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Before we open our Bibles and take our seats, I'd love to read something that Daryl Johnson says about this moment. He is a speaker, an author, a well-respected theologian, and this is what he says. Whenever a human being, Bible in hand, stands up before a group of other human beings and invites the gathered assemble into a particular text of the Bible. And as faithfully as possible tries to say again what the living God is saying in the text. Get this church. Something always happens. Something transformative. Something empowering. Something life-giving always happens. Does anyone in here this morning? You need to be transformed. You need to be empowered. You need a word from the living God this morning. Hebrews 12 says this. For the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword. Cutting between soul and spirit. Between joints and marrow. So, God, this morning we open our ears, we open our hearts, we open our spirits, our souls to what it is that you're wanting to say to us today. You want to change us, you want to transform us. You want to empower us. You want to change mindsets this morning. Whatever's distracting us from hearing all that it is that you want to say, would you help us be laser focused into what you are wanting to do in us today? And a faithful church said, Amen, amen. Come on, can we thank God as we take our seats? Make sure you say hello to the person next to you. Ask them their first, middle, last name. Thank you, team. Can we thank our worship team this morning who led us so beautifully? What was that, Stealthy? Oh no. Worship team. Is that what you said? Youth. Love you guys. The title of my message this morning, if you're taking notes, and I hope that you are, whether it's one word or one sentence, I believe God has something that He wants to say to you. The title of my message is called Tambourine Testimony. Can anybody say tambourine? Does anyone remember tambourines in church? Give me a wave. Maybe used to have a tambourine. We're going to turn to the book of Ephesians. Does anyone still bring a physical Bible to church? Of course you do, Chris. Yes, give me a wave if you've got your Bible this morning. Yes, of course. A few phones being waved around. That's that counts too, right? But we're going to turn to the book of Ephesians. The book of Ephesians, it was written by the Apostle Paul and it was a letter to the church. It was a bit like a church newsletter. You know, some scholars say that they're not a hundred percent certain that that letter was written to the Ephesians because earlier manuscripts don't actually address the Ephesians. They say that maybe it went to the Ephesians and they were told to pass it around to the church. In this letter, Paul is reminding them of the precious gift of their salvation, of how far that they had come because of Jesus Christ. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 1 to 6. You can turn there, or it's going to come up on the screens. It says, Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in our hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very own nature, we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God, can somebody say, but God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God's grace that you have been saved. For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Isn't that good news, church? Can I tell you a little bit about my testimony? One yes. Maybe we should move on. Maybe I won't tell you a bit of my testimony. You know, I actually grew up in Hillsong Church down in Sydney in our city campus. My mum used to take my siblings and I to church when I was about, I don't know, maybe 10, 8, 10 years old. That's when we started, I think, consistently going. And we weren't the kind of family that just went to one service. We went to morning church, we went to night church, and then back in the day after night church, there used to be extended prayer and ministry time. All the chairs used to get put to the back. And my brother and I would come down from kids' church, and when mom would say, Oh, we're just gonna stay for a little bit, we'd roll our eyes, because like, oh, it's gonna be a long night. Who knows for how long we're gonna be praying and and worshiping. I think we need to bring that back, Hamish. Some extended prayer and worship after the night service. The night team are panicking, saying no. You know, my brother and I, we used to go to kids' church upstairs at City Campus, and once a month we used to get a free Macca's cheeseburger if you invited your friend to church. We used to all lie and say, we invited a friend, but they didn't come. Can we still have that cheeseburger? I think we need to bring the cheeseburgers back if you invite a friend. Maybe you gotta actually bring them stealthy. I think that's a good idea. But you know, at a at a about the age of 15, I walked away from God. I was in a number of back-to-back, toxic relationships, trying to find acceptance and love in all the wrong places. I was a broken young girl influenced by those around me, not understanding my value, trying to find validation in the world, and I tried to build my life my own way all into my young adult years. And if I'm honest, I didn't mind my life without God. I had some good friends, I had fun on the weekends, I traveled the world, I had a decent job, but there was this quiet, consistent feeling that there has to be more to life. There has to be more than this. If I'm honest, I was scared of what following Jesus would cost me, scared of what surrender would really look like? What if God makes me do things I don't want to do? What if my life becomes boring? Any Christians live a boring life? Probably not. What if I have to hang out with boring people? What if God takes all of my money? You know, no one told me these things. It's just what I assumed. Maybe you're even thinking some of these things right now. I thought if I give God control, I will lose all of my freedom. At 24 years old, I found myself in Hillsong London, Linda and Matt. I think we just missed each other. And I was in a service like this. And I hadn't made a decision to