Tony Finch sermon at Canley Community Church - Matthew 20: 1-16, The Greatest Stories Ever Told

1. The parable of the
workers in the
vineyard
MATTHEW 20: 1-16

2. In response to Peter’s question in
Matthew 19: 27
We have left everything to follow you –
what, then, will there be for us?

3. An initial response to this
parable?
 That’s not fair!
 Why should these ‘Jonny come latelys’ get the same
as we who were here right at the start?

4. All sinners, saved by Grace but
what about ‘really bad sinners’?
 The reality is that many who begin last and promise
little in religion, sometimes, by the blessing of God,
arrive at a great deal of knowledge and grace and
usefulness.
Matthew Henry

5. The Grace of God is not fair!

6. The Grace of God is not fair!
 Is it fair that God chose to save us when we were lost
in sin and spiritually dead and totally undeserving?
 Is it fair that He sent His only Son into the world to
die in my place, bearing all my sin when He himself
was sinless?

7. Be aware of a self-righteous
attitude.
 The only righteousness we own is the robe of
righteousness that Jesus gives us.
 We must not be proud of what we have done.
 Nor of how long we have been Christians.
 Nor that we may know more than those who have
come into the Kingdom later.

8. God has the right to do what he
chooses.
 He is sovereign and owes no-one an explanation.
 There is no negotiation involved in our salvation.
 It is by grace that we are saved, through faith – and this
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so
that no-one can boast.

9.  We have no reason to boast and no right to complain.
 The Generous Employer.
 Let us be grateful that our God is a generous God.
 The Grateful are better off than the Grumblers.

10. May we grasp God’s Amazing
Grace and rejoice that he chose
to draw us into his kingdom.