Americans hate socialism. The vast majority of both Republicans and Democrats (though there are a few notable exceptions; yes Berny, I am looking at you 😊) despise socialism. That said, everyone likes getting something for nothing. Companies like Publishers Clearinghouse, Amway, and your local Gym thrive on the idea of getting something for nothing. Oh sure, you are expected to invest “something” in any one of those companies to really succeed. But for most of us, the most we can muster is an initial commitment followed by decreasing interest, until our participation is gone, and all the remains is our initial purchase, and perhaps some lingering contract we are no longer able to get out of. Any organization like this will tell you, that you can quit at any time. The truth is, they count on it. For Publishers, the trouble it takes to quit after you have subscribed is usually more than it is worth, so voila, you have a new magazine to throw away every month. For Amway, you will undoubtedly quit, but not before you yourself have purchased a myriad of products, and have likely talked your family into buying them as well. For your local Gym, there is only so much space in a Gym at any one time, so if you don’t quit, they will quickly run out of room to keep selling memberships. Besides, you reason to yourself, you might use any one of these items in the future. In reality, little chance of it. It takes work and continued work, if anything outside of a giveaway, is going to pay off.
Medicare is another interesting phenomenon. While it is far from perfect, and a constant source of tax irritation (largely because funds that would make it solvent, are often “borrowed” for other purposes, and never put back) – everyone who has it, cannot imagine giving it up. An entire older block of voters will punish anyone at the polls (Republican or Democrat) who threatens to in any way diminish or take away Medicare. And these folks vote, they do not talk about it, they do it, faithfully, even in mid term elections. Medicare directly impacts the pocket books of the older set, and they already must watch every penny they have, losing health care coverage could quite literally kill them, so they have pretty extreme motivation to vote, if it is in any way threatened. Further most everyone believes Medicare does a pretty good job as far as health insurance goes. But the reality is, we collect taxes from the younger set, to fund benefits for the older set. Again, this is because we robbed the older set for many years, using their money on other priorities. No one wants to remember this fact, but it is true. The older set believes they already paid for it. The younger set knows they are truly the ones footing the bill. And no matter our equal disdain for socialism, Medicare sure looks like it to any casual observer. And despite this appearance, Americans love Medicare.
But is it possible, that American ideals, are about as far from how the Kingdom of Heaven works, as is possible? Matthew writes of a parable (a story that is), that Jesus told in chapter nineteen of his gospel aimed at the Hebrews. The story is often referred to as the Parable of the Vineyard workers. And it wreaks of socialism, that is of shared rewards despite the level of effort applied. But there are deeper concepts that perhaps warrant a second look. Take for instance the notion of possessions. Ask yourself a simple question – what do you “own” in heaven? Now before you begin reciting a list of gifts you are given in the kingdom, remember that all of these items will be given to you. A new home, a new robe, a ring, a crown, a new body, abilities that now dwarf your imagination, even a new name, and a secret name. However all of these items are gifts of a loving God, from Them, to you. None of them will you have earned in any way. And if even “you” are to be God’s treasure, His possession, not your own – then can we safely say God owns everything, and we own nothing. Even though He may see fit to give us, what He owns for our use. Case in point, let us study what Matthew records.
Picking up in verse 1 are the words of Christ Himself, saying … “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. [verse 2] And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” There is so much here in this simple beginning we so often lose sight of. Let us begin with how Jesus sees Himself, and Godhead – as workers, or more specifically, as owners, engaged in a work, actively involved in its success. The owner of this vineyard is not on vacation hanging out in Rome, or Capri, or Monaco on the beach. He is not taking in the rewards of being an owner, or satisfied with being a rich man. Instead he is active in the day to day of His vineyard. He cares about its success. He wants it to grow. And He is willing to share that interest, that passion with us. So the owner goes into the world, seeks us out, and bargains with us to do a hard days labor for the monetary reward of a penny. First keep in mind, the penny, may have been an entire week’s reward back in the time of this story, so the owner is not being a cheapo. Rather He is over paying laborers to do something, the owner cares deeply about. The owner hopes that by over-paying his labor force, they will take great care in their work as well. He hopes to inspire passion in them over this.
