Vindicate me, O LORD!

 David, who was made the King of Israel by the Lord God, cried out to God during a time stress and persecution by his enemies and he sought God, asking the Lord to show that he, David, was being unjustly assailed. David Cries out and puts his plea to God into the words of Psalm:26. His words are filled with a desperate need to be vindicated before all, to shown that he was being treated unjustly even though he served the Lord God of Israel.

Psalm:26

"Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have

      Examine me, O LORD, and try me;

            Test my mind and my heart.

      For Your loving kindness is before my eyes,

            And I have walked in Your truth.

     I do not sit with deceitful men,

            Nor will I go with pretenders.

    I hate the assembly of evildoers,

            And I will not sit with the wicked.

     I shall wash my hands in innocence,

            And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

     That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving

            And declare all Your wonders.

      O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house

            And the place where Your glory dwells.

     Do not take my soul away along with sinners,

            Nor my life with men of bloodshed,

     In whose hands is a wicked scheme,

            And whose right hand is full of bribes.

      But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

            Redeem me, and be gracious to me.

     My foot stands on a level place;

            In the congregations I shall bless the LORD."

Sought Vindication

David knew, that the persecution and opposition which was coning against him was undeserved, David knew, that he had done nothing to cause it, yet it was there. It seems from the references to "deceitful men" and "men of bloodshed" that the threat which was directed toward him came from those whom David once trusted and now that trust had been shattered and they have been exposed as false and men of ill intent.

From the very intensity of David's cry to God for vindication, it seems evident that the situation was painful to him, he may have felt betrayed and used by some whom he once held close, trusted and considered as friends, now these ones driven by personal agendas had set themselves to destroy David.

 It is possible that these men had brought false accusation against David in an attempt to destroy David's credibility, and they may have succeeded in causing some of the people to questions David's moral authority and ability lead and to be King.

 But now, David speaks to God about his need to be vindicated, David asked God to look upon his life and to see if there was cause for this to be happening to him.

 "Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.  Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart"

 David understood that God's evaluation of him would be fair and gracious. In essence, David is asking "why is this happening to me?" David wanted to follow God and to live out of his relationship with his Lord. David looked into his own life and saw no reason which should cause the persecution to be brought against him.

"For Your loving kindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your truth"

David cites his life of worship and love for the house of God as evidence of his sincerity of heart toward God. That David, through public declarations at the altar of God invited others to praise and worship as well.

"And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

  That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving

  And declare all Your wonders.

O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house

    And the place where Your glory dwells."

We may, like David, ask God "why?" such things are come against us, we are obedient and worshiping yet we may find ourselves facing the voice of condemnation or false accusations. 

Preservation

In the midst of the trails which have come upon him, David asked the Lord to preserve him and to not allow his demise and death, the death that awaits any and all who ultimately reject the great God.

 '"Do not take my soul away along with sinners,

            Nor my life with men of bloodshed,

     In whose hands is a wicked scheme,

            And whose right hand is full of bribes"

 David again affirms his intention to follow the Lord in his daily living and to worship asking for the redemptive power and the grace of God to be for him regardless of what men might say or do. David is placing himself into the hands of God knowing that God is merciful and faithful and will see David through this difficult time of trail.

"But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

            Redeem me, and be gracious to me.

     My foot stands on a level place;

            In the congregations I shall bless the LORD".

Accusations

In our lives there may be times when we may feel like David, when circumstances and situations befall us when persons whom we once counted as dear friends have, for their own personal agendas turned against us. They may seek every opportunity capitalize on any mistake or misstep, to bring accusations against us.

When this occurs, the pain can be great we cry out to God for his help and ask him to let the truth be known, to vindicate us. When this happens, we need to understand where the false accusation arises from, we are told in Scripture that Satan is the "accuser of the brethren". 

"For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God Day and night, has been hurled down" Rev:12:10b

This is where false reports, misrepresentations and slander find their true origin, this spirit fills this world looking for willing conduits to work though, giving expression to the malice and hate that it is seeking to devour the people of God.1Pet:5:8

 Our Vindication

There are times when we, as Christians may find ourselves besieged by accusations or injustice or simply mistreated by those who want to do harm, they can be like the "men of bloodshed”.

How and when will we be vindicated? Even in the midst of all that we face, how often have we turned our eyes toward the Heavens and cried out God, "when will we be vindicated?" How often are we like David who knew in his heart that he "walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering", yet falsehoods, either spoken through the lips of men or the voice of condemnation from within, when we feel that we have not measured up to sort of lofty standard?

