Reversal of Fortune

Posted on March 8, 2007 

Filed Under Matt Clifton, Sermons

by Matt Clifton

Matthew 19:16 – 20:16; 20:20-28

In general, we love to obtain. It seems completely against human nature to give up property. In fact, one of the world’s benchmarks for judging a successful life is how much property and possessions he or she owns. Watching the television the other day, a commercial came on in which a man, having received an invitation to a class reunion, goes to a car rental place to pay for the use of the finest automobile he can get. The idea, of course, is that all his former classmates, especially the ladies, would be awed and thrilled with his financial success!

In Old Testament times, you might have been judged and respected for how much livestock and how many servants that you owned. Remember when Jacob returned to his father, he had much cattle and many servants, and when he was reunited and reconciled to his brother Esau, they later had to part company because their “riches” in terms of livestock were so great, Genesis 36. In Genesis 13:2, Abram was considered very rich because of his large amount of cattle, in addition to silver and gold.

Now, I doubt if any of you young men are going to impress many ladies if you show up at a class reunion with a herd of cattle and some gold soup bowls in this day and time. You can try it, I guess. But in the day of the patriarchs you would have been respected. Not only would you have been respected, you would have been considered blessed by God. And indeed, we are blessed today by God for what we have, because all things come from Him.

But there is a strange role reversal that happens in the kingdom of God. There is a “reversal of fortune” that comes along with the New Covenant, in which human understandings and expectations no longer apply, and instead God’s order is established.

The Rich Young Ruler

In the first verse of Matthew 19, we find Jesus Christ departing from Galilee and journeying toward Jerusalem. He is passing through the region of Perea, across the Jordan River from the province of Judea, where Jerusalem was located. He had a great multitude of people following Him, and the text says He healed them there. It is this area that is the scene of a series of teachings on marriage, divorce, and the innocence of children. But it is the teachings of Christ in regard to man’s “tug of war” between loving God and loving riches and possessions that we will focus on today.

While He is engaged in these various teachings, Jesus is approached by one that asked Him, “What thing shall I do that I may have eternal life (Matt. 19:16)?” Mark’s account adds the detail that this man “came running” up to Jesus and knelt before Him, and Luke adds the detail that this man was a “ruler.” In response to his question, Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. “Which ones?” the man asks. Perhaps he was thinking only a few were necessary.

Jesus says, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young ruler was probably relieved, and he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

Notice Jesus didn’t include, ‘You shall not covet!’ in the list. But now, He confronts him with that one. If you want to be complete, or perfect, Jesus told him, go and sell all you have and give it to the poor. Instead of possessions on earth, you will store up treasure in heaven. “And follow me!”

But oh, what a reversal of fortune that seemed to the young ruler! Verse 22 says he had great possessions, so he went away sorrowful. What a hard thing this was to hear! His covetousness would not allow him to give up his earthly treasures! His love of the world did not exceed his love of God!

How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom, Jesus tells His disciples. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. This, of course, is impossible, the disciples thought. And in their mistaken human conception of the nature of God’s blessings, they continue to assume that wealth and status are signs of approval by God. “Who then can be saved?” they ask. If not the rich, who?

Jesus tells them all things are possible for God, whose word can overcome such obstacles when men obey. But hard it is to accept that reversal of fortune that is required in God’s kingdom.


“What Will We Get?”

It’s still not sinking in for the disciples, at least not for Peter. In verse 27 he is probably is thinking of Christ’s promise to the rich young ruler of “treasure in heaven” in return for giving up his earthly treasures for the poor. “Look, we’ve left all and followed you,” Peter said. And indeed they had. In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus calls Andrew and Peter, and they “straightway” left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:21-22 records the fact that James and John left their father and their ship there in that fishing village to follow Christ. “We’ve left all,” Peter said. “Therefore what shall we have?”

