The kingdom of God works like this…Not like that.

Matthew 20

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

There was a group of day workers that Jesus used as a parable that we see here in Matthew 20. The first group of men signed up for work early and agreed on the full days pay and worked all day. A second rotation came in and worked for less time but with same pay and then then the man kept going out and finding more men to work as the day passed. Then finally the last rotation came at the last of the day and received THE SAME pay! Wait! What? How? God’s grace! But is that fair to the ones that first signed up and agreed on the pay for a full days wages? I know the last set didn’t take away from their pay but they didn’t put in the full days or lifetime of work that the one who first believed did!

Jesus said clearly that He didn’t come to save the righteous but the sinner and it wasn’t His will that EVEN ONE perish but that ALL come to repentance! Not even one! He died for one on that day! He died for all on that day! The kingdom of God is upside down from the way the world operates and it’s point of view. It isn’t about being fair. It’s about being loved and His amazing grace. It’s upside down! The deeper the sin, the deeper the grace. Who has been forgiven much, loves much more!

Remember the two men that were hung on each side of Him on the cross? It was the last hours of their lives and He give them a choice too! That’s how much He cares for them (those who we think don’t deserve it - He died for). That’s how much He cares for you and for me. He gives us all two choices as these men represent and it doesn’t matter at what hour, it just matters that we choose to let Him in and to the work that He sends us to do.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelations 3:20

The problem is, we become Christians and sometimes we become indoctrinated into the worlds POV through churches not preaching and speaking truth. Then, slowly but surely over time our love waxes cold as we become at ease. Our hearts grow cold to the lost and dying world. We stop looking for the sinners to come in and we began to judge them, forgetting to call them in. Forgetting Christ love for them and the urgency that He calls us to. The urgency that we we are to disciple and lead them to Him, not away from Him. When we do this, we judge and mislead. We turned a blind eye tone what matters the most, His kids! They’re lost! They need to be found…. Mostly of all and most worst, ,we forget what He done for us!

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:16

Do wr think that they don’t deserve to “get in” on the same wage? Did we deserve it? It’s not about deserving. It is about grace. The wages of sin are death but the gift of God is eternal life! May we care about the condition their soul is in. If we don’t have the heart of Jesus, who’s heart do we have? The worlds? We are not of this world. We are His. In order to have His heart, we must see things the way He does. We are in the world but not of the world to help sinners to see that there is a better way. We must start calling them back in.

John 3

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

They’re already condemned. We don’t need to condemn them more… By doing so, we condemn ourselves. He had His arms stretched out wide open and yet we point fingers. When one finger is pointed out, there are three more fingers pointing back at the pointer. May we open our hearts and arms like Jesus. It’s the only way to bring them in, lest we push them out and they don’t want what we think we got. That’s not the heart of Jesus.

John 3:16! We need to get back to the basics people! This is what it’s all about! It matters to God! It MUST matter to us. We didn’t deserve grace and yet not only did God make us anyway - knowing that we’d stray, but He loved us SO MUCH that He sent His only begotten Son to buy us back! Have you forgotten??? He loves the sinner so much, that He’s willing to go to the deepest pit or recesses like He did for Jonah! Are we? Are are we at ease? In our cushioned church pews or at home in our own comforts living while there’s a dying world out there? Or, possibly worst, they may be in our on home. In our back yard and we don’t even know it because we don’t take time to see.

Maybe it’s you! Don’t be deceived. God wants the sinner and the unbeliever to come home! They live in condemnation already, they don’t need us to remind them. They need His love. They need to be loved back home. He wants them home where they belong. He died and bought you back, now you’re doubly His. It doesn’t take any thing away from you!!! It adds to the kingdom. The more the merrier.

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7

He didn’t come to condemn! Neither should you and I! He did come to save! So should we be just as concerned for the sinners soul as we are our own! Are you even concerned for your own or have you floated so far from away; from grace?

Maybe it’s time we got off the cushions and get back on our knees. Maybe it’s time we got uncomfortable. When’s the last time you sought for the lost, had a heart for them, prayed for and with them, led or followed them to an altar, or saw a lost soul crying out to Jesus? If not lately then it’s PAST DUE TIME to wake up from our sleeping slumber and cry out to Jesus! I’m guilty! I am here! This is where I’m at!

I heard it once preached: we aren’t a cruise ship! We’re a life raft. Problem is, we get indoctrinated and then we get comfortable. We use his grace and abuse it and we don’t want to get uncomfortable. Suddenly we forget where we came from and what He brought us out from under. We forget about the dying drowning world out there while we’re in here on our cruise ships doing what we do! What is that??  Because He’s coming back for me and you. What will we be accounted for? What mattered most! Worldly or eternity!?

It’s not too late to repent today and get a heart change. A heart on fire for God is what He desires. Stir the flames! That’s where our passion and zeal should be! There’s a world that’s headed for the fire and they need you to snatch them back, but the devils got you comfortable. You see, if he can’t lead you to a rouge life of sin, he’ll lead you to a comfortable life of sin. To be unbothered by a dying world and to be ok with it. That’s wickedness.

It’s kinda like the prodigal that rebelled and ran off. While this brother went and spent off, the other son stayed there with his father and did his due diligence. Though he was there, maybe he didn’t want to be but he remained loyal. Maybe he was jealous of his little brother doing what he wanted to and still getting to come back home after he blew it all. I’ve felt this way. But, the father didn’t argue. He gave his son a gentle but firm reminder that all he had, was already his. His brother didn’t take that away! That in itself was a much needed attitude adjustment; a mental shift.

