GOD ALWAYS WINS (3): VINDICATION!

(Philippians 1:19-20)
May 13, 2018

Read Phil 1:19-20 – Here’s Paul. Falsely accused. Jailed 4 plus years. Going
to trial for his life. How would you feel? Like a winner! Paul did! He felt he
was in a “can’t lose” situation. He knew, with certainty, (“eager expectation”)
his deliverance was just a matter of time. Why? Because God always wins,
and he was on God’s side. Any believer can breathe that same “can’t lose” air.
Life may not get easier, but it’s more bearable, knowing God always wins!
But what does Paul mean by “deliverance”? Acquittal at trial? Or something
broader and higher than mere physical deliverance?

“Deliverance” is σωτηρια – salvation – which can mean physical salvation

but usually means spiritual salvation. Paul quotes Job. When Job was
“comforted” by friends after losing all, they spent a week saying nothing!
Then they open fire with both barrels, suggesting he must have done
something awful and needed to repent. Falsely accused. Paul could relate.

Job says in Job 13:16: “This will be (literally, turn out for) my salvation, that
the godless shall not come before him.” Job’s faith is in God – and despite
appearances, he knows he’ll be able to stand before God one day which the
godless can’t do. Ultimate vindication before the God is what Job envisions,
the same as Paul. He will have vindication “whether by life or by death” (20).
So, by “deliverance” Paul means Vindication! He eagerly anticipates the day
when his life and choice of Christ will be vindicated in the court of heaven.

Paul’s point is, “Listen, what Caesar decides is irrelevant. He can kill me if
he wants. I’ll be acquitted before the only tribunal that counts – the
judgment seat of Christ. Whether I live or die is irrelevant bc in the end I
will be vindicated where it really matters.” Paul’s in a “no lose situation” -- a
good place to be? Don’t you want to be in such a position? As a child of God
we can be. So, let’s look at source and the signs of Paul’s vindication.

I. The Source of Vindication

Most believers live in fear of being mocked for our faith in Christ. We get
roasted on the altar of conventional wisdom. So we have a daily decision. Will
we seek vindication in the court of public opinion, or vindication before
Christ? The first is easy; the second is hard. Paul lists two vital sources of
power that helped him do that – the same two we need.
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 A. Prayers of the Saints -- 19 for I know that through your
prayers.” Sure, Paul prayed for himself. But I love that he was not too big, or
too proud to ask prayers of others. Paul believed in prayer. And he coveted the
prayers of others. He closes his letter to the Ephesians with the request in 6:
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and [pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth
boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.” Think it was automatic for Paul
to share the gospel? No more than for you and me. So he asked prayer for
boldness. Col 4:3: “At the same time, pray also for us.” I Thess 5: 25 Brothers,
pray for us.” James Jas 5:16 instructs: “pray for one another.” Beloved, if we
are to live lives worthy of vindication we must pray for one another.

Patty and I covet your prayers more than anything. I must tell you, in pastors
and leaders you get what you pray for. Wise leadership comes from prayer,
not personality or natural intelligence! AND we must pray for you. For
physical things, yes. But for humility, courage, wisdom, enlightenment,
compassion, and growth. We have no right to complain if we don’t pray, and
if we pray, we will not complain. We must pray for vindication with God.

T. DeWitt Talmadge preached in his own Brooklyn church one Sunday

morning with great power. That evening he preached at another church the
same sermon, but his words fell flat. One of his church leaders who went with
him asked, “How can the same message given by the same man on the same
day seem so powerful in one place and so flat in another?” Talmadge
replied, “Poor preaching is God’s curse on a prayerless church.”

How true is that? We get what we deserve. It’s so much easier to criticize than
to pray, isn’t it?! Think how different any church could be if all criticism,
backbiting or gossiping was turned into prayer for each other. Will you
covenant with me to do better? So we can live lives that will be vindicated?

