Laborers In The Vineyard

This piece was written by Quentin McCay. It appeared in the November 18, 1973 edition of "Reminders", published by Moundsville Church of Christ in Moundsville, West Virginia.

One of the many needed lessons learned from the parables of Christ is the lesson of laboring in the kingdom of God. Several parables set forth the importance of each member of the body of Christ being busy and working according to the natural abilities God has bestowed upon him. Each citizen in the kingdom of God is to be busy. Christ likened the kingdom or church to a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers in his vineyard (Matthew 10:1-16). It is clear from the words of our Lord in this parable that the householder hired "laborers" into his vineyard. He did not accept any idlers, piddlers nor free-loaders. He hired laborers.

All are to work. Each Christian has an individual duty to perform. There is room in the kingdom of God for all who will work. There are no exceptions to this fact. There are differences in desires, abilities and opportunities, but there are no exceptions to the fact that all citizens in the kingdom of God are to labor. The young, the middle aged and the aged are to continue laboring faithfully in all seasons. there is no time to quit in this life. "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looketh back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).

Elders

Elders of the church of our Lord have a "good work" to perform. "This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work" (First Timothy 3:1). The work of elders is not just seeing that the meeting house is in proper state of repair, not just shaking hands with visitors, not just opening and closing doors of the church building, and not just seeing that the lawn is mowed. Their work is far greater than these relatively unimportant matters. They are to watch for the souls of those in the kingdom of God. But the elders cannot do everything that must be done in the work of saving souls. When they do their duty fully and faithfully, there remains much work to be done by others in the kingdom.

Deacons

Deacons must be busy using the "office of a deacon well" (First Timothy 3:13). "and let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless" (First Timothy 3:10). Sometimes deacons are deacons in name only. Because elders do not assign work to them, or else because they will not "serve" their work goes lacking. But God's plan of work for his kingdom includes work for deacons.

Preachers

Preachers are to do the work of evangelists. "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" (Second Timothy 4:5). the preacher is not an errand boy. His work is not to do the work of other members. His work is to study and prepare to preach the gospel. He need time to study, meditate and make sufficient preparations to preach the gospel of Christ. This will be enough to keep him busy without burdening him with the work that others are to do. It is his work to preach, exhort, encourage and be a Christian. He must "preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine" (Second Timothy 4:2).

Every Other Member

Every other member of the body of Christ has work to do. When the elders, deacons and the preacher have done all their work faithfully and fully, every other citizen in the kingdom still has all the work he can do. There is much work to be done by all. Teaching the truth to the lost, exhorting the wayward and those who are out of duty, bearing the burdens of others, attending to the sick and attending all the services of the church will keep each member busy as long as one lives on earth. But many citizens in God's kingdom are like the barren fig tree. They are good for nothing. Such will be lost and will be the cause of many others being lost in Hell.

The kingdom of God is composed of individuals who are laboring in the great cause of Christ. For this purpose they were saved from the life of sin. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10). Those citizens in the kingdom of God who fail to labor diligently in His vineyard are not fulfilling the divine purpose of citizenship.

No excuse will suffice for a failure to give dedicated service and consecrated labor in the cause of Christ. The fact that we have to make a living will not be considered a valid reason for not working in the Lord's vineyard when one stands before the King in the day of judgement. Company, worldly pleasures, buried talents, lack of money or worldly possessions are not acceptable excuses for not laboring in the King's great and urgent cause. The only way to fulfill the divine purpose of citizenship in the kingdom of God is to toil daily until death.

If each member a congregation would recognize that there is work that each must do to please God here and to have the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and get busy doing this work, there would be a great change in the spiritual picture of the church within a very short time.

"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of harvest, that he will send laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9-37-38).