The Parable of The Laborers in the Vineyard

Outline

1. Opening prayer
2. Highlights from last week
3. Introduction to The Laborers in the Vineyard
4. Read Matthew 20:1-16
5. Complete the lesson in Copeland’s guide
6. Closing prayer

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for this time together, and thank you for sending your Son Jesus to save us from sin and death. Lord, please surround us with your presence, and may the Holy Spirit bring us wisdom as we study your Word. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Highlights From Last Time

• The last parable we studied was The Unmerciful Servant, a parable about forgiveness.
• In His mercy and kindness, God forgave us for our sins; so must we forgive those who sin against us.

Introduction to The Laborers in the Vineyard

This parable is found only in Matthew and follows the story of a rich, young ruler, who was sorrowful about the idea of giving up all of his earthly possessions in Matthew 19:16-22. When Peter said “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” in verse 27, Jesus answers him with today’s parable.

Read the Introductions in Booth’s and Webb’s guides.^[1]

Read Matthew 20:1-16:^[2]

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ ⁵ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ ⁸ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ ⁹ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.¹⁰ 

Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, ¹² saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ ¹³ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. ¹⁵ Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard?

Workers In The Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

Application

Complete the lesson on page 40 in Copeland’s guide, and read the conclusion on page 27 of Booth’s guide.

Closing Prayer

Almighty Father, thank you for the time we have just spent together. Please continue to be with us throughout our week as we learn to apply your Word to our lives. Please forgive us when we get things wrong and continue to bless us with your mercy. Thank you for giving us Jesus for a clear path to salvation. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Have a wonderful week!

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