Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
"Here as in Heaven."
For more information visit : garden.church
Welcome to Garden Church podcast. We're in part two of a series on the book of Revelation. We're doing a deep dive into how to read and interpret this amazing amazing book. Enjoy.
Darren Rouanzoin:Hey. What's up? 10AM. Got this basket, so maybe it was providential. So we'll just put that up here if you guys wanna put cash in.
Darren Rouanzoin:And if you need cash, you can take that in at some part in the service today. We keep seeing God move faithfully through your generosity. Thank you. 10AM, I'm a wreck in the service worship. I don't know what's going on.
Darren Rouanzoin:I couldn't stop crying. I had, we had about a 40 youth pastors in this space on Thursday. I had this dream on my sabbatical where I saw myself gathering youth pastors in SoCal and, I told Slav at some point during my sabbatical, let's plan this for the year and then I got a text from a friend who runs the SEND Network which these global events that happen and he's like, what would you what do think about gathering youth pastors and would you speak? And I was like, here's the email I sent and the dream that I had. And we didn't know what would happen.
Darren Rouanzoin:We thought 30 would show up. A 40 something showed up from Ventura, Riverside County, San Diego County, LA County, Orange County with a focus of getting our heart right before God to prepare our hearts for revival, and then to strategically go after every high school in Orange County. That we'd have a Jesus club in every high school. Because what I'm seeing and this is why, gosh, darn it. I got a long talk too.
Darren Rouanzoin:So this is gonna be tough. Is I see all the young people and God is pouring out his spirit on this young people. And you guys like the older kid, youth group leaders right here? So all the older youth men, I'll call you men, gave up their seats for the next generation. That is amazing.
Darren Rouanzoin:I just wanna honor you guys. I don't know if someone told you that or if that was from your own heart, but well done, gentlemen. And, God's moving. And if you look at the stats, like, I've been going to London for twenty something years. My life changed there.
Darren Rouanzoin:The tide of Christianity has turned dramatically. 30% increase in church attendance. I mean, that's millions of people and it's all gen z. Young men in particular are leading the way. First time in like American history, we're seeing more young men in churches than women.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's a it's a remarkable moment in the church and I believe this is the time. And it's not a season. Right. Every pastor This Two weeks ago, was with the pastor of Saddleback, Mariners, Rock Harbor, and Southlands. We were all talking about revival.
Darren Rouanzoin:We're experiencing a surge of people, a surge of baptisms, a surge of people who have been far away from God coming to, church regularly, reading their bibles, getting baptized, joining small groups, house churches, joining Alpha. This is a moment. And some of you you're back here, maybe you haven't been coming for a while and there's circumstances that brought you here. No. Jesus brought you here.
Darren Rouanzoin:And he wants to keep you in his church. He wants to raise you and your family and your household in his way so that you can stand as this thing that is about to emerge onto the the world. We're we're we're prepared for it. And I think it's, funny that we're reading about revelation through that process because, if you would have asked me before we started this series if this would be a thing that would catalyze the local church for what's coming, I would say absolutely not. Let's talk about the spirit.
Darren Rouanzoin:Let's get back to something else but it is absolutely the book for the moment. You see, we're in a series, we're on chapter 17. So if you have your bibles, hold them real quick. Oh, I'm judging you against eight. Your brothers and sisters, your younger brothers and sisters at eight, they're winning.
Darren Rouanzoin:Smaller congregation, more bibles. I'm just saying some of you aren't prepared, which you don't wanna be unprepared in Revelation. Let me tell you that right now. No. We're nearing the end of this series and, if you just recently joined, let me remind you of the context.
Darren Rouanzoin:This book is not about escape. It's a letter of endurance. It's not about what will come in the future. It's about what we are becoming right now. Revelation is not about getting out of the world.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's about being faithful to Jesus in the midst of the world. And how we read Revelation has significant implications for how we live today. And I wanna give you an illustration. Imagine you're sitting down to a meal with your family in your house and the fire alarm in your house goes off. Loud, obnoxious, a noise letting you know there's a fire in the house And then in your own eyes, you can see there's smoke.
Darren Rouanzoin:And then you are there at, you know, the table and you say, hey, don't worry about the smoke or the alarm. This is just a drill. One day, maybe in the future, there could be a fire, but not today. Let's finish the meal. That would be crazy.
Darren Rouanzoin:That would be insane to think that the alarm was simply symbolic or someday this was gonna be a crisis. That's what's happened with the hermeneutic that revelations forced some other time. Revelation is not a fire drill of end times. It is a fire alarm for this present moment. You don't need the newspaper to read it.
