The Eleventh Hour

Helen Francis

In the message on a recent Sunday, Maggie explored the story of the labourers being hired to work in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). How those who had worked all day were angry when those hired much later were paid the same amount.

Indeed some had only been taken on "at the eleventh hour" which is a phrase we still use today meaning ‘in the nick of time’, or ‘at the last minute’. It seems unlikely that they did any work at all and yet they received the same pay. It's easy to understand why those who had laboured all day were feeling it wasn't fair.

But as Maggie pointed out, God is abundantly generous and of course the first labourers had agreed to the wage as being fair.

That eleventh hour comment suddenly made me think of the thief on the cross. If ever there was an eleventh hour moment it was here. Both he and Jesus were at the point of death, yet in that desperate moment, recognising his own guilt and who Jesus really was he cries out "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!" (Luke 23:42) and in the next verse Jesus reassures him "today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42).

I got to wondering if those disciples standing at the foot of the Cross heard this exchange? And if they did, how did it make them feel?

They had left everything and toiled alongside Jesus in his ministry. They were willing to fight for the reward of being in the Kingdom, and even vied amongst each other in an attempt to secure a place close to Jesus in the Kingdom. (Mark 10:35-45). Yet here was this self confessed criminal being assured by Jesus himself that not only would he be in the Kingdom but he would be "with me" (i.e immediately with Jesus). He hadn't been a disciple, hadn't seen the miracles, walked the miles, that surely can't be fair!

Then I realised, this was the moment the New Covenant was ushered in! A covenant which could be ratified only by Christ's death, and this exchange with the thief is the last he has before he dies. This is the very moment that opens the way for all of us under the new covenant.

What about the Jews standing round, they had kept covenant with God for generations, keeping statutes and holy days, tithing and sacrificing the best of their livestock and harvest, where did it leave them now the temple veil was torn (Matthew 27:50-51) and every 'unclean' Tom, Dick, and Harry could enter into a close relationship with God?

That thought brought me to another 'eleventh hour' moment in scripture. The story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32). Here again we see a self-confessed undeserving wastrel throwing himself on the mercy of his father, when he has run out of everything else.

And in the background an older brother who had stayed loyal all this time, who had put in the work, being outraged by the unfairness of the lavish response of his father. But his father replies "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." (v31).

Those who have known & served God have not been forgotten.

It would seem to me that both of these stories tell of the boundless love, generosity and mercy of our Father to all - regardless of how long they have known him, how much they have sacrificed, and how well they have followed his commands.

But how blessed are we to be the ones who can put down the sacrifice & works and, just by confessing how wrong we've been, recognising where our salvation is - and throwing ourselves on the mercy offered, can know we are accepted and rejoiced over.