What's my Agreement | Elder Terence Atkinson

You're listening to a message to go from at church.

We hope this message will light.

Up your tea. What's an agreement? Those of you are

young and do not know what an agreement is, You

better get to know it, because when you grow older,

everything is an agreement. You go and work for people,

you gotta sign an agreement. You buy a house, gotta

sign agreement. You get a kite, you gotta buy an agreement.

So there's an agreement for everything. So what is my agreement? Okay,

let's hear what the Lord has to say in his word. Okay,

we're gonna be doing the parable found in Matthew chapter twenty,

reading from verse one. Now, I've always told you that

when I read the Bible, there's many ways to read

the Bible. You read it quietly. That's why a lot

of people go to sleep, because when you read it quietly,

like you read your novel, you go to sleep. But

you can read it like it's a living book. You

can read it aloud. You know, if you read the

scripture aloud, not only are you using your mouth, but

your years are being used, and your sight is being used,

and you know it's it's really a great way to

grow in the world. So this is or these are

the words of Jesus, and therefore I'm going to do

it a Jesus voice because I believe that when the

Lord speaks to me. I try and imagine those first

words that I heard that made me become a Christian,

where I heard the Lord speak to me. It was

an amazing voice, it was. It was so you know,

strong yet full of compassion. So I do a bad job,

all right, So this, you know, but I tried. Huh.

That's because there's a difference in reading my normal voice,

which has got actually no impact. So when I read

it to myself, you know, I imagine that the Lord is

reading it to me. Okay, So here goes for the

Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out

early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now,

when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarious

a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Got difference.

Now, I.

Mean, you know, it keptures you. Right, So when you

read your scripture, you have to read it in such

a way that it's going to really do something for you. Okay.

But this is this is how I believe I'm trying

to recreate the way the Lord spoke to me all

those years ago. And this is how when he reads

to me, because I don't imagine he's got my voice,

so they so his voice. Okay, so let's delve into it.

The Kingdom of Heaven. I remember speaking to you the

last time, and I explained to you that the Kingdom

of Heaven refers to whom God. It refers to God.

You see, Jesus was speaking to whom. Jesus was speaking

to the Jewish people who revered the name of God.

They revered the name of God so much that they

wouldn't say God. They say the Kingdom of Heaven because

they were not worthy or holy enough to use the

word God. So Jesus was speaking to them in a

way that they understood. You know, Jesus was these are people.

They were quite a strange group of people, all right.

He was not going to change the very one thing

that they seemed to get right. They revered the name

of God. So Jesus was not going to say God

the Father. He wasn't going to use the word God.

He was not going to change what they had gotten right.

What had they got right that reverence, reverence for the

name of God, that that you know, ultimate position they

were giving to that name. So Jesus used that language

that they understood. He didn't change it, Okay, he didn't

undermine the thing that they was getting right. They were

getting right. And what was he doing. He I wanted

to give an insight to them about who God was

and is. So this parable about the laborers in the

vineyard is a parable to help you understand God. When

you and I read scripture, do we skim over what

is the message behind the scripture? Many of us do.

I've read this scripture for years, and I only understood

it when the Lord said I want you to speak

on this. And then when I started to meditate on

it and go into it, I begin to understand it

even more. I begin to see a lot of things. So,

first thing is the owner went out early. How many

of you wake up early? Don't put up your hands.

How many of you just made it to church? I

do not want to see your hands raised early? Do

you know that God is active? God is not like

us on time. Before the first person opened up the door,

God was already here waiting for you. He was looking

forward to your presence, and he was here waiting to

meet you in your worship, and you and I we

barely make it here on time. He is the Lord

of lords, in the King of kings, by right, he

should make his entrance when we come. But if you

read an undersc understand scripture, God is God is working.

You know, God is always working, He's always planning, He

is always interested in something. You'll get to know what

early suggests that what we deem is slow and lacking

the understanding. God is already moving. You know God has

three answers. Did you know that? What are the three answers?

I can't hear you. Okay, let's do it again, Okay,

all together? One, two, three, Yes, we love her. We

love that answer. No, we don't like it, but we

appreciate it comes very fast. But the one answer we

cannot stand wait, true not design. You can raise your

hands true not. Let's be honest. Let me tell you

there is another form of weight. When God is silent.