  Vindication in Christ

We find any and all meaningful vindication through and by Jesus Christ alone. Jesus was a man who was removed from justice and falsely accused by the "religious" leaders of the day, Jesus was in their way and they wanted Jesus gone.

"In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."Acts:8:33

Jesus subject himself to treatment which he did not deserve and never lashed out at those who did him harm. Jesus of all persons lived in perfect holy godly piety and   integrity, yet was treated as a criminal by the "religious" leaders, even Jesus' grave was set among the wicked.

 "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth."Isa:53:9

 Jesus was, by the will of the Father vindicated before all for all, for all time and eternity. The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate vindicated of Jesus that he is who he is. Quoting one of earliest creeds of the Christian faith the Apostle St. Paul writing to the young Pastor Timothy says.

  "Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory".1Tim:3:16

The work of the Holy Spirit is to vindicate the truth about Jesus, that he is the Messiah, the only one by whom humanity is saved. The Holy Spirit attest to the truth about Jesus to us, speaks to us of who Jesus is, Jesus is vindicated in our hearts and minds.

When we come to believe in Jesus, we receive from him all that is his, we are co-heirs, with him of all that is his, including his vindication. Jesus' vindication, which we share in, is more than just being publicly declared to be "right and just" and undeserving of ill treatment or not guilty of wrong doing, it is much more than that, it is God making all things right for us through Jesus, all wrongs that ever have been done toward us or by us are now gone.

There is now "no more condemnation" toward any who will accept what Jesus has accomplished on their behalf. We are vindicated before God, by Jesus regardless of what any seen or unseen may say.

 God's Kindness

David was mindful that this vindication which he sought from God, was not just due to his "integrity”, which he mentions, but rather in truth to God's kindness. He understood that God had bestowed it upon him lavishly. This speaks to the truth that David understood that any "integrity" which he had come from God and did not arise out of his own self.

 " For Your loving kindness is before my eyes,"

 The blessings of God's kindness, which springs out of his love for us, and is for each of us as well. God express his kindness in all of our lives when he, through the Holy  Spirit leads us to a change of thinking about the person of Jesus and we accept and acknowledge Jesus as Savior; this sets us free from past behavior we are therefore unapproachable before God.

 "do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" Rm: 2:4

This leads us to obey and trust in the great God.

  Vindicated before All

The vindication which David cried out for looks toward the vindication of all who have received from God all that Jesus has accomplished for all of us. When all who have trusted in the complete and perfect work of Jesus are gathered together in eternity there will be this open declaration of vindication pronounced upon them, they are vindicated by God as David sought. This pronounced vindication is expressed in the worship of Jesus. 

There will be no reproach, no voice of condemnation; your trust and obedience will be openly proclaimed by God himself. There will be no doubt.

At that point and moment in eternity, there will be no gloating , or self-exultation or self-condemnation , for our minds will be so full of the merits of Christ and the thoughts of God that we will not think to recall the wrongs done to us in this life, or the wrongs which we have done others, all of that will have left behind us; we will be in union with the great God and one another, even some of those who may have wronged us in this life.

There in eternity there will be no doubt that you have been vindicated. .

Benediction: May we each and all trust in our Lord Jesus who is our vindication, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

7 CHURCHES OF THE APOCALYPSE A Trinitarian/Christocentric Study PART 3 OF 3

Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, through a vision given to John, conveys messages for seven churches in Asia Minor. Last time we looked at the first four. Now we’ll look at the last three. Though these messages are for particular congregations, they speak to all churches in all times. And so we begin with prayer: “Come Holy Spirit; speak to us; we’re listening.”

1.  Sardis, the feeble church (Rev. 3:1–6)

1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The city of Sardis was known for the manufacture of woolen garments and for the worship of Artemis through a cult that emphasized death and rebirth. Sad to say, it had declined to be but a shadow of its former splendor. The same was true of the church in Sardis—it was alive in name only. But there is hope, because Jesus is present and actively sharing his life with them in the Spirit (the “seven spirits” or sevenfold Spirit). 

What the church in Sardis needs is what only the life-giving Spirit can bring—revival, which will typically involve the congregation’s primary leader (it’s “star”—likely a reference to its lead pastor). As goes the leadership, so goes the church.

Unfortunately, the church and its leaders in Sardis were living on past glories while ignoring present decay. As a result, it was near death. Sardis believers had gone to sleep on their watch. This had happened to the city—Sardis had twice been conquered when its guards failed in their watch. When a church’s leaders and members get accustomed to their blessings and complacent about their ministry, the enemy finds a way in. So now Jesus urges them to “Wake up!”

