Matthew 20:1-16A
Lead in #1: In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable where workers who work only one hour are paid the same as workers who labored for ten hours. Naturally, when those who worked all day learn that they were not paid any more than those who worked only one hour, they are not happy about it, “We worked ten times longer than the late comers and they get the same as us?” That doesn’t seem fair!
Prompt #1: If you were sent in to listen to the disgruntled workers, what would you say?
Prompt #2: Reflect on a time when you were tempted to turn resentful when someone else was blessed with what you thought was coming to you.
Lead in #2: The parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 20 is not about fair business practices. It is a story that speaks of God’s generosity. Generosity is not something one owes us. Generosity is a gift freely given. That is what God’s grace is. It is not what God owes us. It is a gift freely given out of love. In that sense, we are like the workers hired late in the day. We don’t deserve anything, but God is generous and gives us everything.
Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you received what you didn’t think you deserved, but you were given it anyway?
Lead in #3: Throughout the Gospel, there is a pattern that repeats itself. A reversal occurs that is counter intuitive to human logic. For example, we hear, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” We see this pattern in Matthew 20 in the parable of the workers. Those hired last are the first to be grateful. We hear this pattern in Mary’s prayer of the Magnificat, “The mighty are brought down low and the lowly are raised up.”
Prompt #4: Reflect on a time when you experienced the reversal of things where what happened was exactly the opposite of what you thought it should be, but in the end, it was even better than you expected it to be.
Lead in #4: In Isaiah 55, we are told God’s ways are not our ways.
Prompt #5: If you could change God’s ways to your ways, what in your life would you like to see changed?
Lead in #5: In Philippians 1, Paul writes from prison. The authorities are going to decide if he should be executed. As Paul awaits their decision, he thinks long and hard about the fate that awaits him.
Prompt #6: As Paul did in prison, what comes to mind for you as you think about your own death?