The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

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Short Summary
The study explores the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, focusing on the generous householder as a representation of God’s grace, which is given equally regardless of the length or timing of service. Participants discuss themes such as fairness versus divine generosity, the significance of heart attitude over duration of service, and the call to humility, love, and acceptance of God’s sovereign decisions. The lesson emphasizes that rewards in the kingdom are not earned by works or suffering but are granted by God’s mercy, and believers are encouraged to embrace this grace with gratitude rather than grumble over perceived inequalities.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Bible Study on the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) and Related Scriptures

Opening Context:
– The study begins with reading part of the parable from Matthew 20:1-16, focusing on the episode where laborers hired at different hours all receive the same wage (a denarius).
– Those hired first complain that it is unfair the latecomers received the same pay.
– The master’s reply highlights his right to be generous: “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matthew 20:13-15)
– The parable concludes, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16).

Observation on Original Text:
– The Greek New Testament manuscripts originally had no chapter or verse divisions, nor punctuation, titles, or paragraph breaks.
– Modern Bible translations add these to aid understanding.
– This parable is called “The Laborers in the Vineyard” in the English Standard Version, but some Bible students refer to it as the “Parable of the Penny” (denarius).
– The group discusses whether a different title might better direct interpretation, suggesting “The Parable of the Generous Householder” or “The Kingdom is Like…” as possible thematic titles.

Main Characters and Themes:
– The “Generous Householder” is identified as the main character, representing God the Father’s generosity.
– The focus shifts from wages and earning to God’s grace and mercy.
– The parable challenges human notions of fairness and merit, highlighting God’s sovereign choice in dispensing grace.
– The grumbling of the first laborers represents human jealousy and misunderstanding of divine generosity.

Relation to Broader Biblical Context:
– The parable answers Peter’s question in Matthew 19:27-30, where after the rich young ruler’s story, Peter asks, “What then shall we have?”
– Jesus promises those who follow Him a “hundredfold” reward both in this life and eternal life but concludes with the same principle: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30).
– This establishes the parable as an answer about rewards in the Kingdom of God.

Practical Interpretations by Participants:
Quality over Quantity: Sister Teresa Parkinson emphasizes zeal and quality of service rather than length of service.
God’s Sovereign Choice: The parable illustrates God’s freedom to give as He chooses; His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Testing Heart Attitudes: Paying the last first exposes the heart condition of the workers, revealing jealousy or humility.
Equality of Reward: Regardless of when one comes to faith or how long they serve, the reward in God’s Kingdom is the same.
Humility: The attitude “I am an unworthy servant” (Luke 17:7-10) expresses the Christian’s proper response to God’s grace.
Love as the Final Test: True love for fellow believers means rejoicing in their reward and not comparing or begrudging (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Historical Notes on the Denarius:
– The denarius was a day’s wage sufficient to feed a family for a day.
– Different Bible versions translate it as “penny” (KJV) or about $20 (The Living Bible).
– It symbolizes the basic, agreed-upon reward for faithful service in God’s work.

Related Scriptures Discussed:
Matthew 6:25-34: God’s provision and care, teaching not to be anxious but to seek first His kingdom.
Luke 17:7-10: The servant’s duty is obedience, not entitlement to praise or reward.
Romans 9:10-19: God’s sovereign mercy: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy” (Romans 9:15), emphasizing divine prerogative in grace.
Isaiah 55:8-9: God’s ways and thoughts are higher than human ways and thoughts.
1 Corinthians 12:20,26: The body analogy showing the importance of all members and rejoicing in others’ honor.
– The parable of the Prodigal Son is referenced as a comparable lesson about the gracious Father and human grumbling over grace.

Key Lessons and Applications:
God’s Grace is a Free Gift: It is not based on works or time served.
Avoiding Comparison: Comparing rewards or spiritual progress with others is futile and fosters jealousy.
Acceptance of God’s Sovereignty: Believers must trust God’s choices and timing.
Serving with Right Motives: Service is not about earning but about love and obedience.
Trials and Experiences are Bespoke: God customizes trials according to what each believer can bear, strengthening the body.
Unity and Love in the Body: Believers must rejoice in God’s generosity to others as part of Christian love.
The Reward is Eternal Life: The “wage” or reward represents eternal inheritance, not temporal compensation.

