Septuagesima (1886)

All who are found in external Christianity are called Christians, but they are not all right, true Christians; they are called virgins, but are not all wise virgins1; they are called Christ's disciples, but they are not all his true disciples2; they are called fighters3, but do not all rightly fight4; they are called laborers, but they are not all right, godly workers. Matthew 20:1-16 Laborers in God's Vineyard; we see, 1. how they work, a. some work for the sake of wages, keep their work worthy of reward, count out their work to the dear Lord5; do their work reluctantly, under compulsion, grumbling; they rebel against others, think they are the first and are considered as such by others; b. others see their work not for the wage, they work for God's sake, who has called them out of grace into the vineyard, are content at the favor and the gracious promise of the householder; work in the simplicity of their hearts, consider their work humble and not worthy of wages, consider themselves the last and surrender themselves entirely to the grace of God.6 In which class do you belong? 2. what wage they receive, a. all laborers are equal in that they receive their denarius, their wage; eternal life cannot be from this denarius; b. but there is a difference in the wage: . the wage-addicted laborers receive their wage in disgrace, they indeed did not ask according to the favor of the householder; they receive their wage here in the world7; regarding the wage they will be last in heaven, they are excluded from it; . the right workers, who seek no wage, who boast in God's grace, who are last in their own eyes, are the first, they receive a wage of grace here and there.8

1 2

Matthew 25:1-2. John 8:31. 3 1 Corinthians 9:25-26 (Epistle). 4 2 Timothy 2:5. 5 Luke 18:9-10 6 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:9. 7 Matthew 20:14; Matthew 6:2; John 8:35; Galatians 4:30; Genesis 21:10. 8 1 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 9:6; Matthew 25:21-22, 40; Revelation 14:13 ("follow").