Darren Rouanzoin:You need the old testament. You need to have eyes to see the risen Lord Jesus Christ warning us about what is going on. It's pulling back the curtain of reality and John constructs this letter, this epistle, this apocalyptic prophetic word warning the church about what is happening. He pulls back the curtain and he says, live with conviction now to the lamb or live in compromise in Babylon. The last several weeks and months, we've been building this, kind of epic progression through this book.
Darren Rouanzoin:Chapters two and three, Jesus speaks to the church. Chapter four and five, you see a throne. And on the throne, you see seven spirits. We have illustrations from one of the artists in our church, Seth, is an artist. He's serving in kids.
Darren Rouanzoin:He's a tall guy leading in worship with all the kids. Let's go, Seth Hack. And, you can just cycle through these. You see the throne, the seven spirits, the lamb, the elders, and the the the the four living creatures. We see that at the center of reality is not Caesar, it's not Rome, it's not The United States, it's Jesus.
Darren Rouanzoin:Yes. Come on. And chapter five reveals a scroll and the scroll contains the meaning of history. No one's worthy to open the scroll except for the lamb who is slain. He unseals the scroll.
Darren Rouanzoin:In chapter six, the the revelation of what life looks like apart from God is written about through poetic apocalyptic imagery. So we have warfare. We have trumpets, sounds, ringing alarms, bowls of judgment being poured out, leading you up to see life apart from God is really bad. And it it's as as you think, it can't get any worse. Chapter 12 comes and the camera angle zooms out and you see a dragon and you see beasts empowered by the dragon and this cosmic anti trinity, the dragon and the beast from the sea, the beast from the land represents the cosmic evil power.
Darren Rouanzoin:Satan himself is behind the chaos of the world. These beasts represent systems and empires and ideologies animated by the dragon, Satan himself, demanding your worship and your loyalty. And then chapter 14, which we talked about a couple weeks ago, we see the lamb's people standing, singing a new song, marked with a seal of the spirit and the name of the father and the son on their foreheads. And chapter fifteen and sixteen comes the last cosmic dimension of God's judgment being poured out as wrath. One side is mercy, the other side is wrath.
Darren Rouanzoin:It depends on what side you stand on. As evil according to Revelation has reached its tipping point. The nations have drunk the wine of Babylon's seduction and now drink the wine of God's justice. All of this leads to the ultimate unveiling of the book of Revelation chapter seventeen and eighteen which is where we are today. So grab a bible.
Darren Rouanzoin:Let's go. It's the final unveiling. You guys good? Fifth graders are like, what did I walk into? No.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'm sorry. Sixth graders. What did I walk into? What I wanna show you today is that Babylon, is the theme of this this sermon. It's called the heart of Babylon.
Darren Rouanzoin:And this is a We're gonna see a vision in apocalyptic poetry of a city. Now, the city, is a vision, sorry. It's a vision of a spirit that infects every culture, every economy, and every empire. It's known as Babylon. And Babylon is not so much out there as it is in here.
Darren Rouanzoin:Dependence Depending on how you interpret revelation. I think it's way easier to hope that it's some other place for some other time than to read it the way John intended it to be read. Meaning that it's not just out there, it's here. And not just here, it's here. John is showing us what we're really up against.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is what life looks like in a world where the powers of evil dress up in beauty, wealth, and success. The final curtain pulls back. This is the biggest seducer of them all. Revelation 17. How's that for an intro?
Darren Rouanzoin:Lord Jesus Christ, anoint the word that we would be, good soil to receive from you today the the sword God for the world we live in. Equip us to live without compromise unto the lamb in Jesus name. Verse one says this, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, come and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who sits by many waters. With her, the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries. The angel carried me away in the spirit into the desert.
Darren Rouanzoin:There I saw a woman sitting on the scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and 10 horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery. Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
Darren Rouanzoin:I saw the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. The word of the lord. Now, the imagery about adultery and prostitute, this is all symbolic. It has to do with the allure, the seduction of being, an idolater. Has to do with being seduced into this way.
Darren Rouanzoin:But let me define Babylon. Are you guys good? Great. What is Babylon? Babylon, is is gonna be something I wanna define.