Conclusion and Encouragement:
– The study leader renames the parable “The Parable of the Generous Householder” to emphasize God’s generosity and sovereignty.
– Participants express joy in the Christian life and encourage humility, love, and faithfulness.
– The study closes with appreciation for the rich insights shared and reminders to trust in God’s provision and mercy.

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Bible Verses Mentioned:

– Matthew 20:1-16 (Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard)
– Matthew 19:16-30 (Rich young ruler and Peter’s question)
– Matthew 6:25-34 (Do not be anxious)
– Luke 17:7-10 (Unworthy servants)
– Romans 9:10-19 (God’s sovereign mercy)
– Isaiah 55:8-9 (God’s ways higher than ours)
– 1 Corinthians 12:20,26 (Body of Christ rejoices in honor of parts)
– Reference to the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

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Summary Keywords:
Parable of the Laborers, Generous Householder, God’s grace, Divine mercy, Equal reward, Heart attitude, Christian humility, Kingdom of God, Peter’s question, Eternal inheritance, Avoid comparison, God’s sovereignty, Daily wage (denarius), Christian love, Trials bespoke, Biblical justice, Faithfulness, Jesus’ teachings

Transcript

Spontaneity. Sister Janet, if you’ll continue, please. Now, when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius, and on receiving it, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, these last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.

But he replied to one of them, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?

Or do you begrudge my generosity? So the last will be first, and the first last. Thank you.

We know for a fact that in the Greek New Testament, there are no verse divisions, there are no chapter divisions. If you’ve ever seen the Greek manuscript, it’s just a column of letters. If they reached, like two and a half inches of text, they would stop in the middle of a word and go over and just like that. I love punctuation. I’m so glad we have punctuation.

But punctuation was not included in these writings here, nor were chapter divisions, nor were the titles given to each section. Now, in my English Standard Version, as I look at this, this parable is called the Laborers in the Vineyard. But our first question is a little bit wide open. We commonly refer to this in the Bible student movement as the parable of the penny. But might there be a more fitting name for this parable than that?

And in naming this parable from the content of the parable, how might that direct our interpretation of the lesson? So floor is yours. Who are the. Who is the main character of this parable? What is the main point?

Sister Janet. The generous householder. Okay, so the generous householder. Any other approaches? Any other thoughts out there?

Brother Ken? Say there would be the generous householder, and also that it shifts us from wages earned and what’s deserved to God’s grace and mercy. Study concluded. Thank you.

Love it. Thank you, Brother Ken. Any other observations?

I got a tiny bit of apprehension. I was talking to Brother Derek just before this session started, and he said that they had studied it here in Albuquerque and there were many different opinions about this parable, and normally I would get a little bit of anxiety, but I have learned to listen to the voices that the Lord provides and to hear out my brethren for their perspective. So, any other thoughts? So far?

We have the generous householders. Sister Jan Gilbert. I Like to think of this as the yeah, buts. I couldn’t hear you. Yeah, but she said, yeah, but.

Okay. Why that name? Humanity is very conscious of fairness, and those who started out early in the morning perceived that the householder was not being fair, even though they had agreed to do the job for X amount of money. Then the person that started one hour before or one hour before quitting time should have gotten Y, not X, the same as I’m getting.

I worked all day. So there’s that jealousy. The. Yeah, but that’s not fair, and that’s how the world today perceives everything, as in fairness or.

Yeah, but Very good. Good explanation. Debbie Moss, and then Sherelle Hagen, sick, and then Len Gr.

I like the way you asked that question, Brother Obie. How about it being the kingdom? I’ve always looked at this and thought, this is the kingdom is like, and so to me, I’ve always tried to look at it like he’s trying to describe what the kingdom is like as being the theme of this. Over.

Yes, so many of our Lord’s parables do open with that phraseology. The kingdom of heaven is. Is like this, and then he gives his lesson. Okay, Sister Cherelle, I was just going to comment that this is an answer to a question when.

No, you can’t say that because you’re getting ahead, and, and that’s my big block. No, I’m kidding. No, no, please, please.

Because it was when the apostle. Let’s see that one, Peter, when he had listened to Jesus answer to the rich young ruler, then he asked, well, behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then is there for us? So this is actually the answer. Don’t pass the microphone away yet, because I have recruited you to be a reading volunteer.

