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Jesus told a parable about a vineyard owner who hired workers throughout the day, yet paid them all the same amount—a denarius (vv. 1–9). Those hired first complained, but the master reminded them that he had kept his promise and had the right to be generous to others (vv. 10–15). Jesus concluded, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (v. 16). On the way to Jerusalem, He told His disciples for the third time that He would be betrayed, condemned, mocked, flogged, crucified, and raised on the third day (vv. 17–19). The mother of James and John asked for her sons to sit at Jesus’s right and left in His kingdom, but Jesus taught that greatness in His kingdom comes through humble service, just as He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (vv. 20–28). Leaving Jericho, two blind men cried out to Him as the “Son of David” and received both their sight and the chance to follow Him (vv. 29–34).
🌀 Reflection: God’s kingdom doesn’t work like the world’s. We tend to measure worth by effort, seniority, or achievement, but Jesus’s parable reminds us that entrance into His kingdom is by grace, not by human merit (Eph. 2:8–9). His generosity toward the “last” should stir humility in the “first” and joy in all who receive His mercy (Matt. 19:30). This truth is anchored in the greatest act of service—the Son of Man giving His life as a ransom for many. The One who had every right to be exalted chose to take the lowest position, showing us that greatness in God’s eyes comes through sacrificial love (Phil. 2:5–8).
💬 Mission Challenge: Serve someone this week in a way that costs you—your time, comfort, or resources—without expecting anything in return. Let your service be a small reflection of Jesus, who gave His life for you.
Just Keith Harris 
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