Do you know that God's silence is an answer? You

and I better learn that because a lot of God's

answers are silence. You ask your so why God is

slow to act? No, he has to arrange things. You

didn't see me my card today, right, she always sends

me every Sunday morning. I saw you come out today.

I was early because I had to attend em, so

you didn't see me. But let me tell you God

is planning things while that silence is happening. He is

already planning your answer. Did you know that? But you see,

God doesn't only plan your answer. He plans to bless

other people even as you are answered. Say God, I

need a job. Will you help me get a job? Please? Lord,

bless me with a job. And then you hear silence.

You think God is slow, right, No, God is speaking

to somebody else and say there's a person I want

you to go and meet. I want you to give

that person this job. And then out of the blue,

this person some days later. Sometimes they will come and say, hey,

God told me to tell you give you a job.

So you got blessed, right, because God gave you a job.

But guess who also got blessed the other person who

was obedient. You say this never works, right, Let me

tell you I was already over the age of fifty five.

How many of you know at the age of fifty five,

nobody wants to hire a man. That is the truth.

Malitia is like that. When you're over the age of

fifty five, they can't be bothered with you. Is a fact.

So unlike other countries where you can work country sixty

five seventy years old, they still value you, Malaysia does

not do that, does not value you. All right, It's

very hard to get a job once you cross that age.

But I came to a stage where I say, Lord,

it's time for me to move. At the age of

fifty five, it's time for me to move. I said

that prayer. Right then lo and behold. I get a call.

Somebody calls me and says, can you come for an interview?

So okay, because somebody else got my CV and gave

it to somebody else and this person called me for

an interview. When I went for the interview, the interview

went for so well. I was troubled. Wow, something goes

so well. You can also be troubled. Yes, you know

what was the trouble? This time? I just might get

the job. How can this be so troubling? You must

remember my previous job. I'm working for fifteen years. I

know it inside and out. To step out into a

new environment, to step out into something new where nobody

knows you not frightening. Frightening. So I was troubled. That

night I went to sleep and I had a dream

and in the dream, Lord appeared and said, take the job.

It's going to be good for you. Wow. That happened.

And dream next morning, I get a call. The director

wants to see you. Okay. So one week later I

went to meet the director. I promise you this is

the truth. I'm telling you word for word. She's about

to say something. I said, hang on a minute, can

I tell you something? She said, yeah, go ahead, I said.

I had a dream and in the dream, the Lord

told me you're going to call and you're going to

offer me the job, and I'm to take the job

because it's going to be good for me. First time

I'm speaking to her, my first words to her. This

was my first words to her. You know what she said?

She says, that's amazing because I had no position for you.

But then the Lord spoke to me and told me

make a position for him, give him the job. You

will not regret it. Those were her first words to me,

And I got the job. God is arranging things you

better believe it all right. So Morning suggests that this

was the first thing on God's mind. What was the

first thing on God's mind? I need people to work

in my vineyard. You and I better realize the way

is God's vineyard here? It is God's vineyard. Is what

the place where he grows? What grapes? Why did he

choose a vineyard? Grapes? Is what grapes? If you realize,

if you if you go into the book of jet Exodus,

what was grapes? It was a symbol of blessing. Right,

the land flowing with milk and honey. What did they

bring back? Did they bring back the honey? No? Did

they bring back the milk? No? What did they bring

back the back? Grapes? And then what is grapes used

to make wine? What is wine? A symbol of holy spirit? Guys,

the important things to God is what his vineyard? Who

is his vineyard? We are his vineyard? First thing on

God's mind? Okay, now what did you do? He hired

workers for the vineyard. God wants people involved in his service.

He wants people involved in these things. Are you involved

in these things? So it's not just harvest. He's not

just pray to the Lord of the Hovest, because there's

a hovest. But God is also interested in what He's

interested in his field. What is the vineyard? Hey, guys,

it's the world. What is he doing? What are you

doing a vineyard? Well, before you get the grapes, what

you gotta do, you gotta plant? Right? What am I doing?

I'm planting the seed. I'm sharing the word. When you

share the word, what are you doing? You're planting? Guys,

how many of you have never shared? Don't put up behind?

How many have you never shared the word of God?

It's time to start. I'm The other day I met

a man. The man said, my father is ill. He's

in hospital. He just came out. I said, can I

go and talk to him? And this is another crisis? No,

I I the people in the church have come to pray.

