Devotional thoughts for Thursday

Thursday 30. October 2014 

Trinity 19 

Now when those hired first arrived, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying: "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat." (Matthew 20,10-12) 

A consistent theme in Jesus' ministry is the perceived inequality of the gospel. Jesus' adversaries, particularly the scribes and the Pharisees, viewed the gospel through the lens of the law. In their thinking, the gospel was earned and righteousness was merited based on how well one upheld the Mosaic covenant. Thus, those who were first, the Jews, should receive more because they strove for many centuries to keep the covenant. The Johnny-come-latelies, the Gentiles, should receive less because they worked less to obtain righteousness. 

Jesus turned this way of thinking completely on its head. He taught that the gospel is a free gift. It is not earned or merited by living righteously and morally. Likewise, the Jews would not receive more than the Gentiles: all would be mercifully granted the free gift of eternal salvation by God. 

It is difficult not to impose legal understandings upon the gospel. It is how we operate in this world of politics, laws and business. But the gospel is not something we can earn or merit. Only Jesus merits it, and He did so on our behalf so that He could give us His righteousness as our own, as if we ourselves had merited it. This is called grace: Jesus gives us righteousness even though we do not deserve it. Jesus levels the playing field and calls all unto salvation, Jew and Gentile, male and female, educated and barbarian, and gives them an equal share in everlasting life with Him and the host of heaven. 

Prayer: O Lord God, Heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before You relying on anything we have done, help us trust in Your abiding grace and live according to Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A78, Treasury of Daily Prayer)