Freedom Fighters

This year's been an incredible year for us as a family for two

major reasons. One, we are celebrating a

milestone in our relationship because Kath and I have been

together this year for 40 years, 40 years.

This is kind of cool. It was on March the 17th, 1984

at 10:25 at the local roller skating rink that I just grabbed

her hands, skated backwards, looked in her eyes as Bonnie

Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart was playing.

You might say, why was I skating backwards?

Because I can, and I asked her to be my girlfriend.

I simply said, will you go out with me?

She said yes and we've been together ever since, which is

just awesome. So we've been we've been

celebrating a sabbatical, we've been on holidays for the last

six months, travelling the world like lovestruck teenagers, just

enjoying life together, which has just been amazing.

And the other thing we've been celebrating is the fact that we,

along with the clerks are celebrating the birth of our

church that we planted 30 years ago this year, which is just

amazing. So which was really, really

cool. And we had a big celebration at

the 30th and had some friends over for dinner, which was

amazing. And, and you know, in that

moment where your friends give speeches and it's just beautiful

and it's amazing. It's a little bit embarrassing

and you're saying, oh, please stop.

But you're like, keep going, keep going.

And we had that moment, but then there was this one friend of

ours that said something that just caught my attention and

grabbed me in the moment because what he said was profound.

And while I appreciated it, it made me ponder and think.

And he just, he said, I want to say thank you for being

yourself. Thank you for being your

authentic self and that moment just grabbed me because I

started to think about what that has taken for me to be my

authentic self. And I love the church.

That's why I started with I love the church, but the church at

times is one of the hardest places to be your authentic

self. I love the church with all of my

heart, but for me to remain my authentic self, for us to remain

our authentic selves has been a fight.

It's been a battle, particularly when you have a personality like

me and a surname like Rainbow. I have felt at times there are

people who feel called by God as their mission to take the colour

out of my last name and I've been told many times that I'm a

show off. Can you believe that?

Me a show off? There's a show off?

At least I'm not wearing a tank top.

Seriously, someone get the man a show.

Just make me look bad. Jesus said that he came to set

us free. And I don't met you, but I am

glad that Jesus came to set me and each and everyone of us in

this room. Free.

Who? He's glad that Jesus has set you

free. Is there anyone who is glad that

Jesus has set you free? Do you remember that day?

Do you remember that day when you gave your life to Jesus?

Some of you raised your hand, some of you ran down the front,

some of you wept, some of you laughed, some of you jumped,

some of you danced. It was just an amazing, amazing

experience. That moment of salvation, that

moment where you sensed freedom in Christ for the very first

time. Being set free is an amazing

experience and it's a one off experience that we all get to

experience when we first give our life to Jesus.

But what I've found ever since that moment is staying free is a

whole lot harder. It's a whole lot harder.

And so tonight if you're taking notes and you like titles, like

I like making up titles, I've simply entitled this freedom

fighters. Can you say freedom fighters?

When pastors get you to repeat stuff, it's for two reasons. 1

is so that you memorize it. The other is so that they can

take a drink. So one more time, say freedom

fighters, excuse me, freedom fighters.

That's what we're going to be talking about today, because

staying free is not as easy as being set free.

Being set free is a work of the cross.

Staying free is a battle. It's a fight.

And I would encourage everyone of you in this room tonight, I

trust that you leave this place with courage, with a glint in

your eye, with a smile on your face, with a spring in your

step, that you could leave this place free, freer than you came

today. Amen.

And while I said I love the church, I really do.

But the church is one of the hardest places to stay free.

Why? Because of the expectation.

We have expectations, we just do.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

But sometimes those expectations create pressure and sometimes

that pressure creates bondage. And let's be honest, most of us

don't set out to do that. It's just the result of us

wanting the best for people. It's like mums who look at

Little Johnny who's got a T-shirt on and it's freezing

cold outside and and he's fine but mum's cold and so she wants

to put a jumper on Little Johnny.

Johnny's I don't need the jumper.

