The Free Gift of God's Grace
A Sermon on Matthew 20:1-16
Originally preached Feb. 7, 1960
Scripture
1For 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. 2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And …
Sermon Description
Don’t misunderstand the kingdom of God. In an age where people clamor for fairness, it can be hard for Christians to stand strong on the biblical teachings regarding salvation and eternal life. The parable in this sermon reinforces that all are in grave danger of misunderstanding the kingdom of God. In this sermon on Matthew 20:1–16 titled “The Free Gift of God’s Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the claims of the kingdom of God oftentimes come as a surprise and against the grain of what people would assume to be true. Yet, it is through these very truths that Scripture also helps them glean crucial truths about God and eternity. This parable, he explains, shows the difference between a true and a false salvation. Many misunderstand the kingdom of God and hold to a false salvation that is rooted in the belief that eternal life is a reward for a good life on earth. But besides offering no hope to a sinful person, it misses the entire glory of the free salvation in Christ — everyone justly deserves hell because they have all broken God’s law, yet Christ was offered as an acceptable substitute in their place in the reception of God’s wrath. Don’t misunderstand the kingdom of God — salvation has been offered. Repent and believe today.Bottom of Form
Sermon Breakdown
- The gospel is surprising and unexpected. If you've never been surprised by the gospel, you don't understand it.
- There is a false view of salvation that regards it as a reward for merit or good works. This view criticizes God and his ways. It has no compassion for failures and sees the gospel as immoral. It misses the glory of salvation and ends in disappointment.
- The true view of salvation recognizes God's sovereign lordship. God can do as he pleases. We deserve nothing.
- God's ways are just. He gives people what they ask for - strict justice sends all to hell. But he also honors grace by punishing sin in Jesus.
- God's salvation shows his generosity. He seeks the lost and gives freely - pardon, new life, sonship. This should melt our hearts.
- We should stop bargaining with God and simply obey his call. He will bless us beyond our expectations.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon Questions on the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard
What is the central point of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the central point of the parable is to illustrate how "many that are first shall be last, and the last first" in the kingdom of God. The parable shows the difference between those who work with an agreement (the first laborers hired) and those who work without an agreement (all the later groups). This contrast reveals the true nature of God's kingdom and salvation, which operates differently from human expectations and systems.
Why was Jesus concerned about Peter's question "What shall we have?"
Jesus was concerned because Peter's question revealed a dangerous misunderstanding of the gospel. When Peter asked "We have forsaken all and followed thee. What shall we have?" he was approaching salvation as a transaction or bargain with God. This demonstrated that the disciples were falling into the same trap as the rich young ruler - viewing their relationship with God as a matter of earning rewards through their good deeds, rather than receiving grace.
What is the false view of salvation that the parable exposes?
The false view of salvation exposed in the parable is seeing salvation as a reward for merit - something we earn through good works, moral living, or religious activity. It's characterized by: 1. Regarding salvation as payment for services rendered 2. Standing up to God, criticizing and questioning His ways 3. Having no compassion for failures or sinners 4. Viewing God's grace as unfair or immoral 5. Missing the joy and glory of salvation 6. Ending in disappointment and unhappiness
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the true view of salvation?
The true view of salvation recognizes: 1. God's sovereign lordship - "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" 2. God's perfect justice - both in His judgment of sin and in His grace 3. God's generous nature - "Is thine eye evil because I am generous?" 4. That salvation is entirely a gift, not earned 5. That no one deserves salvation - the Christian is amazed anyone is saved at all 6. That grace is freely given to the undeserving
What surprises people about the gospel according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the gospel is inherently surprising and contrary to human expectations. It shocks people by: - Being upside-down from worldly values ("many that are first shall be last") - Requiring childlike humility rather than intellectual mastery - Offering the same reward to latecomers as to lifelong servants - Treating sinners with grace rather than strict justice - Saving by grace through faith rather than by works - Offering full forgiveness immediately to even the worst sinners - Being radically generous to the undeserving
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones urge his listeners to do in response to this parable?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges his listeners to: 1. Stop trying to make bargains with God 2. Throw away their "ledgers" of good deeds 3. Stop trying to earn salvation 4. Submit themselves entirely to God 5. Accept His call and "go into the vineyard" without demanding terms 6. Trust in God's generosity rather than their own merit 7. Accept the free gift of salvation through Christ's work, not their own
How does God's justice work in salvation according to this sermon?
God's justice works in two ways. First, for those who want to be judged on their own merits, God gives perfect justice according to His law, which results in condemnation since "there is none righteous, no, not one." Second, God's justice is satisfied in salvation through Christ bearing the punishment for sin. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains: "God has punished the sin. How has he punished the sin? Oh, he punished it by putting it on his own son... Every sin has been accounted for. Justice has been satisfied." This allows God to be both just and the justifier of those who believe.
Sermons on the Gospel
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.