The Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16
1 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.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 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?
7 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.
8 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.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 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.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
The Choosing
Relative to the above Scripture, the choosing happened at 6AM; 9AM; 12 Noon; and again at 3PM, but most passionately it happened at 5 in the Afternoon. The best were gathered at 6 AM, Mediocre at noon and last string around 3PM so what kind of person is left at 5?
All day these people were passed by; they are unskilled, untrained, inappropriate…right? Wrong! There is no place in the Gospel that says that. When we put our value systems on God, we come up empty.
They have been left behind to be chosen. They are the anawim, the remnant. This is a parable of the last days. Where in a short while the shore beyond the belly of the beast will be realized.
TEST…
Malachi 3:10:
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
CALL…
Jeremiah 33:3:
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
TRUST…
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
DELIGHT…
Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”-Ezekiel 22:30
The Gap Dwellers, the Remnant believe in the mustard tree from the tiny seed, that Mountains can be moved into the sea, they believe in greater things, they believe in 1 John 1:9 -1 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”, …they believe that water can be walked on and that there is a shore beyond the belly of the Beast.
They don’t ask man for money, help and support, they ask God.
You see, they believe that a Holy righteous life, a life of prayer is what makes possible the choosing at the end of the day.
What is the choosing at the end of the day? After a lifetime of bearing witness, of living the Great Commission, of Prayer, of being Faithful, those who have been left, know something - after everyone else has long gone - those left behind know that they will be claimed by God and will hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” -Mt. 25:21.
“If it were not so, I would have told you” - Jn. 14:1, 2
