Trinity 16

Opening Verse of Scripture Jonah 4:2 

You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity

Collect Prayer for the Day—Before we read we pray

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Lord of creation, whose glory is around and within us: open our eyes to your wonders, that we may serve you with reverence and know your peace at our lives’ end, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Bible Reading Jonah 3.10 – 4.11

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.

The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’ But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?’ And he said, ‘Yes, angry enough to die.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’

Second Reading Philippians 1.21–30

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Gospel Reading  Matthew 20.1–16

‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; 4and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

Post Communion Prayer

Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law: grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbours as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary

The Gospel reading, whose theme perhaps reflects a little of Creationtide, challenges the way we can see things and our source of gratitude and sustenance.  We look at those who came late but who are paid the same as those who have worked all day.  To our normal way of thinking it just doesn’t seem fair.  And it might not be in a purely temporal way of reconning.  Part of the reason for that is we often can fall into the trap of judging God by our own standards rather than letting God define the standards by which we live.  Jesus has just told the parable of the rich young man who tells Jesus that he has indeed kept all the commandments but is still told that if he wanted to be perfect, he should go and sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor and he will have treasure in heaven for God’s provision is both generous and eternal.  How do we feel when people are generous?  Mostly, we’re quite grateful when people are generous to us, but can be challenged people are generous to others.  Sometimes we wonder if we’d have done the same, or perhaps thinking we might have acted with a bit more ‘wisdom’ and been a bit more circumspect (and less generous!).  Sometimes this can be because there are genuine questions we are asking.  Other times it can come from a less than magnanimous sentiment of, ‘…will there be enough for me?’, rather than the more openhanded sense of, ‘…will there be enough to go round?’.  Are we really just being ‘envious’ (or even feeling a little guilty), because others are generous.  Matthew also speaks of God’s generosity to those who are left behind, whether it be in the marketplace or in society.  God’s generous provision is available in equal measure to all, irrespective of their standing, history or heritage.  In the context that Matthew is writing, God’s generous provision is equally to those who have been ‘left behind in the marketplace’ by the Jewish religious authorities and teachers of the law, the Gentiles.  The Israelites have enjoyed God’s generous provision for centuries, through his incarnation, life, death and resurrection Jesus now makes those riches available to all and bestowed on all.  Today’s passage also sets up Jesus’ final act of generosity.

After the passage in today’s reading ends, Jesus who by now is journeying on His final days before He enters Jerusalem, takes the twelve disciples aside and describes to them what is about to happen to him.  ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.’  Matt 20 v 19, 20).  Some of Jesus’ last words before He enters Jerusalem speak of an act of unparalleled self-giving and generosity.  But before He utters them, He has made clear that that act of unparalleled self-giving and generosity if for all, no matter when they hear God’s call and welcome, or who they happen to be.  Rather than the strictures, restrictions and conditions of receipt of God’s grace that the authorities have imposed through their interpretation of the Law of the Torah, the freedom and generosity of God is open to all.  Open to those who we might think don’t deserve it, as some of the hearers of Matthew’s gospel almost certainly thought when they heard the story of the landowner who hired labourers for his vineyard.  Fortunately, God does not give us what we deserve, on the contrary, He gives us what we don’t deserve, but that’s because His criteria are fortunately not ours.

Sam Cappleman

Meditation

Between 1 September and 4 October the church reflects on God as Creator and Sustainer of life in a season known as Creationtide.  We give thanks for God’s gift of creation, a key element of our Harvest Festival services, and renew our commitment to caring for our planet.  In his introduction to Danny Siegal’s book, ‘Radiance’ Rabbi Neal Gold writes, “Radiance… …recalls the Jewish mystical notion that the whole world is embedded with shards of divine light, often deeply hidden.  Our task of religious living is to seek out the places where the light is hidden, raise it up, and retore it to its original lofty state.  The Jewish Tradition calls this Tikkum Olam, repairing the fabric of a broken world.”  As we look to care for God’s creation, we too are called to the task of repairing the fabric of a broken world, both the physical environment and the people that inhabit it.  Sometimes this might mean getting involved with major projects and initiatives, other times, perhaps much more often, it may be simple changes we make or words we speak to others in our everyday lives.  We are challenged to think about what might these be as we look to play our part in repairing the fabric of a broken world, God’s creation of the environment and its people?  How should we play our part in revealing the shards of God’s divine light in each one of us and each other?

