Matthew 20 Are you willing to work for Jesus?

In the previous articles we could see how people are invited to become labourers for the Lord.

We are told in the parable given in Matthew 20 that the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden, and proposed rewards to them. We also looked at how this human landlord went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing; and also called them to come to work for him, which they did. The same happened later in the day (about the sixth and the ninth hour and about the eleventh hour) .

When those who had come first to work, they had the idea that they would get more but looked surprised they, like the rest, were also given a denarius or penny. (Mt 20:10) For us, who live in the capitalist world it might sound very unjust that the ones who laboured longer got only the same reward as the ones who started later and laboured lesser hours. But we have not to look at it with our capitalist eyes. We should look at it from the point of view that as soon as people answer the call of God and come to follow His sent one, willing to work for Jesus, that it becomes important for them working together with those who were there already longer. Together they should go for the right goal and as a team should try to run the race together, making sure that everybody reaches the finish.

 

If one chooses for Jesus, one must dare to draw clear lines. It is not true to follow him but halfway or to adhere to a different Jesus than the one from the Bible. We must clearly choose the Jesus from the Holy Scriptures, whom God called His son. When choosing for Jesus one also does not have to be afraid to tell others that one is following that Biblical figure instead of the person certain churches made of him.

If you are willing to answer God’s call when things matter most it is important to keep to the Biblical teachings and not to fall for the many false human teachings or so called dogmas. Having been bought by a price we should honour that price. We should show full commitment to the one who offered himself for our sins. Jesus paid the ransom and asks us to follow him. As followers of Jesus we should keep to his teachings and keep to the task he has given, which means that we should go out into the world teaching and preaching like Jesus did.

As workers for Jesus and his heavenly Father we should not be afraid of the world and should show the world who we want to follow and for Whom we want to work. Many opportunities are there for workers for the Lord. Are you willing to step in or to stand up?

What if you were prompted to go out and share the gospel on the streets? Would you do it?
How about if you knew that God was preparing a person in need for you to meet and talk with, would you go and meet that person?
What if you felt that God was calling you to help a family member, friend, co-worker or neighbour in need. Would you do it?
What if you were told to stop your car and help a homeless man in need. Would you do it?

Do you want to belong to those who are recognised as the “doer“, willing to help others as if you are helping Christ?

“34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” (Mt 25:34-40 NIV)

“7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your poor brother. 8 Rather be open-handed and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will towards your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed towards your brothers and towards the poor and needy in your land.” (De 15:7-11 NIV)

“13  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:13-16 NIV)

As a worker for God you can not stand in the shadow, you have to come out in the light.A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid and therefore you should show the world the city of Christ Jesus and be light of the world.

What if God needed you even when your life and your families lives could be at stake?
Would you still be God’s witness?

You could very well attempt to get out of the situation by denying Jesus or lie about your belief system. We hear that a lot, people not wanting to be clear by their name, just saying

“I am a Christian”

avoiding to tell that they are real followers of Jesus Christ and as such saying for example

“I am a follower of Jesus”

or saying

“I am a Jeshuaist”

making it very clear that you are a follower of the Nazarene Jewish master teacher Jeshua, Jesus Christ, who worshipped not himself but the Only One true God, the God of Abraham Who is One and not three.

Or would you dare to say?

“I am a witness for Jehovah”.

Saying so you would bring up a point of discussion or of clarification.

Avoiding to be clear of your standpoint willing to follow the real Jesus, the son of God, and not a three-godhead, makes you not wanting to be open and bringing yourself on a destructive path also. However, to go through the situation at hand in all faithfulness to God, is what He asks. What we do in persecution shows a lot about our true character and our belief in Christ, even when lives are at stake. So the question is, are you willing to die for Christ?

Now read what Jesus said about persecution and how these people are blessed for His sake below…

“10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:10-12 NIV)

Shall you be willing to work for it, that you shall be one of the heirs or partakers of that Kingdom?

May every person that says that they are a believer, also obey Jesus and his heavenly Father and do like Jesus did, doing the Will of God and not holding fast on doing only their own will.

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Preceding

We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”

Matthew 20:1-7 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Kingdom and Vineyard Workers

Matthew 20:8-16 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Last, First; First, Last

Matthew 20:17-19 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Onward to Jerusalem!

Matthew 20:20-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: A Selfish Request Rejected

Matthew 20:24-28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Authority Not the Way – Serve Others

Matthew 20:29-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Two Blind Men Pitied and Healed

Matthew 20 It is never too late

 

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Additional reading

Atonement and the race been bought

Jehovah can make him stand

4 Who are you to judge the servant of another?+ To his own master he stands or falls.+ Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah* can make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

4 Who are you to judge the house servant of another?+ To his own master he stands or falls.+ Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah* can make him stand.+

to judge the servant of another:

