WINNERS & LOSERS, Sermon Notes for 16 February 2025 Anno Domini (Septuagesima), the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
The Epistle. 1 Corinthians ix. 24.
KNOW ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Today’s texts in both the Epistle and the Gospel are about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and how strangely different, and alike, to the life of the Church and her adherents. In the Epistle, Paul draws an analogy between the Christian walk and a competitive race. He makes several salient comparisons such as the fact that ALL must run in the race of life – either of the Church, or the world; otherwise, a race is not a race. There are certain characteristics that distinguish those who run:
1. In the life of the Church, all must participate just as all must run who are in the race of life. We run not for an earthly crown, but an incorruptible one. There is a required starting point. For the Christian, that begins at salvation and baptism.
2. In the Church, we have a particular goal to which we run – that of the sanctified life. But in the race of the Christian life, all who run to the finish line, win.
3. Preparation: If a man or woman are going to compete meaningfully in an athletic competition, strenuous preparation must be made over time – there are no novice champions in the marathon of life. So, in the Church must our race be based on a love of God and a knowledge of His Word.
4. Temperance: A good soldier, athlete, physician, or sea-captain, must exercise a temperate disposition under all circumstances. The athletic runner is not concerned about the endurance of his competitors, but of his own performance. He is focused on the objective and not the fellow runners.
5. Seriousness: The life of a Christian, and an athletic competitor, must take his effort seriously. He has no time for doubt – he has prepared for the race and will now apply his skills to the effort.
6. Self-control: The body wearies to near exhaustion in a marathon race, but victory is only possible if the runner pushed his physical abilities to the limit. The Christian, too, must keep his body under the more important matters of the soul and spirit.
The Gospel. St. Matthew xx. 1.
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. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 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? 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. 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. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 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. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, beause I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Our Lord Jesus Christ undertakes to teach His disciple a different lesson in the Gospel text – one that is completely adverse to the ways of the world. We are so accustomed to measuring people, events, and character by worldly achievement and financial accomplishment. We want EXACTLY what we believe we deserve. We often have a much higher opinion of ourselves than is the true value – especially in the eyes of God. We believe that justice should be bent in our favor, and we view the sins of our fellows with the
eyes of an eagle, and our own sins with the sense of a mole.
In the preceding chapter 19 of the Gospel of St Matthew (I will abbreviate its full meaning), Jesus was approached by a rich young ruler who came running and knelt before Jesus (Mark 10:17). He asked Jesus, Master (teacher), what shall I do to inherent eternal life? The young man came running (in the right way), he knelt as was proper before divinity, but his address to our Lord and it question was amiss. Jesus tested him to see if the boy recognized Him as the son of God. He should have referred to Jesus as Lord if he knew who He truly was. Jesus exposed his ignorance by responding: “you know the Commandments” – and he cited those of our duties to our fellows. But He left out those that relate to our duties to God. Herein is a deep lesson. If we do not love our fellow man, we cannot love God.
1 John 4:20
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” The young ruler was blinded to his duties to God by his wealth. Anything that eclipses God from our hearts is an idol.
In the end, the ruler refused to sell all that he owned and to follow Christ. Many in the modern church who profess Christ are doing the same thing. It is not the money or wealth that is evil, but the love of it above all other considerations.
Jesus then remarked on the difficulty of the rich to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In amazement, the disciples asked, How can any be saved?” to which our Lord responded, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Now, here follows the point of our Lord’s parable about the vineyard of Matthew 20: The disciples had observed this matter of the rich young ruler with amazement and deep thought. Now their concerns turned upon what advantage they may have in forsaking all and following Christ.
We often feel that our conduct has been above and beyond th=e call of duty for a Christian believer. But Christ sets the record straight. “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, pjudging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”
The parable of Matthew 20, reflects the same principle concerning undue expectations. The Kingdom of God is not based upon seniority of time and service, but the state of the heart in coming to Christ – even as the thief on the cross. He lived a life of sin and rebellion. Now he is nailed to the cross and cannot lift a finger in doing any good works; but the Lord received him into paradise even before his disciples had the privilege.
The owner of the vineyard had made a contract with the first workers for a penny (a day’s salary at the time). Those who came later in the day had no such contract. At conclusion of work, the last were paid a penny. Those who had worked all day believed that they should receive more than that agreed upon earlier. They were acting our of envy and greed. The vineyard owner had not responsibility to pay them more than the agreed sum even if ghe gave those who worked more briefly the same. This principle may lend meaning to the justice of labor unions.
If I join the Church at age twelve, and work diligently for many years, there may come a new member who has recently experienced a conversion to Christ. He is old and can only serve in the Church briefly. Though he has come at the last, he may be rewarded first in the Kingdom of Heaven. Our works will not save even our little finger. We are “saved by grace and not of works lest any man should boast.”
In the race of life, we strive to do our utmost in running the good race and finishing our course. We must forever keep the goal in mind of finishing with a good heart and satisfied soul that we have done our very best. No more than our best can be expected of any man. But we are also taught in the parable of the vineyard that it is not the measure of our labors that are measured in the sales, but the condition of the hearts of the laborers. More importantly, it is the generosity of the Owner of the Vineyard that adjudicates our just reward. We may be last at the pay window, but first to enter into our reward.