We must be concerned more about the wages of sin than taking anything away. All He has, He has promised is ours. We are joint heirs of the endless supply. There’s enough to go around…

God loves you and them. If you’ve been faithful and you don’t understand why those who haven’t been get a second chance, it’s time to be thankful. Their soul was saved from hell and it takes nothing from you, for every thing he has and He died for - has been given to you. It just added to the kingdom. Praise God for it! The Father has an ENDLESS supply. We don’t need to carry this bad and unnecessary attitude around of jealousy, hurt and resentment. Or else, we’ll begin to bear fruit of it and become worst off than they are, rotting inside.

We need to start having parties like the angels in heaven! We need to begin to lift one another up so we can all stand and rejoice together. The enemy comes to separate and cause confusion and we can’t even see it because we’re so deceived and full of self. That’s why Jesus says to lay your wishes down. Deny yourself and pick up your cross. The way must lead to Him!

The way that we judge, criticize and condemn others, is the same way that we too will be judged, criticized and condemned ourselves! That’s scary! My attitude has been bad and my attention in the wrong place. With the SAME measure we deal out to others, it’ll come right back to us again, like a boomerang. In one way or another and in one day or another! There is a reckoning day! Like I said, everything in this world is upside down from the way His kingdom. The first shall be last and the last first. If we don’t have hearts for sinners, then He won’t have pity on us. We will be counted with them/unbelievers!

Who is greater than His Master? We need to obtain and gain a heart like Jesus to desire what He desires and to love and hate what He loves and hates. To be bothered and unbothered by what He is bothered and unbothered by and to begin a movement! Not a temporary movement but a lifetime of good works and caring for those in need! For we all want to be around those who add to us and make it easy! But that’s not what Jesus said to do!! We aren’t to live a life of ease BUT instead to serve those in need.

We may say to Him Lord Lord. We may do the mostest bestest works. We may have the finest seats in the house or we might even drive out demons in His name or prophesy!! But none of that will matter to Him if we have not love or do not do His will.

Then He will openly say to us in front of everybody: “ I never knew you…. DEPART from Me, you who act wickedly!” The saddest words we could ever hear.

We are all worried about our purpose as well as we should be, unless it’s just for you or me. Our full purpose is to live for Him. We each have unique talents and abilities but they should all be used and rightly to lead sinners in. So here’s a thought: instead of asking “what has called you to”, He has called us ALL to the same Thing! He has commissioned us to go out and share the good news. To bring sinners in. Maybe if we started here and started living like Christ and helping as many people as we can with that being our number one mission, our purpose and passion would fall right in to place!

It matters to Him! May it matter this much to you and me! That we wouldn’t continue to take it lightly.

I’ll Leave you with one last thought:

Matthew 25

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

How are we being Jesus to the least of these? How can we begin to be? What are we doing to bring them in? Is it a just good and pleasant thought or a passing prayer that we have towards them or do we get in the mix. He called us to feed, not to stare. He wants us to be His hands and feet, to feed His sheep, spiritually and physically, and it takes more than just a good thought. If we have it and we don’t give it, what good is it?? (Luke 11:5-13)

It’s action, not An act. We don’t just get to act like we care. It’s an extension and reflection of Jesus. It’s a grand responsibility. It could be me. It could be you. We must actually extend our hands and move our feet. Are our hearts moved towards sinners? Then this tells us if it’s moved toward Jesus.

Dear Lord God,

I am guilty. I admit that I have strayed so far away. I have been so caught up in my own comforts or either my own misery, that I have forgotten about others and that leads back to me. I should be leading back to You and dying to self. The best way to help myself is to help others, for it’s far more better to give than to receive. Of course I am to take care of myself but to also come to the end of myself. You are and was and always will be selfless Jesus. You are my constant access to God. You were my sacrifice so I didn’t have to take the punishment! You Jesus are the way to God and I must follow You. If I am unbothered by the lost and dying world then I am not right. You saved me out of my mess to go and help save others! May we live with urgency! I have been drawn in instead of being an extender. You really pressed into Peter to show Him the importance of what it means to love you! That’s to feed your sheep! If we’re not, how can we say we love You? We can’t! The devil has us fooled and we’re caught up in-the wrong idea that they don’t deserve it and they take away from us! They don’t! We do! We’re servants. You saved a wretch like me and I must give back to You. You said if we love You, to keep Your commands. So Lord, I confess that I have fell way short. I have fallen so far. I want my heart back for you. I truly believe that You are God and that Jesus came for this very reason alone, so that we could be saved and be free to serve You! I am not serving You because I am not serving Yours. Jesus came not yo be served but to serve and the church looks a lot like comfortablity and conformity these days. There’s no urgency. It’s hard to distinguish us from the world. It’s a cruise ship and it’s a country club. God please forgive us. No wonder our world is upside down. Christian’s don’t take their stance: we blend in. We don’t wanna get dirty and messy and on our hands and knees. That’s embarrassing to us. I’m embarrassed for us! For on that day we will hear well done or depart from Me. I wanna live well! So today, I know Your mercies are new and I ask for Your forgiveness for I didn’t deserve You but You loved me anyway. May I begin to love like You again and to be Your hands and feet again. Renew a right spirit within me. Create in me a clean heart like David asked, and then and only then can I lead others in Your way. I must get out of the way. It’s me O Lord standing in the need of prayer. It’s really been me all along. Hear my prayer and answer me. May it be sincere. I don’t want my love to wax cold or to fall away. In Your Sons Name Jesus, I pray. Amen and Amen.

May we have a heart for sinners and for each other. May what breaks Your heart, break ours. United we stand.