22 June 2010
Psalm 97, 99, 100; Num. 16:20-35; Rom. 4:1-12; Matt. 19:23-30

Amazingly, the day after the earth opened and swallowed the rebel leaders, the people come as the accusers of Moses, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” Are you kidding me? What power they ascribe to Moses! He can make the earth open and close at will simply because he is angry. It is incredible that they have missed the truth of the matter, that these have been judged as not the true people of the Lord as they have not accepted the Lord’s anointed leader. Moses is a truly remarkable man, immediately interceding for those who would now accuse him and pleading with Aaron to do what is necessary to quell the Lord’s anger against them. Leaders frequently have to take one for the team in this way, not excusing sin but praying for forgiveness for others.

Those who were hired early in the day have an expectation of greater reward than those hired late in the day. Even though their wages were agreed upon it seems fair and likely that this generous landowner will surely give them a bonus since they worked all day while these others worked only an hour. After centuries of abuse and being on the Lord’s side, it likely did seem incredibly unfair for Gentiles to get into the kingdom. It is all about grace. The workers who were hired early in the day received grace in being hired and offered something (work and pay) that they would otherwise not have enjoyed. Their complaint is that after working all day these others were given the same measure of grace in the end. It is easy to lose sight of the reality that grace is always necessary, we don’t earn more by putting in time and effort.

Paul, after a lifetime of teaching on how to be righteous and the importance of a righteous life, now is the apostle of grace through faith. He understands that what Abraham received was grace based in faith and not a reward for obedience. Paul’s invitation to others is to come by way of faith and not circumcision or some other path. He says he has tried those paths and realized in that one encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that they didn’t lead where he wanted to go. For all his righteousness under the law he hadn’t recognized God when he saw Him in the flesh. He realized that he was like those in our Numbers passage who rebelled against the Lord and His Anointed One.

Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.