Let’s go back to chapter 19 and look at that. This is question two, and it’s appropriate to bring this scripture in at this point, and then we’ll come to you, Brother Len, for.

Okay, all right, Sister Shirelle. Chapter 19, the. The story of the rich young ruler. The rich young man who said, I have followed all these things from my youth, and Jesus says, one thing, you lack.

Go sell everything that you have and give to the poor, and then follow me. Truly, I say to you with difficulty, will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven? It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Pause.

Take it from verse 25, please, Sister Cherelle, and when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished, and said, then who can be saved? And looking upon them, Jesus said to them, with men it is impossible, but with. With God, all things are possible.

Then Peter answered and said to him, behold, we have loved everything and have followed you. What then will there be for us? And Jesus answered to the sorry, and Jesus said to them, truly I say to you that you who have followed me to the regeneration where the Son of man will sit in his glorious throne, you also shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel, and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for my name’s sake shall receive many times as much and shall inherit eternal life.

But many who are first will be last. The last first. So there’s the setup right there. Peter wonders, we’ve left everything for you. What then shall we have?

What’s our return on investment?

Right? And Jesus said, everyone who’s left all their possessions, their families will receive a hundredfold. I believe the Mark account says, in this life they shall receive a hundredfold and houses and families, and I found that to be true of the truth, put some distance between me and my natural family, but look at the family I have out here. It’s a great compensation.

So what shall we have? Jesus said, many who are first will be last, and the last will be first, and that’s how he ends that parable that we were just getting into, verse 16 of Matthew, chapter 20. The last will be first and the first last. So, Brother Dan, do we have someone online who wants to make a comment?

Yes, Sister Teresa Parkinson. Hello, Sister Teresa. Hello, Brother Obi. I think one of the things that this parable stresses is that it’s not a question of quantity, it’s a question of quality, and it’s a question of zeal, and if the quality and zeal are the same, it doesn’t matter whether you spend years and years and years in the truth or whether you come in at the last moment.

But if the zeal and the quality are the same and deep, then that’s what counts.

Thank you. Good to hear from my home Ecclesia giving me some support up here on the platform today. Do we have another comment? Okay, I just see Motorola Edge. So if that’s you, go ahead and speak.

Thank you. This is Bruce. I. This may be a lateral thought, but I kind of thought of as an attitude adjustment admonition that I tied in with. I was thinking Luke 17.

Okay. I would like to hold off on Luke 17.

Okay. Second Corinthians, 5, 15.

God after you. Oh, I’ve just lined up a few that were. I was thinking of with what you are. Study context. He died for all that.

They which lived did not live unto themselves. Unto him which died for them and rose again, and Luke 17, yes, did come to mind.

Settling for the earnest of my inheritance. Thanking God for the spirit of truth and the joy of service, and I. I just assumed that what he said in Matthew was necessary to complete that context. That’s all. Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your comment. Further comments here in the congregation.

Sister Gretchen, You know, I always think about be thou faithful unto death, and I’ll give you a crown of life, and so that crown is offered to anybody who’s accepted the call. But there are grumblers in there. There can be grumblers, and people are called at different stages of their life.

Whether they’re called when they’re 20 or 80 or 90. The reward is the same.

The. The call of the high calling. Okay, Sister Pat in the back.

Well, I think too, it’s. What is our walk all about is developing agape love, which is a. Not a self interest, but a interest in the. The class, in the fellowship, in the brethren, and when you have, it’s getting rid of that self.

And.

And the important thing is God’s grace and love towards us. We need to reflect that grace and love to our brethren and to the rest of the world, of mankind. So it’s acceptance of his will, not our own will.

Thank you. I see an underlying principle peripheral to the discussion. But he who has much of him, much will be required, and those who don’t have as much less may be required. We’ll come back to Luke 12:48.

That’s the citation on that. We won’t read that now.

So we’re going to rename the parable for my purposes, and I guess I get to do this because I’m the study leader and I have the microphone. The parable of the generous householder, and I can think of no more generous householder than our Creator, our Heavenly Father, and so we’ll discuss aspects of.

We have given all. What shall we have in return?

The validity or invalidity of comparing ourselves with our brethren. Let’s move on. The laborers. This might be an easy one. Who do the laborers represent?

What’s your perception of that? Should be an easy one.

Maybe too easy. Anybody want to state the obvious? Thank you, Brother Ken. The harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few. So you are the laborers.

