many of us probably 
have a doctrinal Calvinism that hasn't gotten down into those 
nooks and crannies. If we miss the job promotion, 
or we get laid off, or we run out of money, or we contract 
some terrible disease, or we undergo some hardship or ailment, 
our doctrinal Calvinism flies out the window when practically 
we say, this isn't fair, this isn't right, this isn't legit. This just doesn't seem the way 
it ought to be. Why is it the case that good 
men suffer for following God Most High? Why is it the case 
that all these problems have befallen me? What should we do 
when these things arise? We ought to bless God for Romans 
8. We ought to praise God for the 
reality that He causes all things to work for good. Don't you love 
that phrase, He causes all things to work for good? I don't think 
any of us have any problem with understanding good things work 
for good. You get promoted at work, you 
don't get cancer, you don't have problems, you don't have issues. 
We understand that God is for us. It's the all things, comprehensively. The bad things, the hardships, 
the difficulties, the trials. Do you realize a pearl would 
never develop without the introduction of sand inside the oyster? You realize that oysters don't 
just sit there and spontaneously create pearls? It is through 
the introduction of grit, of difficulty, of tension, of hardship. The same is the case with the 
Christian life. In the context of Romans 8.28, 
a text we all espouse and we all love in our doctrinal moments, 
but not as much in the practical moments when things are rough, 
how does Paul continue? What is God's purpose for those 
whom he predestined? What is God's purpose for those 
whom he foreknew? It is to be conformed unto the 
image of his Son. You know, the Son learned obedience 
through suffering. More than likely, many of us 
are going to learn obedience through suffering. I'm sure we'd 
prefer it at a seminar or a conference. Conferences are good. Teach me 
how to deal with my issues. I'm not saying that's bad. I'm 
saying that's good. Attend those things. Get the 
doctrine in you. Get the Word of God in you. Attend church. 
Sit under preaching. But it's in the rub. It's in 
the tension. It's in the introduction of the 
grit. that men and women are conformed unto the image of our 
Lord Jesus. We need to guard against this 
mentality that says, but that's not fair. That's not right. We have forfeited any position 
of ever calling into question what is right or what is fair. As God's creature, we never had 
the right to stand before him and enter into a debate or a 
dialogue as to what is fair and what is right. We haven't become 
his counselors. He is not dependent upon us. 
He doesn't need our advice. He doesn't need our encouragement. 
He doesn't need to hear from us. There's no divine suggestion 
box that we fill out, drop it in there, and then he takes those 
things, surveys them all, and then makes a decision based accordingly. Jesus is blasting that very idea 
in the parable before us. The goodness and generosity of 
God are highlighted by this parable. Sinners do not enter into heaven 
because of their good performance, whether they start in the early 
morning or in the eleventh hour. Any sinner who ever enters into 
heaven is solely and alone by the grace of God through faith 
in our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether it is an early morning 
sinner or an eleventh hour sinner, the same grace saves them. That's the point. Notice the 
summary in verse 16 as we close our exposition. The last will 
be first. This is opposite to what? 1930. Notice in 1930, but many 
who are first will be last. Here it's the last will be first. 
It's the same teaching, but it reflects the teaching of this 
particular parable. The last will be first. Those who came at the end of 
the day will receive those good things that the landowner out 
of his goodness and sovereignty gives to them. And then notice, Spurgeon says 
before I move on, precedence in the kingdom of heaven is according 
to the order of grace. We need to see that the first 
are last. They're still going to heaven. 
Even if there is an assumption here, even if there is an arrogance 
here, even if there is a pride here, the last, or rather the 
first, will be last. Again, sign me up on that train. Even if I'm last to enter in, 
I want to enter in. Foolish is the man. Why can't 
I go in first? I don't want to go. Okay. That's just madness. Last into heaven is blessing. 
