I. If we would hear, surely we might rather say that God calls us, at all times, in all places; by all things, persons, deeds, words; by night and by day, all our lives long, than dare to say for ourselves before God's all-searching eye: "No man hath heard us." For so it is when persons have heard the first call; everything calls them when the heart is awake; every, the lowest, whisper calls it. The world is one great mirror. As we are who look into it or on it, so it is to us. It gives us back ourselves. It speaks to us the language of our own hearts; our inmost self is the key to all. The heart where God dwelleth is in all things called anew by God. His blessed presence draws it by its sweetness; or His seeming absence may, by the very void, absorb it yet more, by the vehemence of longing, into Himself.
II. He bids us "Go work in My vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you." He promises not to us, as to those first labourers, a certain hire. Even while He would wholly restore us to His mercy He would keep us in the humility of penitents. He seems to tells us thus: that we have forfeited our claim, that we must labour on in faith and hope and confiding trust, making no bargains, as it were, with Him, looking for nothing again but what He of His free bounty will give us. This is our very hope and trust and gladness in our toil, that we labour not with any calculating spirit, or to set up for ourselves any claim with God; the rewards of desert were finite; the reward of grace infinite, even Himself, who hath said, "I am thine exceeding great reward."
III. He calleth thee now: He calleth thee, that in death He may again call thee to place thee near Himself: He calleth thee that He may save thee from the pit where His voice is not heard, to place thee above the stars, with cherubim and seraphim, there to sing everlastingly, "Holy, holy, holy." Such is the hire which God offereth thee. What were it, could Satan offer thee not this earth only, but countless worlds? Things out of God may take thee up; nought but God can fill thee. He calleth thee, "Son, give Me thine heart;" and He will give thee His own all-encompassing, unencompassed love
E. B. Pusey, Sermons for the Church's Seasons,p. 133.
References: Matthew 20:6. Clergyman's Magazine,vol. xvi., p. 26; H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, The Life of Duty,vol. i., p. 106; J. Keble, Sermons for the Church Year,vol. iii., p. 85.Matthew 20:8. Spurgeon, Evening by Evening,p. 357. Matthew 20:9. Preacher's Monthly,vol. i., p. 108. Matthew 20:9-11. Ibid.,vol. iv., p. 86. Matthew 20:10. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. v., p. 473; vol. viii., p. 133.Matthew 20:11-15. Preacher's Monthly,vol. vii., p. 105; S. Cox, Expositions,vol. iv., p. 208. Matthew 20:15. A. W. Hare, The Alton Sermons,p. 239; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. ii., No. 77. Matthew 20:16. S. Cox, Expository Essays and Discourses,pp. 239, 251; J. Keble, Sermons for the Christian Year,vol. iii., Philippians 1:10; Philippians 1:21; C. Girdlestone, A Course of Sermons,vol. i., p. 205.Matthew 20:17-28. A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 282.Matthew 20:17-34. Parker, Inner Life of Christ,vol. iii., p. 81.