The first step toward spiritual renewal is awareness that something is wrong. Jesus also warns that, if needed, he will come with discipline when they least expect it (as a “thief”). But this need not occur if those in the congregation who have not “soiled their clothes” will wake up. This faithful remnant have not grown complacent about Jesus and the church’s mission. So Jesus admonishes them to strengthen what remains and not give up! And he encourages them with a reminder about the reward for faithfulness. 

The promise to be “dressed in white” (white representing purity and victory) would have been especially meaningful to people in a city where gleaming-white woolen garments were manufactured. And the warning about names being removed “from the book of life” would be significant to people in the Roman Empire where valuable citizenship was recorded in each city’s “book” of records.  Jesus’ point is that our enjoyment of eternal life as citizens of his kingdom is found in fellowship with him. And thus to fail to participate in that kingdom fellowship actively, is to repudiate Jesus’ gift to us. This is not a statement about losing one’s salvation so much as it is encouragement to active and faithful participation with Jesus in his loving and living.

Note on the “Book of Life” and hell:  Through his incarnation, Jesus has included all humanity with him in God’s “Book of Life”(see Psa. 69:28). Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 reassure us that our names were written there “from the foundation of the world”—long before we had done anything good or bad. By God’s grace (unearned favor), all humanity has been included in Jesus (the second Adam) and thus made to be (named) God’s dearly loved children (Eph. 1:4). If not before, at the final judgment, all people will stand before Jesus, understanding who he is, and who they are in him. But God forces this identity on no one. Each must personally embrace or repudiate the life that is theirs in union with Jesus. To repudiate it, is to place themselves in a condition of alienation (in their minds) from God—an action tantamount to having their name removed from the Book of Life. This is hell.

The warning to the church at Sardis, and to us all, is that we not become complacent and inactive as followers of Jesus. We must pick up our cross and follow him, in the Spirit, fulfilling the Father’s mission. To fail to do so, is to embrace death rather than life. And no congregation is beyond hope of sharing in that life as long as faithful ones step up and strengthen the things that remain. Let us do so!

2.  Philadelphia, the faithful church (Rev. 3:7–13)

7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-- I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Philadelphia (which means “brotherly love”) was a city literally built on shaky ground—it suffered from frequent and violent earthquakes, and many of its citizens lived outside the city walls in the countryside where they felt more secure. Jesus comes to the faithful believers in that city a message of assurance—their place in his city (kingdom) is secure. It is true that they have “little strength,” but they need not worry, because Jesus holds the key of entrance—the “key of David.” This imagery is from Isaiah 22:15–25 where it signifies authority over David’s house and means the Messiah’s undisputed authority over entrance into, or exclusion from, his kingdom (the kingdom of God). So these believers in Philadelphia are assured by the one who holds the key, that they have been given entrance to his kingdom. He encourages them by reminding them that though they are not a well resourced church, they are a faithful one. 

They are true to God’s word and unafraid to bear God’s name in the face of opposition.  Revelation 3:10 suggests that they had endured special testing and had proved faithful. The lesson here is that it is not the size or the strength of a congregation that determines its participation in Jesus’ love and life; rather it’s faithfulness to Jesus’ call.

Part of the opposition they faced was from Jews in that city (Rev. 3:9). This was really the opposition of Satan, for we do not battle against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). How were these Jews opposing the church at Philadelphia? For one thing, by excluding Jewish Christians from the synagogue. Another tactic was probably false accusation. Jesus encourages them to stand strong with three reassuring promises:

·         He will deal with their enemies (Rev. 3:9). One day, these people who oppose the church there will have to acknowledge that the Christians were right! (see Isa. 60:14; Phil. 2:10–11). If we are faithful to God, he will fight our battles for us.

·         He will keep them from severe trial (Rev. 3:10). “Hour of trail” here is not a reference to a specific time, but to trials themselves—times when God’ moves in power within the world to reveal his Messiah (Jesus). Believers need not fear such trials, for they stand with Jesus, who is both their judge and defender. The thought here parallels Jesus’ prayer for his disciples in John 17:15.

·         He ensures that God will honor them (Rev. 3:12). To be called a “pillar” is especially meaningful in this earth-quake prone area. Their city may fall, but their home with Jesus in his kingdom is unshakable. Ancient cities often honored great leaders by erecting pillars with their names inscribed on them. God’s pillars are not made of stone, because there is no temple in the heavenly city (Rev. 21:22). His pillars are faithful people who faithfully bear the name of the Faithful One.