When I said, if ever you need someone to talk

to your dad or but he doesn't speak English, it

doesn't matter. You can speak their language. Right, I speak

to you, you speak to dream in the language. He understands. Why,

Because I believe that when I talk to someone, I'm

going to carry the power of the Holy Spirit to

get the word of God in their life. Do you

believe that about yourself? You should, because that's what God

is trying to tell you. Okay, planting, Then you come

to what is the watering? Well? Somebody else will also, Yeah,

what are you doing in church? You're being watered what

you already know it a lot. Now this is to

strengthen you. What is it? What it's been? It's been

given to you to give to get growth. Then there's

a fertilizing. What is fertilizing? And hear you and I

don't want to be disciple? Why you want to be disciple?

Because you're so so afraid that people encroach on your life.

Let me tell you, nobody wants to encroach on your

personal life. Discipling is not about encroaching on your personal life,

but it could be about telling you something you don't

want to hear about yourself. So are you brave enough

to grow? Are you brave enough to grow? Are you

brave enough to develop? Then you got pruning? Man? Why

you got what growing on you? You're not going to

cut it off? You like to show people the water

on your finger, So prettier, I had this big water

on my finger, you know. So all the people say

you like your what is it? Big one is a

big one? No, I don't like the word. So why

are you showing everybody what a pretty wor you have?

Go and get it seen too. Because I had one

big water on his finger, and I had a couple

of wats on the other hands and the other fingers.

So I went to the doctor. He removed the w

He used electrocutterization. Do you know what happened when this

big one fell off? Straight away? The other two also

fell off without him touching. Then you look at my

hands now, pretty So now when I show it's a

testimony before the Lord love prettyness? Why I want to

show whats? Guys? You gotta handle things. That's what That's

what pruning is all about. That's what discipleship is all about.

He's getting rid of the wats in your life. Why

you like your watter very prettier, not pretty much? Get

rid of it? Okay? Okay? Then there's also protecting? What

protecting you are together? I can tell you your children here.

Do you think anyone of us will allow somebody to

come and harm them? There? You throw a stone? Ten

of us will protect your child? Why is that? Because

there is protection in the house of the Lord. People

are willing to protect your children. Why the spirit of

God is in all of us. Your child is our family,

and lastly comes there have us? All right? So he

agreed to pay them wan dinarres? Who did the agreement? God?

So who did the negotiation? This is a key point.

Who did the negotiation? It was the first group of

people he approached at six am. Do you know there

are people in the church who want to negotiate their way.

I will serve you Lord only if be very careful,

be very careful if your service of the Lord depends

on agreement you make with him, because the Lord just

might agree to it. Because when the Lord agrees to it,

you got to ask yourself, are you going to be

satisfied with the agreement you have made? Later part, we

will learn something about this. They made the agreement, he agreed. Okay,

it was negotiated. You get sent after agreement and not before.

Let me tell you you want to be sent to

serve the Lord, that you have to agree with the

Lord and something. Either you agree with his proposal or

he agrees with yours. That's what the scripture is about. Okay.

This is why you may be called, but not sent.

In there, all of us are called. The whole of

mankind is called to be christin. Did you know that?

Did you know that? When the scripture says that we

were all destined to be believe us, it's true. When

Jesus died in the cross, he didn't die for sam.

He died for all. But you and I have a

choice to make. We choose whether we want to receive

it or not. All right, so you get sent after

your call. Many of us are called, but we are

not sent because we do not agree with the terms.

I do not agree Lord with me having to sleep

on the floor, so I will not go for missions.

I went for missions to Indonesia. You go for house vegitation.

You think you have chaser. You sit on the floor.

I tell you I didn't know where to put my legs.

You get cram squatting, you get crams sitting down and

you stretch your legs. Cannot stretch your legs because when

you stretch your leg you knock the guy in front

of you. I tell you this is the whole time

is moving like this, moving it because as getting cramps everywhere.

But you see that's that is in like that's the truth.

But does that stop you know? You do it anyway?

Let me tell you. I went there. I said, I'm

going to be very quiet. I'm not going to say

anything because I don't speak the language. You know, I

don't speak my molie. It's not so good. So I'm

just going to go there. First time. I'm going. I'm

just gonna go and listen. That's my plan, right tell

God loved God had other plans. I went there. I'm

already prophesying in Malay. Every house I went to with

moving like this, moving like that, trying to stretch, put

the leg in. I'm telling them the word of God.

