‘The King’s parable about the inverse order of his Kingdom’ (Matthew 20:1-16)

Bendigo Presbyterian Church

Sometimes chapter breaks in the Scriptures aren’t that helpful. The chapter break that divides the end of Matthew 19 to Matthew 20:1-16 is a prime example. In Matthew 19;30, jesus had just spoken about the ‘inverse order’ of his kingdom, that is, the ‘first will be last and the last first’. And then to illustrate that point, Jesus went on to tell a parable that makes it clear how this ‘inverse order’ principle works… and it all comes back to the same comment in Matthew 20:16, the ‘first will be last and the last first’…because salvation is not a matter of earning anything or of fairness, but is all of grace.

Message

Outline

• When chapter breaks aren’t that helpful!
• Where we were in chapter 19
• The first/last – last/first principle
• See how the parable highlights …

1. The just & generous nature of the master (v.1-7)
2. The ungrateful & resentful nature of the workers (v.8-12)
3. The abundant & unconditional nature of grace (v.13-15)

Are you trying to earn God’s favour?
Do you really understand the size of God’s grace?