Matthew 20:11-16 All who accept Jesus will be saved!

For God so loved the world that He created He came with shouts of Peace. Peace to the people on earth!

Acts 1:8-11 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Jesus Ascends to Heaven 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The 12 apostles spent their lives trying to convince Israel, God’s chosen people, that their Messiah King, Jesus, they had crucified. As He was taken up to heaven to sit at the right hand of Father He will return in the same way. They wanted their fellow Jews to understand that He is a risen Savior.

John 14:1-7 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Christ Answers Thomas 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

Before the Gospel of Grace was revealed to the Apostle Paul, Jesus told the 12 Apostles that He would return to Jerusalem and  establish His Kingdom on earth. 

Zachariah 14:4

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. 

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, 

From east to west, 

Making a very large valley; 

Half of the mountain shall move toward the north 

And half of it toward the south.

Jesus will return and stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Psalm 69:32-36 

32 The humble shall see this and be glad; 

And you who seek God, your hearts shall live. 

33 For the Lord hears the poor, 

And does not despise His prisoners. 

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, 

The seas and everything that moves in them. 

35 For God will save Zion 

And build the cities of Judah, 

That they may dwell there and possess it. 

36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, 

And those who love His name shall dwell in it.

In the Psalm David speaks of God’s salvation of Israel and His return to fulfill the promises to the patriarchs. 

Matthew 19:27-30 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 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. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matthew 20:11-16  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

First on the agenda of Peter was to select the 12th Apostle to replace the slot left by Judas. In his thinking he thought the return of Jesus would be soon, very soon. No one but Father knows the hour of Jesus return. He delays the return of their Messiah King because He wants no one to perish and all to turn to salvation in Jesus. In Christ there is neither male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile…by the unmerited and underserved grace of God all who accept Jesus will be saved. John 3:16-17 Carla

Bracketed by role-reversal statements in 19:30 and 20:16, the parable of the vineyard workers portrays God’s gracious generosity. Jesus’ audience probably agreed that the owner was being unfair: Those who worked more should be paid more. By ignoring when the workers started, the owner demonstrates grace—giving some more than they deserve.  Faithlife Study Bible

The first workers complained that their wages were the same as those who had been hired late in the day. However, the owner had not cheated them; everyone received the agreed-upon sum for his work. The early workers grumbled because they were evil in their outlook; their master, however, was sovereignly generous. In the context of Matthew, the workers with the contract represent Israel; they had the promises and the covenants (Romans 3:1, 2; 9:4; Ephesians. 2:11, 12). Those without an agreement represent the Gentiles, who would be made equal with the Jewish people when salvation became available to all through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:16, 17; Ephesian 2:13–15; 3:6). The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Deuteronomy 15:9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you. 

Mark 10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

When the world feels small and dark and frightful, it is not surprising we choose to do our darndest to protect our hearts. We do not easily give it away.

This happens when we live from the notion (evaluation) that we carry only so much emotional capital—you know, that precious commodity which allows us to pay attention, to focus, to contribute, to care, to forgive, to set free. So, with “only so much” available, it goes without saying that conservation is called for. And it becomes our default. And we end up with this conversation in our mind. “There is no need to spend empathy on just anybody,” we say. “We need to pick and choose.” To be blunt, “there are those who deserve care, and those who don’t.”

Lord, help us.

And we lose track of the values that sustain us. And the values at the very core of our being.

There is nothing small about compassion.

Let me repeat: There is nothing small about compassion.

It is the thread of life woven through each day. As humans—every one made in the image of God—we touch, love, give, include, receive and redeem. So, it’s time to rethink our notion about the scarcity of compassion.

This is an affirmation of what is already alive and well within each of us. We have the capacity to be places of shelter. And hope. And inclusion. And healing.

Our dignity or value or capacity is not tied to the way we look or how we dress. Or the size of our wallet or the digits of our zip code. Not by how we are judged by mankind, because our own souls are imbued with the power to work miracles to change water into wine, the meek into the mighty, to change base metal into pure gold. (Thank you, Congressman John Lewis)

Whatever it is, the light of compassion brings people out of hiding, out of unease and out of fear. The light that invites courage and renewal and resilience.

