1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:12,530 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,730 --> 00:00:18,270 Speaker 1: a calming, Scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,350 --> 00:00:21,770 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,790 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:33,140 Speaker 1: we will reflect on tonight's Scripture from Matthew chapter 20. 6 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: Our evening reflection is written by Clarence Haynes and read 7 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:52,460 Speaker 1: by Kyle Norman. Matthew chapter 20 For the kingdom of 8 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: heaven is like a landowner who went out early in 9 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed 10 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,420 Speaker 1: to pay them a denarius for the day and sent 11 00:01:02,460 --> 00:01:06,559 Speaker 1: them into his vineyard. About nine in the morning, he 12 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,980 Speaker 1: went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 13 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: He told them, You also go and work in my vineyard, 14 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 1: and I will pay you whatever is right. So they went. 15 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,980 Speaker 1: He went out again about noon and about three in 16 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in 17 00:01:25,940 --> 00:01:30,209 Speaker 1: the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. 18 00:01:31,330 --> 00:01:34,850 Speaker 1: He asked them, Why have you been standing here all 19 00:01:34,870 --> 00:01:38,790 Speaker 1: day long doing nothing? Well, because no one has hired us, 20 00:01:39,250 --> 00:01:43,789 Speaker 1: they answered. He said to them, You also go and 21 00:01:43,870 --> 00:01:47,950 Speaker 1: work in my vineyard. When evening came, the owner of 22 00:01:47,990 --> 00:01:51,570 Speaker 1: the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the workers and 23 00:01:51,630 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: pay them their wages, beginning with the last one hired 24 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: and going on to the first. The workers who were 25 00:01:59,020 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: hired about five in the afternoon came and each received 26 00:02:02,740 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: a denarius. So when those who came who were hired first, 27 00:02:07,860 --> 00:02:11,450 Speaker 1: they expected to receive more. but each one of them 28 00:02:11,570 --> 00:02:15,989 Speaker 1: also received a denarius. When they received it, they began 29 00:02:16,030 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: to grumble against the landowner. These who were hired last 30 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,700 Speaker 1: worked only one hour, they said, and you have made 31 00:02:23,740 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: them equal to us who have borne the burden of 32 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: the work and the heat of the day. But he 33 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,310 Speaker 1: answered one of them, I'm not being unfair to you, friend. 34 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:38,350 Speaker 1: Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your 35 00:02:38,389 --> 00:02:40,700 Speaker 1: pay and go. I want to give the one who 36 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: was hired last the same that I gave you. Don't 37 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,060 Speaker 1: I have the right to do what I want with 38 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,890 Speaker 1: my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? 39 00:02:51,370 --> 00:02:54,890 Speaker 1: Till the last will be first, and the first last. 40 00:02:56,690 --> 00:02:59,770 Speaker 1: Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, 41 00:03:00,110 --> 00:03:03,180 Speaker 1: he took the twelve aside and said to them, We 42 00:03:03,220 --> 00:03:05,900 Speaker 1: are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man 43 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,140 Speaker 1: will be delivered over to the chief priests and the 44 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,410 Speaker 1: teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 45 00:03:12,190 --> 00:03:14,090 Speaker 1: and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be 46 00:03:14,150 --> 00:03:18,770 Speaker 1: mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he 47 00:03:18,810 --> 00:03:22,870 Speaker 1: will be raised to life. Then the mother of Zebedee's 48 00:03:22,910 --> 00:03:26,210 Speaker 1: sons came to Jesus with her sons and kneeling down 49 00:03:26,370 --> 00:03:30,350 Speaker 1: asked to favor him. What is it you want? he asked. 50 00:03:31,410 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: She said, Grant that one of these two sons of 51 00:03:34,139 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: mine may sit at your right hand and the other 52 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,029 Speaker 1: at the left in your kingdoms. You do not know 53 00:03:41,090 --> 00:03:43,810 Speaker 1: what you are asking, Jesus said to them. Can you 54 00:03:43,870 --> 00:03:47,130 Speaker 1: drink the cup that I am going to drink? We can, 55 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: they answered. Jesus said to them, You will indeed drink 56 00:03:52,660 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: from the cup, but to sit at my right hand 57 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,780 Speaker 1: or left is not for me to grant. These places 58 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,860 Speaker 1: belong to those for whom they have been prepared by 59 00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:05,779 Speaker 1: my Father. When the ten heard about this, they were 60 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,540 Speaker 1: indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, 61 00:04:10,270 --> 00:04:12,590 Speaker 1: You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it 62 00:04:12,670 --> 00:04:16,750 Speaker 1: over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 63 00:04:17,630 --> 00:04:21,390 Speaker 1: Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great 64 00:04:21,470 --> 00:04:24,470 Speaker 1: among you must be your servant. Whoever wants to be 65 00:04:24,550 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: first must be your slave. Just as the Son of 66 00:04:28,770 --> 00:04:31,700 Speaker 1: Man did not come to be served, but to serve, 67 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,660 Speaker 1: and to give his life as a ransom for many. 68 00:04:36,420 --> 00:04:39,570 Speaker 1: As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, A large 69 00:04:39,630 --> 00:04:43,530 Speaker 1: crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting on the roadside. 