Every Man a Penny

Q: What does the Bible say about God's grace in salvation?

God's grace offers salvation freely, irrespective of our works, as shown in Matthew 20:1-16. The Bible teaches that God's grace is a central component of salvation, highlighted in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20. In this parable, some workers who labored a full day expected more than those who worked only one hour, yet all received the same wage, illustrating that grace cannot be earned through works. This emphasizes the point that salvation is a gift from God - it is not based on what we have done but on His gracious intention to bestow mercy on whom He chooses. Ephesians 2:8-9 further underscores this by stating that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, so that no one can boast.

Q: How do we know God's sovereignty in grace is true?

The sovereignty of God's grace is affirmed in His choice of whom to save, as described in Matthew 20:16. The doctrine of God's sovereignty in the dispensation of grace is vividly depicted in Matthew 20:16, where Jesus concludes the parable of the laborers by stating, 'So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.' This highlights the truth that while many hear the call of the Gospel, it is ultimately God who chooses those who will receive saving grace. Romans 9:15-16 also supports this teaching, illustrating that God's mercy is not based on human effort or desire but rests solely in His sovereign will. Thus, the truth of God's sovereignty in grace reassures believers of His control over salvation and His purpose in selecting individuals for redemption.

Q: Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

Understanding grace is crucial for Christians as it clarifies that salvation is a divine gift, not a human achievement. For Christians, understanding the nature of grace is pivotal as it shapes the foundation of their faith and assurance of salvation. It teaches that salvation is entirely a work of God, as described in the parable of the laborers in Matthew 20, which illustrates how grace is given freely rather than earned through our efforts. This understanding liberates believers from the burden of attempting to earn God's favor through works. Furthermore, it cultivates a spirit of humility and gratitude, knowing that all are equally dependent on God's mercy, emphasizing the equality of all believers before God. As Christians grasp the depth of God's grace, they learn to reflect that grace in their lives, extending mercy and love to others.

Q: What does the parable of the laborers teach about merit?

The parable teaches that merit has no place in the economy of grace; salvation is a gift regardless of our works. In the parable of the laborers in Matthew 20, Jesus teaches that merit is irrelevant when it comes to receiving God's grace. The workers who were hired early in the day believed they deserved more than those hired later, reflecting a common human inclination to gauge worth based on effort. However, the vine-dresser chose to pay all workers equally, illustrating that God's grace operates outside human merit. This aligns with the principle found in Romans 4:4, where it is stated that the one who works to earn a reward does not receive it as grace, but as a debt owed. The parable powerfully communicates that all believers are recipients of God’s grace solely because of His goodness, not their work, reinforcing that salvation is a gift to be received with gratitude rather than earned through merit.

Matthew chapter 20 in verse 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us, he saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the 11th hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, these last have wrought but one hour. and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong, didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

Take that thine is and go thy way, and I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last for many be called, but few chosen.

Our Lord tells this parable in response to Simon Peter's remark in the previous chapter. Peter asked, you'll see at the end of of chapter 19 in verse 27, then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee. What shall we have therefore? Peter, of course, asked that question, made that statement in response to the Lord's parable of the rich ruler who came asking what he must do to inherit eternal life.

And the Lord confronted him with the law, The man professed that he had kept the law. The Lord showed him on the spot that he had not, that he didn't love God. He didn't have any regard for God. He had regard to his own possessions. In other words, this is the old story, grace and works. He loved those things that he possessed because he had worked for them. They were valuable to him. He had earned those things in his mind. So it's our works or it's grace, it's trust, it's following the Savior. And the man went away sorrowful. And then Simon said, well, we've done what he couldn't do. We left everything and we followed you. What will we have there for?

And so our Lord tells this parable In response to that, after comforting Simon, he told him that those that had fallen him, they might have forsaken houses and lands and brethren and sisters and father and mother, but they'll receive a hundredfold. and shall inherit everlasting life." The Lord didn't rebuke Simon with a sharp, immediate rebuke, but this parable rebukes him, because it shows that whatever the Lord gives is enough. It's right. It's right, and it's gracious.

So he tells this parable, Simon says, what shall we have therefore? And he tells this parable about the grace of God. Now we can't try to make this parable teach something in every aspect of it. You can't take a parable that our Lord tells and go line by line and say, well, what does that mean?