B. Power of the Spirit – Paul’s second key to a vindicated life is

not unexpected, is it? “19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of
the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The Holy Spirit is all ours. Rom 8:9, “If any man
have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.” He is all ours. But, are we all
His? Did you ask the HS to invade your life this morning? Do you invite Him
to take the wheel every morning? Paul eagerly sought the “help of the Spirit of
Jesus Christ,” and if Paul did, I know I must. He’ll take control if we ask –
problem is we don’t ask. We confine Him to some isolated corner of our lives.

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One of my rich childhood memories was listening to the “Old Fashioned
Revival Hour” radio broadcasts of Charles E. Fuller -- one of the very first and
best radio evangelists, broadcasting from Long Beach Auditorium every week
for more than 30 years. But in 1932 he and his wife Grace were severely tried.
Their young son was near death with pneumonia. The Great Depression had
wiped out their financial support. Charles was desperate. He sold valuable
orange groves inherited from his wife’s family to meet their bills. Grace
herself faced a major surgery and he was forced from his pastorate in
Pasadena. On top of all that a severe earthquake badly damaged their home.

Desperate for help, Grace found in Charles’ study a book of Spurgeon’s

sermons, including one on Jer 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will
tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” She explained:
“When I called upon God in desperation in August, 1933, He answered me
by directing me unmistakably to the library shelf on which this book stood
and to this sermon. It brought great comfort and enabled me to trust God
and to await the unfolding of His plans for us.” How God wants us to call
upon Him constantly for big things and little – never starting a day or a
meeting or a meal or a project without seeking the help of the HS. A
vindicated life is enabled by the prayers of others and the help of the HS.

II. The Signs of Vindication (Paul gives 3)

A. No Fear -- 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will

not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be
honored in my body.” Paul is not worried about defending himself at trial –
not concerned that he’ll be shamed by a guilty verdict. His concern is that he
might fail to represent Christ in his defense -- that he would blow it – that he
would clam up – be driven by fear to deny the truth – overtly or by his silence.
That was his concern – that he might fail to honor Christ in his body, with his
mouth. He knew himself. But with the prayers of his friends, and the help of
the HS, he eagerly looked forward to not being ashamed but representing
Christ with full courage. He had no fear – because he was prepared. He’d be
vindicated at the throne of Christ because he would not fail to speak of
Christ at the throne of Caesar whatever the verdict. Wow! Hit home?

Have you come across this wonderful, yet fearful passage in Rev 21: 6 And he
said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the
end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without
payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his
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God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the
detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all
liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is
the second death.” The cowardly? When I read that, I think of all the times I
have kept silent or missed opportunity for fear of what someone would think.
There is no question in my mind that I deserve hell for those episodes alone.

My only hope is Jesus died for the sin of cowardice also. And as I seek His
mercy, I have no doubt He extends grace. But now, having received grace, I
want to be like Paul. I want to be vindicated by Him rather than by men.
Don’t you? We need to pray for each other – that we will share Christ boldly.
A vindicated life will be increasingly fearless. It’s His opinion that counts!

Prior to the CW, Thomas Jackson was a quirky, unremarkable prof at VMI.
But by Nov 1862 having made his reputation at Bull Run and by brilliant
maneuvers in the Shenandoah Valley, one woman wrote: "No one would have
thought a year ago that [Stonewall Jackson’s] fame would be spread the
wide world over as one of the greatest captains. He is fearless, as he is ready
to meet his God; his lamp is burning, and he waits for the bridegroom."
Fearless – bc he was ready to meet God. Are you ready? If He came today?!

B. No Waste

Paul 2nd expectation is in v. 20b: “now as always Christ will be honored in my

body.” Paul didn’t want to waste time with any action or attitude that would
not in some way bring honor to his Lord. He had laser focus on that objective.

Now, it’s pretty easy to see how Christ is honored in one’s body if you’re
preaching a sermon, or teaching a Bible study, or evangelizing. Clearly on
target, right? And if you’re a traveling evangelist like Paul, you can see how
the things you are doing are honoring to Christ. But what about the average
guy or gal? What about the person who is not a missionary – who is a student
or working in a secular field. What about the majority of believers? Can Christ
always be honored in their body? Is that a legitimate goal for them?

