Amazing Grace

Based on our non-sportsminded daughter’s enthusiastic recommendation, Holly and I recently started watching the multi-episode documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls called, The Last Dance.

That was the name given by Phil Jackson, the Bulls’ coach, to what he knew was his last season coaching the team that had won some five national titles in seven years. Maybe, before the management got rid of him, his team could win him—and themselves—one final championship. It would be their Last Dance.

It’s good! But even before we started watching it, we knew our daughter’s team favorite was not Michael Jordan, the clear superstar. It was Scottie Pippen, the player that stood in Jordan’s shadow but who helped make Mike achieve and be all that he could be.

Even at the time it was well known that Scottie Pippen was not being paid what others of his caliber were receiving. Even on the Bulls, Scottie had only the 8th highest salary despite being the second highest scorer, the second highest rebounder, and so on.

To neither my daughter nor us, did it seem fair! And even the owner of the Bulls agreed! Yet, he said, this was the salary Scottie agreed to—and the contract he voluntarily signed—years ago. 

And the owner wouldn’t budge! “This is the salary you agreed to play for. And that’s that!” Needless to say, however, Pippen was angry and aggrieved. It wasn’t fair!

I mention all this because, if you were paying attention to today’s gospel reading, it sounds very similar, doesn’t it? A vineyard owner needs workers in his vineyard. And so, at dawn, he goes into the town’s square and selects workers he agrees to pay a day’s pay for a day’s work.

Fine. But then, as the day wears on, the vineyard owner keeps returning to the town and hiring more and more workers. Some even are brought in at day’s end, with less than an hour’s daylight to work!

At day’s end the workers are told to stand in line from those who had worked the least to those who had worked the most. And they would receive their pay.

I wonder when they first suspected it? After all, those who had worked twelve hours were at the back of the line while those who had barely worked an hour were at the front. 

At some point those in the back had to see that those who had worked less than they had were nonetheless being paid a full day’s wage! Did they then think—and get excited—that, surely, they who had toiled all day would get more—a lot more—than those who had barely worked at all?

I know I would! But, no! When it was their turn to be paid they were given exactly the same—no more and no less—than those in front of them. 

And, like basketball player Scottie Pippen, that just did not seem right! How could those who worked a full day get the same as those who, in some cases, only worked an hour? It’s just not right!

However, just like the owner of the Bulls, the vineyard owner said, “Tough! This is what you agreed to receive. A day’s pay for a day’s work. And this is what you’re getting. No more and no less!” To which Jesus dryly adds, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

I didn’t like it when it happened to Scottie Pippen. And I don’t like it now!

It just doesn’t seem fair! Yet something I learned about this story this week recently helped me. Like so often happens with ancient literature, words and images that made perfect sense to an audience 2,000 years ago, might need some help for us to understand them the same way today! 

Originally, this was not a story about unjust labor relations or foolhardy hiring practices! As soon as Jesus started telling a story with a vineyard; a vineyard at harvest time; and workers waiting at the end of the day for their wages, everyone would have understood!

A story with a vineyard? That means it’s a story about God’s people. A story about a vineyard at harvest time? Well, that means it’s a story about God’s people at the end of time! 

But wait a minute! It’s a story about a vineyard at harvest time where people are waiting for their wages? 

Without a doubt, they knew that means this is a story about God’s people at the end of time as they stand before their master awaiting final judgment!

Listening to the story Jesus’ audience would want to know, have the people in the story earned or deserved God’s favor? Is God pleased with them? At the end of time, will God bless them or curse them on Judgment Day?

Read that way—which is the way Jesus originally intended it to be read—rather than being a story about a master who is either unfair or unjust, it’s a story full of good news. And good news for all of us today!

Last week when we were talking about why forgiveness matters so much to God, I used a gesture that you’re either very familiar with. Or very tired of. Or both!

I said that the reason why forgiveness matters so much to God is because relationships matter so much to God! God created us and wants to be in relationship with us lika dis! 

Forgiveness matters to God so much because forgiveness restores relationships. It restores our relationship with God. And, as we were reminded last week, it restores our relationships with one another.

The parable that Jesus tells today, then, is yet another variation on this exact same theme! 

At the end of time and at the last judgment, the parable proclaims, all are welcome! All are invited! And all will receive, not what they deserve, thank God! Even if they are newcomers and johnnie-come-latelies, they will receive the same amazing, generous, and life-giving grace of God!

It isn’t fair! It’s more than fair! In fact, it’s God!

The God who created us to be lika dis, you see, will be the same God who greets and welcomes us on Judgment Day. And God will fulfill the promise given to all of creation: to be with God and one another lika dis!

In Jesus' name. Amen.