“The Last Hour!”

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of an estate who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. At noon and again around three o’clock he did the same thing.  At five o’clock that evening he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, `Why haven’t you been working today?” “They replied, `because no one hired us.” The owner of the estate told them, `Then go on out and join the others in my vineyard.’” That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.  When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. When those hired earlier came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.  When they received their pay, they protested, `Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.” “He answered one of them, `Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take it and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be angry because I am kind?’ “And so it is, that many who are first now will be last then; and those who are last now will be first then.” (John 20:1-16 NLT)

“And so it is, that many who are first now will be last then; and those who are last now will be first then.”  Today, as I look upon many people who are held at high esteem in our Christian society, I am in wonder of how God’s Word states that many who are called first, we be last to enter into his Kingdom. As I we read in the Word of the Lord, we read that Heavens rejoices when the Lost are found, even over those who are saved. In the Story of the Prodigal son, the Father through the feast the Son that returned home, as the Son who was Faithful felt like his Father was being unfair by throwing the feast for the Son who left. The Father celebrated the Lost Son who returned home over, just having a feast for his Faithful Son. So why does the Lord give such High Favor for those who are Lost? This has always been an issue even many today in the Church deal with. It is hard to understand why God would give favor to someone who has done nothing but be an enemy to Him, before Repenting and coming to the Lord. But as we read in John 20:13-14, “I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money?”