Ten Tests of Our Love of God

Baptism, like tenancy has obligations. The Parable is a warning that we are sometimes tempted to rebel against God and refuse to ‘pay the rent’. What is this ‘rent’? In our Baptism we promise ‘to continue in the Apostles teaching, in the fellowship and in the breaking of bread’ – to love and honour God. Moses explains the Ten Commandments by telling the people “God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” (Ex. 20.20)  The ten tests of our love of God are:

We Are To Grow Spiritually By Striving For the Gospel

 The parable of the Workers (Matthew 20.1-16) teaches us that God is generous, keeps reaching out to ua and expects us to be working in His vineyard. In modern times the “vineyard” is our neighbourhood. But what are we supposed to actually be doing? I believe the Apostle Paul explains this to us in the other reading, Philippians 1.21-30. Paul is teaching us that our work is to strive for the Gospel – being and telling others the good news of forgiveness and eternal spiritual life through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul lived in a time much like our own. There were many religions, each teaching that they were right and others wrong. Paul and the early Christians were under constant attack in working to teach a new understanding of God that directly challenged the leadership of those trying to maintain historic Judaism and the many pagan religions. They did not hesitate to speak out and say Jesus was the only way to real salvation and right relationship with God.