He Pays

Matthew 20:1-16

Landowner is God
Works are believers
Vinyard is the Kingdom of Heaven

Those who work the longest underneath the beating of the hot sun received salvation. Those who came last-probably didn't even have to face the sun-received salvation. Those who came in between received salvation. God extends salvation as payment for our willingness to come to Him. He pays us to believe in Him.

It is interesting that Jesus used the word, "pay". He pays us to believe in Him. He pays us to do the Will of the Father. He pays us to tell His story. He pays us to take care of our husbands. He pays us to raise our children. Then, He pays our children to pass on the torch. He pays. We don't work for nothing-and when we work out of love for Him, it isn't work. He made us. He can choose to treat us as slaves, and yet He chose to give us freedom and pays us.

Father, help us not to take Your gift of salvation for granted. Help us to understand that it is by Your grace alone that we can come before Your throne as children of the Most High God.