Chase: Hello and welcome to the Point Church Podcast. We're really glad you're here. Before we jump in, if you'd like to stay connected, you can download the Point Church app. It's a simple way to find messages, resource, and what's happening. And if this podcast is helpful, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share. You can find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Let's get into today's episode. Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Point Church Podcast. I'm here with Pastor Sam as we're walking through the Gospel of Matthew for our Lynch series. And today we're starting in chapter twenty. And it reads For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the mornings to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the workers on one denarius, he sent them into the vineyard for the day. When he went out about nine in the morning he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He said to them, You also go into my vineyard, and I'll give you whatever is right. So off they went. About noon and about three he went out again and did the same thing. Then about five he went and found others standing around and said to them, Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing? Because no one hired us, they said to him. You also go into the to my vineyard, he told them. When the evening came the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, call the workers and give their them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first. When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. So when they first and so when the first ones come, they assumed they would get more, but they also received one a denarius each. When they received it, they began to complain to the lander. These last men put in one heart, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day, days work and the burning heat. He replied to one of them, Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me on one denarius? Take what's yours and go. I want to give the last man the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I'm generous? So the last will be first and the first last. Right. So just keeping in mind from yesterday and the previous chapter, this is a continuation of Jesus' interaction with the rich ruler and how we are to understand possessions and treasure in the kingdom of heaven. So what is ⁓ being described here is, you know. Again, another metaphor, Jesus does speak in symbolism a lot. So he's like, Okay, the kingdom of heaven is your reward. Like he's saying it up front to everyone who comes in, salvation. It's me. Right? Like that's the reward. That's what you get for working in the kingdom of God. Whether you were working in the kingdom of God as a missionary in the heart of Africa, or you are someone who lived a horrible life and then on your deathbed received Jesus. Like the thief on the cross, the reward is the same. Yes. Eternal salvation in Jesus Christ alone. I had a seminary professor who ⁓ brilliant. Like probably one of the most intelligent people I've ever spoken with. And so I didn't talk a lot when we had conversations. You know, I just listened. ⁓ yeah. And I remember getting him getting so passionate at one point on a class that we were in on spiritual formation, like through. ⁓ the last two thousand years of church history he just had us reading you know nuns and monks and you know just the reward of knowing Jesus was like and he was like you have to understand in ministry it does not matter how large the church is how many baptisms how many nickels are in the plate anything like that the reward is Christ no matter what you must understand this because everything else will let you down And don't like think it's gonna be a better reward because the church is XYZ. You have to understand it's always Jesus. So we do see that grumbling sometimes when people are like, Well, they they did all this and they were so faithful and they still got cancer. It's not a carefree life that you're promised. It's promise that the earning that you're receiving is the same as everyone else. But it's that you're faithful to do. What the master has called you to do, no matter how long or short your shift is. Amen. ⁓ with verse seventeen it says, While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, See, we are going to up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flocked, And crucified, and on the third day he will be raised. So as I just said, Jesus likes to teach a lot in metaphors. Yes. This is not a metaphor. Absolutely. This is about as clear as it gets. And he's saying, Hey, you guys know we're on this road. Yeah, where are we going? Jerusalem. Okay. Yep. Here's what's gonna happen. Here's exactly what's going on. And we don't get a recording of their response, but I hope it was starting to sink in. We're just hoping it began to sink in. We're like, He keeps talking about this. Yeah. Now on the way where he says it's going to happen. Yes. And who's gonna do it and who's gonna do blood? Yep. ⁓ picking up in verse twenty it says, Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached him and her sons, with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. What do you want? He asked her. Promise, she said to him, that these two sons of mine may sit ⁓ one on your right and the other on your left in your kingdom. Jesus answered, You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? We are able, they said to him. He told them, You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give, and said it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father. So I think you can again hold this story up against the parable that was just shared. Yes. Of those working in the field wanting to get paid more than a day's wages. ⁓ the chosen, I know we've referenced it a few times, does an excellent job of this character development of kind of behind the scenes of J because the boys she's talking about are James and John, just make no mistake. It's it's not ⁓ it's not James who wrote the book of James, but James who's disciple and John who did write the book of John. ⁓ and first, second, third John and Revelation. So same guy. ⁓ brothers and their mom is in the show, they do a good job of showing how like, wow, you're in the inner circle. ⁓ you saw the transfiguration. You're one of the three. That you you're pretty important to Jesus. And then she's I mean, again, it's an artistic interpretation, but pushing them forward as deserving more than what they were promised as a wage, as a reward. Like, hey, I know you already said they're gonna be sitting on twelve thrones, but maybe if they could have the inner seats, like that would be great. So again, we just see they're not getting it. There's it's the same debate. Who's the greatest? They're still not getting it. No. They're getting close to understanding. And mommy's asking Jesus on their behalf. Like that's embarrassing. Come on, can we at least say that? ⁓ okay. ⁓ in verse twenty four it says When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant and indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them over and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it o over them, and those in high pro positions act as tyrants over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great. among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Yes. So he's saying again, upside down kingdom, ongoing theme, starting the sermon on the mouth, but upside down. Hey, you're not gonna act like a tyrant, you're not gonna act like King Herod, you're not gonna act like Caesar, you're not gonna act like Pontius Pilate, you're not gonna act like whoever, fill in the blank, any the political figure. You are the opposite. You are great when you take the low position. You become like an intern. You become like a custodian. You think you're like no one is below you. Everyone's greater than you. That's the upside down kingdom. You are a servant. That's what makes you great. Even if you are the CEO of a company, you don't have a CEO's mentality of being better than someone. You have the mentality of I'm here to serve the people that God has entrusted me to. That's what makes you great. Mm-hmm. In verse 29 it says, As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them. There were two blind men sitting at by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, Lord, have mercy on us, son of David. The crowd demanded that they keep quiet, but they they cried out all the more, Lord, have mercy on us, son of David. Yes, so this is ⁓ for those who are maybe new to prayer. Or, you know, like you you've heard of the idea of prayer, but no don't don't really know how to do it yourself. This was a tip that a mentor of mine gave. ⁓ he he slightly rearranged the words, but the words, but it just goes, Son of David, have mercy on me. Son of David, have mercy on me. Like it's almost an incantation, a chant to like you're acknowledging Jesus, you're acknowledging your need for him. And you're putting yourself in a position like the blind, ⁓ the blind man situation saying. Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner. Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner. Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner. And it just slows your thinking. It slows your heart, your anxiety, whatever. And then you're like, I need your mercy here. Like it allows you to put yourself in the posture of needing Jesus. So just as kind of a tip for prayer. It doesn't need to be flowery and cleaned up and it doesn't need to be original. You can take scripture as prayer. So Yeah. For what it's worth. ⁓ verse thirty two it says, Jesus stopped, called them, and said, What do you want me to do for you? Lord, they said to him, Open our eyes. Move with compassion. Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they would they could see and they followed him. Yeah. Again, I love that word compassion being in there. It was not a chore. It was an interruption. Yeah. He was interrupted, but it wasn't he didn't react in an interruption the way that if I'm honest, I usually inter like react to an interruption or most people do. He has compassion on them. Like it's not about the destination of getting to Jerusalem as efficient as possible and what's my ETA and what is Ways app tell me is the fastest way to get there. He's like, I will go at the right pace 'cause the mission is the people. Yeah. And I'm still gonna get there. He has compassion on these men who are calling out for him. He does. He does. And ⁓ with that we'll we're gonna end today's episode. So thank you so much for tuning in and we'll see you tomorrow.