21. NEVER TOO LATE (Matt.20:1-16)
BACKGROUND: In Jesus' time the life of day laborers was very uncertain. Divide the average annual salary of our day into 300 parts and you have the value of one denarius. Hours were counted from six o'clock in the morning. The landowner of the parable represents God and the vineyard represents his Kingdom.
- THE PARABLE
- How many times a day did the landowner go to hire laborers to his vineyard
(vs.1-6)?
- Why did the landowner notify only the first group how much the wages would be
(vs.2,4)?
- Think of various reasons why some of the laborers were not at the marketplace at six o'clock in the morning.
- Why didn't the landowner hire only the best men but anyone who was available?
- Why hadn't anyone hired the last group of men (vs.6-7)? Think of various reasons.
- Compare the first group's day with the last group's (vs.7,12). Which one was more interesting?
- Let's assume that there were five men in the last group. How much money (in our currency) the landowner would have "saved" if he hadn't hired that group?
- Why did the landowner start by first paying those who were hired last
(vs.8)?
- Why did the first group complain although they got what was promised to them?
- Was the landowner's way of paying the wages fair in your opinion? Give your reasons.
- Why did the landowner want to give the same sum to everybody? Try to find as many explanations/reasons as you
can.
- THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE
- Why does God want anybody and everybody to work in his kingdom?
- What do "the wages" refer to in this parable?
- Why are the wages the same for everybody in the kingdom of God?
- At what time of "the day" have you been called to the kingdom of God?
- Who do you think is luckier: a person's who has worked in God's kingdom for all his life, or a person who is saved in the last minute? Give your reasons.
- How do you feel if somebody else is praised in your church and you know perfectly well that you have done more than he/she has?
- How do you think you will feel if God will give you on the last day the same wages as, let's say, to apostle Paul?
- What does verse 16 mean in the light of this parable?
- Jesus is saying to you today: "You also go and work in my vineyard!" What will you answer him?
GLAD TIDINGS: Jesus himself did the hardest work in the kingdom of God. In fact, he worked so hard that on the last day every man and woman on earth could be paid a denarius each with what he earned.