Darren Rouanzoin:First of all, the word Babylon in Hebrew has its roots connected to the word Babel. Babel's in Genesis chapter 11. It's a story of a city and a tower being built without God and the human pride comes in, let's build a tower to reach the heavens. And this is the the narrative of the scriptures that every city tries to build a city without the presence of God. It's progress without his presence.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's the kingdom effects without the king. And so what we see is throughout history, Babylon has become every empire. Now, was a Babylon in the old testament and that becomes this this, tool, a literary tool to describe the the human systems of pride, idolatry and violence that oppose God's way. So it's a literary tool that's used in the old testament and new testament but it's also within the book of Revelation. Now we see that Babylon is not a place and it's not a future.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's happened, it's happening and it will happen. Babylon is not something that just happened. Is it Rome? Yes. Is it The US?
Darren Rouanzoin:Absolutely. It's Los Angeles. It's Orange County. It's the culture we're swimming in. It's not just the cities we live in.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's the consumer Christianity that we are part of. That's right. It's the, baptized in the American dream church. It's Jesus made in the image of America. That kind of cultural nuance that has baptized wealth, success, and fame and it is an ideology, it's a way of living, it's not someplace else, it's right here.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's not some future system, it's a world system that we're already living in. John sees this Babylon as a woman on the beast. The beast we've already read about, it's the beast from the sea. It's the power of politics and corruption. Yeah.
Darren Rouanzoin:And she is drunk on the blood of the saints. So the woman on the beast is Babylon. That's the language John uses to for you to see. It's the embodiment of spiritual compromise in a systemic evil space that you're in. You guys good?
Darren Rouanzoin:Other than it being hot, everything else okay? Yes. I got pastor jokes for heat but that I'm gonna save that for another time. Babylon symbolize We'll get to chapter 20 in a little bit. Babylon symbolizes the entire worldly system throughout history that has opposed God and his people.
Darren Rouanzoin:So it's not a future event, it's not a city, it's the cultural engine that says you can have it all without God. Right? Revelation 17 continues and it says this, it says in verse seven, then the angel said to me, why are you astonished? I'll explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides which has the seven heads and 10 horns. The beast, here it is, which you saw once was now is not and yet will come up out of the abyss and go to its destruction.
Darren Rouanzoin:So there's this repeated phrase, it goes on the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast because it once was, now is not, and yet will come. That is a play on Revelation one verse eight. Jesus, the one who is was, who is and is to come. It's a satanic parody. This is the thing about evil and I just wanna make this case.
Darren Rouanzoin:Evil is not creative. It's a mimic or mocker. It mimics the creative design. So whenever you see evil played out, it has no originality. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:So it just mocks and mimics the work of the spirit. Demons try to inhabit bodies cause the holy spirit is what inhabits the people of God. We see it all the time. It's just a counter to God's creative dimension. Evil just tries to mimic it.
Darren Rouanzoin:It just always falls short. Same with Babylon. Babylon looks like salvation. But as you get closer or as you stay within, you see it offers no life. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:So this is why, Eugene Peterson says, what we call culture is often simply Babylon dressed up in sophistication and success. Or I like what Michael Gorman says in his book, reading Revelation responsibly. Great book. The prostitute seduces seduces through, through economic prosperity and political security while the lamb calls for self sacrifice, faithfulness and endurance. If you were to keep reading this, I just wanna make the case that, there's some things about the kings.
Darren Rouanzoin:What's the kings? All of all it's showing you over and over again is that Babylon has fallen, Babylon is falling, and Babylon will continue to fall. Ramin shared this in between services. It's like, hey, if you're gonna place your money somewhere, don't place it in a stock that's falling. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:Put it in a security. So as Babylon falls, as it continues to fall, the kingdom rises. And it says in verse 14, they will wage war against the lamb but the lamb will triumph over them because he is what? Lord of lords and king of kings. And with him will be his called chosen and faithful followers.
Darren Rouanzoin:So, this kind of play on what's happening, this language of of Babylon The Great, the mother of prostitutes, it's all apocalyptic style of writing. Can I just give you a summary that will help you understand what this chapter is all about? This is Jesus' teaching in the sermon on the mount. You cannot serve both God and mammon. It's all it is.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's that simple. That we're like we get obsessed with trying to figure out the kings and the kingdoms throughout history. No, no, no, no. This is about having eyes to see that when you walk out of here, when you pause and pull open your phone, there is a dynamic, a spiritual power that is shaping you, that is promising you life, That is cultivating you in its image and it has it's riding the powers of the beast. And then it goes on and it says, not only does he triumph but it says in verse 16, the beast and the 10 horns you saw will eventually hate the prostitute.
Darren Rouanzoin:They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. Holy Lord. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority until God's word is fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.
