God’s Offensive Grace | Matthew 19:27-20:16
Sermon Summary:
A question from Peter prompts an important teaching from Jesus, reinforced and expounded upon in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. In this passage we learn that God’s ways and thoughts are different than those of the world. We who have been the most faithful disciples, with the most longevity to boot, tend to believe we will receive more than disciples who only show up at the last minute. This is the way the world works! We are better and we deserve more…right?!? Not so in God’s kingdom. By examining the words of Jesus, we will learn about the offensive grace of our Lord. It is good news for us that God decides to give all His people the same gracious gift. Together we will wrestle with this and learn along with Peter and the original disciples how God’s gracious kingdom really works.
In the world, people tend to get what they deserve.
Peter asks Jesus, “What will we get?”
Jesus says, “You will be very blessed.”
But Jesus tells a parable to explain exactly how the kingdom of heaven works differently than the kingdom of this world.
The first workers think they deserve more from the master. We think we deserve more from God.
God’s thoughts and ways are far different than those of the world.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Graciously, we do not receive what we have earned. We receive what Christ has earned.
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