follow Jesus. I just found myself in church because London was a big lonely place. I thought, Hillsong London, it feels a bit like home because I grew up in Hillsong. And I remember at the end of a service, at the end of someone who was preaching, I I now realize it was God speaking to me, but I just had this thought. I thought, what if I just give God one year of my life? If it's not any better, after a year, I'll just go back to living my own way. So that's exactly what I did. And I'd love to tell you that everything instantly changed. It didn't. I still lived in ways that weren't God's best for me. I still made unwise choices, but something had shifted. Not because someone forced me, not because God was trying to control me, but because as I got to know God, as I committed to reading my Bible even when I didn't understand it or I didn't want to, as I committed to learning how to pray, as I committed to going to church every Sunday, even if I'd had a really late night on a Saturday night. When I committed to going to Connect Group, when I committed to getting plugged in and serving, slowly I started to want to change my behavior. I wanted to be more like the people around me who didn't just seem happy, but they were full of joy, regardless of what was happening around them. They were full of joy. And I wanted to obey God and find His will and way and His plan and purpose for my life. I started to want what God wanted for me. I realized that the life that I thought was freedom, that wasn't actually freedom. And the life I was afraid of was complete freedom. Let me say it like this. I thought surrender would cost me freedom. It's actually where I found true freedom. You know, I don't really have points for us this morning. I have more so questions for you to answer and to ponder on during the week. Is that okay? My first question for you is what is your testimony? We heard Linda's amazing, powerful, transforming testimony this morning, and I'm sure there was so much more to that, but I was encouraged. I don't know about you. My faith was stirred. What is your testimony? Just have a think for a moment. We all have one. Your story is your testimony. Your testimony may be that you were born into a Christian family and have known God your whole life. That is the kindness of God, and that is your testimony. Your story may be similar or different to mine. The reality is that the gift of salvation, the gift of forgiveness, it is for all of us. And maybe you haven't accepted these gifts. At the end of the service, I'm going to offer us and all of us an opportunity to pray a powerful prayer of giving your life to Jesus. The meaning of that word testimony, can somebody say testimony? I feel like it's an old Pentecostal word, testimony. It means this in the dictionary: a formal, spoken or written statement used as evidence or proof. Evidence or proof. I cannot make up or couldn't have orchestrated my story or the things that have happened in my life where God has come through for me, things that He has saved me from, things He has bought me through, environments, conversations, opportunities that I have found myself in. This isn't to say that my life is perfect. It is far from that. But you cannot tell me that God is not real based on the evidence, based on the proof of my testimony. You cannot tell Linda that God isn't real from the proof and the evidence of what God has done in her life. Can anyone else relate to that? Can I get an amen? And this is exactly what Ephesians 2 is talking about. Ephesians 2, 8 to 9, it says, For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation. For it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ. So no one will ever be able to boast. For salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving. Then verses 11 to 13. But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this. Didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel. Hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now, because of Christ dying that death, shedding that blood, you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything. Church, you are in on everything because of what Christ did for us. And I wonder if the greatest danger in following Jesus isn't opposition, isn't rebellion, isn't walking away from the faith, but maybe it's slowly forgetting what we have been saved from. We have been made alive in Christ. This is good news, church. Do you agree with me? This is the gospel. We didn't deserve anything that Jesus did for us. We didn't work our way into salvation with the Savior of the world. We don't stand free or in right standing because we did anything right. And if I'm honest, maybe I'm the only one in the room, but I don't think so. I I can get familiar with the gospel. I can get familiar with my faith, with how far God has brought me. I can forget what I've been saved from and what I have been saved for. Can I be real just for one moment? I look at the guys I dated before I was walking with Jesus and thank God that He saved me from what my life could have looked like. If you want the details, you can talk to my mom. I'm sure she was on her knees 24-7 praying for me. Again, my life isn't perfect, but God's plans and purposes have been so much greater than any plans I could have come up with on my own. And I wonder if sometimes we forget the significance of what we have been saved from, but also what we have been saved for. And maybe we can drift into something dangerous, something called apathy. Can somebody say apathy? Not a word we use every day. Well, I hope you don't, because the meaning is not great. Apathy means showing little or no interest or emotion or concern. Not bad, not rebellious, just indifferent. It can look like being on autopilot, being disconnected, being distracted, not fully engaging in worship, not fully engaging with your faith. Or maybe, like the word means, showing little interest, emotion, or concern about your faith or those around you, and maybe even God. Not because you don't love God, but because life gets busy, right? Life can be painful, and life can be distracting. And I wonder if slowly we stop responding. Does anyone know the opposite word of apathy? It's a trick question. Passion. Do I have any passionate people in the room? A couple of you. This message is for everyone else. It's not true, it is for all of us. Passionate means showing or expressing intense emotion, strong beliefs, or being enthusiastically interested in something. Isn't that awesome? It's not a personality, it's not just hype, it is a conviction. The contrast with apathy and passion, apathy, it can look like I don't really care, or I don't really think too much about it. Passion. This matters deeply to me. Jesus definitely wasn't apathetic about going to the cross for you and I. He was passionate in his response towards us. Romans 5, verses 6 to 8. While we were still powerless, or some versions say, while we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly, for you and for me. