Called into the Vineyard – What Does This Mean?

Dear saints, the life of a day laborer is not one to envy. You go every morning to a place you know that work can be found. You wait for someone to come by looking for workers. You hope that the work is something you can perform. You hope that you are either chosen for the work or able to get to the vehicle faster than others vying for the job. Then, at the end of the day, you hope that the wages you receive are fair for the often back-breaking work you performed for hours on end. Even if that wage is barely, or even less than what the area lists as its minimum wage.

This is the modern-day setting for the parable Jesus tells his disciples in this morning’s lesson. It is a parable meant to shock the hearer, but I do not think it is all that shocking to us. Why is that? Because we are used to its themes. We confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We believe that our God becomes man to save us from our sin. We confess that we are not able to do good without the Holy Spirit. We believe that we cannot be saved by our works, but only on account of the work of Christ Jesus our Lord. As a result, we instantly view ourselves as those laborers who work only a part of the day.

But for a moment, let us look at the parable from the world’s viewpoint. People claim they want fairness. And what we hear in the parable does not seem fair at all. We do not see it as fair that someone working for an hour gets the same pay as one that works all day. No one would object at the same hourly rate, but the same net pay? Such a business owner is irresponsible and will not last long. He will not get people to work all day when they know they can relax most of the day and get a full day’s wage for working only in the easy part of the day. His work will in turn not be completed and his projects will not finish on time. He will not get more contracts for business, and his business will shut down.

Looking at the parable through worldly eyes, it simply does not make sense. It is no way to manage a successful business. And I cannot disagree. Therefore, we must look at what is being taught here by our Lord. As always, context is key.

Just before the parable, we have a rich young ruler come to Jesus. He asks what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. The man claims to do it, but still knows he lacks something. Jesus replies, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Upon hearing this, the man goes away sad because he had many possessions. And to the disciples Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

This perplexes the disciples, and they wonder who could ever be saved. The answer, of course, is, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Yet Peter, remembering his own call, points out that the Twelve left everything they had. What then shall they receive? “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Thus the stage is set for our lesson this morning.

I will not pretend to know the difficulties of harvesting a field. Especially when many of you do that for a living. I do know that it is not easy work, even if it is less difficult today than in the days before our advanced technology. I am glad that I do not have to lug a sack over my shoulder and handpick corn or cotton or grapes. Especially in the heat of the day. But that seems to be the type of work being done in the parable.

A vineyard owner goes to the market early in the morning and meets with day laborers. They negotiate a wage for working in the vineyard: a denarius. They go and begin the work. Later in the day, the owner goes to the market again. He finds more laborers and calls them into his vineyard. He says he will pay them whatever is right. This happens again two more times. Finally, as the day is nearly over, the owner goes to the market a final time. He finds even more standing and not working. Even these are called into the vineyard. But this time there is no promise of wage; they are only told to go.

At the end of the day, the workers are brought in to receive their wages. Those sent at the eleventh hour are paid first and receive a denarius. Though we do not hear it, the ninth-, sixth-, and third-hour workers receive the same. It is not surprising that those who worked the full twelve-hour shift thought they would receive more. But when they come to the foreman, they receive their denarius. The one they negotiated for and were promised. And for this, for the master keeping his word, they grumble. To one of them, the master says, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?”

As is often the case, if we were to take the time needed to talk about everything in this lesson, you would probably start grumbling that I was talking too long. Some of you might already have such thoughts in your heads. So, let me briefly talk about what we are taught, and perhaps in future years, we shall dig into specific parts and flesh these lessons out.

First, we see that the work given to these laborers is not one they applied for. There was no interview process. Instead, they were sought out and called. They did not get this work for their ability or expertise, but because the owner decided to send them.

The same is true for each of us. The vineyard in the parable is the church and its work. None of us are qualified to work there. There is no application process and there is no way we can choose to work there. This is because we are by nature sinful and unclean. Unless the master, that is, unless our Lord seeks us out and calls us into His vineyard, we will never step foot inside it.

