Working in God's Vineyard

The Bible is full of stories that make us wince.  Quite often, we read its truths and forget that they were probably just as difficult to swallow sometimes for ancient man as they are for us today.  Especially difficult are the red letters interspersed throughout the four Gospels.  These are the words of Jesus of course, and they are full of love and compassion - but sometimes more difficult concepts as well.

Take for example the story of the workers in the vineyard.  Matthew chapter 20 lays out for us a parable about the way the Kingdom of Heaven operates.  Jesus describes a situation where the landowner goes out and hires some workers to tend to his field.  When evening came and it was time to get paid, the laborers noticed that the landowner was being a bit too generous.  It seems that those who were hired later (thus working less hours) were getting paid the same amount as those who had toiled all day.  

Matthew 20:11 says, "When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.  'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'"

What we have here, is a situation where a good deal of jealousy is bubbling to the surface.  I understand their complaint.  Imagine if you and a co-worker both picked up your paychecks on a Friday afternoon, and you noticed that both of you received the exact same amount of money.  No big deal, except for the fact that your company pays hourly, and your friend had come in late all week.  You were on time every morning.  See the problem?

What factors in when we think about the human sense of fairness?  We see what one person might receive, and then we compare that with what we have.  If everything lines up with our own opinion, biases, and prejudice - then we have an accord.  But if something is off a bit, there is trouble!  In fact, it often seems that we sprinkle our experiences not only with jealously, but a bit of self-righteousness to boot.  We want what they have, and we want it on our terms.  Then sometimes, even if we get it, we are still offended because we think that 'it should have been that way in the first place.'  You understand how silly this must all seem to God.  Just more grumbling. 

Scripture says that God gives freely as He sees fit.  Romans 9:15 tells us, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

This doesn't sit well with some people, and from time to time, someone complains directly to God.  It usually doesn't end well for that person (remember what happened when Job questioned God)?  Job 38:4 recounts that God says, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.  Who marked off its dimensions?  Surely you know!"

God reminds us in this passage that He is sovereign.  God alone makes the final call regarding who gets paid what.  After all, it's His vineyard.  

But why do we still get so jealous sometimes about spiritual things like this?  I have always found the story about the thief on the cross to be of great comfort.  Luke 23 says that Jesus was crucified next to two other people.  One criminal yells insults at him, and lashes out against God.  The other thief, however, sees the error of his ways and asks Jesus to forgive him.  Jesus accommodates, and tells him that 'today you will be with me in paradise.'

People often have one of two reactions to this story.  If we are lucky, we view this historical account as comforting.  We understand that God forgives anyone if they repent and accept him; even the hardened criminal.  But the second group becomes jealous.  They don't understand how God could forgive someone who offered up a deathbed conversion, while they have worked tirelessly trying to be a good Christian their whole life.  It doesn't seem fair.  The landowner just paid the other worker the same amount of money for tending his vineyard.

This is a very human response.  It is mixed with a bit of hypocrisy here, and a dash of pride there.  Nothing good will come of this way of looking at God's grace.  And quite honestly, it is typically symptomatic of someone who never understood grace in the first place.  They have been trying to earn their way to heaven for years.  These folks don't like people who get a free ride ... not even a little bit.

Sometimes we need reminding that the Lord's grace is sufficient, don't we? That it is better not to spend time critiquing what God did for someone else, but instead focus on that fact that He has done anything at all for anyone.  God certainly doesn't owe people anything.  There is nothing we can build, create, or do that God needs.  He doesn't need our money, but He does ask that we give a portion back to the church.  He doesn't need our worship or adoration, but He does long for it because He loves us and wants us.  Trust me, we have no room to judge what a Holy God should or shouldn't do.  

What is left to do then?  I think, we can simply be content with the truth of the resurrection of Jesus.  We can focus our energy on the fact that God sent His son to die in our place, and let that be enough.  Let that fact comfort us and be sufficient.  Stop worrying so much about the other workers in the vineyard, and just be grateful to get a paycheck at the end of the day.

After all, if we are taking the theology of original sin seriously, then you and I are much more like the thief on the cross than we would like to admit.  I will take what God gives me, and I will be happy to be part of His vineyard, in any way that I can.



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Life After Death?

The question of what happens when we die is often enigmatic, to say the least.  We have a multitude of differing ideas, and we base these concepts on our personal faith, our opinions, and our life experiences as well.  When answering this question then, I'm going to draw from my own perspective as a Methodist pastor and a Bible believing Christian.  I hope you open your mind and your heart as we discuss this most existential of ideas today, and I pray that by the end of this article - you see God in a new light.