We are the laborers that are working in this field. The Lord’s people, and they’re promised a denarius as a wage. Does anyone have any historical background on the denarius, what the denarius was?

Brother Derek? Well, I think it’s, you know, as we described today’s wage, it’s interesting that King James says a penny. The living Bible says $20. So the wages are going up based on inflation, I guess, but basically it should be what is required to work, to pay a worker for one day work in the field. Okay, thank you, Brother David Bushy here.

Do you have a further thought?

Just that it was further context. It was enough to pay to feed a family for a day. Okay, so I’m standing up here feeling a little bit of self satisfaction. I’m old enough to remember when I thought, wow, I made $20 today. That’s really great.

Okay, so a day’s wage, how would you interpret that in relation to this parable? He’s telling the disciples, Peter in particular, what then shall we have? And Peter essentially is telling him, you’ll have a day’s wage. Can anyone translate that into a practical application for the Christian life?

Sister Gretchen?

So anybody who comes to work is going to get the same pay, you know, whether they, no matter how long they work for, the pay is the same. That chrono life. Okay, thank you. Other thoughts, Sister Cherelle?

Well, my first thought that came to mind was sufficient for the day is a trouble therein, and then I immediately thought of God’s words to Apostle Paul, my grace is sufficient for thee. So it’s the strength that God gives us to get through whatever comes our way each day.

And I think that I can guess a phrase that each of you probably says multiple times every day. Give us this day our daily bread, and that is the nourishment that we receive from eating the flesh, so to speak, of our Lord Jesus and drinking his blood. Give us today the bread sufficient to nourish us. Do we have a comment here?

Okay, now I am.

Well, there’s a deep story behind the generous vineyard owner. It puzzled me at first that he seemed a little devious. Line up all the workers, but make sure you put the ones who were hired last in the front of the line. You know, you could have said, make sure you pay the first ones and then let them walk off and then the next group and so that there wouldn’t be this, oh, you got a denarius? Well, that’s all I got.

And I worked so much longer than you did. So have you thought that through? We’d love to hear your insights on that. Why did he do that? Deliberately put the last hired first in the line.

Your thoughts, Sister Debbie? There’s probably lots of reasons we could say, but we know that these parables always teach a lesson. You said that earlier. The lesson here would be, with the background of the denarius, which I was just looking at, was the fall of the Roman Empire was part of the fragmentation and the fall of the Roman Empire, according to. I think that’s AI.

So if I’m wrong correctly, please. But God’s ways are higher than our ways, and he wanted them to see that God is the one that decides the standard. Kind of like what Sister Jan was saying. You know, they. They got all upset about where’s the equality?

Where’s the justice? Okay. God determines what just is, and when they’re resurrected in the kingdom, some of these Roman people may recognize they’re going to learn that our money system didn’t work. It was actually part of the downfall because of the problems.

Could you repeat that last sentence? I didn’t hear it enough. In the resurrection, the world will learn that the money system, the financial system that Matt thought was wise, became part of the downfall to his empires over. Okay, thank you. Up here in the front, we have Sister Janet’s hand.

In answer to the question, why did he pay the last first and the first last? I think one of the possible reasons is to test their heart condition. The Lord knows the end. From the beginning. He knew what the heart condition was, but it had to be made manifest.

And so those who grumbled about working longer in the day than those who came in the very last hour, they did not have the correct heart condition. Especially in the context of the previous chapter, where we know that the work that is being done is the Lord’s work. Okay.

He exposed the nerves of the workers. Sister Pat Slavic back here. He exposed the nerves so that we could see intensely what the reaction was going to be, and I think that if that was absent from the formula of this parable, we wouldn’t have as much of a lesson, would we? That’s like the pungent spice that brings the life to the parable.

Sister Pat. Well, I keep thinking, too, that the disciples, the apostles, were listening to this parable, and wasn’t there an occasion where people were arguing who got to sit at the right hand and who was sitting at the left hand? And what was the response? That’s not for me to make that choice.

So it was a heavenly. It’s a heavenly Father. It’s, you know, Christ as the, you know, they choose what the reward’s going to be and who’s going to sit where, and it was priming the pump to get the attitudes correct. I also think it was the landowners was.

