Septuagesima (1882)

Matthew 20:1-16 The correct doctrine of the election of grace has not only nothing terrible in it, but it is also highly comforting for true believers. For according to this doctrine our eternal salvation in Christ is firmly resolved not only before the foundation of world, but in so doing also taken entirely out of our hands, wherein of course it would not be kept safe and put into the captive almighty Hand of our Savior Jesus Christ.1 Furthermore, according to this doctrine, no one is excluded by an "absolute decree" of God from the number of the elect from the beginning, rather Christ has died for all men without exception and offered this salvation acquired by Him to all without exception, so that no one is deprived of salvation, as anyone excludes himself from it by a stubborn and persistent willful reluctance. Finally, according to this doctrine, those, who were reluctant for a long time are converted and accepted into grace from the last shall be first. However, although this doctrine is highly comforting for all faithful Christians, it thus nevertheless may by misused by no one, to whom his salvation is dear, for carnal security; rather we should do diligence to make our calling and election sure.2 Therefore serious warnings and admonitions always go alongside the comforting promises of grace. Even today's Gospel contains such warnings, partly to those who still did not follow God's call of grace, partly to those who already have become laborers in the vineyard. The twofold admonition that the parable of the laborers in the vineyard lays on our heart; namely: 1. make sure that you do not willfully miss God's call of grace! a. the call of grace of God. The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom of grace, even all the grace of the kingdom is determined in the call to it; it is the call of a reconciled God in Christ, the call for obtaining eternal salvation. This call goes forth through the Gospel to all men and is a serious and stronger call3; b. the contempt of these calls of grace. Although the householder repeatedly proceeds to hire laborers, some remain standing ever and again in the marketplace because they prefer idleness to the service of God.4 Some neglect the call until the eleventh hour, many completely neglect it; c. the consequences of such contempt. These are terrible enough: . those loafers lead a miserable life in service of the world and in lusts of the flesh, without rest, without peace, without God, without hope, . finally the period of grace is neglected, so eternal damnation follows from it. Therefore serious admonition, indeed not to neglect God's gracious call.
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John 10:28; Romans 8:28, 39. 2 Peter 1:10. 3 Matthew 20:1-7. 4 Matthew 20:3, 5-6.

Maybe your eleventh hour is already here. "Now is the time of grace, now" etc.; 2. make sure that you do not insist on merit as a laborer in the vineyard and thereby altogether squander grace. Therefore realize: a. that one has no reason to insist on its own merit. In the kingdom of Jesus Christ everything is grace and nothing but grace. As the call to this kingdom, so is the work in it, it may be longer or shorter, and the reward at the end grace, pure clear grace. No one may rely on them before God for the duration and severity of his work, as if these entitle him to a special reward. Scripture all too clearly denies to men, whomever he may be, his own merit of any kind.5 As the unconverted man cannot even "come to grace"6, as he is unable to contribute in the least to his conversion7, so all righteousness of his work in the kingdom of God is and remains a filthy rag. 8 Therefore realize: b. that one entirely forfeits grace by insisting on his own merit. Although sometimes even believing Christians are challenged with such profitable selfish thoughts, even the dear apostles themselves at the time, when the Lord reproaches them in this parable, were not free of it. But they are raked over the coals and count then all their own righteousness with Paul as loss and filth9 and do not complain when they get to see a thief next to Him converted in the same grace only in his last hour. Conversely, those who does not want to show, who make a grumbling demand for a wage, insists on his own merit, throws away all grace by his fault; because he robs God of His glory, namely the glory that is His grace and mercy in Christ alone that saves us sinners, without any merit and worthiness on our part. He will therefore be excluded with those murmurers from the kingdom of God.10 Therefore, anyone who has followed God's call of grace and lives and works in the kingdom of Christ does not ignore the serious admonition: Make sure that you do not insist on merit as a laborer in the vineyard and thereby altogether squander grace! G[eorg] S[tckhardt]

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Romans 3:23-24; Luke 17:10. 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13; Hosea 13:9. 7 Jeremiah 31:18. 8 Isaiah 64:6. 9 Philippians 3:8. 10 Matthew 20:14.