Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Have you ever seen someone do something wrong and think they got away with it?
They just brazenly break the rules or the laws and they feel so safe in doing so.
Sometimes it can be cute in kids, but human nature is to rebel against God, and it’s anything but cute to him.
And a lot of times we feel like we’ve gotten away with something, but God sees everything, like these kids:
[Youtube Video]
As cute as that is, those kids were avoiding their authorities and thought they would get away with it.
And now their mom has put them on YouTube to live in infamy forever.
We live in a culture that like those boys thinks it’s getting away with anything that humans don’t catch them doing.
Maybe this is you.
You’re hiding your sin in the darkness thinking that if you can just conceal it long enough, you’ll get away with it.
Here’s the thing: our father sees the things done in secret- good and bad.
And in our culture the attitude that we don’t have to answer for our crimes if we just cover them up ignores this fact.
God is always watching, and even when it looks like those opposed to him are getting away with their crimes and their sins, ultimately, they are not.
And that’s sort of the point of Revelation 17.
Our culture will be judged for how it has rebelled against God.
Let’s take a look:
I think I remember another woman in this book who was dwelling in the desert, only she wasn’t a prostitute.
The world is mocking the bride of Christ here.
It’s mocking the church.
See, this is “the great city”.
And I think that’s intended to be spoken sarcastically.
We are “the holy city”.
This is the prostitute.
We are the bride.
She sells herself.
We are purchased.
Do you see the difference here?
Now lest we forget for a moment God’s love for prostitutes too, don’t forget the Old Testament story of Hosea.
If you’re not familiar with the story, basically God tells his prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute because that’s how he felt with his people- they took a vow to Yahweh, and then whored themselves out to these other gods.
And the same thing happens to Hosea- he marries Gomer and has children with her, and she runs off again into prostitution and racks up a debt.
And God tells Hosea to purchase her from basically the pimp to whom she owes the debt.
God has done that for you and for me.
We run off after sin, and he paid with his own blood the price to redeem from sin.
He makes the same offer to the prostitute here.
She isn’t getting away with anything.
God is watching and waiting.
Hoping she will repent.
Pray to Jesus to help us to be people of extreme grace with those who hate us and hate him.
Jesus wins, and by extension, we win, but in the meantime, it’s going to look like the last Super Bowl.
It might look impossible.
But Jesus comes out on top.
It may be 28-3, but it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
So don’t lose faith like I did and check out at the beginning of the 4th quarter.
Do you see how the prostitute lives in luxury here?
She’s got purple and gold.
That’s real wealth.
That’s luxury.
If you’re not living in luxury now, remember the words of Jesus:
He’s not saying that anyone who has any of those things is bad, but he’s saying if that’s your hope, and you don’t have me, you’re doomed.
Woe to that one.
So if you’re not living rich right now, blessing on you.
You will live in luxury when this is over if you just cling to Jesus as your only hope.
Not wealth.
Not power.
Not authority.
Not knowledge.
Not your house.
Not your kids.
Not your stuff.
Christ alone.
Christ crucified.
Christ risen.
Christ within you.
Christ forgiving you.
Christ only!
I’m reminded of this old Irish prayer:
As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen
This is a tale of two cities.
Which woman are you dedicated to?
Which city are you aligned with?
Are you going to be part of the bride or a part of the prostitute?
Are you going to drink the blood of Jesus in Communion, or the blood of the saints in persecution?
The imagery here would be similar to if someone today were to describe a woman with a very short mini-skirt and thigh-high boots with a lot of makeup on and standing on a street corner.
A prostitute is the image that you would naturally download there.
Her attire is designed to seduce onlookers.
The title on her forehead is significant because prostitutes used their foreheads as billboards in the 1st century.
Notice her business is the business of abomination, which John will describe here shortly as the oppression of Christians.
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