Every mum kind of knows what I'm talking about and that's a

well-intentioned thought. There's nothing wrong with that,

except little Johnny doesn't need your jumper.

And a lot of that stuff takes place in this beautiful place

called the church. And the last thing I want to do

is bash the church. But I am here with the love of

my heart for the church and hopefully what I share today

will help us. And so this morning, let's just

this evening, let's just simply pray and we'll move on.

Father, we just say and give you goodness, your faithfulness.

We thank all the incredible stories we've already heard

tonight. And I just ask and pray that you

take my words and you'd use them, Lord, to bring freedom,

life and joy into this place today.

And we ask all of that in Jesus mighty name.

And everyone said Amen. If we don't continue to stay

free and live free, we can find ourselves being more bound than

when we were saved. And that's what we want to try

and avoid today. And this often produces 2

outcomes that we either lose our freedom and we become robots

doing things out of obligation based on the law.

We have to go to church, got to go to church.

Some of you might be here tonight because I've got to go.

Can't miss it. And while that's a that's a good

thing to be in church, it can become a bondage just because we

feel we have to be there. And so we create robots.

And that was never the intention and something I'm not going to

do that. And so we, we don't do that and

we go to the other extreme and we just become rebels and we

just do our own thing. And we think, I'm not going to

be told what to do. I'm just going to do my own

thing. And so we become either robots

or rebels. And you know what I've learned?

The enemy doesn't really care which one it is for us as long

as it's either one of those. He doesn't care whether we're

rebellious or we're robotic in our relationship.

Jesus, however he wants to use, He wants to use our freedom for

another way. So the answer to abuse is not no

use, but it's correct use. And we're really good.

If something's not working, we just Chuck that out and we just

try the next thing. But what we learned from the

life of Jesus is that he was completely free and yet under

full authority. How can you be completely free

and yet under authority? Has everyone ever thought that?

You see Jesus, is he completely his authentic self?

No one was going to put anything on Jesus and they tried.

And yet He was under full authority.

In actual fact, his authority was a real talking point amongst

the people. In Luke chapter 4 verse 32, it

Luke 4:32

says they were amazed at his teaching.

Why? Because it wasn't like the other

teachers. His teaching had authority.

Question, where did this authority come from?

Through being under authority. So Jesus wasn't a rebel.

He was a man under authority. He wasn't rebellious.

He wasn't doing his own thing. He was completely under the

submission of a higher authority.

Jesus said on one occasion, I only do what I see my father

doing. He knew what it was to honor his

parents. Even when he was on the cross

with all the stuff that he was going through physically,

emotionally, spiritually. He looks down and sees his mum

weeping and in a weakened state. He he looks to one of the

disciples. John says, can you take care of

mum? Talk about honour.

He honoured the law in its entirety.

Jesus was not a rebel. His actions were not robotic.

They were not rebellious, but they were birthed out of a

relationship with his father. See, law produces robots and

license produces rebels, but love produces relationship, and

relationship is the goal. I showed you a photo of our

family just a minute ago. But when Mitch got married to

Caitlin in New Zealand last year, I was asked to do a

speech, which isn't normal because it's normally the father

of the bride. But Mitch said, Dad, I love you

do a speech as well. So I said, not a problem.

And I'll never forget what I said.

And I'll never forget the looks on people's faces as I said,

Caitlin, I would love to welcome you into the family and

everyone's ready, poised, ready to clap, you know, and I said,

but I can't. And it went as quiet as it is

right now. And then I explained why I

couldn't welcome her into our family.

I said because she's not joining our family.

Mitch and Caitlin are starting their own family, and one of the

things I know that breaks down new families is overbearing

extended families that put on expectation.

After all we've done for you, do you know the pain you put your

mother through at the birthing process?

We, we don't mean to do that, but we just love them so much.

We just don't want to let go. And I just wanted from the very

outset to say, Mitch, Caitlin, we love you.

And we love you so much that we are willing to let you go

because I don't want you coming around our home because you have

to. I don't want you coming to

dinner because you have to. But do I want them to come

around? Oh, you better believe I do.

