Jun 26, 2022 | Dr. Rolando D. Aguirre

Sermon Response Guide

Guia del Sermon en Espanol


PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: 
Matthew 20:1-16 ESV

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.”


Key Points

  • When we read the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20, we tend to identify with the all-day laborer, when in reality, we are all last-hour laborers.
  • The Kingdom of God is not about being first or last, it’s about not counting.
  • Religion says, “I obey, therefore, I am accepted by God.”
  • The Gospel says, “I am accepted by God – through the work of Christ – therefore, I obey.”
  • The Kingdom of God is not about earning wages, it’s about dispensing gifts.
  • The Gospel is not the ABC’s of the Christian life, but the A to Z of the Christian life.

Memory Verse

Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“So the last will be first, and the first last.”
-Matthew 20:16 ESV

Questions for Reflection

Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:

This week, rather than working through our regular rhythm of questions for reflection, our pastor, Dr. Jeff Warren, has included a study guide on justification + sanctification in Christ to help us all “get it.”
 
1: We invite you to process through Pastor Jeff’s definitions of justification + sanctification, taking time to explore the supporting Scriptures provided for each.

2: We encourage you to spend this week journeying through the comparisons of justification vs. sanctification, studying the coordinating Scriptures along the way.

 3: After completing Pastor Jeff’s study guide, we challenge you to write your own definitions of justification + sanctification in your own words. Then, select 3 comparisons of justification vs. sanctification that most resonate with you and write down why that is.
 
4: Finally, we hope you will take what you have learned and clearly expressed above about the difference between justification + sanctification, and share it with someone who did not get a chance to hear this week’s sermon.

Justification + Sanctification

Justification refers to God’s declaration that someone is determined to be righteous in God’s sight. This justification is a one-time act in which God declares a sinner (like you and me) to be, not only not guilty, but perfectly righteous before God’s high bar of justice: holiness. How does God do this and maintain God’s justice? The basis for this divine declaration is what Jesus Christ does for us. Jesus lives the perfect life for us and dies on the cross for our sin. Jesus becomes our Substitute. God credits (or imputes) us with the righteousness (merit, the account) of Jesus. We are justified by grace (a gift) through faith (trusting in Jesus).
*See Romans 3:24, 4:1-5, 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Titus 3:7

Sanctification, on the other hand, is the continual process of being made more holy, becoming like Jesus. It is the progressive conformity of the one who has been justified into the image of their Savior through the work of the Holy Spirit. Like justification, sanctification is a work of grace through faith. Sanctification is also possible because of the finished work of Christ on our behalf.
*See Romans 6:8, Titus 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23, Hebrews 12:14, 2 Peter 3:18, and Jude 1:20

Below is a contrasting study that will help you understand the difference and challenge you to live in God’s grace, justified, while always growing out of gratitude for what God has accomplished for you in Christ.
 

Justification

Sanctification

Justification is free. (John 4:1) Sanctification is costly. (Luke 14:25–33)

Justification is instantaneous. (John 3:8)

Sanctification is a life-long process. (John 8:31)

Justification is by faith. (Ephesians 2:8)

Sanctification is by faithfulness. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Justification is not of works. (Ephesians 2:9)

Sanctification is of works. (Ephesians 2:10)

Justification involves Christ’s love for me. (John 3:16)

Sanctification involves my love for Christ. (1 John 4:19)

Justification concerns Christ’s righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Sanctification concerns my righteousness. (Luke 14:25–33)

Justification involves my position in Christ. (Colossians 2:11–14)

Sanctification involves my practice. (Colossians 3:1–11)

Justification considers what God has done. (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

Sanctification considers what I am doing. (Luke 14:25–33)

Justification is God’s commitment to me. (1 John 5:9–13)

Sanctification is my commitment to God. (John 14:15)

Justification requires obedience to one command: to believe the Gospel. (Acts 6:7)

Sanctification requires obedience to all of Christ’s commands. (Matthew 28:19–20)

Justification focuses on the cross which Jesus took up once and for all. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Sanctification focuses on the cross which I am to take up daily. (Luke 9:53)

Justification is finished at the moment of faith. (John 5:24)

Sanctification is not finished until I go to be with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)

Pray

Lord, we thank you that it is entirely by your grace we have been saved through faith in you. We confess as we walk this journey of faith, we often misplace our faith. We trust in other people or things – even ourselves – more than we trust in you, Lord Jesus. Help us to live each and every moment by grace through faith in you alone.

 

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