Well, congregation, this evening let's open the Bible and we'll turn to Matthew, the book of Matthew. We'll begin our reading at verse 16 of Matthew 19. So chapter 19 beginning at verse 16. We'll continue to chapter 20, verse 16. Our text being those verses of chapter 20 that we'll read, 1 to 16. I want to say something to our children as we're turning there, opening the Bible, and then also the Heidelberg Catechism. In the Forms and Prayers book, page 249, we're continuing in Lord's Day 42. What I want our children to think about is the fact that in our life as congregation, in the church that our children are growing up in, this is the central time of corporate worship, both in the morning and in the evening. That is, we love singing those songs, and that's a good response, and we engage heartily in the praying of the life of the congregation. But it's a great blessing that we continue to see this as the central and paramount time of worship. And no other thing takes preeminence over the preaching of the Word of God, the hearing of it, and then having it preached to us. And I would say to our children, when you grow up and mature, if you find yourself in a church that does not have preaching as its central thing, you'll need to find a different church. This has always been the primary means of grace and of great benefit to the Christian as we grow. And tonight, some things we'll need to grow through in our text and in the catechism as we continue in our study of the Eighth Commandment. So tonight, Matthew chapter 19 at verse 16. One of the reasons we're taking this larger section is the verse and chapter notations of our Bible, of course, are an addition later on, not part of the inspiration, as it were, of the Word of God. And we need to see how our text, 1 to 16, flows from chapter 19. So 1916, now behold, one came and said to him, good teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? So he said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to him, which ones? Jesus said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him, all these things I have kept from my youth, what do I still lack? Jesus said to him, if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor. and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me. But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples assuredly I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle and for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Then Peter answered and said to him, See, we have left all and followed you. Therefore, what shall we have? So Jesus said to them, assuredly I say to you that in the resurrection when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 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 denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said to them, you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and said to them, why have you been standing here idle all day? They said to him, because no one hired us. He said to them, you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive. So an evening had come. The owner of the vineyard said to his steward, call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. And when those came who were hired about the 11th hour, each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more. And they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. 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 this last man the same as to you. 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 are called, but few chosen. As for our beloved, the reading of the rich and pure and glorious Word of God from him to us now, let's take up the summary of the teaching of the Word of God again tonight in the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 42. Continuing to draw out from the Word of God things about the Eighth Commandment we need. And so congregation, first question 110. What does God forbid in the Eighth Commandment? He forbids not only outright theft and robbery, which governing authorities punish, but in God's sight, theft also includes all evil tricks and schemes designed to get our neighbors goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume, fraudulent merchandising, counterfeit money, excessive interest, or any other means forbidden by God. In addition, God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of His gifts. Now 111, what does God require of you in this commandment? that I do whatever I can and may for my neighbor's good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may help the needy in their hardship." These things, beloved, the Word of God does teach to us. And therefore, we, the Christian, we do believe. Let's ask His help as we continue there tonight. Our Father, we are aware that we have been spending a lot of time dealing with issues connected to, applications of, and the truth about the Eighth Commandment. And it is important for us in this day to spend this time here. We live in a culture. We live in a time. where the old anchorages of basic honesty and normal diligence and decency have been cast aside, where now everyone is for him or her own self in terms of how much they can accumulate. Lord, it is not the way of the believer. We pray that you would help us to understand now the positives as we begin tonight with that, the positive side of the fulfilling of the Eighth Commandment. Help us to know and to love your word and to be committed to following your ways. We ask now that you would help us by your spirit in all of this. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Well, dear congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you came in again, it's the first Sunday of the month, sometimes in the morning, other times in the evening, and your eyes saw those sacraments. But what are you looking at? Well, what we have before our eyes again tonight, beloved, this evening, in the sacrament, is a picture of the most perfect act of generosity ever completed Covenant family, the father sending his son to die for sinners is that most perfect act of generosity. And we in our struggle with the sin nature, we battle greed. This text in Matthew, Following the need to explain and expand on the 8th commandment, it presses generosity. Because it presents something about generosity being made illegal. Or generosity being called illegal by greed. But in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as we will see in our text, the Gospel gets the last word. All of this is set, this generosity of the gospel is set in economic terms in our text before us. So that every time we construct our budget, the result reveals our appreciation for Jesus Christ. Here's a basic truth about humans. We are influenced by love. Either of money on the one hand, or of the gospel on the other. Our planned use of money must reflect the generous grace which saved us. Our planned use of money must reflect the generous grace which saved us. And so the following four things this evening from the Word of God. First, the kingdom of heaven is cast in economic terms to continue chapter 19 and we'll explain that. Second, The parable and Lord's Day show that, at the least, God is entirely just. Third, above justness is graciousness. And God is wonderfully gracious as well. And then fourth, once we understand the depths of His grace, there should be a comma there, my fault, being generous with money is easy. It flows. It's natural. Our planned use of money must reflect the generous grace which saved us. And so chapter 20 begins, and we're familiar with the kind of language of the kingdom parables, the kingdom of heaven is like. However, here's a bit of a burden for us tonight. Often when evaluating or interpreting this very well-known parable of chapter 20, something important, even central, about the parable is left out. And the conclusions, therefore, miss the mark. There is often in the interpretation and evaluation of this parable no mention made or even maybe at the best scant attention paid to the economic context of the parable. Covenant family, the kingdom of heaven is like financial generosity to those who need that generosity the most. We're going to be very careful to sort that out tonight. But to cut right to the chase of the parable in this economic gospel sense, it is the case, now listen, it is the case that you and I are those standing around at the eleventh hour with no work, no way to earn the money that we need because we look to be those undesirables whom no one would want to hire You see, as you look at the parable and you hear the landowner going out, those various stages of the day, and he gets to the last moment, as it were, the 11th hour. It's like when we were in elementary school, and we were standing around during recess, and they were picking the teams for dodgeball or softball or whatever game it was, and you were hoping, quietly, silently, that you wouldn't be the last one. Oh, we picked everybody else. Yeah, OK. I guess you'll be on our side. But you see, beloved, that's exactly what we are like. On that 11th hour, and the text gives us this clue. Why have you been standing here? Well, because nobody hired us. And why is that? They didn't look strong or hearty or diligent or they came in late or whatever the case. Undesirables. And that's our clue. That helps us to understand what's coming in a moment when the landowner then gives that money. It is the case that in the gospel, the last, the neediest are helped the most. And this is what we need to grasp tonight, even in terms of understanding the eighth commandment. We often then do not understand our use of money in a gospel way. We do not understand our use of money in a gospel way. I think, and this is a bit of a burden as well, I think someone, maybe one of our young people as they're growing up who has a keen grasp on both the gospel and economics needs to write a book, and that book needs to be entitled, The Economics of the Gospel. There is so much discussion in the New Testament especially about the use of money. And it's not just the use of money, but it's the way that use is fused to and drawn out of and a response of the Gospel. The key word of such a book were it to be written would be this word. I wonder what you're thinking I'm about to say. Generosity. That would be the key word. Covenant family, if we have realized now we've spent a couple of sermons on this covenant family. If we have realized that greed is the most powerful enemy. Needing constant killing. If you've come to that conclusion, not just based on the sermons previous, but in general, that greed is that enemy needing constant killing. Well then what then we can go on to learn that the goal of killing greed is being able to bring generosity to life. This generosity is the way of the kingdom. The accumulation of wealth for wealth's sake is not the way of the kingdom. Ask the rich young ruler. What we need to understand, beloved, tonight, and we'll go on to this, This generosity is the way to reflect the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it brings joy, not the ultimate sadness that comes with the accumulation of wealth. Now, let me tell you, especially young people, something that our culture is not going to tell you, because the culture is telling you just the opposite. But you'll say, well, I heard it there in church Sunday night. Unbelieving rich folks. Unbelieving rich folks. Great wealthy people who do not have, because they're unbelievers, they do not have a generous spirit, are among the most miserable people on the planet. Think about that. Secondly, the parable and the Lord's Day show that at the least, God is entirely just. So one thing we often need to wrestle with as Reformed believers who do so love the doctrines of grace, you know, the five solas, the points of Calvinism, all those wonderful doctrines. One thing we need to wrestle with frequently when we're interacting with Christians of another sort or caliber is this question, God's not fair. or that doctrine by which they respond, well, that's not fair. So in this parable, the Lord who told the parable alerts the church about something. He alerts the church that this will be a common complaint, v. 11. They complain, well, that's not fair, v. 12. We did more work than they did. We bore the brunt of the day and then the heat of the elements. It's not fair. No, we might not think, congregation, that this really is a point to