Sam Cappleman

In the story from the book of Jonah today, Jonah is in a massive sulk! Everything is bad, and awful and he is angry enough to die! When God tries to reason with him, comparing Jonah’s suffering to the much worse suffering of thousands, Jonah simply does not want to understand. He is locked into the prison of his own misery and self-pity. The story makes a timeless point: that we all tend to see the world from our own selfish perspective. We can feel sorrow over the fate of starving millions, but if we stand up and stub our toe, their sufferings are instantly eclipsed and forgotten beside our own! That temporary self- absorption can grow into a lifelong problem. Our faith commands us to try and love others as deeply as we love ourselves, to feel their pain as acutely as we feel our own. It can be done. The only truly happy people I have ever met are those who can escape from the tyranny of their own problems and feelings and empathise with the feelings of others. Joan Crossley 

Hymns

• Glorious things of thee are spoken (Austria)
• There's a wideness in God's mercy
• Come let us with our Lord Arise (Sussex Carol)
• In Christ there is no east or west
• Alleluia sing to Jesus (Tune Hyfrydol)
• Come down O love divine (Down Ampney)
• Colours of Day
• Jesus’ love is very wonderful
• Now thank we all our God (Nun Danket)
• In Christ there is no east or west
• Glorious things of thee are spoken
• Alleluia sing to Jesus (Tune Hyfrydol)
• Father hear the prayer we offer
• Come let us with our Lord Arise (Sussex Carol)
• Stand up and bless the lord

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Give to us, Lord, the peace of those who have learnt to serve you, the joy of those who are glad to obey you and the delight of those who rejoice in your praise; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Aidan of Lindisfarne (d. 651)

God of miracles and of mercy, all creation sings your praise. Like the vineyard owner, your grace is extravagant and unexpected. Lead us to repentance and the acceptance of your grace, that we may witness to your love, which embraces both those we call friend and those we call stranger. Amen. 

Lord God, friend of those in need, your Son Jesus has untied our burdens and healed our spirits.

We lift up the prayers of our hearts for those still burdened, those seeking healing, those in need within the church and the world.

Holy One, hear our prayers and make us faithful stewards of the fragile bounty of this earth

so that we may be entrusted with the riches of heaven. Amen.

O God, from your providing hand even the dissatisfied and grumbling receive what they need for their lives. Teach us your ways of justice and lead us to practice your generosity,

so that we may live a life worthy of the gospel make known through your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

God our Redeemer, who called your church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us so to proclaim the goodness of your love, that all who hear it may be reconciled to you. Amen 

We hold up our smallness to your greatness, our fear to your love, our tiny act of giving to your generosity, ourselves to you. Amen. (Monica Furlong)

Jesus, who was lost and found in the garden, never to be lost again. Stand by us in the darkness of our crucifixions, as the women stood by you. Die and rise with us in the suffering of the world, be reborn with us, as love and hope and faith and endurance outlast cruelty and death. Amen (Monica Furlong)

Additional Material

Commentary

Jesus had a way of communicating which gripped his hearers because he told them great stories which they could remember and think about. The message behind these stories were provocative and challenging, never simplistic and yet they could be understood. In this he was very different from many of the preachers of today. When we read this passage we would do well to remember the ordinary people who listened, probably in a relaxed and rather unsophisticated manner as they ate their sandwiches and chased away flies. Yet the words of Jesus captivated his audience so that they remembered his teaching, it stuck in the mind. 

1. The parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven

At the very beginning of the story Jesus says, 'the Kingdom of Heaven is like........' So much teaching about this passage suggests that Jesus is teaching about the idleness of the workforce, just conditions of work etc. I really do not think that he is making a political point about labour relations, the right to work, socialism or any of the other myriad of political suggestions which people seem to imagine. The parable is about God, we must not reduce Jesus teaching by using it to support our views on socio-economic reform. Now let us be honest we all have a tendency to use scripture to support what we want it to say. Scripture was used to give justification for the slave trade and more recently also apartheid. In the debate which raged in the Church of England (which many still fight) concerning the ordination of women, there is an equal use of scripture to support opposing arguments. The same is true for the debate over remarriage of divorcees in church or acceptability of homosexuality. There is a message of caution here for all of us - to treat scripture with respect is not to weave into it all the interpretations which fit neatly with our views.

2. The teaching deliberately challenges our views of justice and fairness

If we had been the landowner we would have bargained with the ones who did not work so long and offer to pay them less money. However all the labourers are paid the same, irrespective of what they had done, and this seems to be unfair to us. The workers who had worked the longest day said 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day'.

Conclusion

When we put these two points together in a simple and straightforward way we have the essence of what Jesus was teaching. God does not have a system of justice which is anything like a human one. God does not give to us according to what is fair or what we deserve. When we arrive in the Kingdom of Heaven, God willing, humanly speaking there will be people there who do not deserve it. In that respect God is totally unfair, God gives in a way which defies business sense, it is irrational and it goes against everything which we think of when we were calculating reward. God's love and acceptance of us has nothing to do with fairness, it doesn't have anything to do with what we deserve. That is the wonderful thing about this parable, it runs a coach and horses through any notion that we can ever earn or contribute towards God's favour. Not one single one of us deserves God's love, if Heaven were about what we deserve, about what was fair, then it would be empty. The beautiful reassurance of the Gospel is that God treats us according to our needs and not what we deserve. We often hear people demand human rights, and quite rightly the Gospel is often used to support this. But - there is a sense in which this undersells the gospel. In Jesus we learn that God is not working according to our rights. He simply loves us and that love, - not our rights, is what is at the heart of God's being.

