HAVING A FALSE HOPE 1

HAVING A FALSE HOPE 1

8 “THAT evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.
9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, EACH RECEIVED A FULL DAY'S WAGE.
10 When those hired first came to get their pay, THEY ASSUMED THEY WOULD RECEIVE MORE. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.
11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.
15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
16 “SO THOSE WHO ARE LAST NOW WILL BE FIRST THEN, AND THOSE WHO ARE FIRST WILL BE LAST.”
Matthew 20:8-16 (NLT)
READ: Matthew 20:1-16

• The owner of the vineyard paid, in the parable of the Lord Jesus Christ, the same wages to every worker, even those hired in the evening.

• Everyone was paid a day wage. The wage being spoken about symbolizes the salvation of individual's soul which is received through faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ Jesus (Romans 4:25; 10:9,10).
• Whoever comes to God through Christ Jesus would be given the same measure of saving faith: "FOR I say to everyone being among you through the grace having been given to me NOT TO BE THINKING-HIGHLY OF YOURSELF BEYOND WHAT YOU OUGHT-TO THINK, but to be thinking so as to be sound-minded, AS GOD APPORTIONED TO EACH A MEASURE OF FAITH" (Romans 12:3 Disciples’ Literal New Testament).
• The Salvation of the Believer-A cannot be bigger or higher or purer than that of the Believer-B. The same measure of faith is given out to every Believer, whoever comes to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.
• Whoever called on God would be saved, irrespective of the foundation—the race or colour—of the person:
  11 FOR THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.” 12 FOR THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN JEW AND GREEK, FOR THE SAME LORD OVER ALL IS RICH TO ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM. 13 For “WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED" (Romans 10:11-13 NKJV).

• God is not partial, He is a just rewarder who does as He Wills:
6 WHO “WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS”: 7 ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE WHO BY PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN DOING GOOD SEEK FOR GLORY, HONOUR, AND IMMORTALITY; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—INDIGNATION AND WRATH, 9 TRIBULATION AND ANGUISH, ON EVERY SOUL OF MAN WHO DOES EVIL, OF THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO OF THE GREEK; 10 BUT GLORY, HONOUR, AND PEACE TO EVERYONE WHO WORKS WHAT IS GOOD, TO THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK. 11 FOR THERE IS NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD" (Romans 2:6-11 NKJV).

• The Jews, the pharisees, thought they would be treated differently, because they were the biological children of Abraham; thus, a special treatment would be accorded them in God's Kingdom. But that could be far from the truth:
  28 FOR YOU ARE NOT A TRUE JEW JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN OF JEWISH PARENTS OR BECAUSE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THE CEREMONY OF CIRCUMCISION. 29 NO, A TRUE JEW IS ONE WHOSE HEART IS RIGHT WITH GOD. AND TRUE CIRCUMCISION IS NOT MERELY OBEYING THE LETTER OF THE LAW; RATHER, IT IS A CHANGE OF HEART PRODUCED BY THE SPIRIT. AND A PERSON WITH A CHANGED HEART SEEKS PRAISE FROM GOD, NOT FROM PEOPLE" (Romans 2:28,29 NLT).
• Jesus said, the first would be the last and the last would be the first. Being a biological Jew has nothing to do with the placement in God's Kingdom (Matthew 20:16).

• God will not violate His principles. He has set up the standard, which would not be changed (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

• Whoever wants to come to God would have to do it through the genuine salvation. And that is, faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—being born-again (John 3:3; Romans 10:9,10).
• God cannot be accessed without Christ Jesus (John 14:6). When you denied or rejected Christ Jesus, you have equally denied and rejected God the Father:
  "WHOEVER DENIES THE SON DOES NOT HAVE THE FATHER EITHER; HE WHO ACKNOWLEDGES THE SON HAS THE FATHER ALSO" (1 John 2:23 NKJV).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Whatever ailment in your body, working against your health, such is rebuked and uprooted totally in Jesus'.
• The healing, victory, and success God has given to you will be permanent in Jesus' name.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!