The Generous Employer

Icebreaker

Q1 - Have you ever felt that someone was rewarded more than what they deserved? Can you think of any situation in which this has happened? How did that make you feel?

Study

Please read Matthew 20:1-16

Q2 - Parables usually are a comparison for us to learn one or two things from them. Having read this story, what do you think Jesus was trying to teach his disciples?

Q3 – The first workers were offered and paid one denarius for a day’s work. That was a fair and normal work rate at the time. If we compare this parable with God’s Kingdom, with what people who work the most for God get, is this a good comparison? If you had the possibility of sharing this parable what would you have said differently?

(Hint: We always receive from God much more than we should, when we draw close to God we are actually always like the workers from the last hour that receive much more than they should)

I would have probably said this same parable but saying that the labourers got paid 1000 denarius, 1000 times more than what they should have and therefore even those who worked all day would have recognized that it was a gift, that their work’s worth was nothing compared to what they received.

We find the heart of this teaching in verses 13-16, please read them again.

Q4 – Do you think we find rewards from working for God’s Kingdom during our life on Earth? In what ways?

Q5 – In what ways did the workers and also disciples not understand what God’s Kingdom was all about?

Please read verses 20:20-21

Q6 – How was the mother’s request not understand what the Kingdom was about?

Please read verses 20:17-19

These verses after the parable bring some light into what Jesus was talking about. He is letting them know that he was going to Jerusalem, to be condemned and crucified, then rise to life. As we know this is the gift of grace that God gives. Looking it through these lens, knowing that eternal life, our relationship with God is a gift, then this parable makes more sense.

Q7 – How do the complaints from the first workers look like now?

Q8 – In what ways do we complain to God in similar ways? Do we feel that we shouldn’t suffer what others suffer or go through difficult times because we have been labourers in God’s vineyard for a long time? Do we feel God should treat us differently?

Q9 – Do we sometimes love that God is gracious to us, but not so much when he is gracious to others?

The parable highlights the reactions of the first hour workers, a bit like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son. But in both parables, the heart of the message isn’t the bad reactions from those who feel treated in an unfair way. The heart of the parable is to show that God is like the generous employer, a good God who is ready to show mercy to all, to reward everyone, to show the same love to the one who comes first as He does to the one who comes last. We can either feel entitled to the grace that has been shown to us and complain about grace shown to others in our own opinion less worthy of it. Or we can delight and be amazed by the generosity and love of our God, who is ready to extend grace and mercy to everyone, no matter what they’ve done or when they chose to draw near. A God that invites us to be like Him, a God who just fascinates us, blows our minds and calls us wherever we are.

Q10 – What is your response when you rediscover the grace, compassion, love, mercy and heart of our God? 

Prayer

You might want to spend some time thanking God for who He is and asking him to change our hearts and views to be more like him, an incredible generous God.