Jesus calls his faithful ones to remain faithful!

3.  Laodicea, the foolish church (Rev. 3:14–22)

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.”

Laodicea was known for its wealth, much of it derived from the manufacture of a special eye salve, and a glossy black wool cloth. It was located near the city of Hierapolis, where there were famous hot springs, and Colossae, known for its pure, cold water. The Lord presents himself to the church in Laodicea as “the Amen”(the truth)--“the faithful and true witness,” who is the “ruler” (which here means “source”) of all of creation(Rev. 3:14). This Jesus wants to show this congregation the truth about its spiritual condition and its source of being. He presents his diagnosis in four parts:

a.   They have lost their vigor (vv. 15–17)

15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

They are spiritually “lukewarm” which means comfortable, complacent, and blind to their spiritual poverty. Both the cold water from Colossae and the hot water from Hierapolis would be lukewarm and polluted—and thus worthless by the time it was piped into Laodicea. This congregation had become lifeless because they failed to embrace the source of true life—Jesus. “Without me you can do nothing” says Jesus to us all (John 15:5). But the Laodicean believers thought otherwise—they relied on their own, rather abundance, resources: “We have need of nothing!” But their material wealth and significant achievements were a shroud hiding a rotting corpse.

b.   They have lost their values (vv. 17–18a)

17” You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness…”

The Laodiceans boasted of their wealth—their city was a banking center and perhaps a marketplace approach crept into the church. They had lost Jesus’ ministry values and became spiritually bankrupt. They were, in the eyes of the Lord, “wretched, pitiful, blind and naked.” The solution? Pay the price to get true “gold refined in the fire.” This suggests that the church needed some persecution; they were too comfortable (1 Peter 1:7). Nothing makes God’s people examine their priorities faster than suffering!

c.   They have lost their vision (v. 18b)

“…and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”

The Laodiceans were “blind.” They could not see reality. When we are not growing in Christ, our spiritual vision is diminished (2 Peter 1:5–9). And these people cannot see themselves as they really are. Nor can they see their Lord as he stands outside the door of their church. Nor can they see the open doors of opportunity. They are so wrapped up in building their own kingdom that they have become lukewarm in their concern for the Father’s mission which is the focus of Jesus, their Lord. The solution? Apply heavenly eye salve! The city of Laodicea was noted for its eye salve. They eye salve from Jesus comes through the Spirit and has to do with repentance—changing our thinking about Jesus and, in the light of that truth, about ourselves and all humanity.

d.   They have lost their clothes (vv. 17–18)

17 “You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Like the Emperor with no clothes, these Christians thought they were clothed in splendor; but the truth is that they were naked. Ironically, the Laodiceans who were clothed physically in so many splendors were spiritually impoverished. They lacked the white garments of God’s righteousness and grace. According to Revelation 19:8, in Jesus we are clothed in “fine linen, clean and white,” which symbolizes “the righteous acts of the saints”—our sharing in Jesus’ own righteous being and doing (works). But they were blind to Jesus and were thus unclothed. Because they commended themselves, Jesus has no commendation for them—they are walking around in the clothing of their own achievement, rather than in the true and lasting clothing of Jesus’ achievement.

Jesus closes this letter to the Laodicean believers with exhortations and warnings:

·         “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev. 3:19a). He still loves these lukewarm saints, even though their love for him had grown cold. So he will discipline them in love (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:5–6).

·         “Be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:19b). He urges them to repent of their pride and humble themselves before their Lord. They need to “stir up that inner fire” (2 Tim. 1:6) and cultivate a burning heart for Jesus.

·         “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 3:20-22). These verses are often applied to lost people, but they are here directed to individual, lukewarm believers, who hold Jesus outside of their own lives. But always a faithful Lord, Jesus patiently and persistently “knocks”—he seeks entrance back in. He will not force his way in—but as each one repents—turns their heart to him, fellowship will be restored and ultimately that fellowship will lead to final victory in the fullness of Jesus’ kingdom. 

The Laodiceans had “successful programs” but their achievement was in the flesh, not the Spirit. They were not abiding in Christ, the source of true life (John 15:1–8). It is only in communion with Jesus that we find true victory and enjoy the true life of his kingdom.

The messages from Jesus, through the Spirit, to the seven churches are specific to particular first-century churches.  But these messages convey principles instructive to all churches at all times... Amen

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"