Sharper Iron From Kfuo Radio

Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus tells a parable to illustrate His saying at the end of chapter 19: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Jesus’ parable does not illustrate sound business practices for a vineyard, but life in the kingdom of heaven. The master who calls workers to go into his vineyard throughout the day teaches us that God loves to give. He continually calls sinners into His kingdom completely by His grace. Salvation is only His to give; it is never something that sinners earn. The workers hired at the beginning of the day lost sight of this truth when they grumbled at the master giving the workers hired at the end of the day the same wage. This stands as a warning to Christians who would begin to think that their work has earned some sort of payout from God. He gives what is His freely through the death and resu