70 00:04:44,110 --> 00:04:47,190 Speaker 1: When they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, Lord, 71 00:04:47,529 --> 00:04:51,619 Speaker 1: Son of David, have mercy on us. The crowd rebuked 72 00:04:51,660 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 1: them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted 73 00:04:54,380 --> 00:04:58,020 Speaker 1: all the louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. 74 00:04:59,620 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: Jesus stopped and called them. What do you want me 75 00:05:03,380 --> 00:05:08,070 Speaker 1: to do for you? He asked. Lord, they answered, we 76 00:05:08,130 --> 00:05:12,510 Speaker 1: want our sight. And Jesus had compassion on them and 77 00:05:12,550 --> 00:05:17,610 Speaker 1: touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. 78 00:05:22,110 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: Grace is truly an amazing word. By definition, it means 79 00:05:26,420 --> 00:05:30,900 Speaker 1: to receive unmerited favor. What I love about the Christian 80 00:05:30,940 --> 00:05:34,660 Speaker 1: journey of faith and being a follower of Christ is 81 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,220 Speaker 1: that grace levels the playing field. None of us are 82 00:05:38,260 --> 00:05:41,940 Speaker 1: saved because we deserved it, Instead, we are all saved 83 00:05:42,339 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: because of God's amazing grace. In the first part of 84 00:05:46,460 --> 00:05:50,530 Speaker 1: Matthew 20, the workers were complaining because everyone got the 85 00:05:50,570 --> 00:05:53,870 Speaker 1: same reward, even though it seems as if the ones 86 00:05:53,910 --> 00:05:58,089 Speaker 1: who started earlier in the day did more work. The 87 00:05:58,110 --> 00:06:02,349 Speaker 1: workers who started early in the day complained. That's because 88 00:06:02,390 --> 00:06:07,190 Speaker 1: they didn't understand grace. Recently, I was listening to a 89 00:06:07,250 --> 00:06:10,420 Speaker 1: reporter talk about a criminal who who had committed murder 90 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: and was sentenced to life in prison. She was disappointed 91 00:06:15,060 --> 00:06:18,700 Speaker 1: that this person did not get the death penalty. The 92 00:06:18,740 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: reporter said this person may not have gotten what they 93 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,490 Speaker 1: deserved in this life, but when they die, they will 94 00:06:24,550 --> 00:06:27,130 Speaker 1: find there is a place waiting for them where they 95 00:06:27,150 --> 00:06:32,029 Speaker 1: will get what they deserve. The reporter also does not 96 00:06:32,150 --> 00:06:36,310 Speaker 1: understand grace. She was deciding who is worthy of grace 97 00:06:36,370 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: and who is not. She saw the sin in the 98 00:06:38,980 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: man and deemed his sins unworthy of receiving God's grace. Strangely, 99 00:06:44,779 --> 00:06:48,860 Speaker 1: by default, she was assuming that her sins were worthy 100 00:06:48,900 --> 00:06:54,110 Speaker 1: of grace. When we understand grace, we recognize that all 101 00:06:54,150 --> 00:06:57,630 Speaker 1: of us are sinners, and none of us deserve salvation. 102 00:06:58,650 --> 00:07:01,929 Speaker 1: The Father gives it because He wants to and because 103 00:07:01,990 --> 00:07:06,170 Speaker 1: it is His to give. Instead of arrogance that should 104 00:07:06,210 --> 00:07:10,230 Speaker 1: make us feel more deserving. It should bring us to 105 00:07:10,270 --> 00:07:14,730 Speaker 1: a place of humility because we know we are not worthy. 106 00:07:16,210 --> 00:07:18,700 Speaker 1: So I invite you today to walk in God's grace. 107 00:07:19,660 --> 00:07:22,679 Speaker 1: It is enough to save you, but it is also 108 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: enough to keep you. His grace truly is amazing. It 109 00:07:27,260 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: should always humble us and remind us that we are 110 00:07:30,630 --> 00:07:33,830 Speaker 1: all the byproduct of grace that we did not deserve, 111 00:07:34,590 --> 00:07:43,180 Speaker 1: but grace that we have received freely. Lord, today I 112 00:07:43,220 --> 00:07:46,100 Speaker 1: want to thank you for your grace. I don't know 113 00:07:46,140 --> 00:07:48,900 Speaker 1: where I would be today if your grace had not 114 00:07:48,980 --> 00:07:52,690 Speaker 1: rescued me from my sin. I acknowledge your grace does 115 00:07:52,730 --> 00:07:57,390 Speaker 1: not come because I deserve it, but because I need it. Father, 116 00:07:57,470 --> 00:08:00,670 Speaker 1: help me to walk humbly and to never forget that 117 00:08:00,730 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: I am not more deserving of salvation than anyone else. Instead, 118 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: let me share your wonderful grace and let others know 119 00:08:08,700 --> 00:08:13,070 Speaker 1: that despite what they have done, There is salvation and forgiveness. 120 00:08:14,170 --> 00:08:17,890 Speaker 1: And it's all because of your grace. Let this be 121 00:08:17,930 --> 00:08:20,090 Speaker 1: the way I live all the days of my life. 122 00:08:20,810 --> 00:08:26,890 Speaker 1: I pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen. How 123 00:08:26,930 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in 124 00:08:30,740 --> 00:08:43,030 Speaker 1: the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. Thank you for listening 125 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from the 126 00:08:47,580 --> 00:08:55,059 Speaker 1: New International Version by Biblica. All rights reserved. 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