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Bible Stories on Faith

Matthew 20:1-16

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Jesus taught some more about how the last come first, and the first come last.So He told His disciples this story."The kingdom of heaven is like aman who owned a vineyard. He wentout early in the morning to hire mento work. They agreed to the usualwage for a day's work. A few hourslater, the owner saw some more menstanding around with nothing to do.They, too, agreed to what the ownerpromised to pay. They went to workin the vineyard.

"The owner went out again at noonand in the afternoon, looking for moreworkers. They, too, were sent into thevineyard. As the end of the workingday drew near, the landowner found alast group. 'Why haven't you doneanything useful today?'

"They answered, 'Because no one has given us a job.'

"The owner said, 'You can work forme. Go into my vineyard and helpwith the harvest.'

"An hour later, the owner of thevineyard told his foreman, 'Call theworkers and pay the last group first.'"First the owner paid the last groupto be hired. He gave them a full day's wage, even though they had onlyworked one hour! Then he paid thosehired next to last, and so on, until hecame to those who had worked all day. To every worker he gave the sameamount of money.

"Those hired first complained, 'Wethought we would get more thanthem. Those last men only worked onehour. We sweated in the hot sun allday long.'

"The owner said, 'Friends, I'mbeing fair. You were paid the wage weagreed on earlier. If I choose to givemy money away to others who haveworked less than you, that's none ofyour business. There's no reason foryou to wish for more. I can do what Ilike with my money. Take what isyours and go on home.' "

Jesus looked up at the puzzled facesof His disciples. "In this way the lastwill be first, and the first last."

All the men were given a day's wage, enough money for all theyneeded. The workers hired last werejust as willing to work all day as theothers. In the same way, no matterhow we come to Jesus, He will alwaysforgive us. He wants to give all of usthe same gift of life in His kingdom.God treats us all the same. It is ourfaith in God, not our working hard,which gets us into heaven.

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