The angel said to the women,”Don’t be afraid, for I know you were looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen, just as He said! Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples!”Matthew 28:5-7a NIV
Fear is one of those things everyone has battled ever since Adam and Eve took the first bite of the forbidden fruit. As a friend who had done work building 600 foot steel towers once told me, “The man who says he isn’t afraid is a liar!” We are all afraid, at different times and in different places. But whatever we are fearful of this morning, we are advised to look and see, He is not here. In the place where He is, fear is forever vanquished. He is alive and is calling us to come and see for ourselves, and then go and tell others He has risen. “We don’t need to be afraid anymore!”
When He said these things He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus come forth!” The man who had died came out, His hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth, Jesus said to them, “Unbind him and let him go.” John 11:43-44
Once we had a very active ground hog who had decided to build his home right in the middle of my perennial garden. No amount of filling in the burrow or chasing him off made any impact. Finally, I set a large cage trap just outside the entrance to his home and the following morning he was caught…. To read the rest of the story go to Walking With Lambs
But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?Matthew 20:13 ESV
We Are All Working For Jesus– Of course, we are not saved by works, but there is a work for the believer, that is to believe (John 6:29). When we come to work for Jesus, He tells us in advance what we will receive. The key word in today’s verse is friend. Jesus calls everyone who came to “work” in His vineyard His friend.
Everyone’s Wage is the Same! Everyone who “works” for Jesus receives the same wage (salvation). At the day’s end, no one gets more saved and no one less. We each receive the silver coin, just as He promised when we answered His call. We are all saved by grace. No one will be impressed by how long we “worked” in His vineyard because we are all receiving infinitely more than we deserve!
The Last Will be First – Being last in line, doesn’t mean that people who only believed for an hour are more important. They are first because when they receive their “wage” they are a greater show of God’s goodness. They come first because in them God is receiving even greater glory. “Are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:14.
a) Instead of complaining hearts, let’s rejoice with God for the salvation of others
b) Instead of asking why we didn’t get more, let’s be amazed at the fact that we are all receiving infinitely more than we could ever deserve!
C) Instead of sour hearts, let’s rejoice that we got to work all day close to Jesus and at the end of the day He calls us friend!
Have a blessed Sunday everybody. I hope you will enjoy this wonderfully simple presentation by EMU music of the classic hymn, Hallelujah What a Savior!
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