In Basa, when I preached the message, I wrote the

whole thing out because I thought to myself, no, I

cannot make I cannot speak. So I did the whole

message in English, translated all in Bahasa. The whole thing

eleven pages if you read forty five minutes. So I

went up there today the pul pitcher God said, put

it paper aside, your mountain speak. So I look at

elder rods, how am I doing? For Okay? For time me, Hey,

you're five minutes more So, after I finished the five

minutes and says, so okay, now you know forty minutes

or forty five minutes in no, no, no, one and a

half hours, that is the Lord. What are the terms?

So anyway, as we let's go on. And he went

out again at the third hour is their first hour

sixty am? What is the third hour? Nine am? And

you saw others standing idel of case up there, and

he saw others standing in the idol in the marketplace,

and he said to them, you also go into the vineyard.

Whatever is right, I will give to you. The first

one didn't tell us where the Lord went. We only

understood that he went to the marketplace. When he talked

to the second group, let me tell you he found

them what idle? So you and I think the marketplace

is going to all the time, look after us tell

that to this he found them idle where in the

place that's supposed to have all the jobs. You think

the world loves you, so you want to serve the world.

So many people say they are marketplace Christians. I have

no love for that term. You are a Christian in

the marketplace is a big difference. You don't bring the

marketplace into the church. You take Christ into the marketplace.

You go into the market, you think they love you.

I always say, the world is out to get you.

How do I know that these people were in the

place of commerce and they didn't have a job, And

who comes along? God? Coming work in my place? And

whatever is fair I'll give you. Do you know that?

Did they question how much it was? They took the

Lord up at his offer? You know what that means?

They trusted him. So can we trust God like that?

Or do we have to have the terms spelled out

like the first group? Can we trust that our God

loves us enough to take care of us? Guys, you

are going to school a lot of you you're in college.

You think your brains is yours. Try giving it up

to Jesus and see what some more it can happen,

See how he can use you. You talk about you

don't want to serve the Lord because it's going to

take you away from your studies. I'm not telling what

you want to do. I'll just tell you what I

did when I was studying. I prayed for demon case

for possession cases from ten am to four am in

the morning, three am in the morning, have three hours sleep,

Go to school, all right, go one whole day of school.

Train the tennis team from one am to seven pm.

Go back home, do my studies, have my dinner, wash

my clothes from eight to ten am ten am. Go

back to church to pray for deliverance cases. I am

the only one on my situation to have passed the examine.

Not just passed, I did very well. Is it my brains? No?

I laid hands in the book and I say, God,

you help me understand. Does that mean I didn't study? No?

I studied. But you see, by trusting God. Every time

I looked at my books and every time I read

my work, I understood it. Am I intelligent? I was

average as a student. What made the difference? God? Okay?

So they went and what does God say? Who says?

God does not care? Ah, because you don't have a job.

God doesn't care. No, he cares. After three hours he

goes looking. That means that he didn't stay for very long.

After a little while, he's already looking for others. He's

always looking for you. Doing nothing is not acceptable to

the Lord. If you do not work, don't eat in

the house of the Lord. It's not acceptable for you

to be doing nothing. If you just come to the

house of the Lord to receive the word. You know

what you're doing. You're making God your cook. Remember the

last message said, you're making God your servant. No, no, no, no, no.

Wherever you are, you serve the Lord. Even means you

have to straighten out a chair. That is service to

the Lord. I'll remind you the first time I came

to church. You know what I told the pastor, I

will serve in church. What will you do? I will

wash the toilets. I came from a position where I

used to serve in church. Does that mean I come

into church and I become a you know, a leader

in church.

No.

To me, serving the Lord was whatever. It's God who

raised up. And even when pastors started to raise Elder

Mabel and myself we refused. You know, we said, no, no, no, pastor,

we can do the job without the title. You know

what pastor said, You don't understand. With the title comes

the anointing. Because the office is anointed. Elder Mabel and

myself will always submit to truth. That truth bore witness

in our heart. On that basis, we said yes, not

because we wanted to be known or or have some title.

Not in our we we're not interested in that. The guys,

you got to understand, serving the Lord is exciting. Okay,

So he offers them work. He offers because he cares

for them, and he cares for people in the world.

Let's move on to Matthew twenty five. He says again,

Now he goes out at what the sixth hour? What

is the six hour? Noon? And then ninth hour, and

did likewise. So nine am, twelve and three he goes

out and he does like twise. He tells them, you're

going to work for me. Whatever is good, I'll give you.

