Jesus' Kingdom Parables
Study Guide
by David Chadwell

Part Nine

The Parable of the Laborers

Matthew 20:1-16

What is the kingdom of heaven like (verse 1)?
A landowner who needed people to work in his vineyard hired workers early one morning. What did he agree to pay them (verses 1,2)?
He returned to the market place looking for more workers at 9 a.m. What happened (verses 3,4)?
At what other times of that day did he hired additional workers (verses 5,6)?
At five p.m. when he found unhired workers at the market place, what did he ask them (verse 7)?
What did he do (verse 7)?
At sunset, what instructions did he give his foreman (verse 8)?
How much was each worker paid (verses 9, 10)?
Why did those who had worked all day grumble? What did they say (verses 10-12)?
What was the landowner's response (verses 13-15)?

Things to note about the kingdom of God:

God does not conduct kingdom "business" like the world conducts "business."
God looks for people who want an opportunity to serve.
With God, the "readiness to serve" is more important than the "time spent in serving."
God never considers it too late to provide the opportunity for service to those who want to serve.
God rewards both the persecuted veteran and the new convert on the basis of their hearts, their readiness to serve.
God keeps His commitments; He never fails to keep a promise.
God is free to do what He wishes to do; the last was paid the same as the first because that is what He wanted to do.
The sovereign God can do what He chooses to do.
We must not view the goodness of God as if it were an evil or unjust thing.
Our greed challenges God's sovereignty and goodness.
God's rewards are not based on what we think that He "owes" us.

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