When you read this text do you find yourself thinking, “How unfair it was that those who worked one hour got as much as those who worked the whole day, 12 hours.

After all most of us like to keep score don’t we?

You learn in school to keep score when you are taught that to win you need to get A’s and B’s. Those who get good grades ‘deserve’ to get into University and those who don’t   ‘deserve’ to miss out. And of course at work the harder you work and the longer you work the more you expect to get paid. And don’t you just get annoyed at those people who seem to get away with not doing their job properly!

We even tend to look at our material possessions in the same manner. The bigger the house, the newer the car, the more powerful the computer: all are ways that we keep score if with no one else then ourselves.

It is no surprise that our tendency to keep score even invades our church life. We have a tendency judge ourselves and others by how much we do for the church. By how long we have been members of the church, and by how much we give of our time, our talents and even our money. And doesn’t it just annoy you how ten percent of the members always seem to be doing ninety percent of the work. It always seems to be left up to the busy few!

The problem is that deep down our sinful nature causes us to bargain with God. We like to think that the more we give to our church, the more good works we do, the longer we have been faithful regular worshippers, the greater will be our reward. The greater will be our blessings in this life, and the more certain will be our salvation.

Then we when something bad happens to you, what do you say? “It’s not fair!” “It’s not fair, he was a lay-leader, and now he’s got cancer.” “It’s not fair she did everything for him and he ran out on her.” “It’s just not fair he worked so hard and then such and such got the promotion instead …”

And in our congregational life this kind of thinking becomes evident in all kinds of ways.

It becomes evident in the reactions that some have to new members of a congregation. Those who have come in at the eleventh hour, have not put in the hard work, and  yet they still share fully in all the benefits the congregation has to offer. To make matters worse these new comers may not even show any appreciation for the sweat and toil the older members have put into the congregation. They may even try to get involved in making decisions and change things!

It just doesn’t seem fair! That is not the way things are suppose to be…

Like the workers who were hired first in the parable envy rises up and love grows cold. In the Greek it says that the “eyes” of the workers were evil as they grumbled about the fact that the newcomers were treated as equals. They were giving the new comers the “evil eye” because they were being treated as equals. 

Hey wait a minute, aren’t we all for equality?….

This parable challenges us to change the way we think about worth and importance. To look at people the way God does and not judge them on their performance or their achievements or because they have passed a certain set of criteria.

It also challenges us to be honest about how we view those new to our congregation, and even more importantly how we feel about mission. Because if we are really serious about spreading the good news of God’s grace to those in our community who do not know about it, then we need to be prepared to accept those who respond.

We need to be able to welcome them with open and loving arms knowing that through Christ they are our equals as members of his body, despite the fact that they have only just arrived. Accepting that they have just as much right to be in the church and receive the benefits of membership of Christ’s body,  as those of us who have been members for 10 or 20 or 50 or 90 or more years.

Thankfully for all of us in God’s kingdom, old or new,  God gives his mercy and grace freely and equally to all of us.

It is not as if you or I are actually able to do anything to deserve God’s love and forgiveness. It is not as if you have actually done anything to deserve being adopted as God’s child. God’s grace is not something we earn by good attendance or hard work. In fact we could never hope to meet the necessary criteria to gain entry into God’s kingdom.

The only work that can, is the work done by our Lord Jesus Christ in his saving work on the cross. Christ has done all the necessary work for you.

It is through Christ’s death that you have received the invitation to work in God’s vineyard, and it is through Christ’s blood that you have been promised your reward.

The pay you deserve is nothing, and the grace you have been given is everything. So don’t work for the pay but rather work out of love for God, who brought you into his kingdom and promised you the reward of eternal life.

Thank God for pouring his love and forgiveness out on you as a free and generous gift rather than as a form of payment. Respond to God’s love generously, with love toward your neighbours, especially those who do not know of his goodness and mercy. Amen.