Mathew 20 Lesson

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD!

The Parable of the Laborers teaches us about the omnipotence of God!    

The definition of the word omnipotent is:

• “Having unlimited power; able to do anything.” (source: Google dictionary)

God has unlimited powers. 

He is omnipotent.

And as such, He alone decides how He is going to proceed on all matters. 

Our role is to:

1. Embrace God’s plan for us,
2. Glorify God,
3. Serve others.

And if we do these three things, God’s plan for us will unfold:

• “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11.

Think about the omnipotence of God as you read the focus scripture below:

• “For the kingdom of Heavenis like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.  When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.  When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.” - (Mathew 20:1-16)

Those that were at the vineyard working the entire day were jealous of the workers that received the same pay and worked fewer hours.  The owner of the vineyard reminded them that it is his vineyard and therefore he will decide how to reward his workers. 

Sometimes we want God to do things our way, not His.  It is scriptures like this that remind us of the omnipotence of God and the respect and reverence that He deserves.

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

The Bible is full of scriptures that talk about the omnipotence of God.

For today’s lesson, we have highlighted the following five verses:

1. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” -Jeremiah 1:5,
2. “God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” -1 John 3:20,
3. “Do you not know? Have you not heard?  The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is unsearchable.” -Isaiah 40:28,
4. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching theevil and the good.” - Proverbs 15:3,
5. “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.” - Psalm 147:5.

CONCLUSION

God knows all!

God sees all!

And God created all!

As God’s children, our role is to:

1. Embrace God’s plan for us,
2. Glorify God,
3. Serve others.

If we do that, His plan for us will unfold and we will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

When we follow God, and not the ways of the world, our lives will take on a deeper meaning and purpose than ever before. 

We will conclude today’s lesson with the following scripture taken from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Paul does a great job of expressing the omnipotence of God:

• “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” -Romans 11:33-36.