A Morning Cup of Tea : The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

Today's text is Matthew 20: 1- 16. It follows right along with yesterday's lesson where Jesus was talking abut the first shall be last and the last shall be first. 
  Before we begin though, I found this explanation of time. These are markings of the day:
  Third hour: 6 to 9 am
  Sixth hour: 9 to 12 midday
  Ninth hour: 12 to 3 pm
  Twelfth hour: 3 to 6 pm


 A man who owned a vineyard went out early in the morning to find laborers for his vineyard. They agreed to work for a penny a day. He went out again about the third hour of the day and found more people standing idle at the market place so he hired them also, promising a fair wage. Again he went out at the sixth and ninth hours, and hired more people for the vineyard, promising them a fair wage. At the eleventh hour he found men standing idle and he asked them, why are you just standing here? They said, because no one hired us. He hired those also.  At evening time he called his overseer and told him to pay the men for their work, starting with the ones who had come in last. Each man received a penny.
  The ones who had started working earlier in the day thought surely they would get paid more, as they had been working longer, but they too received a penny when it was their turn. They grumbled and griped but the owner came and talked to them. He said When I hired you, you agreed to work for a penny. I've done nothing wrong here. 
  16. So the last shall be first and the first shall be last: for many be called but few chosen.
 Again he talks of the first being last and the last being first. God is going to reward the faithful with eternal life, whether we start out in the vineyards early in the day (as a younger person) or towards the end of time.
  What does he mean by many are called but few are chosen? God sent his Son to die for all of us. But not all will accept that gift. That's where the few are chosen come in. He does have a path he wants us to follow. It's our choice if we follow or not, but those are his terms. 
  Have a wonderful day. 

Today's text is Matthew 20: 1- 16. It follows right along with yesterday's lesson where Jesus was talking abut the first shall be last and the last shall be first. 
  Before we begin though, I found this explanation of time. These are markings of the day:
  Third hour: 6 to 9 am
  Sixth hour: 9 to 12 midday
  Ninth hour: 12 to 3 pm
  Twelfth hour: 3 to 6 pm


 A man who owned a vineyard went out early in the morning to find laborers for his vineyard. They agreed to work for a penny a day. He went out again about the third hour of the day and found more people standing idle at the market place so he hired them also, promising a fair wage. Again he went out at the sixth and ninth hours, and hired more people for the vineyard, promising them a fair wage. At the eleventh hour he found men standing idle and he asked them, why are you just standing here? They said, because no one hired us. He hired those also.  At evening time he called his overseer and told him to pay the men for their work, starting with the ones who had come in last. Each man received a penny.
  The ones who had started working earlier in the day thought surely they would get paid more, as they had been working longer, but they too received a penny when it was their turn. They grumbled and griped but the owner came and talked to them. He said When I hired you, you agreed to work for a penny. I've done nothing wrong here. 
  16. So the last shall be first and the first shall be last: for many be called but few chosen.
 Again he talks of the first being last and the last being first. God is going to reward the faithful with eternal life, whether we start out in the vineyards early in the day (as a younger person) or towards the end of time.
  What does he mean by many are called but few are chosen? God sent his Son to die for all of us. But not all will accept that gift. That's where the few are chosen come in. He does have a path he wants us to follow. It's our choice if we follow or not, but those are his terms. 
  Have a wonderful day.