The Debt You Owe

Matthew 20:1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' 8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' 13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen." 17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

What is the economic basis of the kingdom of heaven? Is it what you deserve to receive – or is it the debt you owe?

Religion teaches me what to do so I can have a sense of accomplishment. With the sense of accomplishment comes the additional sense that somebody owes me something. Since God apparently sits at the head of the religious system – then it is God who owes me what I deserve to receive for accomplishing what I have accomplished.

Can you imagine “serving” God all your life, only to see someone come in at the last minute - serve Him for that minute – and then receive the same reward as you? That would be terrible wouldn’t it?

Compare this attitude with Jesus’ attitude toward His reward, (for my sake.)

He says, “the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.” Does it sound as though Jesus is concerned with what He is owed?

Or does it sound as though Jesus’ only concern is to personally pay the debt I owe? If Jesus has personally and completely paid my debt – then what do I owe Him? At the very least, I owe Him an equal concern for others that He has for me.

-Pastor Bill