be drawn out of the parable, but it's of the substance of the gospel, isn't it? How many people will there be on that day of days, standing before the great white throne, who will use those exact words? Well, it's not fair. All my life, I never murdered anybody. I didn't steal from anyone. I never committed adultery. I never did. I never did. And I always did the things that you say are right, the rich, young ruler, all these. I've kept since my youth." It's not fair. But v. 13, wait a minute. I'm not doing you any wrong. Didn't we have an agreement? V. 2 tells us when He had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, He sent them out into His vineyard. Do you want to talk about strict fairness? I'm entirely just. Covenant family, the basic underlying issue needing attention is the moral excellence, moral excellence and perfection of God even in financial matters. And this is why in the 8th commandment, as we live this life representing His name, We cannot, the Christian cannot, may not, says the commandment here, have faulty scales or practice fraudulent merchandising. We cannot say, I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and try to turn things a little bit, twist things a little bit to our financial favor. We may not do that. Why? Because what matters here is this basic understanding of the moral excellence and perfection of God, whose name we claim. I asked our daughter if I could say this to you tonight in the sermon, and she said it was fine. Our family recently was presented an opportunity to save a tidy sum of money, at least in terms of our budget, had we agreed in a way that's so subtle to steal. And here's how it worked out. She bought her first car very recently, paid cash, what a blessing. As we were standing there in the home of the owner, the man from whom we were buying the vehicle, we didn't know him from Adam or anything about him. We were working on signing the title over, and we had agreed with him to a certain amount. That was great. But then he said to us, now if you guys want to put a lesser amount on the title, you know, because if you do that, you only pay the tax that is according to the number written on the title. He says, I'm fine with that. No, we can't do that, you see. fraudulent merchandising, inaccurate measurements, another way of construing stealing from the government. No, I'm sorry. We are owned by a certain name. We hold up his name in all of these things. Now, I'm not saying this to say something great about we ourselves, but rather to say this is how quickly and how subtly this is happening in our culture today. And it made me think, I've thought this before, about those people who work in the DMV, you know, kind of our least favorite sort of folks because of the time it takes to go in there and get things done. How many of them, as they see somebody bringing a title to them about that kind of a transaction, are thinking in the back of their minds now, is that really what you paid for that vehicle? Really? They can't argue with you, of course. But how often such things happen and how this is connected to the Gospel, beloved, You see, it is the case that this parable in its context makes no sense whatsoever if we try to understand it apart from economic terms. The kingdom of God is like economics. The kingdom of God is like what is done with money. Which is why the Catechism is exactly right to broaden out in its way of describing the Eighth Commandment. To broaden out, it's not enough to say, we'll not steal. But what does that mean? How many ways do we understand it? The Catechism is exactly right to broaden and apply the issue of economic justness. Excessive interest, like with most credit cards, is contrary to Scripture. Covenant family Christians. Christians are to be striving for this excellence in financial matters. Because this way of life well reflects. The God whom we love and serve. It is a basic issue which our children need to learn. They need to be taught these things. At the very least, as Christians, we treat others fairly, justly, Now there's much more in the gospel that goes beyond strict fairness, but no part of Christianity can be called Christianity without this as a basic, fundamental, rudimentary thing. Fairness. Justness. All things that we do. But thirdly, and now we press into the heart of the matter, To say it this way may sound strange, but above justness is graciousness, and God is wonderfully gracious, too. Well, of course, as God is perfectly just, then this allows for so much more of us to understand, so much more to be seen of His nature, including looking without tinted windows or in some way of a shaded gaze to look into the parable and learn about what he desires us to see here. And what he desires for us to see here is generosity. Generosity set, cast in economic financial terms. And this is emblematic, you see, of God's gospel. I want us to listen a moment. If you have your Bible still around or nearby, turn to Ephesians chapter one. Or if not, just listen. Ephesians chapter one. Thinking about the gospel in terms of generosity and what is given or spent. I want you to listen for that. Listen for God's generosity, which was a part of his character and choices even before creation. So Ephesians chapter 1, just listen to a few verses beginning at verse 3. Ephesians 1, 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure..." You read generosity there. "...the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace by which He made us accepted in the Beloved He chose us in Jesus Christ. Before the foundation of the world, the Father was generous in spending on our behalf. Spending grace on us. Even before creation, before the foundations of the world were laid, He was spending. Our Kingdom parable at verse 15, Listen to the language again there. