Gospel | Matthew 20:1-16 (with Jeff Sholar)

Opening Song:
Open Hands by Jessica Fox, Paul Zach, and Taylor Leonhardt

Lyrics:
The earth you made and blest in days, your spirit breathing into clay:
Lord, I receive with open hands

The breath that fails, the light that fades while earth and heaven pass
away,
I let them go with open hands.

In desert days a feast you spread and with your manna I am fed,
Lord, I receive with open hands.

And when another needs this bread,
They ask as Christ, who broke and blessed
I let it go with open hands.

The work that waits for me today, the joys and sorrows on the way,
Lord, I receive with open hands.

And just as earth you freely gave,
so any goodness I have made
I let it go with open hands.

Passage:
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 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.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
(Matthew 20:1–16 ESV)

Musical Reflection:
“Air on the G String” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by J.S. Bach

Reflection Notes:
The slow, descending bass line creates musical “steps” in an elegant fashion while a suspended melody several octaves above creates a satisfying combination of sound registers.

Prayer:
O merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.