Wanted to be honest and upfront transparent about the work that was required and what the pay was. So it was clear. So lest the. The vineyard owner’s character was besmirched, you know, surely these workers would meet each other in the town square and maybe getting water at the fountain, and one would say, oh, wow, that was really fun working for him in his vineyard the other day.

Yeah, really? I only had to work an hour and I got a denarius. He gave you a denarius? I had to work for 12 hours and all I got was one denarius. Really?

Wow, that’s kind of despicable of him, isn’t it? And I say that because so much incorrect thoughts, so much terrible perception of the character of God has proliferated. I think it’s wonderful that there is this level of transparency in this parable. His openness and his honesty is to be commended. So we have a hand here.

Brother Ken and then Brother Tom Gilbert and then Sister Cherelle Hagenseck. Sister Teresa Parkinson has a comment. Sister Teresa, go ahead, please.

I have a feeling that this parable has nothing to do with hierarchy. The last will be first and the first will be last. It’s. It’s kind of cancels everything, and what Jesus is basically trying to say is that no matter when you come in, the reward is going to be the same.

And there’s. There’s all. He also. Jesus also said that. No, I think it was one of the apostles.

I think Paul said that, can the hand say to the eye, I have no need of thee, or something similar to that effect. In other words, beyond the veil. Although we have different roles to play, every role is going to be significant to the body of the bride. But to be part of the bride, I mean, it’s only one reward, and whether you come in at the beginning or whether you come in at the end, it has nothing to do with time or hierarchy.

It is one and the same. That’s why I think the last will be first and the first will be last. It’s actually equivalence.

I like that thought, Brother Tom.

The beginning of my thought just went out of my head. It’s a final test, and what is the final test? Love.

If we love one another, we should be happy with what each one gets, and the Scripture is first. Corinthians 12, 20, 6, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Shepherd. So brother also says the final test is love.

The world gets a final test. In the little season, there’s a final test.

Thank you, Sister Cherelle, and then we have someone online.

Well, I loved what Sister Pat said because that really was where I was. My thoughts were going also. So the greater context of this began in Matthew 19, but doesn’t end until Matthew 20, verse 28. So the greater context came when Peter asked about, you know, we’ve left everything and followed you. What do we get?

Jesus gives us parable. Then the mothers of James and John come right afterward and says that she wants one of her sons to sit on the right and the other one to sit on the left, and when the 12th, when the other 10 hear about it in verse 24, they’re indignant they didn’t get the message of the parable, and Jesus concludes the matter in verse 28. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for the many.

Yeah, their mom was just being a good Jewish mother, wanted to see her son succeed. Not asking a big thing, just that one sits on the right and one sits on the left. Yes, back here.

I’m thinking that perhaps it doesn’t have anything to do with anyone working as much as the sufferings that some people seem to have greater than others.

Okay. Some labor long and some labor short. If they suffered under the sun when they were laboring, then perhaps some endured more. But I don’t know that we have any scripture that says absolutely. Your degree of glory in the kingdom is contingent upon how much you suffer and how much you do to earn the reward that you get.

I dare say myself that I would never say to the Lord, I earned it. I worked so hard. Do you know how much trouble I suffered as a member of the General Convention Committee? No, it’s a pleasure. I’m just throwing that out there.

But it doesn’t matter. It’s the privilege. I love the thing that you said, Sister Pat, about love, and that’s the great equalizer, and the opportunity to serve the Heavenly Father is such an enormous privilege.

Many are called, but fewer chosen, and she has her hand up there. Brother Derek, if you’ll give her the microphone. Sister Pat.

I always loved what brother Carl Hagensek always mentioned, that those who have the Lord gives severe trials to are the strongest when he knows they can handle it, and he’s more gentle with those who need different types of experiences. So if we’re in the body of Christ, we can appreciate the fact that those who can handle the more difficult experiences are there with us and we cheer them on, and it makes our love for each other growing. What’s the expression they use?

If you get shoes made for you personally handmade for you, or a suit handmade for you, what is the expression? A what? Tailor made? No, but thanks for your support, hon.

I can’t remember, but there is an expression of it being made specifically for you, and I perceive that that’s the Lord’s level of care. I’m sorry. Online. Custom made. Good try, but no.

Bespoke. It is bespoke. Our experiences are bespoke of the Lord and tailor made for each of us. If I were to compare my experiences in life with brother Dan or Sister April and I say, well, you know, they had these really difficult experiences and I haven’t. Am I like, falling behind?

