Jesus told them a parable to help them understand the meaning of being last, even if one followed Jesus first (19:27, 30). A landowner went out in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard, promising a denarius in wages. He then went out several more times throughout the day, even at 5pm. The people who were standing at 5pm seemed to be lost (6,7), but he hired them anyway.

In the evening, the landowner started paying the people hired at 5pm first, a denarius each. When he also paid the people who were hired early in the morning the same wages, the workers were not happy, being paid the same one denarius, even though they had spent all day sweating with hard labor (13).

Most will feel that such treatment is unfair. However, the landowner explained to them that he had given them what they had been promised. His grace is generous and abundant. He gives and sustains our lives with sufficient grace (2Cor. 12:9). The Lord is just, and he treats one lost sheep as important as the ninety-nine sheep in the sheep pen (18:12). Each little one is infinitely precious to him, and no one can claim their right to be the first.
Application: Father, you are the sovereign Lord. Thank you for allowing me to work in your vineyard. Please help me to be faithful to you as you are faithful.
One Word: The last may be the first