Darren Rouanzoin:Oh. What it's saying is evil will destroy itself. Yes. Right. Anyone lived in the last four years?
Darren Rouanzoin:Yeah yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Evil is inherently self destructive. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:Truth doesn't need to support itself up. Lies have to be held up. Right? It's like a keep you uppy. All my parents in the house.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'm dating myself. Let's go bluey. We have to that we have to keep the lies afloat. Right? That's why if you've ever lied to somebody and then you have to extend that lie until it's found out and then it collapses.
Darren Rouanzoin:But if we build a society on the ideologies of Babylon, then the whole thing will eventually collapse on itself which is what we're experiencing right now. We're experiencing in the cultural ideologies we're swimming in in the school systems, in the government, in every system out there. In the West, A political, social experiment that we are part of. A collapse. Where left is not left and right is not light, right and biology no longer matters.
Darren Rouanzoin:What you feel is God therefore worship the God of that is yourself. All of this is falling apart right now. Which is why I think the revival that's coming from young people has to do with this isn't working. Right. This little experiment thought experiment you have has affected me since I was a kid and this is real.
Darren Rouanzoin:There is right. There is left. There is biology. There are things that matter. There are there are boundaries God has placed in creation that still matter.
Darren Rouanzoin:Right. And this is what we have to be aware of as the church. Not to go out and pick it against people, but to persevere. To withstand with love in the way of Jesus. We don't fight the beast with the beast tools.
Darren Rouanzoin:We become beastly when we do that. We carry his mark. We live as the sacrificed lamb lived. Quiet, submissive, humble, loving, gentle, generous, caring, giving ourselves up. So when the opportunity presents itself, you get out of your chair.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's the way of the lamb. It's a downward mobility. And who does it? Whoever knows they have the power. The seniors in the room gave up their seats.
Darren Rouanzoin:That is the way of Jesus. And it starts small and it goes everywhere. Today, I was talking to my boys at the table and we were talking about this event that happens with friends and they were talking about certain friends were choosing themselves. And I said, that's cool. Let's not get upset.
Darren Rouanzoin:Instead, what would a biblical story be for the way we should live instead of that? Let's not talk about them in a bad way. And one of them One of my kids talked about the prodigal son being being prideful and squandering the wealth. And the And then we eventually got to what would be example of not being self centered when we're around our friends because that's where it matters most. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:When you're home with mom and dad and you're talking at the dinner table and you get selfish, look, that's okay. But God's law, God's way is designed for each other as we go out. And it got down to washing each other's feet. That's the model for relationship. That's what Jesus said.
Darren Rouanzoin:So every time you get an opportunity to not choose the couch, to not get the the better food, to not have the last treat, take it. And he will reward you. Right. This is what mom and dad has seen throughout our whole life. This is a conversation with a sixth grader and a third grader today.
Darren Rouanzoin:The way of Jesus is to live in culture but not ever of it. So Babylon is falling. Justice is self destructive. Sorry. Injustice is inherently self destructive.
Darren Rouanzoin:Evil eats itself alive. And then we get to chapter 18. Are you guys good? Yeah. Can I see that water over there?
Darren Rouanzoin:I need some water. Sorry. Thank you. Thanks babe. Talks amongst yourselves real quick.
Darren Rouanzoin:Discuss. Just say amen, hallelujah. Okay. This is where it's gonna go deep. I know.
Darren Rouanzoin:You're like, how can it get deeper? It's gonna get deeper. One of my mentors said, hey, Darren. Because I I get obviously, I get passionate. And like, I'm studying all week, so this text is ruining me all week.
Darren Rouanzoin:When I teach preachers, I'm like, don't preach something you learned. You can't preach the text until it does something in you. It's the problem today. TED talk sermons. We love TED talk sermons.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'd rather take an anointed preacher Yeah. Who's lived it, who stumbles through the sermon but it's in him because he submitted to it than someone who's really clever. Yeah. We don't know the difference anymore. We gotta learn the difference.
Darren Rouanzoin:You guys can feel it out. Gen z gets it. Alpha generation gets it. They can smell in authenticity so quickly. But chapter 18 is a subversive satire.
Darren Rouanzoin:It is written as a cosmic judgment, a prophetic lament. This is the funeral of Babylon and it's poetry that burns. And if you read it as this is some future event, you miss the point. What's the point? Babylon is already in your heart.
Darren Rouanzoin:Your heart. My heart. Right now. And these are a a poetic way of showing you the signs that Babylon is alive and well inside of you. So the response will be, come out of Babylon, which we'll get to.