• Matthew 7:1: 7 “Stop judging+ that YOU may not be judged;
• James 4:11-12: 11 Quit speaking against one another, brothers.+ He who speaks against a brother or judges+ his brother speaks against law and judges law. Now if you judge law, you are, not a doer of law, but a judge.+ 12 One there is that is lawgiver and judge,+ he who is able to save and to destroy.+ But you, who are you to be judging [your] neighbor?+
• Luke 6:37: 37 “Moreover, stop judging, and YOU will by no means be judged;+ and stop condemning, and YOU will by no means be condemned. Keep on releasing, and YOU will be released.+
• Romans 2:1: 2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man,+ whoever you are, if you judge;+ for in the thing in which you judge another, you condemn yourself, inasmuch as you that judge+ practice the same things.+
• Romans 14:10: 10 But why do you judge your brother?+ Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment+ seat of God;
• Romans 14:13: 13 Therefore let us not be judging+ one another any longer, but rather make this YOUR decision,+ not to put before a brother+ a stumbling block+ or a cause for tripping.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5: 5 Hence do not judge+ anything before the due time, until the Lord comes,+ who will both bring the secret things of darkness to light+ and make the counsels of the hearts manifest,+ and then each one will have his praise come to him* from God.+
• Isaiah 33:22: 22 For Jehovah is our Judge,+ Jehovah is our Statute-giver,+ Jehovah is our King;+ he himself will save us.+
• Genesis 18:25: 25 It is unthinkable of you that you are acting in this manner to put to death the righteous man with the wicked one so that it has to occur with the righteous man as it does with the wicked!+ It is unthinkable of you.+ Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?”+
• Psalm 9:16: 16 Jehovah is known by the judgment that he has executed.+ By the activity of his own hands the wicked one has been ensnared.*+ Hig·gaʹion.* Seʹlah.
• Psalm 50:6: 6 And the heavens tell of his righteousness,+ For God himself is Judge.*+ Seʹlah.
• Psalm 58:11: 11 And mankind will say:+ “Surely there is fruitage for the righteous one.+ Surely there exists a God that is judging* in the earth.”+
• Psalm 75:7: 7 For God is the judge.+ This one he abases, and that one he exalts.+
• Psalm 98:9: 9 Before Jehovah, for he has come to judge the earth.+ He will judge the productive land with righteousness+ And the peoples with uprightness.+
• Hebrews 10:30: 30 For we know him that said: “Vengeance is mine; I will recompense”;*+ and again: “Jehovah* will judge his people.”+

he stands or falls:

• 1 Corinthians 4:4: 4 For I am not conscious+ of anything against myself. Yet by this I am not proved righteous, but he that examines me is Jehovah.*+
• Proverbs 21:2: 2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,+ but Jehovah is making an estimate of hearts.+
• Romans 14:10: 10 But why do you judge your brother?+ Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment+ seat of God;
• Hebrews 4:13: 13 And there is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight,+ but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.+
• Acts 10:42: 42 Also, he ordered us to preach+ to the people and to give a thorough witness that this is the One decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.+
• Acts 17:31: 31 Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge+ the inhabited earth* in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee* to all men in that he has resurrected+ him from the dead.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:10: 10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of the Christ,+ that each one may get his award for the things done through the body, according to the things he has practiced, whether it is good or vile.+

for Jehovah {“Jehovah,” J^18,23; P⁴⁶אABC(Gr.), ho Kyʹri·os; DVgSy^h, “God.”} can make him stand:

• Jeremiah 35:19: 19 therefore this is what Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, has said: “There will not be cut off from Jonʹa·dab the son of Reʹchab a man to stand*+ before me always.”’”*+
• Psalm 5:5:  5 No boasters may take their stand in front of your eyes.+ You do hate all those practicing what is hurtful;+
• Jeremiah 15:19: 19 Therefore this is what Jehovah has said: “If you will come back, then I shall bring you back.+ Before me you will stand.+ And if you will bring forth what is precious from valueless things, you will become like my own mouth. They themselves will come back to you, but you yourself will not come back to them.”
• Luke 21:36: 36 Keep awake,+ then, all the time making supplication+ that YOU may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man.”+
  Jehovah can make him stand.—Rom. 14:4.

God’s evaluation of us is what counts. Jehovah values our devotion and faithfulness to him; he does not measure us by our accomplishments. And it could well be that you have accomplished more for Jehovah than you realize. There likely are ones in the congregation whom you have affected for good, as well as those in the territory who have been exposed to the truth through your efforts. View each assignment from Jehovah as proof that he is with you. (Jer. 20:11) You might be discouraged because your service seems fruitless or because some spiritual goal seems unattainable. Yet, you still share the greatest privilege that any of us can now have—that of preaching the good news and bearing God’s name. Remain faithful. Then, in a sense, the words in one of Jesus’ parables can be said to you:

“Enter into the joy of your master.”—Matt. 25:23.

w14 3/15 2:17, 18

Saam sterk verenig in die deel met mekaar van die Waarheid van God, vol durf om daar op uit te trek om die Goeie Nuus te verkondig – samen sterk in de verkondiging van het Goede Nieuws en bekendmaking van Gods Heilige Naam en Zijn Plan van wereldvrede – Together people can be strong witnessing in the Holy Name of the One True God, the God of Israel, who has a plan with the world and takes care of His people

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Preceding:

Words to push and pull

Belonging to or being judged by

Different approach in organisation of services #3

Our openness to being approachable

Good or bad preacher

Jéhovah peut le faire tenir debout

Jehova kann veranlassen, dass er steht

Jehovah kan hem staande houden

Jehovah kan hom staande hou

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Additional reading:

1. The Right One to follow and to worship
2. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
3. Our relationship with God, Jesus and each other
4. Incomplete without the mind of God
5. The possibilities of faith: A Faith that can move mountains
6. God’s hope and our hope
7. Working of the hope
8. God’s salvation
9. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
10. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
11. Hope for the future
12. Reasons to come together
13. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
14. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
15. Preaching to an unbelieving world
16. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
17. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
18. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
19. Missionary action paradigm for all endeavours of the church
20. Not all ability to preach
21. Breathing to teach
22. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
23. Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
24. Using the name Jehovah but not a witness of that name
25. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
26. How to Choose a Bible for Preaching
27. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
28. It is Today
29. When discouraged facing opposition
30. A Society pleading poverty
31. What Should I Preach ? + What Should I Preach ?
32. How should we preach?
33. Evangelisation, local preaching opposite overseas evangelism
34. Manifests for believers #5 Christian Union
35. Those who love Jesus
36. Biblereading statue
37. Holland Week of billing

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