And that, well, that is light worth spilling. And it is the light of Grace. “Sabbath Moments” Terry Hershey

…if we are followers of Jesus who have accepted God's merciful forgiveness of our own wickedness (1 Peter 2:10),how can we withhold mercy from others?

Showing mercy could look like repenting from grudges we have held. It could look like celebrating God's work in someone else's life or sharing God's grace with someone who we think doesn't deserve it. Regardless, as God's children, our attitude should be one of trust in Him and not willful misunderstanding. Let us not become incensed or cry out, "It's not fair!" striving against Him for control when we don't understand His purposes…seek first His Kingdom and His heart. Jesus is full of compassion for His enemies.Jesus became angry yet did not sin. For instance, we see Jesus' anger on display when He cleared God's temple of those who had turned it into a corrupt marketplace (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15). But Jesus' anger was full of holiness and righteous zeal. His anger was rightly directed at wickedness and not at His Father's long-suffering patience toward people. Jesus' anger was actually a call to repentance and salvation. First5

Matthew 25:31-40 The agape love of God for His creation saves.

Dear God grant me the ability to love all people knowing that You are their Maker, the Creator of all in heaven and on  earth.

James 2:15–16 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 

The simplicity of the Gospel of Grace saves lives.

Acts 1:1-8 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 

The Holy Spirit Promised 

4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The kingdom will be restored to Israel. It is just a matter of Father’s timing. When they accept Jesus as their King they will reach all of humanity with the truth. Until that time the power of Holy Spirit will take the teachings of Jesus and give them life in us to do good and not evil.

Matthew 24:11-14 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Isaiah 24:5-6

5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, 

Because they have transgressed the laws, 

Changed the ordinance, 

Broken the everlasting covenant. 

6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, 

And those who dwell in it are desolate. 

Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, 

And few men are left.

Matthew 25:31-40  “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Love God with all your being  and love others as much as you do yourself. This is the great commission of God. His love for His creation is to be shared with all of humanity by our good works. (John 3:16-17) Carla

When shepherds brought in their flocks at the end of the day, they typically put the goats in a sheltered area while leaving the sheep in an open-air pen. The sheep in this analogy represent genuine followers of Jesus. They are the righteous ones (verse 37). The goats are the wicked, as well as those who may have thought themselves righteous but turn out not to be genuine followers of Jesus (verses 41, 44–45). 25:34 The Jewish worldview of Jesus’ day envisioned the present age ending with a time of tribulation, followed by divine judgment. Then God’s kingdom—the age to come—would be fully inaugurated. This schema also is reflected in the books of Daniel and Revelation. 

Understanding John’s Revelation. 

The actions described here (and in the next verse) reflect obedience to the command to love one’s neighbor—and thereby demonstrate love for God, as well (22:37–39). Jesus’ remarks here call for Christian care to reach all the way to the bottom of the social structure, thus inverting earthly values. Faithlife Study Bible

The final section of this discourse involves judgment. Matthew has been called “the Gospel of judgment” because the subject occurs so often. This is to be expected, since Matthew emphasizes the coming of the kingdom and thus the judgment that accompanies it. In the previous two parables, Jesus had been speaking of the judgment on those Israelites who were unprepared for the coming of the Messiah. In the last parable of this discourse, Jesus focuses His attention on all the nations of the earth. When the Son of Man comes in His glory recalls the words of Daniel 7:13, 14, 27 and anticipates the future reign of Christ (Revelation 5:9, 10; 19:11–18; 20:4–6). Nations here means Gentiles. Sheep and goats were both clean animals according to the Levitical law; however, their natures are very different. Shepherds regularly herded their sheep and goats together, but there came a point when the two had to be separated. The kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world indicates that this kingdom has always been God’s goal for humans. Three groups are referred to in verses 31–46: sheep, goats, and My brethren. At the very least, these “brethren” are believers in Jesus Christ. The NKJV Study Bible

Isaiah 58:7 

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;

When you see the naked, that you cover him,

And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Ezekiel 18:7 

If he has not oppressed anyone,

But has restored to the debtor his pledge;

Has robbed no one by violence,

But has given his bread to the hungry

And covered the naked with clothing;

Great Ocean of Love,

help us turn the tide toward global compassion.