Peter’s expecting something in return for his service, isn’t he? Whether he truly desires a “return on his investment,” or he has simply misunderstood Jesus’ teachings about “treasure in heaven,” we do not know. But in response, Jesus tells them that when His kingdom is established, the disciples will sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. This, in effect, they do by preaching the gospel after Christ’s resurrection. But Jesus continues in verse 29 to say that everyone who has left houses and family or lands will receive a hundredfold return, and inherit eternal life!

And we do! For when we become children of God, we are added by Christ to His body, in which we find hundreds of family members! There are multitudes of “lands” in which we can be accepted when we travel. Think of the times you’ve been in need, when the arms of the church have embraced you through your brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember the times you’ve traveled to gospel meetings and other events away from home, and been welcomed and cherished as a dear family member. A “hundredfold” might not even cut it. It’s a figure of speech to let us know our families and lands will be greatly multiplied in the kingdom. But better than that, we will have eternal life.

There’s a “but” coming, though. Hold on a minute, Peter, before you run with this. You’ve indeed been the first to be called, but do not get too high and mighty. “But many who are first will be last, and the last first,” Jesus tells him.

The Parable of the Vineyard

Then He gives them a parable to explain this reversal of fortune. In Matthew 20:1, Jesus tells the disciples that the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

Some of you farmers will be glad you don’t have to do this, but in Israel at this time farm laborers would gather in the market place in hopes of being hired for the day. Many families simply went from day to day with their wages, and the day’s sustenance was always unsure. Landowners I suppose had to constantly seek workers, and workers had to constantly seek work to ensure each day that their families would have food.

So the landowner in this parable made a deal with some workers to pay them a denarius for a day’s work. This was a common wage for a day’s labor, and having struck a deal the laborers were sent into the vineyard.

The day in Israel was broken up into 12 sections from sunrise to sunset. It would have been around six in the morning when the landowner contracted with these initial workers. However, needing more laborers, the landowner went out about the third hour, which was around nine o’clock, and found workers standing idle, so he hired them too. This time, however, he did not promise them a day’s wages, but rather said he would pay them “whatever is right.”

Would anybody here be comfortable going to work on a farm with the landowner telling you he would pay you “whatever was right?” That might be a relative term. What you think is right, might not be what he has in mind! You may be expecting money, but the farmer might want to pay you in beans, or chickens, or gift certificates to a sushi bar! You would be at the mercy of whatever he wanted to give you. But these laborers needed work for the day to feed their families, so instead of standing idle the rest of the day, they agreed to salvage what they could, and make as much as they could with what time was left. They likely expected to be paid a proportional amount according to how many hours they worked.

And so the day progressed. The landowner needed more workers, so he went out again at the sixth and ninth hours, promising the new workers to pay “whatever was right.” Finally at the eleventh hour, only one hour from sunset, the landowner goes again and finds still more workers standing idle. “Why are you standing here idle all day?” the landowner inquires. “Because no one has hired us,” they replied. So the landowner hires them too. Again, “whatever is right” would be the wages. The workers were probably just thankful to get a little bit of work, since the day was nearly over. Perhaps they could buy a small morsel of food to make it through to the next day.

Then the day ended, and it was time to dole out the wages. According to the Law, workers were to be paid their wages at the end of the day (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15). So the landowner directed his foreman to call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired. When the last received their wages, they were surprised to receive a full day’s wages, despite working only one hour!

Can you imagine what those first laborers must have felt? “Oh man, this is going to be good! The landowner has paid the late workers a full day’s wages! I wonder what we are going to get!” You can almost see them in your mind’s eye, rubbing their hands together in anxious expectation of the grand reward that must await them.

Echoes of Peter’s statement can be heard, here. “What are we going to get, Lord, in return for our service?”

A single coin, a denarius, dropped into the palms of their hands.

Can you imagine the cry that went forth among the first workers? Cries of unfairness, inequality. “These men have only worked one hour, while we broke our backs and bore the heat of the day! And that’s all we get, one lousy denarius? You’ve put these last guys up on our level, where they shouldn’t be!”

