Is God Always Fair?
Matthew 20:1-16
Introduction.
John H. Westerhoff III once said: "If you are not feeling very uncomfortable after you have read a parable in the Bible, just assume that you did not get it. It’s function is to turn your life upside down and get you very upset. And most people are not upset about parables. That means that they did not get it."
A. Notice three surprises our text offers for consideration.
1. The employer goes down to the Job Market himself.
2. All employees received the same wage at the end of the day regardless how
many hours they labored.
3. The story, rather than condemning the seemingly unfairness of the landowner,
complements him.
B. Is God always fair?
1. You felt that you deserve better than what you have in life but just
don’t seem to be getting the break you feel you deserve?
C. Jesus is calling his brethren to "fairness" rather than justice.
1. So is God fair? No, not always. Sometimes he is more than fair.
Especially when it comes to our eternal reward.

I. The employer goes down to the Job Market himself (20:1-7).
A. For unskilled labor, it would have been far more usual to send a foreman down
to hire laborers.
1. Instead of putting out a Help Wanted add or sending down the foreman he
does a personal inspection.
B. With the surprise of the employer going down to the Job Market himself should
we not reevaluate what is the marketplace?
1. Where would God go to get workers to employ? The world? The pagan
temples? The bars and pub or hot spots of the night? The vineyard in the
parables most always refers to the world. Thus the marketplace would be the
church of God, the house of God, the place where the pillar and ground of the
truth is upheld.
2. Could it be that God personally calls us each to his ministry regardless our
level of skill.
a. God is looking for people – not just to receive His grace – but to work in
His service and to testify of His greatness
C. Which reminds me that There Is Always Work To Be Done
1. God is continually calling laborers into the field. Some of God’s greatest
servants have yet to be reached Matthew 20:5-7 (Luke 10:2 Pray for
harvesters).
John Wesley was born 1703 and lived to March 2, 1791. He was 88 years old when he passed away. It was said that he traveled up to fifty miles a day for forty years; preached forty thousand sermons; produced four hundred books; knew ten languages. At age eighty-three he was annoyed that he could not read or write more than fifteen hours a day without hurting his eyes, and at age eighty-six he was ashamed he could not preached more than twice a day. He complained in his diary that there was an increasing tendency to lie in bed until 5:30 in the morning.
D. Therefore, this parable indicates God expects every saved person to
work in his vineyard.
1. He called us harvesters, fishermen, soldiers even builders.
a. Some plan, some plant, others water (1 Cor. 3:6).
b. In the work of the kingdom some are called to be architects
(church planters) others concrete finishers (elders), iron workers
(teachers), welders (lovers of unity), those who haul materials
(providers of transportation), electricians (energizers,
encouragers), glass workers (visionaries, idea people), finishers
(those who tidy up loose ends), clean up crew.
c. Even though God has called and given us the ability to perform, it
is He who is the finisher of the final product (Phil. 1:6).
So surprise #1 God comes to church to call his people to work. He did not go to Shriners, Masons, ABC Foundation to ask them to do his work. He called the church. Any man or woman who wishes to do God’s work wants to be in his church so it may receive the glory.