Move through minds and hearts caught

in the choking seaweeds of

indifference and selfishness.

Wash out to sea discrimination and systemic racism,

ignorance, hatred and bigotry.

Let all of this dissolve in your vast waters

of transforming love.

Your indwelling presence is much stronger

than the moon’s energy urging the sea back and forth.

Inspire us to use our energy to overcome

what causes division and inequality among humankind.

Let us not lose heart.

Amen. Terry Hershey “Sabbath Moments”

Ephesians 2:14-18 All of God’s creation shout peace to those near and far in Christ Jesus

 Paul’s gospel of grace, given to him by divine revelation, was for the masses. All of God’s creation, not only Israel, can enter into His Kingdom through Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Jesus at His first coming was to fulfill the covenant promises to the Israelites. At their rejection, the fullness of salvation, came to all of humanity through the Gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ. 

Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14-18 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

There is peace in Christ alone! In the finished work of the Cross we abide in Him and He in the Father. Grace by our faith alone, His gift, pleases God. Carla

Paul echoes Isaiah’s description of God’s Messiah as the “Prince of Peace” (see Isa 9:6). Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would end hostility and establish an era of well-being. Christ produces this peace; He is the essence of it. He brings harmony and wholeness to people’s relationship with God and one another, a theme that fits with Paul’s purpose of unifying Jews and Gentiles. The external distinctions between Jews and Gentiles are no longer grounds for hostility and division  (Ephesians 3:6). This is the core message of the letter.

The enmity refers to hostility between Jews and Gentiles. In His flesh here, Paul refers to Jesus’ physical body that was crucified. Christ’s body is the real source of hope and is meant as a contrast to “flesh” in verse 11. There, “flesh” serves as a symbol of Jewish inclusion in the covenant community (circumcision) and a means of identification as the Old Testament people of God. 

Christ’s death on the cross fulfills the law of Moses (primarily seen in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and removes the necessity of the regulations that once divided Jews from Gentiles (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25). 

Atonement refers to Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people) being united in Christ. This phrase is rooted in Paul’s “new creation” theology. Just as God created humanity in His image in Genesis 1–2, He has now re-created humanity in Christ. Elsewhere in his letters Paul calls believers “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and describes both circumcision and uncircumcision as worthless in light of being a “new creation” (Gal 6:15). 

One New Humanity describes the restoration of a broken relationship. Christ’s death makes it possible for the hostility that often existed between Jews and Gentiles to be destroyed and for them to be restored together to God. 

In one body refers to the Church, comprised of Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s use of the terminology near and far echoes the words of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 52:7 speaks of preaching good news of peace, and in Isaiah 57:19 

Yahweh speaks peace to those near and far. Paul likely regarded Christ’s preaching to those near (Jews) and far (Gentiles) as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s hope of salvation—not just for Jews, but for all humanity (Isaiah 49:6; 56:6–8). Faithlife Study Bible

Paul painted vividly the bleak condition of pagans. They had no hope, for God had not reached out to them to establish a covenant relationship. However, the shed blood of Christ could bring the Gentiles back to their Creator.

The middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles was vividly portrayed by an actual partition in the temple area, with a sign warning that any Gentile going beyond the Court of the Gentiles would receive swift and sudden death.

Paul was not saying that God had rejected the righteous standards of the law. Rather, in Christ the righteous standards that people could never reach have been accomplished. He is our righteousness; in Him, believers fulfill the law (Matthews 5:17, 20; Romans 3:21, 22, 31). The Christian church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is described as one new man. In the earliest days of Christianity, the church was largely made up of Jews. But under the direction of God’s Spirit, the believers witnessed to Gentiles (Acts 10), who then outnumbered the Jewish members. The NKJV Study Bible

Colossians 1:20–22 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled…

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Isaiah 57:19

“I create the fruit of the lips:

Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,

“Says the LORD,“

And I will heal him.”

…say Yes, to whatever connects us, as humans,

as children of God,

as people who need compassion and mercy for sustenance,

as people who cannot walk this journey alone.

And to say No, to whatever divides or demeans or belittles

or degrades or incites hate and exclusion.

And I must speak that Yes, and speak that No,

not only with my voice, but with my hands and my feet.

Lord, hear my prayer.

As Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, “Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” Sabbath Moments