By now you know this landowner represents Jesus in the parable. The landowner gently says, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? If I want to bestow My things upon these late workers, isn’t that My right? Is it not lawful for Me to do what I wish with My own things?”

You see, the landowner had shown grace toward these late workers, but the first workers were envious! The phrase “is your eye evil” is a Jewish expression meaning “are you envious?” The landowner says, “Are you envious because I am good?” They expected, and desired, more than was promised! And they gave no consideration whatsoever to the loving act that the landowner offered, or to the late workers, who despite being hired late still had families to care for. Do you see the selfishness present in this attitude?

“What are we going to get, Lord? What are we going to get?”

The Parable’s Meaning

This parable is not about earning salvation. We do not merit salvation by our works, Titus 3:5.

This parable is not spoken to encourage people to wait to the end of their lives to serve God. The workers all came when they were initially called.

This parable is not about earning rewards, because this parable has all workers receiving the same reward. John 4:36 and I Cor. 3:8 show that Christians are rewarded according to their work.

This parable is about motivation for service and gratitude toward God.

The first group of workers agreed to labor for the day in exchange for a denarius. The groups that came later were promised “what was right.” They trusted in the landowner. They left themselves and their welfare in the hands of the landowner. They did not expect great rewards, but rather a fraction of a day’s wages. Instead, they were fully provided for by the landowner’s grace-filled gesture.

Serving Christ for the purpose of receiving rewards and gaining personal prominence is the least noble of motivations for a disciple. Those who serve to seek reward will be last in the kingdom, those who serve out of obedience simply because they were called and trusted God to give them what was right will be first. A grateful heart will serve without thought of reward or whether another disciple is as worthy of the same rewards for less work.

Our service to God should be motivated by gratitude for what He’s done for us! The words of Paul by the Holy Spirit magnify this teaching of Christ. In Romans 12:1, Paul says it is our “reasonable service” to present our bodies as holy, living sacrifices to God. It’s the least we can do!

And in all the service we perform, we understand that we are still “unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10) and unworthy of such enormous gifts, especially the gift of salvation that He offers through His Son.

Again, there’s that reversal of fortune. “Servants? We have to serve with no expectations of great rewards?” Apparently some of the disciples still didn’t get it, because later on the road to Jerusalem the mother of James and John came with her sons to Jesus and asked Him a favor, Matthew 20:20. “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom.”

Jesus told her it was not His to grant that position. When the other ten heard this, they were a little upset with the brothers. Once again, there is wrangling among the disciples for position. There was still that human desire to be elevated over one another. That selfish desire was floating around them like a poisonous cloud.

Then comes the ultimate reversal of fortune. Jesus reminds them about how the gentile rulers love to lord their position over others. But among the subjects of the kingdom of God, He said, those who want to become great, must become a servant!

Whoever desires to be first must become a slave. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

What a reversal of fortune! We desire to be wealthy in the kingdom, and looked up to and respected! And yet, Christ calls us to be servants. He calls us to be grateful and to serve without seeking compensation!

Conclusion

Back to the television, we can flip through channel after channel of televangelists promising that if we send them our money, we will prosper. They teach that we can demand riches in this life from God. They teach that our lives should be about obtaining personal wealth. They focus almost exclusively on teaching us how to get out of financial debt.

These men and women don’t seek reversal of fortune. They don’t seek what God calls for in the kingdom. Instead, they seek an increase in their earthly wealth, totally denying the teachings of Christ. They teach that God’s will for you is that you be materially rich! That you drive the best cars, and wear the best clothes, and be on top of the world!

All the while the words of Jesus Christ ring out true and strong, convicting such teachers as false: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19).

Instead, expect that reversal of fortune that Jesus says comes along with the kingdom of God. Labor without expecting reward. Labor with gratitude and thanksgiving in your heart. Be great in God’s eyes by becoming a servant in the eyes of men.

“The last will be first, and the first last.”

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