Speaking of God...

This week I had my first preaching experience in Seminary. We were told that we would be doing a five minute "sermon" about a passage of our choosing and we were to just speak about what it says to us about God and what it says to our community of faith. Below is what I wrote, I am sure that what is below is not exactly like what I said, but it gives the idea.

Matthew 20:1-16

The Labourers in the Vineyard

‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. ²After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. ³When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; ⁴and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. ⁵When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. ⁶And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” ⁷They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” ⁸When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” ⁹When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. ¹⁰Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. ¹¹And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ¹²saying, “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.” ¹³But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? ¹⁴Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. ¹⁵Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” ¹⁶So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’ - scripture from oremus Bible Browser

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Upon hearing about this assignment I knew exactly what text I was going to us. My mind immediately jumped to God speaking to Job in the whirlwind, I know it’s an odd text, but it helps to keep my ego in check. But the passage I just read has been nagging me all week. It just seems to keep popping into my head. This all started when I read a sermon by Barbra Brown Taylor on this passage. I read it and thought, “oh how nice.” But I began to think about this passage and the more I thought about it the more is began to get angry. I began to sympathize with the workers who had been there all day. I began to feel like one of them, spending all day breaking my back in the sun only to get the same payment as those who worked only an hour. I began understand their frustration and anger towards the landowner. I mean, I have worked hard. I have spent my time volunteering, going on mission trips, for crying out loud I worked with middle school youth, and now I am here at seminary. I think a lot of us can relate. We are all good people; I mean we are here are we not?

We have heard this phrase, “the last will be first and first will be last” so often that we have forgotten how radically counter-cultural it is. It is not capitalism. I mean if we are going to get the same reward in the end as those who come to the vineyard in the eleventh hour, then why work all day? Why not use the system to our advantage? Only the good die young right? Is this not what this passage is saying?

Throughout the week, Matt and Anna have driven home that it is God who is to be the center of our preaching not ourselves. So looking at this passage that way, I stop looking at in the since of my understanding of what is fair, I stop looking at what I do, what have done, and what I left undone, and I stop worrying about where I am in the line, am I somewhere near the front or in the middle and the reward of others. And shockingly I begin to feel free. The things I have done that I shouldn’t have and the things I left undone begin to matter a little less, I stop comparing myself to others and what they have done or not done. For this passage has very little to do with what I have done and yet everything to do with what God has done. This radical grace that is given so freely to everyone is so great but yet so simple. This passage gives us freedom to live. It gives us freedom not worry about where we are in line, what reward others are getting and how it compares to ours, our payment dose not depend on what we do. We have been set free to live in grace that has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God. Hallelujah and Amen

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