If God Were Only Fair
a sermon based on Matthew 20:1-16
by Rev. Rick Thompson

"It's not fair!"

You've heard those words, haven't you. You've thought and felt those words. And you've probably said those words more than once.

Life's not very fair, is it! Some seem to get all the breaks, while others always seem to get the shaft. Is that fair?

One person coasts through life with good health, and dies at 95, mind intact; another struggles with ill health for years, and dies at 53. Is that fair?

The older child gets to stay out later, and the younger one yells, "That's not fair!" The younger one gets to start dating at an earlier age, and now it's the older one's turn to complain. And the exasperated parent, unable to satisfy the complaining child with infallible logic, finally can only shrug, announce, "Life's not fair," and walk away.

No, life's not fair.

That's what they said, too, in the parable Jesus tells today. "It's not fair!" The last ones paid had toiled all day in the vineyard, under the blazing sun, for the going wage of a day laborer—just enough to feed their families that evening. They had blisters on their hands, and every muscle in their bodies ached. It had been a long, hard day. And then those late-comers, the lazy ones who had partied all night, slept most of the day, and worked only one hour, in the coolest part of the day—why, they had gotten the same wage for barely breaking a sweat!

And, to top it off, their employer had made the weary workers who had labored all day stand in line and wait, getting angrier by the moment, while the last ones hired got paid first. It wasn't fair! The owner of the vineyard just wasn't fair!

Now, it's interesting that, in this story, the owner stands for God. God, who does as God chooses with what God has. God, who seems to arbitrarily give to some and take from others. God who, it seems, so often just isn't fair!

We lament the unfairness of God: "If God were only fair, my life would make more sense, and I wouldn't have such poor health, and I would be on easy street, and I wouldn't be so disappointed and bitter and hopeless."

After all, isn't God the owner of the vineyard? Isn't God supposed to be in control of things? And if God is in control, why is life so unfair? Why does it seem as if the good people lose out—the church-going folks like us, people who try to do some good in the world, who teach Sunday School, and volunteer in the community, and visit and pray for the sick? Why do we lose out while they—the late-comers to the church, the newcomers to the community, the ones who thumb their noses at the law and disregard the rights of others—why do they seem to get ahead? Why is it that some get neglected and ignored, while others get the recognition and privileges that we think we deserve?

Is that fair?

Is God fair?

If God were only fair, it wouldn't be that way.

It's clear, isn't it, that God doesn't operate the way we do. That's certainly clear in this story of the workers in the vineyard! What we call unfairness, God calls generosity. God gives as God chooses, not what we think we deserve. God blesses whomever God wishes to bless. "Can I not do what I choose with what belongs to me?" asks the vineyard owner. "Are you envious because I am generous?" asks God.

No, of course we're not envious—as long as WE get our fair share of God's blessing! And, of course, our fair share is always MORE than what everyone else gets! And if someone—like the last ones hired to work in the vineyard—gets MORE than we think THEY deserve, then the jealousy, and the envy, and the bitterness REALLY begin to boil up in us!

"If God were only fair, life would be better!" we complain.

Well, would it? Would it really?

Actually, if God were only fair, we'd all be begging for mercy. We'd all be lost in our bitterness and envy. There'd always be something more we think God owed us—especially when we've worked long and hard in God's vineyard. We'd constantly be figuring that somebody else was getting better treatment from God than we do!

Well, Jesus has some news for us today. Jesus is trying to tell us something in the story of the workers in the vineyard. We've got it figured right, according to Jesus. And here's the news: God is NOT fair!

That's right—God is not fair.

Because God is more than fair. God is generous! God is more generous than the vineyard-owner in paying the last workers hired. God is generous—and certainly far more generous than WE deserve!

If God were only fair, we'd be in deep trouble, wouldn't we? We'd be lost in our sin, trapped by death and despair. Each one of us is a helpless sinner, doomed to die. For the wages of sin is not a laborer's daily wage: no, the wages of sin, God's Word tells us, is death. Each one of us deserves nothing but punishment and condemnation as the reward for our rebellion against God!

In God's eyes, we are the last ones hired! We're not cheated—we're fortunate! We're not cursed—we're blessed! We live under good news—not bad news!

For God, Jesus declares, is not fair. Jesus tells us and, with his own life and death and resurrection, Jesus shows us that God is more than fair. God is GENEROUS!

In the parable, the "eccentric employer"—as one writer calls him—gives exactly what was promised to each worker—a fair day's wage. And, prior to that, they all had been standing idly in the market-place. The employer had every right to act as he did—after all, it was his vineyard, and it was his money! Nobody got cheated; it's just that all got what was fair, and some got what others thought was too much!

That's how God operates—like the vineyard owner. We all get TOO MUCH! We all get too much mercy, too much grace, too much forgiveness, too much joy and peace, too much of the love of God!

Isn't it amazing? When we face sure and certain destruction because of our sin, God comes to us with a promise, a gift—the forgiveness of our sins, and abundant life now, and eternal life after death, through the Lord Jesus Christ!

For you see, Jesus didn't enter the world because God is fair. Jesus entered this world, entered your life and mine, enters into our midst in the church, because God is generous!

GOD IS GENEROUS!

If God were only fair, we'd get coal in our stocking at Christmas, a huge wallop on the behind, grounded for life—in fact, grounded for all eternity! If God were only fair, we'd get cosmic destruction, economic ruin, environmental disaster, total devastation, and eternal death!

But God is not only fair. So, instead of what we deserve, we get what God go graciously and generously gives.

And what is that?

We get Jesus! We get Jesus on a cross, dying to forgive. We get Jesus, bursting forth from a tomb, living to give us life! Jesus lives to give us—to GIVE us—abundant life now, and glorious life with God for all eternity!

Isn't it a good thing that God is not fair?

Can't we be grateful that God is generous?

If you want to know this God, and grow closer to this God, and luxuriate in God's generosity—well, there's an invitation meant just for you.

You see, the owner has a vineyard. God has a vineyard, and God invites you and I to work in it.

And in that vineyard, we'll enjoy God's generosity—forever!