Last in the heaven is blessed. Again, I think the context favors 
that it's probably a focus on leadership, specifically the 
12, as backdrop for what's going to happen in 20. But regardless, 
the notice underscored is the doctrine of election. Your NIV 
and ESV does not have this. There's a bit of a variant. It's 
found in 2214. But at the end of 16, it says, 
where many are called, but few chosen. The idea being is that 
this whole transaction does not depend on man and his contribution. This whole transaction does not 
depend on whether you started in the early morning, whether 
you started in the ninth hour, the sixth hour, the eleventh 
hour, the third hour. The whole transaction depends 
upon the generosity and the graciousness of the land owner. Many are called, 
but few chosen. It is the doctrine of sovereign 
grace that is underscored. Again, Spurgeon says, the Lord 
will take care that in the transaction of His grace, His sovereignty 
as well as His goodness shall be conspicuous. You see, going 
back to our earlier illustration, when you do wander into heaven 
and when people slap their redeemed heads and they say, wow, you're 
here, who gets the glory? God. When you walk around a corner 
in that holy place and you see someone that you knew to be a 
particular wretch back in the day, who gets the glory? God. You see, the whole structure, 
the whole purpose, the whole plan is for of Him and through 
Him and to Him. Be glory. It's about the Lord 
God Almighty. We will be trophies of sovereign 
grace. That will be the display in the 
New Jerusalem. Well, in conclusion, as I've 
already mentioned, The text does speak to those various groups, 
though the context does not indicate which one. The twelve apostles 
and later converts. We're going to go to the same 
heaven that Peter's in. Isn't that beautiful? We're going to 
sit at the same marriage supper of the Lamb that the apostles 
are at. See the goodness of God in that? 
The graciousness of God in that? The generosity of God in that? What about the Jew-Gentile distinction? 
Yes, the Gospel comes first to the Jew, also to the Greek. For 
in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, 
that, just as it is written, the just shall live by faith. 
Whether you're Jew, whether you're Gentile, it's not race that distinguishes, 
but grace that distinguishes. The different ages of those who 
come into the kingdom. Never let it be the case that 
if you, by God's good grace, are saved at 10 or 20, you say, 
well, that's not fair. That old guy got saved. He dropped 
dead, and off he went into heaven. It just doesn't seem right. I 
had to slug it out. I had to resist temptation. I had to cut 
off hands. I had to gouge out eyes. Don't 
say that. I can't imagine anyone saying 
that really reflects the reality of sanctifying grace. Because 
those who cut off hands, those who pluck out eyes, those who 
make sacrifice for the kingdom count themselves blessed. It 
is a good thing to forego bad things for the glory of God Most 
High. Don't begrudge the older saint 
who by God's grace comes into the kingdom. Well, it's not right. 
He didn't have to live through all. Praise God he's saved. You say, well, I would never 
do this. Brethren, somebody would, because in Luke 19 people were 
complaining that Zacchaeus got saved. Maybe you're the few exceptions 
out there where it's never sort of welled up to say, you know, 
that just doesn't seem right. The rest of us need this parable 
to remind us that God's grace is sovereign, that God's goodness 
is conspicuous, and the validity of deathbed conversions. We certainly 
learn here of that 11th hour conversion, right? There are 
those who in the 11th hour, by the grace of God, taste and see 
that the Lord is good. Ryle says, concerning all groups, 
true faith in Christ, though it be but a day old, justifies 
a man before God as completely as the faith of him who has followed 
Christ for 50 years. You see, it's justification by 
grace alone through faith alone. That when the sinner lays hold 
of the Savior, he is justified freely by grace. And in justification, 
what are the twin blessings we receive? The forgiveness of sins 
and a righteousness imputed to us. That's a blessing. That means heaven. That means 
joy. unspeakable and full of glory. 
The second place, I think the parable serves as a warning to 
believers. As a warning to believers. Again, 
Jesus is not addressing the multitudes here, Jesus is addressing his 
disciples. And there's a reason why. We 
saw in the reading of the scripture today in Laodicea, there were 
some proud people in a church. Jesus threatens to withdraw the 
lampstand, but when Jesus speaks to them, they are still a church. 
They still have the lampstand present. They are still the people 
of God, or professing people of God. But they were arrogant, 
and they were proud, and they said, we're good, and we're great, 
and we're happy, and we're holy, and we're all these things. But 
they did not know. This parable demonstrates our tendency toward 
pride and arrogance. We think we deserve it, and they 
don't. Something that can happen in 
the missionary enterprise. We think we, western civilization 
persons, deserve it. The rest of the world doesn't. 
Thankfully, not everyone has believed that, and the missionary 
enterprise is going forth. From every tribe, every tongue, 
every people, every nation. Talk to Native Americans before. 