Of course it is. To honor Christ in our body is nothing more than having the
fruit of the Spirit being exhibited in our lives. And we can do that wherever
we are. This should be the goal of every believer – to have every action and
attitude reflect Christ – to live with integrity, kindness, compassion and
prayer. No waste. Career isn’t the issue. Godliness is the issue!

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Of course, it is getting increasingly costly to live for Christ in an increasingly
secular society. Jobs could be at risk in some cases when we are asked to do
things that violate our conscience. It’s tough. But we must ask – are we living
for now – or are we living for forever? To please men or to please God. There
was never a question in Paul’s mind. I hope there’s no question in yours. No
waste – no wasted time, no wasted effort, no wasted goals or objectives.

In Don’t Waste Your Life John Piper tells of Jack Lucas. When WWII began
he fast-talked his way into the Marines at age 14, fooling recruiters with his
muscular physique. Assigned to drive a truck in Hawaii, he wanted to fight.
Stowed away on a transport out of Hawaii and landed on Iwo Jima without a
rifle – grabbing one from a dead comrade on the beach. Next day Jack and 3
comrades were crawling thru a trench when 8 enemy sprang in front of them.
Jack shot one, then his rifle jammed. As he struggled to fix it, a grenade
landed as his feet, then another. He fell on both to save his friends thinking,
“Jack, you’re gonna die.” Well, he survived – after 21 reconstructive
surgeries. “Too young to die, I guess,” the doctors said. Jack became the
youngest Medal of Honor winner, the only high school freshman ever to get it.

Piper says: “As I read that, I thought of all the things high school kids think
is cool. I thought, O God, who will get in their face and give them
something to live for? They waste their days in a trance of insignificance,
trying to look cool or talk cool or walk cool. They don’t have a clue what
cool is.” I don’t know if it’s cool to honor Christ in your body, but I know it’s
wise! I know it’s right, and I know a thousand years from now we will all wish
we’d had that goal rather than some of the trivialities we waste our lives on.
For Paul – no waste.

C. No Limits

Look at Paul’s last phrase: v. 20c: “whether by life or by death” really puts an
exclamation point to his comments. He is saying to God – and reiterating to
the Philippians, “By the way, I have no limits on how God might use my body
to honor Him. No limits. If he chooses to honor Jesus by having Caesar
release me, great. If he chooses to honor Jesus by having Caesar execute
me, so be it. I put no limits on God. I’m in his for however He chooses to use
me.” No limits. That’s a life that will be vindicated at God’s throne.

There is no stopping someone who puts no limits on God. That person is

unstoppable. You can’t touch him. Imagine telling Paul, “I’m going to kill
you.” He says, “All right! It’s time to go home!” So you say, “Okay, we’re
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going to let you live.” “Great – for me to live is Christ.” “Okay, we’re going
to beat you.” “Bring it on. I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings.”
“Well, then we’ll let you rot in prison.” “Fine – I’ll convert your guards and
most of the prisoners.” How do you handle that guy? He’s untouchable.
What drives that kind of dedication? The gospel. The glory that is Christ’s
life, death and resurrection providing forgiveness and cleansing for all who
believe. That’s a life that will be vindicated. No limits. Just God’s glory.

Conc – Here’s the question we all face this morning. Do we seek vindication
at the throne of man or the throne of God? What’s more important to us – the
praise of man or the praise of God. What do we prize more highly – the
opinion of friends, or the opinion of God. I beg you choose God, and help
me choose God – every day, every hour, every minute.

John Paton was planning to go as a missionary to the South Sea Islands. A

aging Christian told him, “But John, Mr. Paton, you will be eaten by
cannibals,” – a very real threat in those days. Paton answered, “Mr. Dickson,
you are advanced in years, and you will soon be laid in the grave, and there
eaten by worms. I confess to you that if I can live and die honoring Christ in
my body it makes no great difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals
or by worms. In the Great Day of resurrection, my body will arise as fair as
yours like the body of our risen Savior.” Vindication! For those who
surrender to Him, ultimate vindication is already a done deal! Let’s pray.