Or what does that mean? Or what is this? Like the hundred sheep, the 99 and the one. We're not supposed to sit there and say, well, who are the 99 that the Lord left and went and followed the one? Well, the whole point of that parable is that all of his people are the one. We went astray. If you're not the one, you're not his. And the Lord, what's your testimony? Did the Lord go find you and bring you home? Or did you find your way back? Did you decide to come back?

Well, the parables are that way. They make one point. They teach one thing. What Simon needed to understand is that the Lord is gracious and things don't matter. The stuff they left behind doesn't make any difference. It doesn't matter. It's not to be considered.

So, and also, don't try to make, in this parable, these dissatisfied murmurers to be children of God because they received the penny and try to say, well, if the Lord gave him a penny and he called this man friend, then they must have been believers too. They are not. They are not.

Since when did the Lord tell a parable for the purpose of saying, well, everybody in this story is going to heaven, but some of them are going to go to heaven better than others are going to go to heaven. Our Lord didn't tell parables for that reason. That's not the point of them. The point of them is to show who He is and to distinguish His people from everybody else. You look at the parables, and that happens every time.

If the penny is salvation, the penny, if you say that's salvation, and so everybody received a penny, then who in God's world is going to receive salvation from God, from Christ, the householder, and not be happy with it? We're still talking about who these ones are that received a penny, but murmured, complained, griped about it. We're not satisfied. We're angry. resented the householder, resented the goodman of the house because of it. Whoever received salvation in Christ and said, that's not good enough. No, these complainers are the Pharisee in the story of the Pharisee and the publican. These complainers, these ones who murmured and were grieved at what the Lord gave, They are the son who stayed home.

When the prodigal left, he insulted his father. He went his own way. He took what he thought was his, his inheritance, and he squandered it on riotous living. And then when he came home, though, and the father ran to meet him and said, kill the fatted calf. And they threw a big party for him. The one who stayed home said, he ain't throwing no party for me and I was here all the time serving him. This fool went out and ruined his life. And I stayed here and held down the fort and worked for my father. And he's getting the royal treatment and not me.

You see the same exact message in this parable. You know, there's evil in this story and there's good. Where's the evil? Well, it's in the eye of those who are not chosen. They're not given grace. They're not, just the goodness of the householder wasn't bestowed on them, at least in their mind and understanding. They got what they bargained for. They got what they deserved. No more.

You don't want what you deserve before God. The spiritual truth of this story is you don't want what you deserve. You want grace. You want the goodness. And that's where, remember what the Lord said? Shall I not do with mine own what I will? Shall I not do good to them whom I choose to do good to?

So spiritually speaking, what we deserve, everybody in a sense is going to get what they deserve. Those who stand before God in the end, not in Christ, but on their own works, they're going to stand on their own religious decisions or will, their free will or whatever, their decision, their works, their way, their will, They're gonna get what they deserve. And those in Christ are gonna get what they deserve, because what they deserve is what Christ deserves. We're joint heirs with Christ if we're gods, if we're in Christ. So, It just depends on how you stand before God. We're all gonna get what we deserve. Now listen, turn with me to Hebrews chapter six, and let's look at this. When he says, many are called, a few are chosen. Hebrews six, verse four.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. It is impossible to do that, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. They both get rained on, they both receive God's sunshine, They both have all the same outward benefits. They grow from the earth that God gave. They grow by nutrients that God gives.

Some receive the blessing, some the curse. Verse 9, But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you than things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Many are called, but few are chosen. Many enjoy benefits of God's saving grace, not spiritually speaking, but natural benefits of it, but not the grace itself. Judas was called. Judas was not chosen. Many are called. The gospel goes out to the whole world in some form or another.

Some way or another, by some means or another, but the Lord calls not every kindred tribe, nation, and tongue, but calls his people out of every kindred, tribe, nation, and tongue. The first group got what they deserved, but no more. What did these last ones receive? Look at verse 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? What he means specifically in that moment by good is what he did for those last ones who hadn't worked in the heat of the day.

They were hired in the evening and they worked a little while. And a penny, apparently, was a day's labor, because these first ones, early in the morning, he hired them for a penny, and they said, yeah, we're good with that. So that was a day's wage. They received a full day's wage.