A pivotal Scripture for dealing with questions about the afterlife comes to us by way of a story about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus.  The account from the Gospel of Luke (chapter 16) is really a parable from Jesus.  Ultimately, it conveys a scenario where the rich man who lived in luxury every day of his life systematically seemed to ignore Lazarus.  The text says that even dogs came and licked at the beggar's wounds.  Eventually both men died, and Scripture recounts that the rich man ended up in hell, while Lazarus went to heaven with Abraham.  

This gives us a glimpse of what happens after we depart.  Since the story is given to us by Jesus himself, we can take for certain that it isn't just hearsay.  The first area we will focus on is Luke 16:22.  It says this, "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.  The rich man also died and was buried."

A simple sentence, but it would seem then, that the believer can have faith that he or she will be ushered up to heaven by angels when it is their time.  I have heard countless stories of people in Hospice that were close to death.  In failing health, with family members sometimes gathered around them, an interesting thing often occurs.  At the moment of passing, people will see the dying person rise up in bed and reach their arms upward.  They are not trying to embrace anyone in the physical room necessarily, but rather, it's as if they are reaching up to some unseen spiritual presence.  Almost as though someone or something is greeting them shortly before they pass.

In 2 Corinthians in fact, chapter 5:6-8 says, "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord."  We may be confident also then, that we will be in God's presence immediately after death.  There is no need to fear a prolonged type of 'soul sleep', or something of that nature.  Once we are no longer part of the physical world, then we are in the presence of something far more valuable than we can possibly comprehend.  No more waiting, no more wondering about what will come.

Likewise, if we go back to Luke and the story of Lazarus again, 16:19-31 talks about the fact that we will still be conscious and able to think after death.  The rich man is recorded as being able to feel, think, and carry on a conversation with Abraham.  In other words, we will still be 'us.'  Not some wispy, spiritual white sheet floating around among the clouds, as is so popular in movies and culture today.  We will retain our ability to think and communicate and be ourselves ... just the way God created us; but free from physical pain and suffering.  It's hard to imagine from a worldly perspective, isn't it?

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention what the book of Revelation says about Heaven here also.  Revelation 21:1-8 tells us that God has prepared a New Heaven and a New Earth for the believer.  In my opinion, this means that not only is there a celestial Heaven that we can experience a moment after death, but also that at the end of all things, God will redeem this Earth and offer us a new, physical Heaven as well.  Can you imagine this?  This second dwelling place will be forever, incorruptible, and Scripture says that God Himself will be at the center of this new city.  

This is all good news of course, the very thing that churches should be hope filled about.  But we must also address the other part of this parable.  Jesus describes the rich man as ending up in 'torment' or hell.  This question is often raised to me by curious people: are you certain there is such thing as hell?  Do you really believe that a good God would send anyone there?

My answer to the first part of this inquiry must be 'yes', I believe hell exists because Jesus mentions it.  Descriptions of this place show up in both the Old and New Testaments, as well as a good many near death experiences that people who have cheated death will talk about.  It often impacts them in such a way, that they decide to turn their entire life around once they are back among the living.  But don't take it from anecdotal evidence or other people's stories, take it instead from the lips of Jesus in the Bible.  Hell is a real place, and should be avoided at all costs. 

Here is the best news: no one need ever worry about such a place if they are willing to let God into their lives.  If we have Jesus, we have eternal salvation.  Not just religion or head knowledge, but rather, a relationship with our creator.  A way to unite with Him in such a manner that bridges the gap between sin and Holiness.  As some of you know, I am often fond of quoting Romans 10:9 both from the pulpit, and in casual conversation.  Simply put, it says this, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.'"

For my money, it doesn't get any better than this.  If we believe in Him, declare His lordship and authority in our lives, and accept the truth of the resurrection, then we are saved and forgiven.  Become baptized also ... don't wait.  Rejoice in the fact that the believing Christian has the same heavenly assurance as the beggar laid at the rich man's palace gate.  

God is good, and He is constantly extending His offer of grace to anyone who is willing to hear and accept it.  Make sure you are listening; and then please respond.  The outcome will be better for everyone involved.



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Meeting God in a Modern World

Many people have heard the story of the Apostle Paul's supernatural conversion on the road to Damascus.  It is the story of someone who spent his early life persecuting Christian believers, but repented once Jesus came to him in a flash of light and a loud voice.  The text says that Paul was then blinded temporarily, confused, and vulnerable for several days.  But I want to focus on a particular piece of Scripture recorded in that account from the book of Acts.  

Acts 9:18-19 says, "Immediately, something like scales fell from Paul's eyes, and he could see again.  He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength." This event occurs right after someone sent by God comes to restore Paul's sight after the incident on the road.  

