The readings for Pentecost 17 are taken from Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30; and Matthew 20:1-16. This week, again, the Gospel rules—a contrast between God’s way and ways of corrupt human nature.
Isaiah’s invitation to seek the Lord and call on His name is inspired by the Holy Spirit, who energizes our souls to do just that. The gracious ways of God are evident in God’s work through Paul, especially while Paul was in prison (Paul wrote some of his best letters during this time) and in Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers. Consider reading all of Isaiah 55 for a memorable way to keep God’s economy in mind.
Paul wrote to the Philippians that his imprisonment was giving him a way to witness to Roman elite soldiers. How else would that opportunity come? And, other believers were made bolder by Paul’s circumstance. Earlier in his life, Paul had written Romans 8:32: “God makes all things work together for good,” and last week’s OT lesson we saw that in the life of Joseph!
Matthew records the parable of the vineyard workers. The corruption of Adam makes us impossibly selfish, self-centered, and self-important. Like a drowning person, our insistence on pretended autonomy is exhausting and fails us. The vineyard workers who were hired first missed the good of their day. They had meaningful labor ALL day long, in the sun, in a vineyard, with each other, with all the grapes they could eat AND at the end, they had money to buy bread and wine.