II. Our second surprise: Every worker received the same wage (Matt. 20:8-9).
A. That doesn't seem fair! I want what I feel is mine, I want justice!
1. It is amazing how people want more as soon as they hear someone has more
favorable terms than they have.
2. The workers who had worked the full 12 hours would not have been
dissatisfied with their pay if:
a. they had not seen what the other workers had earned, or
b. if those who had only worked one hour only got 1/12 of a denarius.
B. Isn’t this story telling us that we should be content with what God gives us –
and not be jealous if it seems someone is getting a better deal.
1. Jealousy has long been a problem in our society. We tend to compare
ourselves to one another and then think we’re getting ripped off. For
example, I know of some politicians who are getting hundreds of thousands
of dollars for their empty speeches and that’s a whole lot more than I get
for dishing out solid spiritual stuff that carries eternal weight. Why should
they get paid more than I do?
2. What do you think Paul’s attitude would be if he saw my salary?
3. Think of the families that had to sacrifice wealth and life to bring the gospel
to our generation. And do you think we are more appreciative?
B. "We" are the problem of sorting out what is fair.
1. Our ultimate concern is, "What about me?"
a. Most of us desire revenge than justice. "The problem is we want
justice for everyone else and mercy for ourselves."
2. In this parable, Jesus is also giving the world the view of God's justice
at work.
a. We assume God’s justice is witnessed in the destruction of Sodom
& Gomorrah, death of Nadab and Abihu, and the demoting of king
Saul and other such painful actions he brought upon humanity for
their arrogance or sins. I know many who did worse and have not
suffered a fate like those we read about in scripture.
3. I am reminded of Ezekiel 18:25-32 where Israel thought God was not
being fair to them.
The parable is telling us that God is fair to all who answer the call to go work in the field.
Which brings us to:

III. The third surprise, that is, the story commends the seemingly unfairness of the employer (Matt. 20:10-15).
A. "God isn’t interested in paying a few fat cats top wages!" He is concerned that
all who would serve him have enough for their needs. - their needs were a
denari a day - everyone got it.
1. This parable reminds us that God’s ways are not the ways of the world.
a. In God’s Kingdom – God has totally different values. Jesus said: (Mt. 6:33)
B. This story teaches us that God does for others what we would never do for
them.
1. (I would never have paid all the workers the same wage).
2. Sometimes we get all bent out of shape when it appears our load is heavy
and another’s light (Lk. 12:48 much is required).
3. God is fair to the one who has 1 talent as to the one who has five (Matt.
25:14ff).
4. Grace is a gift that costs everything to the giver and nothing to the receiver.
What does it cost me to work in the field? (money, personal
time)
a. Here’s a classic situation: one may get fumed over the newest
member getting recognition over them. "Why, I've been doing that for
years and never received so much as a pat on the back"
b. We who have born the burden and the heat of the day need not to
insult the justice of our God who has been so merciful to us for many
years of incidental labor habits. (Every gardener at some times cuts
down the wrong plant, prunes the wrong branch or picks something
too green.) Hasn't God been merciful to us in the mistakes we have
made working in his vinyard?
5. Grace is that which is given to those who don’t deserve it, barely recognize it,
and hardly appreciate it.
a. Did you notice that the reaction of those who undeservingly received the full
day’s wage was not recorded? Did they just say thanks and go on???
b. That’s why God alone gets the privilege of handing out rewards. He knows
what is fair and what are our needs. God, through Christ Jesus provided our
need. All we need to do is quit grumbling and get busy working the field.
C. Which should prompt us to ask, "How does God call us into the field?"
1. Remember the parable is talking about those already in the church.
2. The call rings out - we need a class taught, hospital visit made, a meal
prepared, card sent, clothes sorted, supplies gathered, pantry stocked... and
then there are those times which the Christian way tells us to stop and help
anyone when they are in distress.
3. Sure, all those who have been busy have been taken advantage but don’t stop
working - refocus your energy (Matt. 7:6 pearls before swine).

IV. The reality is, none of us deserves a single cent from the Lord
(20:16).
A. First last, last first - equal pay scale, same work, same reward.
1. We all deserve death (Rom. 3:23)
2. When we obey the gospel we become qualified to work in his field.
3. If you do not answer the call to work, you cannot receive reward.
4. Regardless how hard or how long we work, every worker is justified
by his blood (Rom. 3:24-25) and not by our works.
5. God is handing out the reward. We don’t get a ‘new and improved’
benefit package.

CONCLUSION:
Mark Twain, when asked what were the two best words in the English language, said, "Not guilty." I think it would be "Well done (Matt. 25:21)."
And so our three valuable lessons we need to remember
1. God expects everyone in the church to work. He calls you giving you
tasks to perform.
2. Regardless how easy or how difficult or how long we have performed the
task, the task will always need to be done and the reward is of equal
value to every worker.
3. We must remember that it is God who hands out rewards.