Darren Rouanzoin:But let's first look at the seven signs that Babylon lives in you. Are you ready? I'll just start it. So here's this prophetic oracle. It borrows from Isaiah.
Darren Rouanzoin:It borrows from Ezekiel, it borrows from Nahum. This is chapter 18 verse one. After this, I saw another angel, coming down from heaven. He had great authority and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. So he's seeing through everything.
Darren Rouanzoin:With a mighty voice, he shouted, fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has become a dwelling for demons. A haunt for every impure spirit. A haunt for every unclean bird. And a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal for all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries.
Darren Rouanzoin:The kings of the earth committed adultery with her. The merchants of the earth grew rich from their excessive luxuries. Then I heard another voice from heaven say, come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins. So that you will not receive any of her plagues for her sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given.
Darren Rouanzoin:Pay back Pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her her heart she boasts, I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow.
Darren Rouanzoin:I will never mourn. Therefore, in one day, her plagues will be over overtake her. Death, mourning and famine, she will be consumed by fire for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. K. This is If you try to read this as a future, you'll miss it.
Darren Rouanzoin:If you read this in view of Exodus, I'm sorry, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Nahum as this prophetic funeral moment. They're they're This is borrowed language to cast a declarative stance that Babylon has fallen, is falling, she's being judged. But there's signs of Babylon that we need to pull out. Okay. So I'm gonna give you these seven signs that Babylon lives in you.
Darren Rouanzoin:The first trait that you are consumed by Babylon is you have a life that is a self made living. You're leaving God out of your life life. The idol of self sufficiency. Selfishness is at the heart of Babylon. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:I sit enthroned as queen. I'm queen and I will never mourn. There is this mindset of pride that creeps in and pride builds cities. Pride is what builds us a life apart from God. Pride empowers prayerlessness in the church.
Darren Rouanzoin:We don't have to pray, Lord, give me daily bread because we don't need it. We are self sustained by our hands. It's what Bill was talking about last week. Some of us don't even realize realize wrath is being poured out because we have insulated ourself from those who are suffering. Pride, it starts with building a life apart from God.
Darren Rouanzoin:Does your marriage have God in it? Or are you as Eugene Peterson says, practical atheist? Practical atheism is building cities and lives lives as if God doesn't exist. And I see in the church, we don't parent with his presence. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:We don't date with his presence. We don't expect relationships now as 13, 14, 15 year olds to have the holy spirit attached to them. I was at humble maker or saint What's it called now? The church Saint Rose. Let's go Saint Rose.
Darren Rouanzoin:Humble maker Saint Rose. It's it's now Saint Rose or nowadays coffee. I'm not sure. It's got the the formerly known as Humble Maker, p c h. And I I turn around, I'm I'm writing this sermon.
Darren Rouanzoin:I see four 20 two, 20 one year old guys, boys. I I'm 20 I'm 40. So I'm 20 older than And and they're reading their bibles talking about God in this giant table and my heart was like, come on. And I just started talking to them and one of them hands me an Asbury journal and gave me a word of knowledge about revival. Wow.
Darren Rouanzoin:Doesn't know me from anything. I was I brought it home to Alan like, look how special this is. He gave me his journal from Asbury when he went. I was like, this is amazing. God's doing something.
Darren Rouanzoin:There's there's a there's a humility of of now bringing the presence of God, the word of God into our relationships and create independence. We need to get back to those. Amen? Amen. Number two, desire without boundaries.
Darren Rouanzoin:Freedom without meaning. Sensuality. It's all over the chapter seventeen and eighteen. This idea of sensuality of enjoyment or pursuit of physical pleasure. Revelation 17 verse two and four.
Darren Rouanzoin:Revelation 18 verses three and nine. She's, Babylon seduces leaders, nations with her immorality. Everything is sensualized. The seduction is normalized and it's in the church. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:It's here. Like, we have Like the way I see Babylon working is the desensitization that's happening. We This is normal. Like, I've heard conversations about the dating world today in Christian circles and I can't believe what I hear about the sexual immorality, about the boundaries that are being crossed, about the control and manipulation in the church. That's wild.
Darren Rouanzoin:How is that even possible? There's a clear People, what we do is we we justify our belief systems and behaviors because the word of God has run void in our life. And because we're we're literally desensitized with every image, with every podcast, with every movie, we think it's normal and we normalize it. Only everything we consume needs to be challenged against the scripture in the way of Jesus. Scripture says not even a hint of sexual immorality.
