“But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you” (Matthew 20:13-14).

Some will receive more and some less.  All who believe are given the right to become children of God, but we are not all the same.  Our world yells for equity, but that is a worldly lie.  We deserve death but are given life through Christ.  That is not equity.  But we are all equal in the Lord’s eyes.  He loves each one of us.  Do not look at things the way the world does but see things the way our Lord has created them to be.

Lord, I am filled with the pollution of this age.  Help me to move away from how the world thinks and put on Your mind.  Open my eyes to see and, to the ability You give me, understand things as they truly are.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to live into the life You have given me.  Guide me always in Your way so that I may live according to Your word and not according to this world’s ideas.

Lord Jesus, You have laid out principles that are easy to understand, but hard to grasp.  Moment by moment, guide me so that I do not slip into the way of the world.  Lead me to be thankful for all that You have given me and for the position You have granted for me to live.  Help me to be obedient for love’s sake so that I willingly do the things You give me to do.  Guide me always in Your love by the abundance of Your grace which I need.  Amen.

“And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.  When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat’” (Matthew 20:10-12).

No matter how faithful you are, or how long you have been working for the Lord, the reward is the same.  Through faith by grace, we receive eternal life with the Lord.  The Lord’s kingdom is not a competitive race as is this age.  All are equally loved by our Lord.  It is difficult to get out of the mind-set of getting ahead by competition and into the necessity of learning how to love all others sacrificially as you are loved.

Lord, no matter the burdens I believe I am carrying, You have carried the greatest portion.  What is all that I do, compared to all that You have done.  Guide me in the way You would have me go and turn my heart from the ways of this world to see that in the unity of Your Trinity, You call each of us to do what we can.  It does not matter how much or how long.  The privilege is being in You and a part of Your kingdom.

Lord Jesus, You know how this world tugs at me so that I see things as greater and lesser, more and less.  Help me to have a new way of looking at things so that I see these things the way You do — quality rather than quantity.  Keep me faithful to You and simply learn how to be obedient.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go this day and let me seek to humbly be faithful to all that You give me to do.  Amen.

“Now when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’  When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius” (Matthew 20:8-9).

Each will receive the gift of life from the Lord.  Why does covetousness come in, and we want more because we think we did more?  Our Lord gave His life for us.  What more can we ask that would compare with that?  The life we are offered is not a repeat of this age, but eternal life in the Lord.  Come into His kingdom and be thankful that you are included.  Rejoice in the salvation He has given both to you and other believers.

Lord, I work hard in this world, but I am too often unwilling to work in the vineyard into which You have invited me.  Guide me away from the pride of this world to see things from Your viewpoint.  Lead me to rejoice that I have been given salvation.  Help me to live being thankful for what I have been given and to be like Jesus in all that I think, say, and do.  Show me the way of the cross.

Lord Jesus, You have told us that in this age, we will suffer for Your name’s sake.  Let me joyfully enter the work of the Father’s kingdom and do what You give me to do.  Guide me in the goodness and mercy You have given me so that I rejoice in whatever portion You give me.  Help me to live in such a way that I willingly work where You give me work to do and hold no envy for what others may do.  Amen.

“And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;  and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’  They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too’” (Matthew 20:3-7).

The Lord does not tire of inviting people to come into His vineyard.  Some come early and some come late.  The Father desires that none would perish.  So long as it is day, there is work to be done.  The harvest – the people who are hell-bound – are many and those who will reach out and share the Gospel are few.  Working in the Lord’s kingdom is a privilege.  Are you willing to come into the Lord’s labor?

Lord, You know I have heard this message over and over.  You know that doing what You want me to do on a personal level is often all I am willing to do.  Raise me up and shake off my attitude so that I have compassion upon others as You have had compassion upon me.  Let me see that there is much work that needs to be done in Your vineyard and to go in and work diligently where You place me.

Lord, our retirement-attitude mentality prepares us to relax and play.  You tell us there is work to be done.  Guide me away from the foolishness of this age to live into the reality of all that You are preparing.  Lead me in Your goodness and mercy so that I may humbly walk in the way You will have me go, doing what You give me to do, thankful that I have been included in your plan of salvation.  Amen.  

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-2).

Will you come in and work in the vineyard?  We each have the invitation to come into God’s reign and live and work there.  Many do not want to work.  Some do not want what God offers.  The wage is eternal life.  Eternal life with the Lord.  We all have the invitation to come and work in the Lord’s kingdom.  We know what we are given in exchange.  Will you live the life to which you have been invited?

Lord, You know my heart and there are those times when I grumble and do not understand that You have invited me out of the way of this world and into the way of everlasting life.  Lead my heart, O Lord, so that I willingly enter the work of the kingdom.  We are all paid the same, so let me not worry about that.  We each will have different jobs, so let me not grumble about that.

Holy Spirit, keep my mind in check and help me to have a pure and clean heart.  That is, a mind that sees things as they are and rejoices that Your work is being done in me.  May I learn from You to be grateful for Your kingdom having come to me so that I share Your kingdom with others.  Lead me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go today and help me to be a willing worker in the Father’s vineyard.  Amen.

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms on account of my name, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last; and the last, first” (Matthew 19:29-30).