But, dear Christian, you have been called into the vineyard. You have been chosen by God and made able to work in His vineyard. This is the grace that God. Those baptized and those who trust in Christ Jesus as their Redeemer and Savior have a place in the vineyard.

Second, all in the vineyard work. No matter what time the laborer is sent in, there is work to do. And the expectation is they accomplish as much as they can for the hours that they are there.

St. Paul describes this work in the Epistle as a race. There is a reason we are in the vineyard, and that is to work. We seek to keep God’s commandments. We desire that others would hear and, like you, be called into the vineyard. It requires commitment and dedication. It is often tough and grueling work. Especially in times and places where the Church is hated and opposed. But no matter the circumstances, you are called to work and support the Church in whatever situation you are in. In doing this, you earn nothing. But you do receive the mercy and benefits that your Heavenly Father promises you. You do not run aimlessly or box as one who beats the air. You do, however, discipline your body and keep it under control that you will receive the imperishable wreath of eternal life.

Third, the master is faithful and generous. He keeps his word and pays what is promised to the first he calls into his vineyard. He is also generous to those whom he calls later in the day and makes all of them equal in what they receive.

The Twelve left everything they had and followed our Lord. They are promised thrones from which they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Abraham was promised that he would be the father of many nations but died without seeing the fruit of that promise. Moses led Israel out of Egypt and through the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But he did not himself enter the Promised Land on earth. These and many other men (and women) labored long and hard for their Lord. And each of them, like the laborers who toiled the whole day in the scorching heat and sun, receive what was promised to them.

This reward is not based on their work, but the grace of God given to them. As Jesus tells the disciples when asked who can be saved, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Because God calls all His people into his vineyard, whether you work an hour or twelve hours, the denarius you receive is on account of God’s grace.

Finally, even when you receive exactly what you are supposed to, jealousy is a temptation. Coveting what someone else has and begrudging the master is something anyone can fall into. Even those who only worked half the day and received great mercy and a full denarius.

Far be it for you or me to think to ourselves that some terrible person who has a late-in-life conversion is undeserving and hold them in contempt. May we not think to ourselves that they do not deserve forgiveness. Or worse, that we somehow deserve more forgiveness or greater benefits than they. They receive grace and forgiveness for the same reason, and in the same amount, as you and me. They are sought out and called by Christ. They are made new in baptism by the work of God, not of man. They are saved not because of their work, great or small, but by grace.

When the vineyard owner responds to a grumbling worker, he says more than what I quoted before. He goes on to say, “Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.”

This is a terrible sentence to hear. He is given the wage he negotiated for and told to leave the vineyard. He has what is his. But where does one go who leaves the vineyard? Who leave what God has created and called them into? And yet this is also a wonderful sentence to hear. The implication is that those who were ‘overpaid’ and did not complain about the owner’s inequality of pay and generosity remain in the vineyard. These do not simply get a denarius and leave the vineyard. They remain there. They are not treated as mere workers but as sons.

Here we see the work God does in the Gospel. It is more than a simple cancellation of our debt of sin. God forgives the sin of Adam and Eve, but He does not allow them back into Eden. Instead, He becomes a man. And as a man, He buys us out of sin. He wins us and our salvation. We now belong to Him. Not as a cow or a plow belongs to a farmer, but as a member of His family. God unites Himself to us, makes us His bride. By grace, we are made bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. God calls us His friends, His brothers, His children, His bride. As a man, He gives us His Body and His Blood in Holy Communion. There we become one flesh with Him, joined together by God. There is a reason it is called “communion.”

The cords of Sheol entangled each of us. Death stared us in the face and looked to devour us. But the Lord is your rock and your fortress and your deliverer. He calls you into His vineyard by grace. The love He shows you is not earned. Unless it is a bad reality TV show, men do not hold auditions or give tests that a potential bride must pass. He is her husband and she his bride because he loves her. And so, we cheerfully receive His grace. We stay in His vineyard. For where else could we go? The vineyard is made for us and us for it. We are mercifully delivered by His goodness to the glory of His holy Name. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD