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June 20-24th

VBS 2022

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We are not naïve, as if the Kingdom is fully here AND not hopeless, as if the Kingdom has not already begun.

Already, Not Yet.

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EMPIRE

KINGDOM

SAINT

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Jewish Eschatology

Christian Eschatology

OLD AGE

NEW AGE

OLD

AGE

NEW

AGE

MESSIAH COMES AS KING

MESSIAH RETURNS AS KING

MESSIAH CRUCIFIED

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“The mission of Jesus brought not a new teaching but a new event. It brought to people an actual foretaste of the eschatological salvation. Jesus did not promise the forgiveness of sins; he bestowed it. He did not simple assure people of the future fellowship of the Kingdom; he invited them into fellowship with himself as the bearer of the Kingdom. He did not merely promise them vindication in the day of judgment; he bestowed upon them the status of a present righteousness. He not only taught an eschatological deliverance from physical evil; he went about demonstrating the redeeming power of the Kingdom, delivering people from sickness and even death.” 

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Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is about KING, forming a people, to live under His REIGN.

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What is a parable?

Parables are intended to “address and capture the hearers, to bring them up short about their own actions, or to cause them to respond in some way to Jesus and his ministry.”

- Gordon Fee. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 152.

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The Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.….

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Matthew 20:1-16

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 

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Matthew 20:1-16

They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 

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Matthew 20:1-16

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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Big Idea:

Jesus addresses the misconception in our hearts; the entrance into the kingdom gift, not a reward which can be earned.

WARNING.

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The Parable:

  • The Master hires workers for his vineyard at the beginning of the day.

  • He hires more workers throughout the day.

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Matthew 20:1-16

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 

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Matthew 20:1-16

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 

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The Parable:

  • The Master hires workers for his vineyard at the beginning of the day.

  • He hires more workers throughout the day.

  • He pays all his workers the same amount at the end of the day.

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  • God invites all into His kingdom (not the self-sufficient).

  • God continues to call workers into His kingdom.

  • God gives the same abundant grace.

  • We should always celebrate His grace (not begrudge His generosity). 

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  • God invites all into His kingdom (not the self-sufficient).

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Matthew 20:1-16

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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Matthew 20:1-16

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 

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What do you deserve from God?

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  • God invites all into His kingdom (not the self-sufficient).

  • God continues to call workers into His kingdom.

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Matthew 20:1-16

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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Matthew 20:1-16

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplaceand to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the sameAnd about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 

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God saves people at different stages of life. 

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  • God invites all into His kingdom (not the self-sufficient).

  • God continues to call workers into His kingdom.

  • God gives the same abundant grace.

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Matthew 20:1-16

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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Matthew 20:1-16

They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 

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We can’t judge God’s generosity based on our circumstances.

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  • God invites all into His kingdom (not the self-sufficient).

  • God continues to call workers into His kingdom.

  • God gives the same abundant grace.

  • We should always celebrate His grace (not begrudge His generosity). 

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Matthew 20:1-16

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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Why Are They Grumbling?

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Matthew 20:1-16

They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 

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Why Are They Grumbling?

“If those who barely worked 1 hour got paid for a full day – I can’t wait to see what we’re going to get!”

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Matthew 20:1-16

They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 

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Why Are They Grumbling?

It seems unequal to experience equal treatment with those that are unequal.

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Why Are They Grumbling?

The Jews were Tempted To Grumble Against God’s Generosity.

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Deuteronomy 1:27

27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 

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Why Do We Grumble?

  • We have…
    • a higher view of what we think we deserve.
    • a lower view of what we think “they” deserve.
  • We Miss…
    • A more accurate picture of ourselves.
    • A more accurate picture of The Master.

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People who see and experience God and His kingdom celebrate His generosity towards themselves and towards others.

Generous Relationships

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How do we become these people…

  • Recognize God’s generosity
    • Be honest about...
        • what you have earned.
        • what love for others looks like.
        • we need God’s help.
    • Ask God for help! (Desperate Dependent Prayer)

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How do we become these people…

  • Recognize God’s generosity
  • Accept God’s generosity
  • Give thanks for God’s generosity
  • Extend God’s generosity to others
  • Celebrate God’s generosity both in our lives and in the lives of others

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How do we become these people…

Create Some Reminders of God’s Generosity This Week

ASK YOUR KIDS: What are some ways that has God been generous with us?

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