The concept of scales falling from the eyes is something mentioned in the Bible to represent a spiritual awakening.  We have all heard the phrase, 'I was blind, but now I see.'  This is nothing less than the account of Saul becoming Paul, and moving from persecutor to prophet.  It was a radical, life altering change. 

Likewise, I believe the world we live in needs an awakening sometimes.  My favorite author and philosopher C.S. Lewis warns that when it comes to seeking God, we are often sheep among wolves.  It is a confusing world out there, for both the young and old - and there is no shortage of scales covering eyes.  There are groups of people doing whatever they want to do, regardless of what God said or did. 

I have found that there are typically three large obstacles that can block our way toward a life worth living in Jesus.  I often hear people mention these things when they tell me why they don't attend church regularly.  

First, I have to be honest - we live in a cynical culture when it comes to the things of God.  The Bible says that people will sometimes mock and test God, in an attempt to rail against Him.  And when we look around, do we not see this very thing?  There are outspoken people in every part of the world, ready to slander Christ at a moment's notice.  It is hard to listen to, and even harder to digest. 

With an increasingly widespread unbelief permeating much of academia and the workplace, it isn't uncommon to come up against this hurdle on a daily basis.  Mix this together with a universalist view of spiritual matters (everyone goes to Heaven no matter what), and we get a kind of pantheistic philosophy that says it's okay to accept any and all types of behavior.  There is no such thing as sin, and no such thing as a sinner. 

The second hurdle I see relates to church conflict directly.  Take for example, the recent discord within one of the largest denominations in the United States.  Two very distinct factions have emerged over a disagreement as to the proper interpretation of the Biblical viewpoint on human sexuality.  Now imagine for a moment, that you are a prospective parishioner, trying to decide whether or not to attend one of these churches on Sunday morning.  Would it give you pause for thought before walking through the front door?  If the leadership of any organization is in distress, then that anxiety will trickle down to all areas of said organization, and this includes churches.  At best, it may be a difficult sale for the spiritual seeker out there, looking for a church family and a place to call home.   

Another aspect of church conflict relates to the people who attend regularly and have come to represent the religious view in the community.  If these folks happen to be kindly, loving, and caring - then we don't have an issue.  If however, people occasionally act as human beings do, then we can have mixed results.  When someone walks into a church on Sunday morning, we prefer a handshake and a greeting ... as opposed to someone reminding us how long it has been since we last visited.  The first reaction elicits a feeling of welcome; the second creates a kind of guilt-ridden discord that a prospective member might remember for years to come. If fact, some research indicates that people make up their mind whether or not to come back to a church within the first thirty seconds.  Talk about some pressure!

Finally, the last hurdle I have noticed is simply a difficulty when it comes to trusting God.  Faith is hard sometimes.  It makes demands on us.  I don't blame people for trying to control everything in their lives themselves, rather than handing over the reins to a Heavenly Father figure.  I have often caught myself attempting to solve a problem on my own first, rather than going directly to prayer.  Only after weeks or months of failing to fix something do we hit our knees and offer up our difficulties to Jesus.  Assuming you can get past the pride of admitting that you cannot control everything in your life, the penitent believer must then also acknowledge that sin has separated them from a Holy God, and they need a savior to step in and make amends.  This isn't exactly the easiest thing to do.  

So, if we live in a cynical world that often consists of people behaving badly, and a culture that tells us we always need to be self-sufficient and never ask for help - it doesn't take long to figure out the dilemma we are in.  It would appear that meeting God in our modern world can be difficult, to say the least.  The temptation exists to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and who needs God anyway. 

Now here is the good news.  God loved this difficult world enough to send His son, such that we might have a real relationship with him (not just a religion), in a meaningful way that sets us up with supernatural guidance.  

The Gospel of John in fact, tells us that if we know the Son, we also know the Father.  A real relationship with Jesus grants us the ability to become one of God's own; set aside for good works and faithful living.  Not only can you meet God here and now, but you can know what it is that He wants from you during this short life here on Earth.  The Old Testament contains a record of God taking great pains and thousands of years in an attempt to pound into the Israelites just who He was and what He wanted.  The New Testament records God sending us the Messiah, who would take our place as a sin offering and allow himself to be crucified so that you and I would never need to feel alone or lost again.  

Fight past the cynicism and unbelief around you, persevere through any conflict you may perceive inside the church, and don't be afraid to trust the only being who might just love you unconditionally.  

Allow the Father to remove the scales from your eyes - you didn't need them anyway.  How much brighter the world looks once we can see things clearly.  Rest assured, if you know Jesus, then you also know God.



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