In the first century, the Lord Jesus came and saw some idle fishermen. These He hired to work in His vineyard. Throughout the following centuries the Lord has been calling people to labor in His vineyard. Probably the present time is five o'clock in the afternoon of the age of grace. The United States is large and wealthy, but in the eyes of the Lord few are working. Most are idle. The Lord has called us and hired us at five o'clock. We will be working for the kingdom for a short time, and then we may be the first ones to receive the reward. How marvelous! We may be rewarded before Peter, John, and James. I laughed at Peter when I read this parable. He was called much earlier than we, but we may receive the reward first. I am sure that the Lord Jesus will not pay him more than He pays us.

Don't you believe that we are the ones called at five o'clock in the afternoon? Do you think that this is still the noontime of the age of grace? What time is it? I believe that it is late in the afternoon of the dispensation of grace. Perhaps brothers like J.N. Darby and George Muller were called at three o'clock, but we were called at five. When the rewards are given, we may be first. Will you not laugh at Peter? "Brother Peter, you made a good bargain, but we have received the benefits." I am very happy that I was born in the twentieth century. I am glad that I was called, not early in the morning, but at this time, in the late afternoon of the age of grace.

This parable reveals that the kingdom is not a matter of commerce. The Lord Jesus is not selling the kingdom, regardless of the price we are willing to pay. Do not have a commercialized mentality. The reward of the kingdom is altogether a matter of the Lord's gracious doing according to His will.

We must realize that none of us are good. Therefore, we must be poor in spirit. We need to be like little children. As far as we are concerned, there is no hope. But what is impossible with us is possible with Him. We simply need to give up the entanglements, frustrations, and distractions. We must forsake all of these things. However, we should never think that what we give up constitutes the price we pay to purchase the reward of the kingdom. Whatever we do or give constitutes nothing and amounts to nothing. Never think that you can buy the reward of the kingdom. We do need to give up all frustrations and entanglements, but the Lord will not give us the kingdom as a commercial transaction. The kingdom comes to us from the Lord's gracious giving according to His own will. In order to prove that the kingdom is not a matter of commerce but of the Lord's gracious giving, He will reward the last first and the first last.

He will give the reward of the kingdom first to those who were called last. In all of these chapters we have said a great deal about the kingdom. Some of you may be discouraged, thinking this is too hard and too high for you. Or, along with Peter, you may be thinking that one day you may be able to purchase the kingdom. Both thoughts are wrong. We must realize that by ourselves we can never make it. We must put all our trust in the Lord. With us it is impossible; with God it is altogether possible. Never consider that what you have given up to follow the Lord amounts to the price that will purchase the kingdom. The Lord will give you the reward of the kingdom as an act of goodness. It comes from the Lord's gracious giving. Never think of the kingdom in a commercial way. Give up the commercialized mentality. If we have seen the principle revealed in this parable, we will be very much encouraged. We will say, "Hallelujah! It is impossible with me, but it is absolutely possible with Him!" The kingdom is not something that we can buy. It is a matter of the Lord's gracious giving. We simply cooperate with Him. If He calls us, we just answer. If He asks us to follow Him, we follow Him. If He asks us to give up something, we will rid ourselves of all entanglements, frustrations, and distractions in order to go along with Him. What we give up means nothing and amounts to nothing. The kingdom is priceless. It is the Lord's gracious gift. He will give the kingdom to us by His will and by His goodness. I am very happy to tell you that we may be the laborers called at five o'clock in the afternoon. We may be the last group to be called into the vineyard. Now we are here working for God's eternal purpose, for God's kingdom.