Matthew 20:1

 Matthew 20:1 says, For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.  Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a homeowner who sent for workers early in the morning.  Verse two adds, And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  The man and the workers agreed to the price of a penny a day for the work.  They were not forced to work for this amount, but agreed to do so.  Verse three states,  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,  Then verse four adds, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.  Three hours later, the home owner saw some men standing idle in the market place and told them to go to work in the vineyard and he would pay them whatever he felt was right, and they went to work.  Verse five says, Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.  They man went out twice more at three hour intervals and sent more workers into the vineyard with the same understanding that they would be paid what he felt was right.  Verse six states, And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?  At near the end of the day, the man once again went out and found some men standing idle and asked them why the were doing so.  Verse seven says, They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.  They told the home owner that no one had hired them, and he told them to go into the vineyard and work, and once again said that he would pay them what he felt was fair.  Though the first workers were promised a specific amount of pay, all went to work willingly.  Verse eight declares, So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.  The man told his steward to call the workers at the end of the day and to give them their pay, starting with those hired last.  He was doing nothing in secret, but everyone would know what he others were paid.  Verse nine adds, And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.  Those who had worked for an hour were given a penny in pay.  Verse ten states, But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.  Evidently, all those who had come to work received a penny in pay, and when the first to go to work came, they expected to receive more, but they were also paid a penny.  Verse eleven declares, And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,  When the first hired received their pay, they murmured against the home owner even though they had received what they had agreed on for pay.  Verse twelve adds, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.  They complained that those who had only worked an hour received the same pay as they did.  We would likely feel the same way and do the same thing that they did.  Verse thirteen declares, But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?  The home owner addressed them as friend and said that he had done no wrong and asked if he had not paid them what they agreed on.  Verse fourteen adds, Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.  Thee homeowner told the men to take what was theirs and go on the way, and that he would pay the last just the same as the first. The man could have payed them in the order that they came to work and the first would not have known how much the last had been paid, but he was honest and above board in his actions.  Verse fifteen asks, Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  The man asked the ones complaining if he was not free to do what he chose with his money, and asked if their eye would be evil because he was good.  Verse sixteen concludes, So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.  The man said that the first would be last and the last first, and that many were called but few were chosen.  We are called to salvation at different ages, but we all have the same reward, everlasting life.  This is God's gift of grace to all who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and it is the only reward promised.  We should never feel cheated if someone comes to know Jesus as Savior and Lord late in life, but should be thankful that God has provided a way to salvation that is equal to all and that He fulfills His promise to us.  To do otherwise would imply that we believe that we are working to earn our salvation.