Church at The Mill

Fall of Babylon: A Good Wedding Sermon on a Bad Weather Day

There are at least 5 parts to every wedding.  The last wedding in history will be no different.

A wedding is not a wedding without…

1.  The Excitement v.6-7a  

2. The Date v.7b  

3. The Dress v.7b-8  

4. The Guests v.9a  

5. The Food v.9b  

Have you accepted the invitation?
Is the reality of this event on the calendar of your life keeping you encouraged?
Have you joined the groom in making the invitation known?

 

The Fall of Babylon: The Song of Deliverance - Revelation 18:20-19:5

When God’s people celebrate judgment, it is a completely different song

It is a song of...

1.  Exaltation 18:20

2. Vindication     18:21-24

3.  Affirmation 19:1-3

   Hallel (praise) + Yah (Yahweh) = Hallelujah 

Praise Yahweh!

- God's people affirm: 

•  What He Has

•  What He Does

•  What He Did

•  He has judged Babylon

•  He has avenged His servants

•  He has done so permanently and eternally

4. Participation 19:4-5

 

Fall of Babylon: The Soundtrack of Defeat - Revelation 18: 1-19

As humans, our songs tell the story of our hearts.

This soundtrack has three songs…

1. The Declaration of Defeat v.1-3

      -Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God.

2. The Weeping of the Wicked v.9-19

     - Kings – Those in power

     - Merchants – Those in business

     -Seafarers – Those in logistics

3. The Call to Come Out! v.4-8

The call to come out of Babylon is a timeless message to the people of God NOT to participate in the worldly behavior of those who embrace wickedness

Association leads to participation

Be IN the world but not OF the world

Why come out of Babylon?

• So you don’t commit her sins
• So you don’t receive her punishment

Come out of Babylon...

• Spiritually – nothing matters more than HIM

• Emotionally – overall attitude and identity

• Physically – taking care of your temple

• Sexually – eyes, body, spouse

• Relationally – do they see HIM in you 

• Socially – personal faith = public difference

• Professionally – your “why” at work is HIM

 

The Fall of Babylon - Revelation 17:1-18

Cities and places matter.

The Christians life is about two cities.
One is our here.
One is our hope.

Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God. 

We are shown the…

1. The Lust of Wickedness (v.1-5)

2. The Lure of Wickedness (v.6)

       -In 2026 what are you going to say “NO” to?

3. The Leader of Wickedness (v.7-8)

4. The Line of Wickedness (v.9-13)

       -Wickedness may look chaotic but it is most certainly not.  It is organized, structured, planned, and premeditated.

5. The Loss of Wickedness (v.14-18)

 - Wickedness will lose!

• Wickedness will lose to the Lamb of God (v.14)

• Wickedness will lose to the Lordship of God (v.15-18)

See Babylon for what she is.

Run to the Lamb!

 

Hope is Born: Hope Grows - Luke 2: 39-52

HOPE GROWS!

• Luke 2:7 "...and she gave birth to her first born son..."

• Luke 2:22 “...they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord…”

• Luke 2:40 “...and the child grew and became strong…”

 

I. Faithful Followers

II. Frightened Family (John 8:29)

III. Finding Focus (Luke 8:56, Acts 2:7, Acts 8:13)

IV. Father's Forming (Luke 1:80, 2:40, 2:52)

 

Our Obedience in 2026

• Seek His presence

• Trust His ways

• Follow His will

Hope is Born: Hope for All - Luke 2: 8-20

"Is there any hope?"

See the moment...

Hope Came Into the World v.8-13

Because of God’s Hope…

1. The Angels are Rejoicing v.13-14

2. The Shepherds are Responding v.15-20

3. Mary is Reflecting v.19-20

On Christmas, rejoice like the angels, respond like the shepherds, and reflect like Mary!

 

Hope is Born: The Irony of Christmas

Irony – a state of affairs or events that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects

See the irony in these…

1.Two Decrees v.1-3

2.Two Parents v.4-5

3.Two Moments v.6

1. The first moment is biological
2. The second moment is theological

4.Two Kings

 

Hope is Born: Hope Celebrated - Luke 1:39-56

Christmas and celebrating go hand in hand.

Luke Records...

A Greeting of Affirmation v.39-45

A Song of Celebration v.46-56

Mary celebrated….

1. The Gift of Christmas v.46-47

2. The Grace of Christmas v.48-50

3. The God of Christmas v.51-56

Christmas brings real hope.

Real hope is worth celebrating!

 

Hope is Born - Hope Anticipated - Luke 1:26-38

Luke wrote about the hope of a Savior because of his love for a friend.

This announcement comes with…

1. The Person God Chose v.26-28

      Luke tells us about Mary...

• Her Credentials

• Her Condition

2. The Plan God Used v.29-33

     - God's plan had not changed

3. The Power God Showed v.34-38

   - God showed His power through…

1. An Impossible Conception v.34-35

2. An Improbable Conception v.36-37

3. An Implicit Courage v.38

Look again this Christmas at the people, the plan, and the power God used to redeem us.

 

 

Pouring of Power: The Last Drop - Revelation 16:8-21

4th Bowl: The Bowl of Despair v.8-9a

5th Bowl: The Bowl of Darkness v.10

6th Bowl: The Bowl of Deception and     Deployment v.12-16

7th Bowl: The Bowl of Destruction v.18-21

We need to understand…

1. The Sad Commentary of the Condemned v.9

2. The Sad Commentary of the Condemned v.9

3. The Second Cry of Completion v.17