We need to get it out of our heads that this is a territorial answer.  Everything belongs to the Lord.  If we begin to see this relationally, we see that our Lord is telling us that we are a part of His kingdom when we walk in His grace.  We each have our unique part.  Be led by faith in what the Lord is doing and not by seeing things the way this world is doing things.  Our Lord’s kingdom is forever, good, pure, and true.

Lord, help me to get beyond myself and see things through Your eyes.  I am barely able to begin to comprehend what You are creating, but I see a reflection of it with each faithful person who lives by faith in this world.  Guide me out of wrong thinking to trust You above all things.  You are creating what You are creating, and You have invited me to be with You forever.  Let that guide me in all that I do.

Lead me, Holy Spirit, into the kind of thinking that is fitting for the Kingdom of Heaven.  You know the things that are getting in the way of me thinking with purity.  Guide me in the upward call of faith so that I focus upon what You would have me focus upon and leave behind what needs to be left behind.  Through all things, teach me how to love as You love so that I may focus upon loving my neighbor.  Amen.

Then Peter responded and said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”  And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:27-28).

Do not take this as a service and reward statement.  Some do.  We serve the Lord and just being in the kingdom is a great enough gift.  The Lord is teaching us the principle that we are to serve one another.  As our Lord has served us, so also, we ought to serve one another.  To be an arbiter is not as we think of ruling.  It is to be a peacemaker and one who protects relationships.  Our Lord invites us to do the same.

Lord, You know that I see things in a worldly, sinful way.  I think of ruling and power, but You have demonstrated first grace and mercy and then caring for others.  I think of what I can gain, but You gave all You had away.  I think of others looking up to me, but You have taught us that we are to love God above all things.  Lord, help me to understand the truth of what You are teaching me.

Holy Spirit, You know where there are those places in my heart that are still steeped in pride and covetousness.  Teach me the things I need to know.  Help me to see things the way You have created them to be.  Guide me along the path of becoming so that I do not impose any earthly things upon what You are doing in me.  Help me to see and understand the abundance of grace and mercy that I need.  Amen.

“When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”  And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25-26).

Listen carefully to the truth of Jesus.  Many seem to act as though they have their part in the actual salvation which God alone accomplishes.  We have our part in the relationship the Lord establishes, but we can do nothing without God’s doing it for us.  Our Lord is the One who saves us.  Yes, work as though it depended upon you, but never forget who is the One who is saving you.

Lord, You know how much pride has taken root in this generation.  We were not created to be separate from You, but because of sin, we are.  Help me to see that I am not independent, but completely dependent upon You for all things.  Lead me in the way of seeing and living life so that I know that with You, all things truly are possible, and that begins with Your saving me.

Lord Jesus, thank You for these simple words of truth.  I too have been lost in the game of thinking I have to do this on my own.  Help me to not think of myself as a free agent but live in the reality that only in You can I walk this life of faith.  You have redeemed me, and You alone know all that I need to continue walking in the faith that You have given me.  Guide me  ever deeper into You.  Amen.

“And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).

We are all rich in the things of this world.  Whether it physical possessions, attitudes, or feelings, we have accumulated much.  We think highly of ourselves.  We cling to the things we have accumulated.  It is hard for us because the Lord is telling us to give up all these things.  Whether we are money poor and resent the rich or rich and have disdain for the poor, we cling to what we cling to.  The Lord tells us to give up what we call our wealth and to live the life for which we have been created.

Lord, I think of rich as money.  There is a part of me that asks you to make me money-rich, but no matter how much I have, I want more.  But I am rich in the things I have experienced, and I cling to them too.  Lord, teach me to die with You and to be rid of all that hinders my walking with You into eternal life.  Guide me in the way of righteousness.  In human terms it is impossible, but with You, all things are possible.

Lord Jesus, You went to the cross with the repentance I cannot make, paying the price I could never afford, having modeled a life I cannot live without You leading me.  You have come to redeem me in order that I may become what You will make of me.  Lead me out of what this world calls riches into the true riches of Your grace and mercy.  Help me to die to self in order to be resurrected with You.  Amen.

“The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept; what am I still lacking?”  Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property” (Matthew 19:20-21).

Give up.  What is it that you are still clinging to?  We all have much in this world and we hold on to it.  Even our bitterness, anger and resentments have been collected and retained  over the years.  To what are you holding on?  Do not be led by the ways of the world, but by Christ and the way of the cross.  Learn to give up all that the Lord needs to take from you so that You become more like Him in all you think, say, or do.

Lord Jesus, You have told us what we must do.  You died for our sins, so it is not a matter of striving to be better, but to actually become complete.  I cling to the things of this world, both those things which others see as stuff, but also the things that are inside of me.  Help me learn how to shed all these things and be free of what encumbers me in this age.  Lead me to see that only in You is there true value and worth that lasts.

Holy Spirit, You know the treasure troves I have stored away in my heart.  Detach me from the things of this world to be free to live into the life for which I have been redeemed and called.  Guide me in Your goodness, Lord, so that I may humbly walk in the way You guide me.  Help me to be thankful for the possessions I have, but not to be bound by them, knowing that the things of this world are passing away.  Create in me a new and right heart, Lord.  Amen.