And again we get lost. We think that “hard” work in itself could not possibly be the reward. Instead we focus on the penny. But this is the disconnect within the Christian church. The work of growing and tending to the vineyard is not hard because of the owner, it is hard because of the lack of love that exists in the world, and often in the mirror. We don’t actually “care” about the grapes, or leaves, or branches – we just tolerate them. We adopt an attitude of doing what is minimally required of us to tend His vineyard. We attend church, pray when we are told, sing when we are told, read, study, share when we feel as though we must. But passion? We lack passion, because we only focus on the penny, that will come only at the end of the day as our reward. We are looking to get into heaven as our reward. We are NOT looking at seeing a well-tended vineyard as its own reward. We do not care to make sure we gather up every single grape, leaving none to fall on the ground, while our apathy causes us not to notice, or care. While we step on that lost grape rather than carefully gathering it back up, dusting it off, and tenderly placing it in our baskets intended for His winepress, or His use.
It is this passion for His work, that could become our greatest reward, and requires no penny at the end of it. It is akin to being paid billions right in the middle of it. Each act of mercy, of love, of forgiveness we offer in the vineyard that our God is so passionate about, are acts that show a harmony with the owner. You can only have that harmony if you surrender who you are, and allow Jesus to make you who He intended you to be. But if you offer that surrender, you will find yourself coming to believe that your “work” is indispensable. Your reward at that point is actually “the time” you have to tend to the vineyard, not the mere penny that comes at the end of the day. But time is only precious to one who understands its value, in the ministry of the Lord’s work. For the apathetic, time is better spent on entertainment, luxury, and self-pleasure. Time to love others is kept at a minimum, while time to enjoy life, and love self are maximized at every turn. Seen like this, time spent tending to His vineyard is an obligation, we transact only for the bargain of the penny at day’s end. And thus Christianity looks no different than the world in which it is found. But this was not how it was intended to be, only how it is, because we refuse to surrender ourselves to Jesus for His transformation of us, ahead of penny day anyway.
Jesus continues in verse 3 saying … “And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, [verse 4] And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.” Imagine this story begins at six a.m. at the rising of the sun. Jesus the owner is already up, eaten breakfast, dressed, and out there in the world negotiating with those He seeks out to begin the work in His vineyard. But Jesus not content to only seek workers at one point in time, or one point during any given day. The more workers, the more His vineyard can be tended to. So He goes back out to the marketplace, around nine a.m. just after it has opened where workers stand idle, rather engaging themselves in purchasing. If they are anything like us, they would buy more than what they need, or more than what they should. Instead Jesus approaches them and offers them His passion for a vineyard. The Owner “KNOWS” the day, and the work has already begun, and He is intent on paying them something “fair” anyway. The would-be consumers abandon their frivolity and instead head to the vineyard that this Owner cares so much about to join and tend and help the garden grow.
Jesus continues in verse 5 saying … “Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.” So again imagine it is now noon, half the day having gone by. But the owner is still not content to rest on the work He has already done in recruiting labor for His vineyard. If He can find more, He is willing to seek for more. So back to the marketplace at noon, while it is in full swing. He seeks out those who would be willing to work, even if it is only for half a day. For half a day’s labor, they would likely expect half a day’s wage. Probably something far less than half a penny in these times. But notice again the penny was not discussed. Only the same offer as before, that something fair would be rewarded them at the end of the day. Seeing the passion of the Owner, the workers are inspired and decide to join the effort. They probably expected to enter a barren field, not one that was already crowded with workers. But the more who come the greater extents of the vineyard that can be addressed. And so more workers join the effort.
Jesus continues in verse 6 saying … “And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? [verse 7] They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Now it is five o’clock, quitting time will be in one hour and sunset not far behind that. But the owner has not lost an ounce of His passion, about this vineyard. He is not back at the house eating dinner made by servants. Instead He has gone to undiscovered places where potential workers can be found. He asks them why they stand idle at five o’clock only an hour before quitting time of a good working day. This question is posed squarely at us. Why do we stand idle, before the work we KNOW needs to be done, but leave for others to do? The workers reply that no one else would hire them. Sounds to me like they did not put out resumes and actively seek employment. Or maybe they did, and no one else saw them as qualified or motivated to work. But bottom line, even though it is SO late in the day, this Owner is not going to pass up even more willing workers. So off to His vineyard they go, willing to work, even though there is little time to get work done.