Do you think for one moment I don't want to see them again?

Oh my gosh, I would see them every day if I could.

You know the amazing thing? Although Mitch leaves in another

country with ever on the phone, with ever talking,

communicating. This morning I received 5 brand

new photos of our granddaughter and no one made them do that.

And do you know what that does for a glamorous granddad?

And it just makes our day because we never made them.

It wasn't a robotic response. It was a response that was

produced out of love and relationship.

And they want to share the joy, They want to share the love,

they want to share. But we took a risk because we

said, hey, you're your own team. And they are.

They are. And the last thing I want to do

is start controlling them, manipulating them, because the

information I have, maturity, I have years of experience and rob

them of what God is wanting to do in their team, which is the

captain of his team. Nathaniel is the captain of our

daughter's team, Jordan, and we give them the room and the space

and it's so wonderful when they phone us.

It's wonderful when Jordan said, hey, can we come around your

house for dinner? I said, well, we can go around

yours. No, let's go to your house.

It's a it's a wonderful, wonderful thing.

See, God wants us to be free and with the help of the Holy

Spirit, to stay free. As I've already mentioned

before, freedom can be found in a moment, but staying free is a

process. And I do not believe we can do

this in our own strength. I am speaking out of my struggle

of I'm speaking tonight out of my battles and, and, and, and

contemplating, am I being big headed?

Am I this, are they right? Should I be this?

Should I, should I be less of that?

Should I be more of that? Anyone know what I'm talking

about? And I've had to wrestle that

and, and tonight I hope through my experience, we can all help

each other stay free. Everyone say stay free.

In John chapter 16 verse 12, it says I have much more to say to

John 16:12

you, more than you can now bear. These are the words of Jesus.

But when he the Spirit of truth comes, He'll guide you into all

truth. He will not speak on his own.

He will only speak what He hears and He will tell you what is yet

to come. He will glorify me because it is

from me that He will receive what is known to you and make it

known to you. All that belongs to my Father.

Sorry. All that belongs to the Father

is mine and that is why I said the Spirit will receive from me

what He will make known to you. I love this thought that the

Holy Spirit will lead us into truth.

If you're anything like me, you, I just want to know.

Give it to me all now. I can handle it.

We can't handle it. And so Jesus has given us a

precious gift with the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth one

step at a time. And He does that because we're

all at different stage, stages, and phases of life.

And so he speaks to me about what I need to do or not do,

keep doing or stop doing because of where I'm at.

And at the same time, He's speaking to you about what you

need to do or not do or keep doing or stop doing based upon

where you are at. I told a story this morning

about my reluctance to go into ministry and what I'm about to

quickly tell you is pretty embarrassing on my part.

It's so superficial because my pastor was asking me one day

about ministry and what I thought.

I was a teenager and I was loving life at the time, and I

did not want to go into ministry.

And I was very dismissive. I just said no thank you.

I went to bed that night and I just felt incredibly convicted

that I was incredibly rude to my pastor and incredibly dismissive

to what God may have for me in the future.

And then I had this kind of discussion in my bed with God.

You know, those discussions you have, I've never heard the

audible voice of God, but I know the voice of God.

And I felt God say to me, what's your problem?

The kind of thing that God said to Adam, like Adam, where you

at? And I thought God sent me tiny

what's what's your problem? And I had to think about that

for a minute because I didn't really know my problem.

But as I thought about, I thought, well, I do have a

problem because as a teenager, I loved God, I loved our pastor

and I loved the local church I belonged to.

But I didn't want to be a pastor because all the pastors back

then and, and please no disrespect if you fit into

either one of these categories, but it was a big deal to me as a

teenager. My impression of all ministers

is they were overweight and they didn't have much hair.

So bad, so bad. And I, I found myself saying it

out loud. Oh, so sounds so bad.

And the way God responded to me was just one of those beautiful

moments because he met me where I was at in my superficial,

selfish, pathetic state. And I felt him say this.