They accepted, there's acceptance, But you want to know something. Trust.

They trusted him. So anytime of the day, he is

still searching. God is always searching. God is God his

eyes on you. Can you believe that God has his

eyes on you. God never stops inviting you to come

and do something for him. He never stops. He's always

looking out for workers. Why, because he cares for his field.

He cares for you. What is worse? Six nah comes

about the eleventh hour? How many have you heard this

term eleventh hour? Eleventh hour is equivalent to the last minute.

You know your parents will always tell you, oh, you

never study your whole life. Eleventh hour only you want

to study here. In my case, I only had one

hour a day or two hours a day to study.

I made sure I did it. It was very fruitful.

About the eleventh hour. He went out and found others

standing idle. Oh, he's always looking for people who don't

have something to do, because the world loves people who

have nothing to do. The one loves you to have

nothing to do. Did you know that? Because when you

have nothing to do, the ones who are making money

have something to do. Because those people in the world

who are making money, I'm not interested that you make

money with them. They want to make the money and

keep it for themselves. Did you know that? So why

have you been standing idle all day? What is the

Lord's concern? Why heaven't you started working? You finish your degree.

No such thing as next day retinal you finish before

you finish your degree? Or do you start looking for

a job? Why is that? Well? As students, your parents

looked after you right the moment you finish being a student.

Shouldn't you be looking after yourself. You want to grow

into a strong adult, not a whimp. God didn't like

to see people idle. So eleven hours, just down, eleven

hours into the working day. How many of you know

what the working day is now? In scripture? Working days

twelve hours okay, from six in the morning to six

in the evening. How many have you liked that? Raise

your hands. There is this one billionaire you know. I

think it was just recently reported. I can't remember his name. Billionaires.

He said, all those people who want work life balancer,

I wish that they worked for my competitors. That's what

he said. Eleven hour? Does that mean you have to know? Hey, guys,

you finished work at five five thirty, that one and

a half hours, Go and spend doing something for the Lord.

Call a friend, Hey, go out for a meal, let

me share Jesus with you, or go and help somebody,

Go and do something that glorifies the name of the Lord.

Did you know then God is still looking for whom

the ones that no one else wants eleven hour? Nobody

wants them fifty five years old, nobody wants you. Nobody

wants you at fifty five, But God is looking out

for you. Did you know that God is still caring?

He trusts you. No, there was no interview no interview,

You got nothing to do. Come work for me, and

whatever it is I'll give you. So it seems I

say the crieteria was. I do not want to see

people aimless, unwanted, or unproductive. God wants to see you productive.

I want to give you a testimony. And all those

you who have seen me during premitting already know. So

just bear with me. Okay. The last time I came here,

the last time I came up to preach, I could

barely walk, if you remember, because my right knee was there.

I struggled up the stairs and I was hobbling around it.

It was the last It was one month ago, all right.

And I hurt my knee on December eighteen, twenty twenty

five doing someone going up and down the ladder, and

I hurt my knee. I thought it would go away.

It didn't go away, just go worse. I went to

the hospital, got it x ray. They said, nothing is

wrong with your bone. Oh it's your age, your muscles.

You need to go for physiotherapies. Your muscles. Is I'm

not ninety five, okay, I'm just sixty five. What is this?

Cannot walk properly? So I went to the Lord, and

I won't tell you how. I'll just cut the long

story shot. One day, a person who's doing physiotherapy who

happens to be uh the professor in the University of

Cybergaya in this field, so me, Hey, you're having trouble

walking out? Yeah, yeah, ye, you know. I don't know

what's wrong. I've took it. I've taken an extray. Nothing wrong,

But say you come and see me. When can you come? Okay,

I'll come tomorrow Monday, So when you see this is

the day after the service. I went to see him.

He checked me out. I said, so, your doctor said

nothing wrong? Yeah, yeah, yeah, extray nothing wrong. He says, well,

I want you to know. Your right knee is dislocated.

The kneecap was two inches lower than the left, is

completely out of place. And then he said, hey, don't worry.

You know why you know, I just there. He never

even gave me a chance while talking. Suddenly I heard

the sound he put it back in place. Immediately I

could move my knee. Why that other doctor couldn't see

is because swelling made it seem like I had a

proper kneeked. Within two days after that, I started walking

ten fifteen kilometers again two days. God saw me doing

his work and whatever was good to him he would

give me at the end of my workday. And I said, okay.

