Proper 20 year A RCL

September 21, 2008

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. In the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

To have this Gospel lesson be the text for today is a gift from God. You see, today we will be baptizing Dennis into the Body of Christ. And the reason that this lesson is so appropriate is because Dennis is a grown man of retirement age. Our baptisms are usually young people and babies—people that are entering the vineyard at the beginning of the day. Dennis is coming into the vineyard in the middle of the day. He is living testimony to the point of this parable. Regardless of when anyone comes into the vineyard the reward is the same—reconciliation with God.

When the landowner went into the town square to find people willing to go to work in the vineyard at the beginning of the day he selected all of them that were present. When he goes back later in the morning there are new people in the town square. The landowner doesn’t ask them where they were earlier. If they were sleeping in, loafing, working at another job, or got sidetracked on the way to the town square the landowner doesn’t care. It only matters that they are ready to go to work now. And, at the end of the day, they are rewarded with just as much as those that came to the vineyard from the beginning.

I am humbled as I witness Dennis’ excitement at the prospect of being baptized and marked as Christ’s own forever today. It causes me to view this parable with fresh eyes by recognizing my self-righteousness.

If I were a character in this parable, I would be one of the workers that came into the vineyard at the beginning. At the end of the day I would be among those grumbling that the last were getting more than they deserve. Since I’ve been working in the vineyard for a while, I know how the job is “supposed to be done.” Clergy are supposed to wear stoles for worship. The Lord’s Prayer is to be said every time we gather for a service. The baptismal water is to be poured over the candidate’s head using a seashell, preferably a scallop or cockle shell, even though I do not know why.

I cringe because the churches that are newly formed and have come into the vineyard lately aren’t doing it right. My ego explains to the landowner that we were here first. Our worship traditions pre-date theirs by 1800 years. If St. Augustine showed up for one of their services he would be totally confused and bewildered. “Where is the liturgy, the lectionary, the communion?” I would put the words in Augustine’s mouth.

Yet, those newly formed denominations (some only a 100 years old) are just as beloved by God as my crusty old (seasoned) denomination. I am challenged by this parable to see these churches as enthusiastic and energetic, perhaps getting as much work done in the last hour of the day as we have done all day. Which incorrectly assumes that God measures the quantity of our work somehow. As if the more souls we save as a congregation makes us better than others. As if we could save souls in the first place. Christ saves the souls. Our job is simply to show up in the town square so that Christ can put us to work in the vineyard.

Some of the workers that I will be toiling side by side with will not agree with my rejection or indifference to certain doctrines. Maybe I should find common ground to talk about instead. God’s grace would be a good place to start. I’ll ask them to describe God’s mercy in their lives and I’ll nod my head in agreement. God’s love is freely given. We cannot earn salvation. All that come into the vineyard will be given eternal life regardless of when they came. I’ll nod my head bite my vain tongue and maybe we can get along after all.

==AMEN==