Theme: Making the most of our talents in the work of God
Text: “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” – Matthew 20:1, 2.
Comment: In his parable of “The Workers in the Vineyeard” (Matthew 20: 1-6) our Saviour likened the Kingdom of God to the head of family who went out early in the morning to hire labourers to work in his farm of grapevines for a wage of a penny a day. The householder went out in the third hour, (around 9.00 a.m.), the sixth hour (12.00 noon), at the ninth hour (3.00 p.m.) and at the eleventh hour (5.00 p.m.) and gave jobs to those willing to work. At the end of the day, those who came earlier got the same one penny, as those who came at 5.00 p.m. – who were even paid first. (Verse 12) Those who came earlier complained bitterly about this apparent injustice.
But the owner of the work however explained that he had kept to the terms of their negotiation, which was to give each person a penny, which was a labourer’s wage for a day at that time.
It is a privilege for one to be given opportunities to work in God’s organization for one’s blessings. God will keep His promise to give eternal life to those who do His work until the end. – Hebrews 6:10-12.
Jesus Christ stated: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” – Matthew 24:12-13. See also Hebrews 10:35,36,38,39; 1 Peter 1:3-9.