They somehow associate Christianity with the white man. We need to 
try and demolish that lie. Every tribe, every tongue, every 
people, every nation. There is one Savior. There is 
one Redeemer. There is one Lord Jesus Christ. And all sinners everywhere need 
to hear of Him. The parable demonstrates our 
tendency toward a misunderstanding of justice. It rises up in our 
hearts to say that's not fair, that's not right, it doesn't 
seem just. What is right, what is fair, and what is just means 
our eternal demise for our having sinned against a thrice holy 
God. As well, this parable tends to demonstrate or does demonstrate 
our tendency toward misunderstanding sovereignty. Is it not right 
for God to do with His what He wills? Is it not right with God 
to do whatever it is He determines? Who are we to call into question 
God? Who are we to suppose that we can become the arbiter over 
God? Who are we to think that we can 
consult God on what is fair and what is just? We can't do that. And then as well, this parable 
demonstrates our tendency toward a misunderstanding of grace. 
It's grace that brings the early morning hour laborer in. It's 
grace that brings the 11th hour laborer in as well. Bruce says, 
the grace of God is not to be parceled out and adjusted to 
the varieties of individual merit, because it wouldn't be grace 
then. Read Paul's book called Romans. If it is according to 
works, it's not grace. Faith is consistent with the 
grace and election principle. This is what Paul highlights 
over and over again in Romans and in Galatians. That's why 
the Protestants and the Reformation demanded and stated and said 
completely, it's justification by faith alone. Because that 
is consistent with grace, with election. It is not according 
to our works. And then in the third place, 
I think this text, and I'm leaning on Ryle here, has a warning to 
unbelievers as well. I've said that it applies in 
all these various categories. You think deathbed. You think 
11th hour. Some of you young people, some 
children might think, wait a minute, these 11th hour guys got to enter 
into heaven? I'll just go do what I want until 
the 11th hour, then I'll come to Jesus. See, I'm not at the 
point where I'd become an atheist. I wouldn't cast off all thought 
of God. I wouldn't discount the reality 
that God made this world and all things in it. Think about 
fruit. Just muse on fruit. Fruit's an 
amazing creation by God. Look at the beauty of this day. 
It's an amazing creation by God. So there are some of you in here 
that probably affirm the existence of God. You say that God is. 
You've been around the Bible enough to probably think the 
God of the Christian system is probably the one that is true. 
And all those things being equal, I'm young, I'm happy, I want 
to do what I want, but this parable promises that in the eleventh 
hour I can get my act together, I can come to God then, and everything 
will be alright. Don't reason that way. Listen 
to what Ryle says. Let us beware. of supposing from 
this parable that it is safe for anyone to put off repentance 
till the end of his days. To suppose this is a most dangerous 
delusion. The longer men refuse to obey 
Christ's voice, the less likely they are to be saved. Now is 
the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. 
2 Corinthians 6. Listen to what he says here. 
This is most important because I think this does happen. Young 
people hear the truth and yet young people want to continue 
to do their own thing. And young people conclude that 
if the 11th hour promises is legit here in this parable, then 
it's going to be legit for me when I'm in my 11th hour. So 
I'll wait till I'm 40, really old, or 50, really, really old, 
or 60, I can't even imagine. And when those years come, then 
I'll make my peace with God through our Lord Jesus. Ryle says, few 
are ever saved on their deathbed. One thief on the cross was saved, 
that none should despair, but only one that none should 
presume." He says, a false confidence in those words, the eleventh 
hour has ruined thousands of souls. James tells us that you 
are but a vapor. You're here for a time and then 
you're gone. You may not live to that ripe 
old age of 40. You may not see tomorrow. Persons 
say, are you prognosticating now? Are you prophesying? Are 
you telling us what will happen tomorrow? I don't know what will 
happen, but neither do you. You don't know what a day brings 
forth. The promise of the scripture 
is that all those who believe on Jesus will be saved. Do not put this off. Do not adopt 
the mindset that when I'm older, do not adopt the mindset that 
tomorrow or the next day or next Sunday or next week, come now. As Ryle reminds us, the Apostle 
Paul says, now is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation. Do not tarry. Do not wait. Do 
not resist. But rather, look to the Lord 
Jesus Christ and live. That is the blessed promise of 
Holy Scripture. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for the Word of God, and we thank you for this 
opportunity to gather together in this church, and I pray that 
your Word would find its mark in all of our hearts. God, as 
believers, keep us from a pride and arrogance and wickedness, 
and help us to truly appreciate the grace of God Almighty, to 
marvel at your sovereignty, to see your justice and all of its 
glory as well. I ask that you would go with 
us now. I ask that those who are outside of Christ would think 
through these things, that they would have time to consider their 
soul before a holy God, and that they would cry out to you and 
find grace to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that they might 
be saved. Go with us now, we pray, through 
Christ our Lord. Amen.