It happened at a church-sponsored school. The school was situated in Brooklyn. The students were encouraged to become involved in what they called “progressive class work”–completing certain lists of activities and learning certain skills for each grade level. Those of us in the first grade had been studying hard all year to get our Sunbeam and Busy Bee pins and scarves. The older students had worked to become Friends and Comrades and Master Comrades. (This was before we had heard about Russian communism!)

And so the night of the investiture came, when we were to receive our awards. I looked at the table where the youth director had laid out all of the certificates and pins and scarves, and I saw I was to receive a small green kerchief for my work. The older students were to receive larger kerchiefs with shiny plastic sliders. But we first graders had to tie a knot in our scarves to keep them together!

I had studied hard for my award and felt rather disappointed at what I was getting in return. I remember smiling desperately at the youth director, hoping he would notice me and feel sorry for me and maybe give me at least one of those plastic sliders! But it didn’t work. That evening I discovered the painful truth that in this world you work for what you get, and you get what you worked for. And that’s the way it is. One by one we went forward and received our awards, and the meeting was about over when someone had a bright idea. My father and uncle were evangelists, holding meetings in downtown New York City, and someone said, “Why, these preachers must have learned all of these things that the Master Comrades know. Why don’t we invest them right now–and their wives too?”

So my father and mother and uncle and aunt went forward and were invested as Master Comrades. And I knew good and well they hadn’t even done the requirements for Sunbeams and Busy Bees!

I was not the least bit happy about the honor given to my parents that night. I still loved my parents, you understand, but I wasn’t at all sure about the youth director. In fact, I felt so deeply about the experience that it set back my interest in progressive class work by at least twenty years. I didn’t realize until years later that Jesus told a story that was very similar to that investiture service.

It’s found in Matthew 20:1-4.

“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. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour [or 9:00 a.m.], and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.”

Apparently they trusted him, for he did not specify the amount of remuneration.

“Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour [which would be 12:00 noon and 3:00 in the afternoon], and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour [5:00p.m.] he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Verses 5-7.

Well, one thing is sure. You’re not going to earn much going to work at 5:00 in the afternoon, one hour before quitting time. But at the very least, maybe they could fill their pockets with some grapes to take home for supper. And so they went willingly to the vineyard.

“When even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.” Verses 8, 9.

We may not be too impressed with the “penny” described in the King James Version. Inflation has made pennies so worthless that people hardly bother to pick them up off the street anymore. But in Jesus’ day a penny was a day’s wage.

The workers who had been hired at the eleventh hour were astonished. The workers who had been there all day were astonished too. Their hopes began to rise, and they could hardly wait for their turn to come to the pay master’s table.

“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

“But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Verses 10-16.

Well, this is indeed a strange story, isn’t it? We understand that the vineyard owner represents God, and that makes it even more strange. Yes, we can agree, it’s lawful for Him to do what He pleases with His own. Since all things belong to Him, it’s all right for Him to be generous. But why did He discriminate against the ones who had worked such long hours? If He wants to give His gifts to those who don’t deserve it, why stop with the one-hour workers? Why not give everybody ten pennies or a hundred? It looks as if He’s being generous to some and not to others. And that makes us uncomfortable.

The Penny

The secret to understanding this parable is found in the secret of what the penny represents. What are the wages that are paid to the workers for God? Are they given advantages and blessings here in this life? Are they given a mansion of gold or stars in their crown or a special place in the kingdom of heaven to come? And if this is the case, why wouldn’t it be best to hold out until the last possible minute before joining God’s service, so as to experience His generosity instead of feeling shortchanged?

It’s quite obvious that God operates on a different value system than we do. But since that is true, we’d better take advantage of the opportunity given us in this parable to understand a little more about His system. If we are unhappy with His method of payment now, we will certainly be unhappy later on too.

So what is the reward? What is the penny? It is Jesus Him- self! He can’t give the twelve-hour workers more than the one-hour workers, because He can give neither more nor less than Himself. Why? Because in giving Himself He gives all the riches of the universe.

When you have seen that, you realize that, in a sense, the twelvehour workers received more than the one-hour workers after all. For while the one-hour workers were standing idle in the marketplace, the twelve-hour workers had had the privilege of a full day of fellowship and companionship working with the owner of the vineyard.

If you think that the reward is heaven at last and perhaps more stars in your crown or a bigger mansion, you will be disappointed. But when you realize that the reward is Jesus and that heaven itself can offer nothing more, nothing greater, then your reward begins when you enter His service–because through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here.

We respond to His invitation, “Come, learn of Me,” and in thus coming we begin the life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ. The longer we are in the heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory will be opened to us; and the more we know of God, the more intense will be our happiness.

In Matthew 19 Jesus meets the rich young ruler who came running after Him, wanting to know what to do to enter into life. And Jesus said, “Keep the commandments.” He was trying to smoke him out of the woods.

“Keep the commandments.”

“I have.”

“What about this one?”

“Uh oh. I’m in trouble.”

The man went away sorrowful. The disciples stood by, watching and thinking, “Here is a rich man who refuses to follow Jesus. He is going away sorrowful. That is too bad. But we have chosen to follow Jesus. Therefore we are right, and he is wrong.”

Peter, who was usually the spokesman, got his mouth working first and blurted out, “Too bad for him, Lord. He left. But what about us? We are following you. What are we going to get out of it?”

Peter was operating on our system of values, wasn’t he? “What are we going to get?” I think that if I had been Jesus, I would have said, “You disciples get out of my sight. Give me another twelve and let me start over again. After three years, you still haven’t gotten the message.”

Instead, Jesus met them where they were. Verse 28.

“Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Can’t you see the disciples, excited about the good news of the reward they would receive for following Jesus?

But then Jesus went on and added something else.

“And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold,” and Mark adds, “Now in this time,” and “in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:30.

Since the reward is Jesus Himself, the reward begins here and now-a hundredfold. And the reward at the end of the day is simply a continuation of the experience already begun. The rewards in service are just as meaningful as the rewards for service. Fellowship with Jesus is the highest reward that can be given.

Those who are unwilling to stand all the day idle and who are more interested in service and fellowship with Jesus than in the rewards that may be given will find in the end that the reward will be enough, and more than enough.