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Can you hear that as issuing out of God's own heart? Can't I do what I want with my own things? And what He wanted to do, beloved, was to spend, as it were, His Son for you. We see the elements and we're about to partake of those elements and what we see in them, what we know in them is the Father spending all for us. Isn't that lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things, with my own son whom I send for you? Or there's another possibility in why you're reading my behavior the way you're reading it going on in verse 15. Your eye is evil because I am good. How do we understand good here? Generous. In giving. Covenant family, it is up to us covenant family. It is up to us as we grow in the faith. To learn to equate graciousness with spending. As the catechism says, the 8th commandment is fulfilled by working hard so as to spend. to give. This has been poorly understood by some of the best churches to the detriment of the display of God's grace. Sometimes you see we think, and wrongly so, that Christian excellence is seen in working hard and being diligent and very careful about our spending so that we'll have a large positive bank account balance. No. This has become so popular in some quarters that an issue almost on par with idolatry has been made out of debt-free living, as if debt-free living is the final ultimate goal in Christian economics. No, that's not correct. The final goal of Christian godly economics, according to this kingdom parable in the eighth commandment, is being able to give generously. Do we understand something here about the parable? That a worker who did not earn, say that to yourself again, a worker who did not earn an entire day's pay was given by grace an entire day's pay. That was a common pay for a worker, a laborer in that day, a denarius. He didn't deserve it. Which is why the workers who bore the brunt of the work all day long said that much. It's not fair! Beloved, this is the gospel. Covenant family, this is the gospel of Jesus Christ in economic terms. Do we understand this? That sinners who deserve no pay receive by grace a get-into-heaven pass That's what it is. And title deed to eternal life. Here. Here. It's yours. But sir, that's a title deed. It gives me ownership of something that I didn't earn. Exactly right! Beloved, this is the gospel. So that fourthly, once we understand the depths of His grace, Being generous with money is easy. Now this parable is part of that group of scripture we know so well that we hardly think of the details, which is why me rehearsing them with us tonight and understanding them in a gospel way is kind of maybe challenging for us. You see, when you carefully review generosity, And you think about it in connection with the parable, it leaps off the page. You say, well of course, of course. Of course. And it's good to remember that the Heidelberg Catechism is explaining the commandments. Listen again. The Heidelberg Catechism is here explaining the commandments as a way to respond to grace received. Living the Eighth Commandment as a way to respond to grace received totally reshapes how we look at money. For example, and we're going to deal with this more in a couple of more sermons. For example, let's begin tonight to think about the tithe. Why does God direct that we tithe, give at least a 10% of our increase to Him? It has always been this way. Old Covenant, now New Covenant. God doesn't need that money. He doesn't depend, as it were, on us giving. And He's wondering, wringing His hands, if we're going to do that. And if we don't, well, then things are going to fall apart. And it's never been that, ever. But rather, it has always been Old Covenant, and now New Covenant. The tithe is a way for the believer to respond in thanksgiving and to say, God, You have given me all that I have, and I so love You. And I'm going to respond. By the way, remember that nowhere in the New Testament is tithing ever overturned. It is a way to show obedient thankfulness to God for how He has cared for us. But there's another thing. We need to think about this as adults as we raise our children and even as we speak to our adult children about tithing. The action of faithful tithing develops an impulse of generosity in our hearts. It develops an impulse of generosity in our hearts because we say, well, none of this is really mine anyway. It's not that God gets 10 and owns 10 and I keep 90. That's not how it works. But He owns it all. And so in terms of it all that I have, whatever account I have it in or whatever way I characterize it by way of giving up of monies or time or energies or whatever else he can have it, they can have it. It develops within us an impulse of generosity for God and for his people and others around us. Covenant family, let's say it more simply. Covenant family, tithing as thanksgiving teaches us to be generous. It teaches us to be generous. We don't learn generosity by being greedy toward God and failing to tithe. Now I hinted at this a moment ago, but some of this may sound surprising or be surprising to us. For instance, in saying that Jesus never overturned tithing, It was never limited to the Old Testament economy. We might wonder tonight why that's important. Well, it's important ultimately because saying we are Christians and saying we are generous should be tantamount to repeating ourselves. Christian and generous ought to be the same thing. Sadly, being frugal or careful is looked upon as more reflective of the gospel than is being generous. But in our parable, the kingdom of heaven is like generosity. Covenant family, it is when we connect grace and generosity that we will joyfully tithe as individuals and families and cheerfully use the congregational funds God has poured out on us. Do we see, beloved, that the Eighth Commandment is not just about don't steal, but it is rather about live with open hands. Amen. Our father, how we praise you this evening for your mercy and grace and giving to us things perhaps the challenge us. But we need to be challenged. We need to be helped along. Lord, we hold so tightly. To our health. To our loved ones, our children, our spouse. We heard the Lord Jesus Christ say to us. Let go of all those things. Houses and lands, also possessions, live open-handedly. We pray that you'd help us to understand that the reason he says that is because this is the way the Father has treated us. Grant us, O Lord, then, to be ridiculously generous in the sense of being able to love those around us and in loving you. We pray all this now in Jesus' name, Amen.