God and I don't always agree -
10-29-2006, 02:13 PM
Matthew 20:1-7 "For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out to hire laborers into his vineyard. (2) And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, (4) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. (5) Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. (6) And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them Why stand ye here all the day idle? (7) They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive."
Let me tell you the story. A certain man went out to hire some workers to work in a field. The Bible says he goes out early in the day. We find out later on in the story that it was six o'clock in the morning. He hires some workers to work in his field. Then we find that he needs some more, so he goes out at nine o'clock in the morning to hire some more workers to work in his field. he goes out again at noon and hires some more workers to work in his field. He goes out at three o'clock in the afternoon and hires some more workers to work in his field. he goes out at five o'clock and hires some more workers to work in his field. All of them work until six o'clock at night. That means that some people worked twelve hours, and some people worked nine hours, and some people worked six hours, and some people worked three hours, and some people worked one hour.
Now, when pay time came, he gave them all exactly the same amount of money. Those that went to work early in the morning began to complain about it. They said, "This is not fair because we've worked twelve hours. These rascals over here get the same amount of money we get, and they've only worked for one hour. It's not fair." Now, I'll be honest with you. This parable has always bothered me. They got the same wages - I don't mean per hour, I mean per day. The fellow that worked one hour got exactly the same amount of money that the fellow got who worked for twelve hours. What is God trying to teach us, here? Don't miss this statement here. What is God trying to teach us?
I believe God is trying to teach us that we do not always agree with Him. I know I dead sure don't. I don't agree with God here. You think it's fair - now be honest - Do you think it's fair for the fellow who works for twelve hours, all the day long in the hot sun and the heat of the day, and he gets the same wage as the fellow who works from five until six in the evening? I don't believe that, but God does. It doesn't make sense. I just don't agree with God on this parable. I cannot see that it's right for a man who works twelve hours to be paid the same as a man who works one hour. By the way, that's what faith is. Faith is believing that God is right, even when we disagree. Don't miss this now. See, you and I don't think like God. You say, "It doesn't make sense to me." But see, it so happens that you and I are flesh. I'm convinced that one of the reasons that God put this parable here is to let us know that we don't always see things just eye to eye. I cannot see the logic, but I know it's right. You say it's right to give a fellow the same wages from five to six as you give the fellow that worked twelve hours? Yeah. You say, "You believe it's right?" No, I don't believe it's right - but I believe it's right, because I trust God's judgment more than mine, you see. It doesn't make sense to me, but it doesn't have to make sense to me.
Praise Jesus anyway.
The greatest joy of the Christian life is to trust Him and need no explanation. The greatest thing that you can do for God, is to trust Him and ask for no explanation, either here or in eternity. So, God was right when He stoned Aiken. God was right when He killed Ananias and Saphira. God was right when He chose Peter to preach on Pentecost. God was right in putting Rahab the harlot in the "hall or heroes." God was right in choosing Saul to be king. God was right to make Jacob a prince and to name a nation after him. God was right to choose three ex-murderers to write four elevenths of the Bible. God was right when He called Solomon the wisest man in the world. God was right when He sent the flood. God was right when He called David a man after his own heart. God was right by not letting Moses enter into the Promised Land. God was right in letting Satan do what he did to Job. God was right in turning Lot's wife into a pillar of salt. God was right in using David to write so much of the Bible after his great sins. God was right to choose Jonah to preach the great revival in Ninevah. God was right to choose Matthew as an apostle. God was right to give Isaac a wife he had never seen. God was right to bless Old Testament men who had more than one wife. God was right in not letting Paul tell us what he saw in the third heaven. God was right when the prodigal son got more attention than the faithful son that stayed home.
God was right. He is always right. He is God. It pleases God when you and I look to Him, and you can say, "I don't understand everything. I may not agree with everything. But, I'm wrong, and You're right." For He maketh no mistakes. He is God; He's good; and He's omniscient.
"Whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive."
Here is a partial list from just a few scripture verses:
Hypocrites (Matthew 24:51), The Unforgiving (Mark 11:26), Homosexuals (Romans 1:26, 27), Fornicators (Romans 1:29), The Wicked (Romans 1:29), The Covetous (Romans 1:29), The Malicious (Romans 1:29), The Envious (Romans 1:29), Murderers (Romans 1:29), The Deceitful (Romans 1:29), Backbiters (Romans 1:30), Haters of God (Romans 1:30), The Despiteful (Romans 1:30), The Proud (Romans 1:30), Boasters (Romans 1:30), Inventors of evil (Romans 1:30), Disobedient to parents (Romans 1:30), Covenant breakers (Romans 1:31), The Unmerciful (Romans 1:31), The Implacable (Romans 1:31), The Unrighteous (1Corinthians 6:9), Idolaters (1Corinthians 6:9), Adulterers (1Corinthians 6:9), The Effeminate (1Corinthians 6:9), Thieves (1Corinthians 6:10), Drunkards (1Corinthians 6:10), Reviler (1Corinthians 6:10), Extortioners (1Corinthians 6:10), The Fearful (Revelation 21:8), The Unbelieving (Revelation 21:8), The Abominable (Revelation 21:8), Whoremongers (Revelation 21:8), Sorcerers (Revelation 21:8), All Liars (Revelation 21:8)
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