Darren Rouanzoin:What's a hint? Anything that is not between one biological man, one biological woman, and a covenantal marriage relationship unto God. So everything else is off the table until then. And let me say this, singleness is not cured in marriage. And the goal of singleness is not marriage.
Darren Rouanzoin:Well, let me say this. The goal of all of us is marriage to the lamb. Right. Yeah. Everything we do is preparing us for our bridegroom.
Darren Rouanzoin:So marriage becomes the primary catalyst of sanctification. The process of becoming more like Jesus because now you're married to somebody who holds a mirror and says, honestly, nope, that's not right. And God bless them. That's the goal. And in in single communities, we need to have that kind of covenant in singleness to help our brothers and sisters have that kind of intimacy now.
Darren Rouanzoin:Do you know what I'm talking about? That's a freebie. Let me just say for everyone that calls the garden home and dates and are not married yet. Raise your hand so we can help you out right now. No.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I don't wanna help you out right now. Actually, do.
Darren Rouanzoin:I do wanna help you out right now. This is a first importance in our culture. To live with one another the way of Jesus. Don't cross boundaries. Hold the boundaries.
Darren Rouanzoin:Yes. Learn to love now your spouse in practice as you date. Right? This is not about consuming people. This is not about manipulating your relational connection.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's not about healing your trauma. It's not about you finding, you know, permission to be freed from a previous relationship through this person. This is about you learning to love Jesus in a relationship. So do it in the way of Jesus. Amen?
Darren Rouanzoin:Amen. Stop crossing boundaries. Stop lying. Stop manipulating and hold each other up. Are you alright?
Darren Rouanzoin:Is that okay? Can we do that? Alright. I love you very much and I I am for godly people in our church. Wherever you find yourselves in life stage.
Darren Rouanzoin:Number three, exploitation disguised as success. Babylon's economy depends on human suffering. See what happens is Revelation eighteen thirteen says, she's traded. She trades the soul. They list out this poetic listing of all the spices and incense.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's like this list and at the end it says, and she sold human beings sold as slaves. This is what happens in our time where we we justify the means for the ends. Right? And so what does Babylon live in your heart? Are you manipulating, controlling?
Darren Rouanzoin:Are you, are you exploiting others for the sake of success in your business? Are you living in your business the way of Jesus? Are you blurring the edges? Are you are you making some areas gray? That's what he Babylon's in your heart if you're lying about things.
Darren Rouanzoin:Are you with me on this? So in the church, we justify the means for the ends. We justify greed because we compare ourselves to other friends. They have it. We should too.
Darren Rouanzoin:What is that to you? Follow me. I can go off on this. I don't have time. Number four.
Darren Rouanzoin:How does Babylon live in your heart? Well, stuff is your salvation. I like saying that, you worship products is a better one or you know, the word could be consumerism. But Revelation 18 reveals that Babylon shows you that salvation comes to the products you purchase. That you identify with what you consume.
Darren Rouanzoin:Isn't this what we do? How many of you bought a book on Amazon? Never read it but told people, I read the book. I think therefore I am. I purchased it therefore I read it.
Darren Rouanzoin:Merchants will weep when Babylon falls because their identity and security is in the market and production. Babylon I love this line. Babylon doesn't want your soul, just your participation in the market. Number five, power through control. So the empire dominates through force but Jesus wins through sacrifice.
Darren Rouanzoin:Revelation seventeen eighteen verse 24. I'll Let me read at eighteen twenty four. It's the end. And it says, in her No. Verse 23.
Darren Rouanzoin:The light 24. In her was found the blood of the prophets and and of God's holy people of all who have been slaughtered on the earth. So the empire, Babylon, wins through power and control, through force and domination. The world will want you to lead like them through control but Christ invites you to surrender. Two more and these are more important ones.
Darren Rouanzoin:Number number six, how do you know Babylon is in your heart? Well, you twist the truth. You live lies. 18 verse 23. This is the one.
Darren Rouanzoin:The light of a lamp will never shine in your in you again. The voice of the bridegroom and the bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's important people. By your magic spell, all the nations were led astray. Babylon leads the world astray through lies.
Darren Rouanzoin:And this is the probably the most important one for the, for you youth. This is the most important one you wanna take away. So if you've been checked out, let's let's lock in. Alright? Here we go.
Darren Rouanzoin:This one is important because Babylon deceives the nations. It sounds like truth. It looks like resurrection. It feels like peace but it's a lie. Deception comes through desensitization.
