February 2, 2014 | Matthew 20:1-16: Marvel at Grace

For all my Christian life, the most difficult parable for me to understand is this one in Matthew 20:1-16. As I understand it, Christ is calling on us to marvel at grace. Take off your fairness goggles and put on grace goggles.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; ⁴ and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ ⁷ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

⁸ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ ⁹ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. ¹⁰ When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, ¹² saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ ¹³ But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ ¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

Audio
Notes


January 12, 2014 | Matthew 19:1-9: All the King's Horses: Marriage, Divorce & the Gospel
January 19, 2014 | Matthew 19:10-12 - What's the Point?: Marriage, Singleness, & Living for the Glory of God
January 26, 2014 | Matthew 19:13-30: What Must One Do to be Saved? 
February 2, 2014 | Matthew 20:1-16: Marvel at Grace


For more:
Humpty Dumpty & Grace
I Am Yours, Save Me
Matthew 1-18 | The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series

Humpty Dumpty & Grace

A few weeks ago we used the famous children's riddle Humpty Dumpty as an illustration of who we are as sinners. We have fallen and no matter how hard we try, we cannot put ourselves together again. Not even all the king's horses or all the king's men. That is our state as sinners. But that is not where the story ends. Christianity believes, not in religion, but in grace where the Savior, Jesus Christ the risen one, puts us back together again.

Thus, instead of reciting a riddle about unrepairable brokenness, perhaps we should recite something very different.

Jesus Christ came to our wall,
Jesus Christ died for our fall;

So that regardless of death and in spite of sin,
Through grace, He might put us together again[1]

[1] Taken from Charles Swindoll,Swindoll's Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes.

May 5, 2013 | Jonah 3:1-10 - Some Things Never Change: Divine Stubbornness & Why Grace is Unconditional

Here is part four of five of our sermon series on the wonderful Book of Jonah.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” ³ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. ⁴ Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
 
⁵ Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. ⁶ When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. ⁷ He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. ⁸ But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. ⁹ Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

¹⁰ When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.




Audio
Notes


April 7, 2013 | Jonah 1:1-3 - You Can Run But Not Hide: Why That is Really Good News
April 14, 2013 | Jonah 1:4-17 - Grace Goes Both Ways You Know: Why that is Really Really Good News
April 21, 2013 | Jonah 2:1-10 - Salvation is From the Lord: Why I Stand Amazed  & Not Condemned
May 5, 2013 | Jonah 3:1-10 - Some Things Never Change: Divine Stubbornness & Why Grace is Unconditional


For more:
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Historical?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Midrash?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Allegorical?
Holman Dictionary on Jonah
Bibledex on Jonah
VeggieTales and Jonah 
Man Swallowed By Hippo & Lived to Tell About It

April 21, 2013 | Jonah 2:1-10 - Salvation is From the Lord: Why I Stand Amazed

The third part of our verse-by-verse exposition of Jonah.

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, ² and he said,

“I called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
³ “For You had cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current engulfed me.
All Your breakers and billows passed over me.
⁴ “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵ “Water encompassed me to the point of death.
The great deep engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶ “I descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars was around me forever,
But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
⁷ “While I was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
⁸ “Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
⁹ But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.”

¹⁰ Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.





Audio
Notes


April 7, 2013 | Jonah 1:1-3 - You Can Run But Not Hide: Why That is Really Good News
April 14, 2013 | Jonah 1:4-17 - Grace Goes Both Ways You Know: Why that is Really Really Good News
April 21, 2013 | Jonah 2:1-10 - Salvation is From the Lord: Why I Stand Amazed





For more:
Simul justus et peccator: Luther & the Heart of the Gospel
I Hear You: A Sermon Illustration
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Historical?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Midrash?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Allegorical?
Holman Dictionary on Jonah
Bibledex on Jonah
VeggieTales and Jonah 

June 10, 2012 | Ruth 4:1-15 - When Providence and Grace Kiss

"We are all beggars. This is true." -Martin Luther right before his death.



Audio 
Notes 


April 29, 2012 | Ruth 1:1-22 - Better or Bitter: When Providence Means Suffering
May 6, 2012 | Ruth 2:1-13 - And It Just So Happened ...: When God's Invisible Hand Becomes Visible 
May 20, 2012 | Ruth 2:14-23 - Grace in Abundance: That's Why Its So Amazing
May 27, 2012 | Ruth 3:1-9 - Resting in the Providence of God - Part 1


For more:
GBC - I Love Ruthie - Narrated by Alistair Begg
GBC - Repost | "A Sweet & Bitter Providence" by John Piper
GBC - Tony Evans on God and Purpose
Sermon - September 19, 2010 - God is Provident
GBC - Calvin on Providence 
August 1, 2010 - Matthew 6:25-34 - Worry and the Providence of God:  What Our Anxiety Says About What We Believe About God
April 18, 2010 - Haggai 2:1-9 - And the Lord Said, "Get-r-Done"
August 30, 2009 - Psalm 23:6 - The Peace of the Shepherd's Providence 
Sermon - Esther 4 - God's Providence 
GBC - Providence and Prayer:  Carson Responds

May 20, 2012 | Ruth 2:14-23 - Grace in Abundance: That's Why Its So Amazing

Here is the third part of our sermon series on Ruth where providence and grace collide.

Audio 
Notes 






April 29, 2012 | Ruth 1:1-22 - Better or Bitter: When Providence Means Suffering
May 6, 2012 | Ruth 2:1-13 - And It Just So Happened ...: When God's Invisible Hand Becomes Visible


For more:
GBC - Repost | "A Sweet & Bitter Providence" by John Piper
GBC - Tony Evans on God and Purpose
Sermon - September 19, 2010 - God is Provident
GBC - Calvin on Providence 
August 1, 2010 - Matthew 6:25-34 - Worry and the Providence of God:  What Our Anxiety Says About What We Believe About God
April 18, 2010 - Haggai 2:1-9 - And the Lord Said, "Get-r-Done"
August 30, 2009 - Psalm 23:6 - The Peace of the Shepherd's Providence 
Esther 4 - God's Providence 
Providence and Prayer:  Carson Responds

Weekly Recommendation: "The Cost of Discipleship"

In just a few hours, we will come together and worship our Savior. This week we will be looking at the crucifixion of Christ, the very foundation of Christianity. We will be looking specifically at Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross for Jesus on the way to Christ's execution. And as I was studying (have referenced about 50 books and completely read 3!) I can think of no better book to recommend on the issue of discipleship and its cost than Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship."

Bonhoeffer, who was executed by Hitler, believes that Christianity, and the gospel, has become cheap. He begins his book arguing:

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.

Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks' wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing. Since the cost was infinite, the possibilities of using and spending it are infinite. What would grace be if it were not cheap?...

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before...

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptist without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate...

[Costly] grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly beaus it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner... (43-45)

Bonhoeffer's concern is evident, the gospel is being smothered by cheap grace. And I think he is right. Even today, decades after he wrote this book, the Church continues to preach a message that is simply "joining the team" without any commitment. As I will say in a few short hours, we want forgiveness without repentance, we want mercy without discipleship.

Loved ones, we cannot have one without the other. Bonhoeffer goes on to add that self-denying obedience is demanded of the Christian: "Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes" (63).

Oh that all Christians would heed Bonhoeffer's words who is giving us the words of Christ. Grace is not cheap, it is very costly. It cost God His Son, and it must cost us our lives. We must be willing to give up and forsake all for His Kingdom rather than to expect God to give us all for our Kingdom.