He said, hey, Tony, if you look after your body, I'll look after

your hair. The thing I didn't do that is

make that a law. The thing I didn't do that is

put that on everyone else. So if you're sitting there all

you shouldn't pray that pray. No, you shouldn't.

That was just me and where I was at at that time.

God meets us where we're at, and I'd never make that a theology.

Herein lies a problem. People don't tend to see things

as they are, they see things as they are.

Do you get that? They don't see things as they

are, They see things as they are, and as a result we tend to

judge accordingly. And Jesus said in John chapter

24 verse seven, stop judging by mere appearances, but instead

judge correctly. So Jesus didn't say don't judge.

He said judge correctly. We tend to judge superficially.

There are some things that are definitely right and wrong.

You know, I'm not going to, you're not going to hear me say

murder is OK, you can murder someone.

So if you were thinking, hey, I wonder if he's going to say

that's OK. No, but they're the obvious ones

and they don't tend to bring too much bondage.

They're pretty obvious, those ones, but it's the things that

we perceive are right and wrong that tend to bring the problems

and the bondage because we feel very strong that I don't think

that's right. So a couple of years ago I

decided to grow my hair long and it got really long.

And I also at the same time, decided I'm going to ride a

motorbike. And I looked something like

this. And in that time, do you know

how many people said to me, he's having a midlife crisis?

Yeah, Yeah. And do you know what I did?

I stopped and asked myself this question.

Am I having a midlife crisis or is it something else?

Am I having a midlife crisis or am I coming into a new season in

my life of freedom? Two of our kids don't even live

at home anymore. Do you know how much more money

we have now? Financial freedom, baby.

Is it a midlife crisis or is it a season of more freedom

financially without those kids around?

Guess what? I've got more time.

I've got more freedom in time now.

And so I chose to use the little bit of extra freedom I had

financially and time just to do something I always wanted to do.

But I just put on hold to the right time.

And I'm so glad I was able to have that interaction with Holy

Spirit to help me decipher whether it is a midlife crisis.

Because if it is, I need to know that the last thing you want to

do when you're having a midlife crisis say no, this is just new

financial freedom. You don't want that.

And I'm so grateful for the Holy Spirit who's able to speak into

those situations. And so as a result of knowing

the truth, because the Bible says it's the truth that sets

you free, not a truth, everyone will throw a truth at you.

Your hair is getting longer. That was true.

That was a truth. But it doesn't mean now because

of that, I'm having a midlife crisis.

And so because I got my answer that I needed, it set me free.

And when people say you're having a midlife crisis, I just

joined it and said, that's so funny.

It's true, isn't it? But one thing I didn't do is

just stop growing my hair. One thing I didn't do is sell my

motorbike, because that would be to put me back into bondage.

See how it creeps in? I think when it comes to how we

decipher whether someone is right or wrong is often measured

by the wrong metric. So I want to look at 4 things

that have helped me when it comes to making decisions to

stay free. I don't have long, so I'm going

to quickly rush through them very quickly.

A better question to ask than is it right or wrong?

Is this number one? Is it righteous or unrighteous?

See, when it comes to money, for example, question, is it right

or wrong to have a lot of money? Is is that a sign of blessing?

For some it might be, for some it might not be.

But at the end of the day, money's neutral.

It's what we do with it. And often what we do with what

we have is more important to God than what we actually have.

Because we can have money and be righteous with money, and we can

have money and be unrighteous with money.

You can be poor and be righteous and you can be poor and be

unrighteous. And so one thing I've found

that's help keep me free is asking a question like, is this

righteous or unrighteous? We decided a number of years ago

as a church to do a men's event called The Bloke, and we want to

do something different because I felt like most men's ministry

around the world was just women's ministry in disguise.

That's what I just and we were just copying the women and what

they did. So, so they worship, we worship

men. I don't want to do that.

I, I don't want to sing next to another guy, you know.

And so I said, well, what can we do?

We could meet men halfway. And we came up with this idea to

do an event called The Bloke around three things that men

like burgers, beer and boxing. Do you know the Flack we got for

that? We got so many emails when we

put the advertising out there, I got 1 e-mail saying Ichibod,

they're called Ichibod. That's all they put on.