Darren Rouanzoin:We are desensitized by seemingly harmless content through movies, streaming platforms, memes, images, cartoons, podcast, songs, as well as peer pressure and their friendship circles. We are swimming in ideologies and Jesus followers, we have to be passionate and pursue biblical fidelity. Meaning, we gotta hold to the truth of scriptures both the ancient and obvious ones because Babylon will broadcast to us lies all day long. We must be disciples of Jesus who question the common narratives that are sold to us through entertainment. These platforms are propaganda machines and have agendas.
Darren Rouanzoin:Now, stay with me. Look, I'm not saying Netflix, TikTok, Instagram are the devil. I'm not saying that. But I am saying they are used by the devil. So don't be foolish.
Darren Rouanzoin:Don't be dumb. When culture tells you your identity is fluid, it's a fluid construct that you can create, contradicting the inherent truth of biology and biblical convictions. God is the one who gives you identity and value and worth. We have a problem if we agree. That's just the start when our children are overly exposed to adult content.
Darren Rouanzoin:When images of violence and sexuality are normal part of selling products. We are being played by Babylon. When mindless consumerism is the norm. When it's the cheapest products that matter and we turn a blind eye to the corporations who partner with third party manufacturers who exploit children and the poorest of poor, we are living in Babylon. Every one of us are part of the problem.
Darren Rouanzoin:This device this device fuels the oppression of the modern day slave movement through batteries. Sure, Apple doesn't do it, but the the companies they use to get that rich resource out of the ground is doing it. And look, I'm not saying stop buying stuff. I'm not saying stop watching shows. But I'm asking you to engage in the physical realm with a spiritual lens.
Darren Rouanzoin:What you consume has spiritual implications. It's forming your soul. What you allow into your life. What you allow into your household. What you allow your kids to participate in shapes them.
Darren Rouanzoin:And don't say because everyone else is doing it I'm jumping in on the bag bandwagon. You're a follower of the lamb. So so and so has it. You don't have to let your kids have it. We have to be robust and resilient.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is the moment. This is why seventeen and eighteen, Revelation is so important. We have to see that we're being seduced by success, by wealth, and it's demonic influence. That's what Revelation's saying. So faithfulness is resistance.
Darren Rouanzoin:Holiness is rebellion. Worship is warfare. And it gets down to point number seven. All of this is whether or not you will live with conviction for the lamb or you'll be compromised in Babylon. It's when number seven, your worship's gone wrong.
Darren Rouanzoin:You're you're you've misdirected your desires. Every human heart worships. If not God, it worships power, money, sex, self, or nation. So the call for us as a church, Revelation eighteen four, is to come out of her. Come out of Babylon.
Darren Rouanzoin:All of you must come out of Babylon. This is the warning to wake up, live differently. You are in the city but your heart belongs elsewhere. Revelation is not about escape the world. It's about to, it it But it's about resisting the loyalty.
Darren Rouanzoin:Resisting it in loyalty to the lamb. Let me read that again. Revelation is not a call to escape the world but to resist it in loyalty to the lamb. So, this chapter, we see the strategy of the dragon. We see the beasts of power in chapter 13, the beasts of land, the the, ideology of the religious movements that have drawn people to astray to to walk away from their faith, and now we see the destructive methodology that's disguised as pleasure, fun, and harmless participation of consumerism and technology.
Darren Rouanzoin:All of this is robbing you of your humanity. Why? Because the devil is a liar. So what do we do? I got four minutes.
Darren Rouanzoin:We're doing great. It is hot. I need a towel. What do we do? Well, obviously, the answer is we leave the city.
Darren Rouanzoin:So all of us, we're gonna do what the fifth century, monks did. They recognize the cultural moment that Rome was shipwrecked and they needed to find safe pastures so they moved out of the city. They created monasteries to preserve a culture. So here's what I'm gonna do. Some of you are come we're gonna buy land in Idaho.
Darren Rouanzoin:We're all gonna move. Some of you will work the land. Some of you will hunt. We need some doctors and teachers for the kids. It will be we're we're creating a cult.
Darren Rouanzoin:And when did the garden stop? Right then. Yeah. This is great. You're like, I'm in.
Darren Rouanzoin:No. No. No. Because here's the reality. Babylon would still creep in.
Darren Rouanzoin:Right? Yeah. Right? Of course it would. Because the human heart is broken without Jesus.
Darren Rouanzoin:So what is the call? To live in Babylon but not of it. To live in a context where everyone is in the world is drunk on the wine of Babylon but we are sober minded and alert. So what do we do? One, we embrace spiritual warfare as our discipleship.
