WORK IN THE MASTER'S VINEYARD

MATTHEW 21:2

A. "SON, GO WORK TODAY IN MY VINEYARD"
  1. A divine relationship:
    1. An honor to be the son of a ruler or king.
    2. Jesus was honored to be the Son of God - Heb. 1:5, 6; Matt. 3:17
  2. We become sons of God:
    1. Not by nature - John 1:11-13; 1 John 3:1-6
    2. By receiving Christ into our hearts - John 1:11- 13; Gal. 3:26
    3. When He becomes our personal Saviour - 1 John 5:1- 5
    4. By obeying Him - John 8:31; 15:7
B. THE DIVINE CALL
  1. "Go work":
    1. A true son loves to work for his father.
    2. It is a great honor to work for our heavenly Father; and a disgrace not to work for Him - Matt. 25:14; 2 Thess. 3:10
  2. Different kind of work in the Lord's vineyard:
    1. We are stones in the Lord's temple. Each stone fills a particular place and need.
    2. Are we faithfully doing what the Lord wants us to do?
    3. ". . . and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work" - Mark 13:34
    4. ". . . dividing to every man severally as he will" - 1 Cor. 12:11
  3. How long are we to work in the Lord's vineyard?
    1. Until the Lord says, "It is enough" - Matt. 24:14
    2. Until He says, "It is finished" - John 4:34
    3. Until we can say with Paul, "I have finished my course" - 2 Tim. 4:7
    4. Until the gospel has been preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations - Rev. 14:6, 7
C. THE TIME FOR OUR SERVICE
  1. "Today":
    1. That means that it may include tomorrow, and it may not. It may mean a week, a month, a year, and it may mean a day only.
    2. As long as mercy lasts - John 9:4; 2 Cor. 6:1-3
  2. There is an end to "Today":
    1. That was true in Noah's day - Gen. 6:3
    2. It was true in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen. 19:24
    3. ". . . my spirit shall not always strive with man" - Gen. 6:3
  3. This knowledge should arouse us to work harder for the winning of souls for the truth:
    1. The time element is important - Rom. 13:11-14
    2. "Today" is a very prominent factor even in the work of the Lord - Ps. 95:7; Heb. 3:7-9
  4. The sphere of our service:
    1. "In my vineyard" -
      1. The vineyard of the Lord is His church - Isa. 5:1, 2; Matt. 21:33-41
      2. The world is the field at large - Matt. 13:19-30; 28:18-20
    2. This indicates very plainly the field of service for the Christian worker -
      1. In the Master's service - Rom. 6:16-18
      2. The program is guided by the church of God.
      3. Soul winning is our chief business.
    3. That excludes self service - Rom. 14:7
  5. Work in the Master's vineyard provides:
    1. Talent to do the work of the Lord - Matt. 25:15
    2. Talent differs -- one may have five, another three, and another only one.
    3. Important is the fact that the Master will hold us accountable for the use of the talent.
    4. Our stewardship will be brought to an accounting - Luke 16:1-14


Design © John Bryant 2011