And what did he do? He healed my knee. Guys,

that's what God is all about. And if you think

that's not amazing, it is like having a new knee.

You know, I don't even realize my knee is there.

For four months, I couldn't, but remember I have a

right knee, because it's always telling me I'm here, I'm here,

I'm here in the night. I can feel it in

the night. It's painful. Now it's like I don't have

a right knee. It's not speaking to me. Oh, it's okay.

I don't mind. God, okay, so let's move on. You're

doing okay, okay, they said to him, because nobody hired us. Hey, guys,

there are people who just don't care about you. The

world doesn't care about you. So God ask them, why

no work? Nobody wants to hire us eleventh hour, one

hour before the end of the day. Which boss you

know would hire someone to work one hour before the

day ends? I know if nobody except one what is

his name? Jesus, Jesus, and you and I, we think

he counts with us. If anything, God doesn't count with us.

You know, God just wants to bless us. The world

counts with us. The world is very calculative, as the

first group of people verse eight. So when evening it comes,

the owner of the vineyard said to his terns, call

the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the

last first, beginning with the last first? Why why the

last first? All of us need to understand that we

have to see the grace of God working. What does

that mean? Well, think of it this way. You and I,

we work for thirty five years, forty years, fifty years,

slog for the Lord. Then we go and be with

the Lord. Right, but have you seen those people? Are

you just go and share Jesus loves you. Yes, I

receive it immediately. Knock off. They going to be with

the Lord. Then you say, in my word, I have

to work for forty years to get the same blessing

this guy is, you say, and you see he just

received the Lord. He's already in heaven and I'm here

still working. You calculate that way, it's the grace of God.

Do you understand that we have lived longer in God's grace.

He is such a blessing. The guy who received the

Lord's grace just before he passed away never got to

experience that. Do you see like God sees? Nor the

last shall be first? Okay? First in the first should

be last. It's okay, grace, So you say, oh that further,

he cannot receive the Lord until I go and be

with the Lord. So he can only receive the Lord

fifty years time. Come on? Is that the way we

believe things? When your children are you think you want

your children to go through your hachi before they are blessed,

or you do everything so that they can get to

a better stage faster than you. What do you do right?

What is that first should be last and last? Ye'll

be first? I had this question asked to me. One

man asked me. He says, you know my child is

on the spectrum. My child asked me this question. I'm

always the last to finish. Why is that? Whereas all

the other friends of mine they finish first. So when

this man told me that, I just looked at him

and said, tell your child. In God's house, the first

shall be last and the last first. So it doesn't matter.

It's not a question of speed. It's a question of

do you know Jesus. It's never been a question of speed.

Can we rejoice that others receive salvation and just make

it as opposed to us who have known him for

years and have to work for our salvation, work out

our salvation Matthew twenty nine, twenty Verses ninety ten. And

when those king who were hired about the eleventh hour,

they each received her denarius. Wow, eleventh hour, Praise God.

God is so merciful. Even the eleventh hour Christiana gets

just to come and be with the Lord. I mean,

that's wonderful. That's God's grace. But when the first came,

they supposed that they were going to receive more, and

likewise received each and Denarias you see, they negotiated the price.

When you negotiate out of a human spirit, when you

negotiate out of your own personal greed, when you negotiate

out of your own personal desires, can you be satisfied?

You see, you cannot satisfy yourself. There's only one who

can satisfy you. Those of you that do not know Jesus.

Let me say it plain and clear. Only Jesus can

satisfy you. Only Jesus can satisfy you. Although they negotiated it,

they were not happy. So can the element of grace

we receive from God be earned? Can you earn grace?

You cannot earn grace? Can it be battered? Can you

exchange it? God, you give me a grace life, I'll

give you five hours of service. It cannot. Grace is grace.

God gives it to you because He loves you. You

cannot earn it. Can it be negotiated? Well, this scripture

tells us it cannot, shows us very clearly, cannot be negotiated.

The natural, the way of the world is to one more.

Because we feel entitled, we feel we have a right.

That's the problem. We feel we have a right. We

have no rights. The only right we should have is

the right to receive Jesus christis Lord and save it,

and to do whatever he tells us willingly. And when

they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying,

these last men have worked only one hour, and you

made them equal to us, who are born the burden

of the heat of the day. Let me read to

you from Romans six twenty three. It says for the

wages of sin is death, but the gift of God

is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It's a gift.