Darren Rouanzoin:Recognize that we are being desensitized by Babylon. So don't allow her to come into your heart through mindless, harmless cultural ideas. These are dark and demonic belief systems. Use divine weapons of prayer, and scripture, and covenantal community, and remember your identity, and pursue point number two, holiness. Resist temptation and eliminate ongoing sin.
Darren Rouanzoin:I don't know how else to say it. But we need a resurgence of holiness in the room. We need to be consecrated unto the Lord. I'm not talking about opting out of habits. Some of you need to opt out of habits.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'm talking about having a greater desire for more of God in your life. That the compromise that you've allowed in your hearts, that you've allowed in your relationships, that you've allowed into your mind and your body is the opposite of what Jesus desires for you. And if you're gonna walk as the people of the lamb for the love, pursue the way of Jesus wherever you are. So I can stop apologizing for the problems of the church. It would be so great if we just act like Christians.
Darren Rouanzoin:And when we make mistakes, we apologize, own, ask for forgiveness. When someone hurts us, we forgive. How many times? I don't know. 70 times seven.
Darren Rouanzoin:And a number that doesn't make sense. Just keep on forgiving. But let let like if you were to write because what's happening right now, this is what I know is happening. The Holy Spirit who's in you is convicting you. And it it it starts as like a quickening in your heart or mind like you have this thought like, I'm talking about one thing and then your mind jumps over here and you're like, oh I Yeah.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's I shouldn't have done that. But then you you desensitize the voice of God. Right? So you let's get back. You're like, it's not that bad.
Darren Rouanzoin:I mean other people I know so and so did this And then you get back here and you forget that the spirit's leading you right now to repentance. Leading you to life. You you're like, I want freedom and he brings up this random thing. You're like, that's not the freedom I want. I'm good with that kind of poison, you know.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's not that bad. Just a little bit. And what the Lord begins to do is he begins to pull out these things, not as shame but out of love. He woos you into being the greatest version of yourself which is looks like him. It's not starting with your desires.
Darren Rouanzoin:It starts with his desire for you and you just surrender to that. That's consecration. Devotion to the Lord. And the last three things. So how do we how do we live in Babylon but not of it?
Darren Rouanzoin:It's something I call cultural discernment. I don't want you to go and live in a monastery. Some of you maybe you have that calling. I want you to live in the world but not of it. I want you to live wherever God has planted you, not touched by it.
Darren Rouanzoin:Infecting those around you with the culture of the kingdom. Cultural discernment, is where we learn as disciples to live wisely and engage in culture. Recognizing that everything we consume has underlying messages and values and world views that shape it. So we have to critically assess what's influencing us. So it's how we engage and what entertainment we allow, technology, social norms, maintaining our belief systems as we head in.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's Daniel in, in in Assyria. It's Daniel with the Babylonians. Sorry. He's in the Babylonians. It's Daniel being faithful to Yahweh in the empire.
Darren Rouanzoin:And what we do is we filter culture through the lens of a biblical world view and we discern what's true and good and beautiful and right for us and our family in this moment. And let me just say to all the parents because this is the big parent gathering. You have permission to opt out with your kids. Opt out of the norm. Because whatever is normal in our culture in Southern California, it's absolutely crazy.
Darren Rouanzoin:It should not be normalized. I'm sorry kids and youth. But we have to be diligent in our discernment for our households. Pay attention to your kids. What's the thing behind the thing?
Darren Rouanzoin:Debrief as often as you can what your kids are experiencing. When they watch a movie, when they see a show, when they hang out with friends, when they go to parties. Ask them about what's going on. Coach them in the small things and the big things but most importantly intercede for them. That God will show up and help them discern what's right and true because they need, they have the holy spirit and they need the wisdom that you carry through prayer as they make these decisions by themselves.
Darren Rouanzoin:Cultural discernment will require you to opt out of certain things to recognize that some of the things that the world is swimming in is not for our family. So guess what? You might be rejected. Your kids might have FOMO. They might fear they're missing out.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's okay. Why? Because it's your task to raise them in the way of Jesus. It's not our task as the church and we have an amazing church leadership that's discipling your kids but you are the greatest influence in their lives. So cultural discernment is not about what we reject, it's about what we love most.
Darren Rouanzoin:So it's not about who am I, what am I against, but who do I belong to? Revelation, in Revelation, those who resist Babylon are those who are marked by the name of the lamb and live in allegiance to him. So in the words of Darrell Johnson, let's be people who wake up in Babylon but live toward the New Jerusalem. Amen?
Intro/Outro:Thank you so much for listening. For more information, please visit us at garden.church.