Mar 17, 2024 "Justice" (Matthew 20:1-16)

Justice

Matthew 20:1-16

 

In South Korea, justice is a big topic among politicians these days, especially with the election is coming up in April 2024.

 

In the passage about the vineyard owner who pays the same wages to his workers despite them working different hours I Matthew 20. Most of us think of salvation when we read this passage; however, it is about justice.

 

If we look at this in the context of the ancient times, we may have a better understanding.  

 

The owner of the vineyard was very rich. We know this because he had to hire many people to work on his land. The grapes were used to make wine which is not necessary but wanted. The vineyard would have been on the best land which again tells us he was rich.  

 

The vineyard owner goes out instead of sending a manager to hire laborers. He offers them a denarius, which was the standard wage for a day.

 

The vineyard owner goes to find laborers and hires some immediately very early in the morning.  He then hires more at nine in the morning. He tells them that they will be paid fairly.  

 

Later in the afternoon, the owner hires even more workers. They had not been hired yet. No one would hire them, so the owner did and offered a fair wage.  

 

When it is the end of the day, he tells the foreman to pay the last hired first and the first hired last. They are not paid pro rata but are all paid the same wages.

 

The owner pays them in such  a way that the first ones hired sees what the last ones were paid which was the same paid to all. The first ones hired were angry, but the owner responds like this.

   

Matthew 20:13-15 ESV

[13] But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’  

 

The owner wanted to be generous with as many people as he could. He wanted everyone a chance to work. This meant that some people would work more and longer whereas some worked very little, so everyone was able to work with dignity and have enough.  

 

The vineyard owner is not an effective manager by our standards. However, we know in our world efficiency has led to unemployment, climate problems and over consumption.  

 

In God's eyes , it is more important that everyone has enough and all are considered equal.  

    

Before the throne of God above

In Christ alone

Living Hope

Mar 10, 2024 "Trusting the Unseen: Embracing God's Empowerment in Our Journey" (Exodus 4:12-23)

 

Trusting the Unseen: Embracing God's Empowerment in Our Journey

Exodus 4:12-23

 

Moses killed an Egyptian before he became the leader of Israel. He has to run away from Egypt and found a new life. Later, he met God in a burning bush. God tells him great things and shows him great things.  

 

God calls him to go back to Egypt and free his people from Pharaoh and his tyranny. Moses, despite seeing all the great things God had done, asked God to find someone one else to go. Moses was doubtful God was sending the right person.

 

God prepares much more than what we need. However, we often doubt God when we are called. Many of us doubt God's faithfulness and direction.

 

1.      God will give you the ability and resources needed to complete the tasks you need.

 

With Moses, God had already prepared everything. God was going to teach Moses what to say and to train Aaron.

 

Exodus 4:12 ESV

[12] Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”  

 

God not only gave Moses the words to speak, but also the staff of God to demonstrate God's power through miracles. The staff carried no power, but God channeled his power through this wood.

 

God did not just free one person, He saved all His people from the strongest country at that time. There were 600,000 people who were rescued and Moses was the leader.

 

Exodus 4:20 ESV

[20] So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

 

If we believe God is real and He is faithful, we will find peace and overcome. God will be glorified.

 

2.      God will be able to help you because He is all powerful.

 

Exodus 4:21 ESV

[21] And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.  

 

God is the creator of all things and is the master of all things. He hardened Pharaoh's hearts and demonstrated miracles to show His power and destroy the beliefs of the Egyptians. God showed He was the one true God and sovereign over all things.  

 

Exodus 4:22-23 ESV

[22] Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, [23] and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

 

God fights for His sons and daughters. God is our father, and we must remember that God is also our father. God loved His children. He corrected his children but forgave and provided for them again and again.

 

God continues to set us free. God came down in person.

King of Kings  Goodness Of God  O Praise The Name

Mar 3, 2024 "Crossing Jordan" (Joshua 3:5-8)

 

Crossing the Jordan

Joshua 3:5-8

 

In this passage the Israelites are getting ready to cross the Jordan River. Forty years before Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea. God made a safe dry path for the Israelites to cross. This time verse 8 shows us how it is different this time.  

 

Joshua 3:8 ESV

[8] And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”  

 

Here we see that God does not make a safe path first before they cross the body of water. We see God wants them to take the first step before the miracle happened.

 

Joshua 3:15-16 ESV

[15] and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), [16] the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.  

 

We read the Jordan River is full of water and it would have been impossible to cross. God stops the flow of the River when the priests feet touch the river.  God wanted the Israelites to grow in faith and the dry ground would not appear until the first step was taken.

 

As Christians, we might not see the evidence that God has saved us or the benefits of following God, yet it is the act of faith. We often want to see the dry path first before we take another step. However, we only grow when we act in faith.

 

Before we step out in faith, we need to consecrate ourselves. That means to purify ourselves and that is to distance ourselves from all sins. We do this by living by God's commandments. Our mindset is to get away from sin.

 

The Ark of Covenant always went before the Israelites . All that was in the Ark was the ten commandments on the stone tablets. We need to read, hear and meditate on the word of God. It is His word that will purify us as we draw closer to it.

 

The Bible is like a mirror.

 

How He Loves

God You're So Good

How Great Is Our God