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person. Though for a good person, someone might possibly die. But God demonstrates his love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. I will say that again, church. While we were still sinners, Christ died for you and for me. Isn't that good news this morning? Can I get an amen? Christ died for you and I. Not because we had it all together, not because we ticked the checklist of what it looks like to be a Christian or a good person while we were still sinners. Christ died for you and I. And I wonder, do we have a revelation and a remembrance of what we have been saved from? Because apathy forgets, but passion remembers. My second question for the morning where have you become apathetic in your life? We don't need to discuss this right now. It's just something for you to reflect on. I think we could all answer this. However long you've been walking with Jesus, whether it's a week, a month, 10, 20, 30, 40 years, I think we could all answer maybe where we've just got a little bit apathetic in our faith. Maybe you've become apathetic in your prayer life. Maybe you've stopped opening your Bible as much as you used to. Maybe you've stopped believing for people to be saved. Maybe you're disconnected from your community. Maybe you've become comfortable rather than committed. Maybe you're physically here, but you're spiritually disengaged. You know, the good news. I said, is that passion isn't a personality trait? Passion is a response. And I wondered this this morning if we would be people that would commit to having a passionate response to a passionate God who gave his life for us. So how can we add passion to our faith? Three quick thoughts. I'm sure we could list off many more, but three quick thoughts in how we can maybe add a little bit more passion to our faith. Is this okay? Is this helpful? I'm finding it helpful for my own faith. So I hope you are too. Number one, remember your testimony. Passion remembers what God has done. Go back to your salvation story. Remember where God found you. Remember what He saved you from. Remember God's faithfulness. Number two, re-engage with God's presence. Open your Bible again. Start praying again. Turn worship on in the car rather than maybe Carlin Jackie Oh. Mum loves Carl and Jackie. Every time I drive her car, that dude comes on. Spend time with Jesus. Linger in his presence rather than getting to your to-do list. Number three, I like this one. Get around passionate people. Who's the most passionate person here? Sioni? Sione! Yes, give it up for Sione, everyone, the most passionate person in the room. Or if David Fotu was here, he might be. I think he's also one of the most passionate people in the room. Passion is contagious. I don't know about you, but when I'm around passionate people, I can't help but just wanting to be a little bit more passionate. Who are you surrounding yourself with? I wonder if you need just a little bit more of Sionis or David photos in your life to stir your passion because passion is contagious. I wonder if anyone in this room wants to commit to being a passionate follower and worshiper of Jesus. Passionate about your testimony, passionate in our commitment to one another as a church, passionate in our prayer life, passionate about seeing the lost find Jesus, passionate about your calling, passionate about your relationship with Jesus, passionate about building the church. And we heard of different ways that we're gonna be able to do that in just a couple of weeks' time through our giving. Passionate in our worship. Can I just talk about worship for a moment? Tim, worship pastor, wherever you are. He's gonna be amending this, I think. Are you worshiping out of how you're feeling? We've all been there. Whether you've had a good day or a bad day, whether you've had the kids kicking and screaming, getting into the car, or whether you've had worship music the whole way to church. Are you worshiping dependent on who you're standing next to? Or are you worshiping out of a revelation that you have been saved from death to life? That you are set free from sin and hell, that the God of the universe loves you, that God has a plan and a purpose for you. And the worship team said, Amen. I think we all need to worship the way that these worship leaders worship. They're jumping around, their hands in the air, even when we're not. They've got a tough gig, I tell you that. In Ephesians, that we just read, Paul is saying, Don't forget where you came from. Don't forget who you were, don't forget what Jesus has done for you. Don't forget that you were once far from God, and now you've been brought near to the God of heaven. Apathy forgets, compassion remembers. And this response is we see this response from a woman in the Bible called Miriam. Do I have any Miriams in the room? No, I don't have any Miriams. I don't feel like it's a popular name, this this um generation. Maybe it's if you're pregnant, that's a put that on your list. Miriam, because she was a passionate worshiper. She was the sister of Moses. And Moses had led the people out of out of Israel of Israel out of Egypt. And Israel were they were God's chosen people, and they had been slaves in Egypt for 430 years. That is a very long time. God had sent many plagues to convince Pharaoh to let his people, let the Israelites go