Should I not have much hope in the outcome of my consecrated walk? The answer is no. Comparisons are an exercise in futility. We’re all so different. Sister Lisa.

I think it’s a beautiful lesson of humility because we have no right, as you said, we have no right to ask the Lord for anything. We are not deserving of anything, and we all come to the truth at different stages of our lives. Some have been in the truth their whole life and some have come much later. But they bring their heart and, and the Lord.

Only the Lord can read the heart and where they are at that stage of their life, and we don’t know the trials. You know, like you also mentioned, you know, we’re not basing this on trials, but we don’t know what trials they went through to get there. So only the Lord can read, can read that. Very good.

Thank you all for your comments.

Brother. Brother Andrew, I was just thinking about the event and the Gospel of John, chapter 21, when Jesus tells Peter, it goes along with what we’re talking about, how. How he was going to die, and what’s the first thing that Peter says? Of course, he was young.

Then he says, well, what about him, right? What about this guy? And we see that, and then obviously Jesus tells him, what’s it to you, what I have to do with him? Right?

I’m guiding all your paths and I choose how you’re going to live, and then of course, we see as Peter grows in the Holy Spirit and gets older, certainly he would not have had that same reaction. So I do think it’s about humbling them. Yep. Okay, good.

All right. So the workers who worked longer grumble, and it seems quite notable, a notable amount of grumbling. You know, we bore the heat of the day. These people were called in at the last minute. This is not fair.

And I appreciate you bringing that up earlier, Sister Jan. Mankind’s perceptions as to what’s fair are usually based on selfishness. I didn’t get as much as you did. That’s not fair.

God’s fairness is always perfectly balanced, and for them to say that’s not fair shows their spiritual lack of insight. So they’re grumbling, and this really is a key to understanding ultimately what this parable is all about. Now we begin the guessing game.

You have to guess what Brother Obi has in mind when he asks this question.

Any takers? Brother Len? Thank you.

You’re not going to trip me up? No, never. No. Because I just think. I’m wondering if it’s not related to the same parable of the prodigal son.

The one son said, I’ve worked for you for everything, and you, you know, I get this, and here, the other one didn’t do anything, and he took off and he came back and he, you know, and said, you know, I’ve had you always, but this was my son that was lost and coming back, and I. To me, somehow that was suggested in one of the reprints I read on this, that perhaps it’s related to that idea, because we’ve talked about the disciples and everybody else, that maybe that grumbling represents how.

That we shouldn’t be looking at what others are getting as much as what we’re doing to serve, and it’s, again, attacking the ego that goes with something like this. So I’m not sure I have the exact answer here, but to me, that idea that it’s like the prodigal son and his murmuring against his Father for rewarding the son that was lost is somehow related to this idea of the murmuring, and we had that happen with the Jews in the First Advent, where the scribes and Pharisees didn’t like the fact that Jesus was calling us sinners and others. So just a thought on that, but I don’t have a specific answer.

What is the murmuring? Okay, Brother Tom Gilbert and then Sister Cheryl Hagensek, then Brother Comey. JC I’m glad that Brother Len brought up that parable, because it’s a misnamed parable as well. The prodigal son is not the center of the story. It’s the gracious father it should be called the Parable of the Gracious Father.

And that’s the lesson that it’s teaching, and in both of these, I think the grumbling represents those who thought that they could earn God’s favor, and God’s favor cannot be earned. It is a free gift, and there are some who actually cannot accept a free gift.

They want to feel that they have earned it, and they resent getting something that they don’t deserve because they’re so intent on this idea of, I have to earn my way because then I can show that I’m better than others. That’s it. Sister Cherelle. The grumbling had to be in the parable, because I think that this parable has layers of meaning. One layer, one interpretation was strictly for the apostles, then another layers for us later to learn the principles.

There was questioning, which kind of implies grumbling. What’s in it for us, Lord? By Peter, and then there was definitely grumbling by the 10 after James and John were asked to be in the highest places of honor. So I think this was specifically aimed at them when it was given.

Now it has definite application for us later on to not be looking to see, how am I honored, but how can I honor others? Not how am I served, but how can I serve others?

Oh, I love the Christian life. I do. Brother Comey Jaycee. Yeah, I. This is in line with what’s been said already, but.

