MATTHEW 20:1-16
1) For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2) And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5) Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6) And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7) They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8) So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the
labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9) And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10) But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11) And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12) Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13) But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14) Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15) Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16) So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
JAMES 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
1. THE THIRD HOUR -- The Visitation to the Jewish People
ACTS 2:14-15
14) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15) For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
1. THE THIRD HOUR --
The Visitation to the Jewish People
A. Visitation Prophesied
JOEL 2:28-29
28) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29) And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
ISAIAH 28:11-12
11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
1. THE THIRD HOUR --
The Visitation to the Jewish People
A. Visitation Prophesied B. Visitation Pictured
NUMBERS 11:25-29
25) And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26) But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27) And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28) And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29) And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
JUDGES 6:14-16
14) And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15) And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16) And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
WHAT CHARACTERIZES THE THIRD HOUR?
Great growth and ingathering!
ACTS 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
ACTS 2:41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
ACTS 4:4
Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
ACTS 5:27-28
27) And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28) Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
ACTS 17:6
These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
ACTS 28:30-31
30) And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31) Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
2. THE SIXTH HOUR -- The Visitation to the Samaritans.
JOHN 4:3-6
3) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4) And he must needs go through Samaria.
5) Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6) Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
JOHN 4:9
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
ACTS 8:5-8
5) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6) And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7) For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8) And there was great joy in that city.
3. THE NINTH HOUR -- The Visitation to the Gentiles.
ACTS 10:1-3
1) There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2) A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3) He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
EPHESIANS 2:13-15
13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
4. THE ELEVENTH HOUR -- This Terminal Generation.
- What did they get in the 3rd hour?
Great harvest, great ingathering, great growth.
- What did they get at the 6th hour? Miraculous manifestations, supernatural signs and wonders.
- What did they get at the 9th hour?
The breaking down of denominational barriers; the uniting of His body.
4. THE ELEVENTH HOUR -- This Terminal Generation.
- What will we get in the 11th hour?
A beautiful, mature church... The body today will be the bride tomorrow.
