Sunday September 18, 2011
Jonah 3:10-4:11 (NRSV Bible)
Matthew 20:1-16 (Gods Word Bible)
Have you ever watch children when it’s snack time? I mean it is comical to watch…especially when one seems to have the upper hand on the “good snacks.” For instance…at our house, don’t let anyone get more than anyone else. It as if they keep a mental count on who gets what and how much. And don’t let someone get more than the other. Oh boy…that’s when the cry of “FOUL” is heard throughout the house. I hear things like “that’s not fair…how come they get more than me…they had more of that than I did and now they are getting the last of it. What about my needs? What about me?” Shyanne is diabetic so she has more snacks during the day than let’s say Shanequa. And what do I get to hear…I want a free snack too…it’s not fair that she gets a snack and I don’t.”…let alone the fact that she needs them to control her blood sugar, the fact is she is getting the extra snacks…
Why is there so much self-entitlement in the world? Why can’t we as humanity be thankful for what we have been given instead of looking to what more we “should” get? Why can’t we be happy for those who receive something instead of begrudging them? Even in t the story of Jonah this morning he gets all upset because God forgave Nineveh instead of destroying the city as Jonah thought should happen. To him…God was being unfair…I guess he had forgotten how merciful God was and how God wants people to do the right thing…always ready to forgive…Even though he had just spent some time in the belly of a big fish. He also was upset because he had that wonderful tree to keep him cool and now it was gone. It wasn’t even his but he thought that he should have it anyway.
Even the disciples, who followed Jesus and knew His nature, were having issues about this. They thought they had a leg up on the rest of the world. They were Jesus’ followers…an elite group. But Jesus told them a story…a parable…that stopped them in their tracks. Jesus let them know that “all have sinned and fallen short”, even them, and that God gives everyone, no matter when they come to the saving grace, the crown of life, the honor of being a beloved, adopted child of God with all the honors of the royal Kingdom. The parable is found in Matthew chapter 20 verses 1-16 and now; listen to this story and see if you hear anything familiar in it: (I am reading from the Gods Word Bible this morning…)
These workers aren’t mad because of what they are paid, they are mad because others were paid the same and that wasn’t fair. They had worked less than them.
Beloved, the kingdom of heaven, God’s kingdom, has a very different view of fairness. God alone decides what is fair and not society. It’s God’s mercy and love vs. society’s selfishness and ego. We live in a world where there are many times when equal pay is not given for the same work. Society has its own set of rules but in God’s society everyone is of equal value and is paid the same.
In society, we decide what we think is fair. Society brings its own agenda to the table. Society’s agenda brings about segregation and “classes” of people, who is worth more. In God’s society and on His agenda is that everything and everyone has sacred worth. We deserve so much less in God’s world but it His mercy and grace that gives us more than we can ever imagine or de serve.
We can tend to get a little legalistic at times about our serving God. We receive others receive undo recognition...in our eyes…and we get the feeling of being slighted…What about me…what about my needs. God rewards faithfulness, no matter how long it is done…no matter how little we see it is deserved…no matter how large or small the faithfulness is.
God’s grace shatters the bonds of privilege and all are treated equal. We have no real rights before God. Remember…ALL have fallen short of the glory of God. We may even envy God’s generosity to others and believe we deserve more for what we have done. But as we come to understand God’s economics of His grace, our faith is strengthened. We are able to be used far more effectively for His kingdom because we are not out for our own “accolades” but for God to get the glory…the accolade. We need to do all things to the glory of God not our own glory.
Beloved…we need to search within our hearts. Are we acting as Jonah did or the workers in the vineyard screaming “FOUL” when we don’t get what we think we deserve or when other get more than what we think they deserve? Or are we working in the vineyard just for the sheer joy of bringing about the kingdom? Search deep within your heart and see if there is some way within you that is preventing you to be used to your fullest for the kingdom of God…
AMEN.
September 18, 2011
Worship Theme: “God’s Goodness. . . DBA Wage Wars!”
Jonah 3:10-4:11 (NRSV Bible)
Matthew 20:1-16 (God’s Word Bible)
Sermon: “What about my needs?!”
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
A Handmaiden of the Lord
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
September 18, 2011
Fifteenth Sunday of Pentecost
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