It is these workers who will be gifted the least amount of time, and so it should be the most precious to them. Is time this precious to you? Have you come to see the passion of the Owner, can become the passion within your veins, and now understand why He was still searching for laborers to share His work with Him? So little time, so much to do, so few to do it, so few that care if it gets done. Do you care, or do you still look to your own needs, and an end-of-day reward when time itself is no more? This owner has not lost passion despite the time, if anything it has intensified His passion within Him to seek out still others for His vineyard. And now, when everyone least expects it. Time has run out. The day is over. The opportunity to work is complete. Now only reward is left.
Jesus continues in verse 8 saying … “So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. [verse 9] And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. [verse 10] But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.” It is day’s end. Time for final rewards. And now the generosity of the Lord of Vineyard is on display. He gives each worker the same penny (there is only one heaven after all), no matter if they started working at 5:00 o’clock, or noon, or nine a.m., or even at the crack of dawn at six a.m.. The Owner gives them all the same over payment He had promised. No one is cheated, everyone is paid. But the ones there the longest, supposed they would be getting more than the first amount they had agreed to. When they looked at the last minute arrivals getting the same pay as them, who were there from the crack of dawn, they reasoned it must be unfair. In their minds, only the end of day reward was the reward. The work was work, not something to take passion in, and decidedly not something they shared the owner’s passion in. Overpayment did nothing to motivate them to care, only to work
Jesus continues in verse 11 saying … “And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, [verse 12] Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. [verse 13] But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? [verse 14] Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. [verse 15] Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” Here the heart of the Owner is revealed. He cares about His entire work force. He rewards ALL of us with what He has promised. There is nothing more, nothing less. There is no precedence among the workers, all the workers are the same. And the Owner will leave nothing behind, His passion for His vineyard remains, His passion for His workers remains. Even though NONE of us deserve His overpayment, He pays us all anyway. What we miss, what we undervalue, what we do not understand, is the value of time engaged in His work, in His vineyard. It was the time, that was allocated “fairly”, those who spent more of it, had more of it. Those who spend less of it, got less of it. But what is time without passion. What is a vineyard, that you simply do not care anything about – it is work, nothing more.
Jesus concludes His story in verse 16 saying … “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” The call is universal. It goes out to every person in the world. But it goes out to every person within the church as well. The call is to begin a life of perfection, a life of transformation in the here and now, where Time matters. To share the passion of the Owner, is a different way to live, than to simply do what is required of you. Keeping the commandments is different, than having them be a part of who you character is. Are your eyes evil, because our Lord is good? Do you intend to bring the concepts of ownership and possession with you into the kingdom of heaven, where they do not exist today? You will own nothing there, be given everything there. And this model is not different here. You think you work for what you have, but your job, your health, your family, your support systems are ALL gifts of the Most High. You own none of them. He “owns” all of them, and makes gifts of them to you. But not because you deserve them, or because you have worked for them, simply because He loves you.
And our God loves your co-workers equally as much as He loves you. Even if they put in less effort. Even if they only discover Him at the last minute. Even while they are sinning in the world, content to ignore His word, His call, and His love. He is still passionate about them. He is not willing to see a single grape drop from the vine into the dirt and be ignored. He will have every single one of them carefully dusted off, and placed in His basket. Heaven has no capitalism. There is no ownership or earning there. There is serving, but it is service for nothing, without reward, only for the reward of serving. We will share everything, own nothing. We will love so much, and care so much, we would give everything we own to anyone who even seemed mildly interested. That is a form of socialism no communist even dreamed of. It is a form of socialism based on a passionate love no one can begin to extinguish. And the hearts that embrace it then, can learn to embrace it now, if we are willing to surrender to Jesus. I would know the passion of my Owner, and learn to care like He does, for His vineyard.