And I appreciate this question about the grumbling. I would never have thought about it, but to me, it seems like this is about the landowner, the gracious landowner, and it goes to the scripture in Isaiah 55 that says, My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord, and so the grumbling really is essential to be able to show that the way of the Lord is different than how us humans will look at it, and I think it goes to what Brother Tom was talking about, the parable.

I’m gonna have to think about that title now, the Parable of the Generous Father. The same way we’ve always thought of it from the standpoint of the Prodigal Son. But this is about the Heavenly Father and, and his grace and how. So different he thinks than we would think.

Sister gretchen, You know, to kind of just say it really blunt, you know, it’s God’s creation, it’s God’s plan. He can call who he wants, and you got to follow the rules, and people are called at different levels of their life and go through different experiences, and there’s grumbling different periods of time for everybody because we don’t always like what’s going on now, whether it’s in our personal life or our spiritual life or whatever you’re doing. It’s a tough road ahead.

But as they say, it’s. It’s not going to be easy, but the reward is great. So those that make it to the end and fulfill their covenant are the ones that get to go in and the other ones later, like the wise and foolish virgins. Okay, thank you, Sister Pat.

I was also thinking about the calling of Apostle Paul and how many of the brethren would have chosen him to be to fill the place of, of Judas, and you know, what a surprise. But this parable and this, this lesson and also the parable of the gracious Father from makes sets the stage for the brethren that the apostles acceptance of God’s choice in Paul. He would, you know, we would put him last as an option but God wanted him and, and that it’s. We have to not only acquiesce, but we have to appreciate the Lord’s wisdom and submit to his choices that he gives us in our life and enjoy them, appreciate them.

Sometimes we don’t realize how good we’ve got it. We think back 2000 years on that day when the encounter with the rich young ruler occurred, and the disciples could see the kind of deflating experience it was for him, and then Peter turns to Jesus and says, what then? Shall we have we forsaken all? And so now it brings us to this point of God saying, I’ve got you, I’ve got you.

I will give you your daily bread.

Jesus said in Matthew the sixth chapter, don’t be anxious. Verse 26. Look at the birds of the air. They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Which of you, by being anxious can add a single hour to the span of his life?

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and yet I tell you, even Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these? But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown to the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? The Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you have need of them. All but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

All these things will be added to you in the punchline. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

What a great provider we have in our Heavenly Father. Well, continuing on with our outline, we did have the brother bring up Luke 17 earlier. We’d like to read that, if you’ll turn to Luke 17, verses 7 through 10.

And I’d like to thank Sister Joan Kilgore for volunteering to read that for us. Sister Joan, Luke, Luke 17, verses 7 through 10.

Which of you, having a sleigh, plowing or tending sheep, will say to him, when he has come in from the field, come immediately and sit down to eat? But will he not say to him, prepare something for me to eat and properly clothe yourself, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterwards you may eat and drink. He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?

You. So, so you too, when you do not. When you do all the things which are commanded, you say, we are unworthy slaves and have done only that which we ought to have done. Okay, so that language is brought into the discussion. When you have done all that you are asked to do, all that is required of you, it doesn’t say, you’ll rest on your laurels and say, look what I have accomplished.

It says, you’ll say, I have done that which was my part to do. I’m an unprofitable servant. I’m just doing the Lord’s will.

Let’s close with Romans 9, verses 10 through 19. We will not read them all. But, but as you’re sitting there thinking of how you would respond in particular verses 10 through 19, and the, the section of Scripture we want to take out of that and focus on is when God says, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and apply that to the parable, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. How might that apply to our parable today, Sister Cherelle, then Brother Tom, and then we’ll turn the meeting back over to Brother Derek.

It applies. Applies perfectly to that Luke 17, Scripture, because the context of that was when he tells them to. To forgive. I think that was a 70 times 7, and he tells them to forgive.

And they said, lord, increase our faith, and that’s when he gave them those words, and so this fits very well in that forgiving attitude. No matter what’s done against us, forgive, let God handle it.

It’s just conveying the idea of God’s sovereignty.

He is the potter. We are the clay. Amen. I love that. Also reflect on the the statement that, yes, it’s great to serve God, but don’t think of it as an advisory capacity.

All right. Well, brethren, the hour went by so fast for me. I really appreciated your comments. It was a joy to spend time considering these Christian values with you and Brother Derek. Please.

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