Are you working for the wage? Or are we receiving

a gift? Guys, you and I we sit in this chair.

Is it because we think we're earning a wage? It's

a gift. So don't pat yourself on the shoulder when

you say I just made it to church on time.

You got nothing to be proud of because you could

be looking at the Lord's gift and maybe just not

looking at it the right way. The grace of God

is not earned, It is received, it is accepted. You

do not receive more of it because you got it early.

But we should rejoice that we have had longer to

live in it. We have had longer to live in

the grace of God, and that should be a blessing

in itself. Don't you think that is a reward in itself?

Maybe that is why we grudge working for Jesus. Hm.

We feel he is an unfair pay master. We feel

that Jesus is an unfair pay master. You know, that's

why this concept of fairness. How many of you like

the concept of fairness. See you sure hands Okay, one

honest person, praise the Lord. Okay, a fewer. Let me

tell you something about fairness. Okay. Fairness is a human construct.

Fairness is a human sentiment. Humans one fairness. God wants justness.

God is a just God. If we are truthful, he

is not fair, he is just. You know what is

the thing about justness? Justness looks at the heart. Fairness

looks at the external. That's why we cannot understand. I mean,

it is unfair. Right, you work for thirty five years,

then you go and be with the Lord, and you

get the same well done, my good and faithful servin

coming to the house of the Lord. Whereas the guy

who just received the Lord five minutes before he passed

away also says, well done, my good and faithful servien

to enjoy the Lord. Not fair word ray not. But

it's just. Why is it just? Because God died for

everybody and anyone who receives the Lord, it is their

right before the Lord to receive Jesus and to get

into his house and to become saved and to be

living with him forever. That's the way it is. Hey,

when you change the way you look. When we change

the way we look and move from fairness to justice,

from fairness to justness, we understand our God better. We

complain less. So what is the source of our complaint?

We believe Jesus is unfair? Hah? Can we be honest

about that? You want to change? Look at it? Honestly?

God is a just the master. This one I have

to use to Jesus voice again Matthew twenty, Verses thirteen

and fourteen. But he but he answered one of them

and said, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did

you not agree with me? For a denarius? Take what

is yours and go your way. I wish to give

to the last man the same as to you. I

am not doing wrong just because you think it's unfair,

because I am just. You never want God to tell

you here's what you agreed, take and go. There are

many people who have become very successful in life, and

one wonders whether they ever make it to heaven or not.

Scripture says it's easier for a camel to pass through

the eye of needle than for Richmond to enter into heaven.

Not impossible, just more difficult. Why is that it could

be because of this right fairness versus justice. I'm doing

no wrong. God is saying I own everything. If I

want to give to someone, that is my choice. Why

do you grudge me that? If you are working just

for the pay or your give of yourself according to

your perceived reward. Let's never work for the Lord like

that done. We work according to how he thinks he

should pay us, how we think he should pay us.

Please don't do that. You work for the Lord because

you love him. That should be the only criteria. M

be satisfied, and be satisfied with your lord in life.

That that's why. That's what it means by take what

is yours and go your way. You don't ever want

the Lord to count with you as you count with him.

Bible says he owns a cattle of a thousand hills,

All right, what does he do? And he decides to

give you? Press down, shaking together, running over. That's how

the Lord gives to you. Do you want him to

count back the same way you count to him? You

give one penny and he gives you back one penny?

Is that what you want? But if you work for

grace in your life, you will stay. Look at the

persons who came in at nine, twelve, three and five.

They had no agreement with him except to work, and

whatever he decided to give them they would receive. Correct,

What was that? The grace of God? But if you

work for grace in your life, you will stay. You

will stay, isn't it? What will your idea be? God?

You are generous. I like the first group in negotiated

unfair m Remember he just told those who were not

satisfied to go if they were not satisfied. The only

ones who made it fast were the first. Be careful

if you are the first not to let greed, dissent, resentment,

desire capture your heart. Let me give you a word

of warning from scripture. Likewise, you young people, submit yourself

to your elders. You know I always tell my kids

before the age of ten, we are your world. When

you become a teenager, you think we are irrelevant. You

know it all, really, you know it always it what

the scriptures say. Submit yourself to your elders, to people

who have lived longer than you, to people who have

eaten more Salt's Chinese saying, right, I've eaten more salt.