This parable like the parable of the prodigal son, and so many others, tells us that God turns human values of fairness, of rights and wrongs upside down. Yet we can trust God totally, knowing that we all will receive from his goodness. It is interesting that the workers complain and moan, not saying 'we want more money', but rather 'you have made them equal to us'. The parable is concerned about the generosity of the landowner, not on the hard work of the labourers. We like to think that we are really better than others, they need forgiveness more than us.

There is a radical, uncontrollable nature about God's grace, by human standards God's forgiveness has insanity written all over it. It is not predictable, and might I carefully say, perhaps some of our theologies of redemption 'who will and who not be saved' do not allow for this kind of a God. 

Just recently we have seen hurricanes at work. In a calm sea we can set parameters for where the tide will send the sea. Walls can be constructed which will encompass the ocean and set limits. However when nature is uncontrollable and unpredictable like in a hurricane, these boundaries are removed and the sea goes where we think it cannot go. We sing 'there's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea' this parable could have been written for that hymn. This is not an isolated theme, it is in fact the essence of what Jesus came to say and do. To preach the forgiveness of God which was not deserved by human effort, to hold out his arms wide to encompass an ungrateful race, whose only response to God's goodness is to spend time trying to decide who else should not receive it. In this we are envious and greedy just like those workers who wanted it for themselves but denied it to the others who were less deserving.

We have images of the Kingdom of God as a happy time with the faithful few enjoying the benefits of the well deserved feast. The stories Jesus told about the Kingdom were very full of conflict and challenge. Perhaps we need to be reminded, like those workers, that we may be disappointed too. We may find that there are 'latecomers' those who we resent and think don't deserve it. Perhaps we just need to be grateful that for ourselves we can trust in God to keep his promise. Charles Royden 

God asked Jonah to be a prophet to the great city of Nineveh. Nineveh became the capital city of Assyria in the reign of Sennacherib, 704–681. In the mind of the author of the Book of Jonah it stood for all the wickedness which had been endemic in the Assyrian empire. Jonah is told to preach against it, because it is a wicked place and it is important to remember that God sees and knows wickedness and does not like it! Instead Jonah went to Joppa, jumped on a boat and headed off across the Mediterranean bound perhaps for Spain. (Tarshish may have been Tartessus in Spain, in the far west.) 

Now you might think that God would be annoyed, well so did the sailors on the boat when a great storm blew up and they found out that Jonah had been messing God about. Albeit reluctantly, they threw Jonah overboard as a sacrifice to placate the wrath of God. Fortunately for Jonah, God did not give up on him. Even when all hope seemed lost God saved Jonah and provided a huge fish. Although the fish ate him up Jonah was able to live inside the whale, just like Pinnochio, for three days and nights. After this time the fish was violently sick and vomited Jonah up safely onto dry land.

Jonah now agreed to go to Nineveh, and he preached a hard message of destruction telling them exactly what was going to happen to them. The people of Nineveh repented, resulting in the forgiveness of God. Jonah should be pleased but he was not. 

Jonah became angry, went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. A vine grew over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was happy. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, there was a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint and wanted to die. God pointed out to Jonah the contrast that he was concerned about a mere plant which sprang up overnight and died, how much more should God be concerned about Nineveh which had more than a hundred and twenty thousand people and many animals as well.

Jonah should have been pleased that his preaching had caused the repentance of the people, instead he was miserable. 

Why was Jonah angry at God? He was angry because he felt that God was making a fool of himself and by implication Jonah as well. He was told to preach to the people of Nineveh and tell them that they were going to get their just deserts, but instead of destruction and doom, God went and forgave them all. Jonah knew that he had relied on God’s forgiveness to get him out of the belly of the whale, but he was angry that God was so loving with everybody else as well. In the mind of Jonah God should punish the wickedness in Nineveh, not forgive it, God was exposing himself and his prophets to the charge of being a soft touch.

This was exactly the same problem in the story from Matthew. The landowner was thought to be giving too much away to people who did not deserve it. The people who came at the end of the day were getting too much unearned benefit. 

We might share Jonah’s concern that God makes forgiveness too easy. We make people earn their forgiveness when they offend us. If they want us to forgive they had better do more than say sorry, they had better put in a full day’s work! God seems to allow for the fact that the people of Nineveh didn’t know how bad their behaviour was. Their sin is born of ignorance (‘who do not know their right hand from their left’, v. 11), and their repentance was welcome to a merciful God. This is a concept found in the New Testament, we can think of the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy Chapter 1:13 ‘I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief’.’  Jesus is the most prolific forgiver and shows his attitude in his words from the cross when he even forgives people who fail to say sorry, ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ The compassion of God plays havoc with our understanding of justice. Charles Royden