And the Lord calls that goodness. They received goodness, not what they deserved, but goodness over and above, beyond what they deserved. Salvation here in this parable is satisfaction. Satisfaction. The difference in these workers is the way that they viewed the penny, but the penny because of the householder. They weren't angry because they received a penny. They agreed for a penny. The penny didn't change. They were mad at the householder.

They were mad at the goodman. and despised these workers upon whom God's grace was bestowed, the goodness of the good men was bestowed, just like Cain despised Abel because God received him and his offering and rejected Cain and his offering. And so Cain murdered Abel. Same exact envy, hatred, despising of the grace of the good men.

The same thing was set before all of them, but they reckoned it differently. Verse 10 of our text, look what it says. Again, verse 10, but when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more. They supposed it was in their mind and heart.

We deserve better Isn't that what happened in the garden? Isn't that what happened in the Garden of Eden? The Lord said, of all the trees, all the food in paradise is yours, except that one tree. And what did Satan come promising? Even better than that is why not have that tree too?

We deserve more. We deserve better than that. We deserve a chance to be saved. They supposed, listen to Romans four and verse four. Now to him that worketh is the reward, not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Turn over there with me. I want us to see this language.

Roman Romans four, four, Romans 4.4, now to him that worketh, in other words, the person who does something to earn what they receive from God. I made a decision, I walked an aisle, I lived the Christian life. I lived a separate, separated life. I was holy, I was religious. To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace. You don't know what grace is if you're trying to please God with what you do.

It's a debt. You owe us. Not only do you owe us the penny, but if you're gonna give them a penny too, then you owe us more. You owe us more than that. That's the parable. And you see, to him that worketh, we've borne the heat of the day. Look what we've done. Remember the ones in Matthew chapter 7 who said to the Lord, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? Have we not cast out devils in your name? Have we not done many wonderful, what? We've worked for it. The Lord says you're not coming in. You're not, you can't enter the kingdom of God. But we've worked for it. We've worked for it.

Did they reckon the reward of grace or of debt? They didn't say anything about Lord. We're here because of your precious blood. We're here before you because of your mercy, because you do like to show mercy on wretched, foul sinners. No, look what we did.

What was their reckoning? What did they suppose in the language of our text? What was their supposing? Well, of course we're getting in. Look what we've done. They reckoned the reward to be of debt. Grace. How about us? How about us? Is there any good reason why God would receive us apart from what Christ accomplished on Calvary? And I mean anything.

A thought, a word, a deed, a walk in an aisle, a decision. If it's up to you, you're going to hell because you are reckoning the reward to be of debt and grace. You're a goner. You're a goner. No, that's not how the leper came. He said, Lord, it's up to you. If you will, you can make me whole. But will you? Will you? It's up to you. That's how a sinner comes when he knows he's a sinner.

Parable in the scripture, as I said, is always teaching one single truth. And the truth taught here is that God's grace is irrespective of the works of man. He gives what he gives as he pleases. And it doesn't matter what you've done or haven't done.

The ones who said, well, man, look, we've worked all day. It's hot out here. We've toiled and labored all day. We deserve more than a penny. That's what they said. What do you think the ones who got a penny that were hired at the 11th hour would say? I know what they'll say.

Because in another parable that the Lord told, if it's even a parable, he told what's going to happen in that day. He said, I'm going to say to the righteous, I was in prison and you visited me. I was thirsty and you brought me something to drink. I was sick, and you came and comforted me while I was sick.

And you know what they're going to say? Lord, we haven't done any of that. That's why I know that the ones who were hired at the 11th hour, you know what they'd say? We don't deserve a penny. You're giving us a full day's pay, and we just showed up. We just showed up.

That's the difference it made in the heart. The difference that God makes in eternity is the difference that his son's sacrifice on Calvary makes. And the difference that that makes in the heart is the difference between the Pharisee and the publican. The prodigal son and the son who stayed home. The ones when God gave them something, it made them mad. And the ones when God gave them something, It humbled them and made them thankful. That's the difference of grace in the heart.

Every Man a Penny

What does the Bible say about God's grace in salvation?

How do we know God's sovereignty in grace is true?

Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

What does the parable of the laborers teach about merit?

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Every Man a Penny

What does the Bible say about God's grace in salvation?

How do we know God's sovereignty in grace is true?

Why is understanding grace important for Christians?

What does the parable of the laborers teach about merit?

Sermon Transcript

About Chris Cunningham

Comments

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