I love salt by the way while people don't want

to put a lot of salt in the food I love,

so I love salty chips. I love salty food. Yes,

all of you be submissive to one another and be

clothed with what you may lay tea. You know what

is humility? You don't know the best, you don't know

it all. We're all in this together. Is so much

better than I know it all. Hm. God resists the proud,

but gives grace to the humble. This is in one

Peter fivey five. Okay, but he gives more grace and

therefore he says, God resists the proud and and but

gives grace to the humble, repeated again. This son is

in James four verse six. Okay, I just share it

makes no sense and all h one Peter five five

five five James Peter four six four five one up

and then five six one down. So before and after

always remember he gives grace to the humble. Right, it

makes sense only to me. The longer we are served

the Lord, can we rejoice that we have had more

time to live and experience God's grace as opposed to

receive it at the last minute. That's the only claim

to fame I have, you know, the only claim to

fame I have is I've lived longer as a believer,

and I enjoyed blessing after blessing after blessing, miracle after

miracle after miracle. Some miracles are too personal, I cannot

share all right, but they are miracles none the same.

And I think to myself, my word, Lord, you are

so wonderful, You're so Intelli's amazing what you what you

come up with. I always am amazed what God, what

ideas God can give. And that's why God keeps on

giving ideas, you know, because I do not say I'm

smart enough to do it myself. Okay, we're coming to

the end soon, okay. Us fifteen and sixteen. I have

five minutes to go. Oh, praise the Lord. We're doing

good time. You're all happy, right, somebody's even clapping. Okay?

Verse fifteen. Is it not lawful for me? Okay, let's

do this in Jesus woice again? Is it not lawful

for me to do what I wish with my own things?

Or is your eye evil? Because I am good? So

the last will be first and the first last. For

many a cord, but few chosen. God is good. God

is good. Let us not have an evil eye against

this good God. And you you know how we have

an evil eye when we pronounce judgment on God. You say,

we don't pronounce judgment or God. God, You're so unfair.

How many of you have ever said that to God?

I have God? You're so unfair? You know what? The

scripture calls that an evil eye. We have seen wrong.

But praise the Lord. He'll forgive us. Say God, forgive me. Lord.

I was young and filled with foolish ideas. I did

not know any better. Please forgive me in Jesus' name.

And what does the Bible say? He forgives. God is sovereign.

He answers to no one but himself. Okay, many are called,

we are all called, all of us are called. But

the chosen are those that receive His rewards with humility,

alignment to His will and without murmuring. See that's the

difference between called and chosen. We lose the chosen status

to pride, greed, envy of the Master's generosity. How do

we protect it? And this if you've forgotten everything about

this message, if you can't remember anything about what I've shared, today.

I want you to remember this. The reward, if you

read the whole passage, The reward was not about the

length of time worked. It has never been about the

length of time worked. You know what was the reward.

The reward was for saying yes to Jesus. Those that

came at nine said what, Yes, come and work for me,

and whatever is right I will give you. They said yes.

The people that came in at twelve and at three,

he said, what, come and work for me, and whatever

is right I will give you what? Did they say? Yes?

The person that came in at eleven o'clock, no, sorry,

person that came in at five pm, He said, come

and work for me and whatever is right, I will

give you what? Did they say? Yes? And the Lord

rewarded them. If you read that scripture, all these group

of people, he did not say take and go. Is

it in scripture? He only said it to one group

of people, the people who negotiated their own way, who

felt entitled and grumbled. You can say yes to the Lord.

It has to be a genuine yes. So, guys, if

you don't remember anything about what I've said this morning,

just remember this. Say yes to Jesus. Each and every time.

Serving the Lord doesn't mean that you know yourself like

how you know I serve? Maybe I come up and share,

or maybe it's he comes and plays a music instrument.

But can you formally serve the Lord in arranging chairs?

Do something in the house of the Lord. Do you

know that it was not an informal arrangement? And pastors right,

Look at all these things. Were they formal or informal arrangements?

They were all formal arrangements. Come and work for you

and I will pay you. What is right? All formal arrangements.

God wants us to be involved in his house. Isn't

it wonderful If everyone in the house the Lord is

serving in some capacity, then we are all servants. We

are not customers. Let us not be a customer. Let

us be a servant of the Lord. Praise the Lord.

I hope this word has reached you this morning. Let's

say yes to the Lord.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit aschurch dot org. We

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this week is going to be a good week.

I hit for you.

God bless