until finally Israel just said, one day, just go, get out of here. Homework this week is to read Exodus from chapter one because it is an incredible story of God delivering and rescuing his people. You know, as the Israelites walked through the Red Sea, they were running, they were about to escape the Egyptian army that were chasing them. They were trying to bring them back to Israel because Pharaoh had changed his mind. As they stepped onto the other side of the Red Sea, they stepped out of slavery, they were rescued, they were delivered from the hands of the enemy safely. Let's look at Miriam's response in this moment. Exodus 15, 19 to 21. When Pharaoh's horses, charioteers, and chariots and charioteers rushed into the sea, the Lord, somebody say, the Lord, brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine and let all the women, as they played their tambourines and danced. And Miriam sang this song. Imagine you're Miriam. You're a slave, and your brother runs into your room to tell you we've got to go now. Pharaoh has said we are allowed to go quick. Pack your bag quickly. We need to get out of here. Only the essentials. The Bible says that they didn't have much time to get out of Egypt. I wonder if you would think to pack a tambourine. Is that really the thing that you're grabbing as you are escaping slavery? I'd understand maybe if you packed your bass guitar. It's probably a little bit more expensive. Look at Jody's bass guitar. Isn't that beautiful? I think that's a bass guitar. Okay, no. It's not. What is it? Electric guitar. I would understand if you would pack your electric guitar. I would understand if maybe you'd gone for your saxophone. Those things aren't cheap. But did she really need her tambourine? I wonder if she packed it because she was getting ready to praise. She was preparing to praise. Can you picture Miriam? One of the two million Israelites that had crossed the Red Sea. Can you imagine that? Two million people were crossing the Red Sea. That would have taken a long time. They cross the Red Sea, they get onto dry land, and the sea comes crashing down on the enemy. God has saved them, He has delivered them. And Miriam, she starts digging into her bag. Her friends are probably thinking, what is she doing? She's going into the back of her horse and she's trying to find something. And she pulls out her tambourine. She pulls out her tambourine. I think next Sunday, Hamish, we all need to bring our tambourine. Amazon, $21. Everybody get one. Imagine her pulling out her tambourine, two million people. And she starts to lead the women in praising and singing. And I'm not sure it was, I'm sure it wasn't just a weak little tap like this because whoever recorded this story took notice out of two million people that she was praising God. And you know, Miriam, she wasn't just leading the women. All of Israel started to worship and to thank God and to praise him for what they had done. Miriam's preparation, her expectation was that she would have a reason to praise. And she caused the rest of Israel to join her in passionate praise to her God. They responded to the Lord, bringing them out of slavery, bringing them out of captivity, out of exile. God had just performed a miracle. And instead of moving on quietly, the people paused to worship. I'm sure their worship was expressive: singing, dancing, instruments, loud, joyful, physical. Because remembrance fuels gratitude. Remembrance fuels passion. I think that's why Miriam reached for her tambourine. She wasn't just celebrating a moment. She was remembering a miracle that just took place. She remembered slavery, where her people for 430 years were captive. She remembered Egypt. She remembered what God had bought her out of. And because she remembered, she responded. You know, the miracle was behind them, but the wilderness was actually still ahead of them. Yet she chose to praise anyway. For some of you, maybe the next question needs to be: will you choose to praise anyway? I wonder what your anyway is. I'm still in pain, but I'm still gonna praise anyway. My marriage is so broken, but I'm still gonna praise anyway. My kids aren't following Jesus, but I'm still gonna praise anyway. My life is a mess right now, but I'm still going to praise anyway. So, question number three is what will your response be to your testimony, or will you choose to praise anyway? What will your response be to what God has done in your life? Where he has brought you from. What is your testimony? Well, remember the sin and death that you have been redeemed from. Not to look back and to reminisce but to look back and remember how far the Lord has bought you. Is anyone grateful in this room for where God has bought them from? Come on. Apathy forgets, but passion remembers. And I believe Hillsong Newcastle, you are called to be a passionate people. You are called to be a passionate campus, a passionate community, passion that extends outside of these walls, into your workplace, into your business, into your schools and your university. And people ask, what is wrong with you? Why are you so passionate? And you'll be able to testify what God has done in your life. You see, passion isn't a personality, it's a choice, a conviction that my faith, that my Lord matters deeply to me. And I'm going to lead my generation in worship to Jesus through my testimony. So, church, what is your tambourine testimony? You weren't saved to live half-heartedly. You weren't made to be apathetic. You weren't bought from death to life. To live so so. Your response matters. Like Ephesian 2 says, it wasn't so long ago that you were stuck in that old, stagnant life of sin. Jesus was showed passion as he went to the cross for you and for me. He definitely wasn't apathetic about that decision. Can I remind you, he is passionate about you? He is passionate about you. So our salvation, it requires a response, a passionate response. Like Miriam. I wonder every day would we prepare to praise? Every morning, rather than looking at the reality of our life, would we praise anyway? Remembering where God has brought you from and what he has saved you for. Your passion is contagious. Your worship is contagious.