It was like Ichibod, the Lord has departed.

I'm like wow, now here's a question.

Could be a Burgund boxing be unrighteous?

Absolutely, absolutely it could. But could it be used as an event

that brings the glory of God? Well, I'm here to tell you, yes

it can because that's exactly what we saw.

We had these incredible events, we saw boxing, we saw cars, we

saw all kinds of things. And I had the incredible

privilege to stand in the boxing ring and just share the gospel.

And I tried to do it in a way that was relevant to the men

that were there. My first time I ever did it, I

preached on three things that beer has taught me about life,

and all of you right now want to know those three points, so

don't judge me. But my last point was this, that

beer doesn't just happen. You can't put anything you do

into a glass and call it beer. No, it takes someone who knows

what they're doing to put that together.

And I said, if that's true for beer, how much more for a

person? And then I said, now in the red

corner we have no, this is it righteous or is it unrighteous?

Secondly, is it healthy or is it unhealthy?

Do you know the debate about big church, small church is if big

church is better or big church is worse.

Small church is better. Small churches.

It's irrelevant. The question is, is it healthy?

You can have a large, healthy church and you can have a large

unhealthy church. Do not kid yourself that every

small church is healthy. There are some very, very

unhealthy small churches with very mean people in it.

I've, I've been to some, I mean, I love people, but some people.

Is it healthy or is it unhealthy?

Do you know, every one of us has a personality and a gift from

God And with that gift, you can use it to bring glory to God

When you're healthy. Do you know I'm an incredibly

deep thinker and in a healthy space?

That makes me an incredible problem solver.

It makes me incredibly creative. I come up with this whole idea

about the bloke and the beer, the burglar.

It's amazing that that's me healthy, but me unhealthy.

And it happens way too often for my liking.

That thinking becomes overthinking, becomes worry that

leads to anxiety. Start fretting me worried.

Can you imagine that I can worry with the best of you when I'm

unhealthy? And so when I'm worrying, I use

that as a warning. Now I say, oh, if I'm so worried

that's telling me something, I'm using my God gift to think in an

unhealthy way. Thirdly, is it wise or is it

unwise? If you haven't touched, is it

right or wrong? Let's stay away from that.

You shouldn't do that. Why?

Who said you did? I knew when I was.

Growing my hair, it was a lot of people with hair, people that

were losing hair. That was like, you shouldn't be

growing your hair. I said.

At least I can no. One guy did say that to.

Me. He had.

No, he'd come at me. Why are you going here?

I said. Because I can.

They walked off anyway. It doesn't matter, OK?

Is it wise or is it unwise? Do you know I'll never get this

moment where I went to Queensland to be with my family

who just immigrated from the UK and went up there, had a great

time and I had a beer and went out with my cousins.

It was amazing. Invited them to come down.

Six months later, they came down.

And I invited. Him to the youth group that I

was part of and he starts telling the story.

Oh mate, you should see Tony when he came up.

It was an amazing night. He was so drunk.

And I got all these youth. Pastors looking at me.

Was I drunk you? Wouldn't know, don't you?

No, I wasn't, but I did have a drink.

And I just learnt. Something for me that I didn't

put on anyone else. I made a decision.

That day that I'm not going to let alcohol get the credit for

all of this. I honestly, I don't need alcohol

to be the life of the party. I just don't.

I never have. And I certainly don't want

getting alcohol getting the credit for this.

And so I just. Chose not to drink till the age

of about 40 and now I'm making up for it.

I know. I just didn't.

Think it was right for me, but I never said you're not allowed

because that was a word for me. I want to live in freedom.

And by not drinking, that kept me in freedom.

But I didn't. Want to put anyone in bondage

because the new found freedom I did experience.

And the last? One if the bank can come up,

that'd be great. Is number 4.

Is are. You becoming better.

Or bitter. In other words.

How's your belief system working out for you?

Is it leading to? Freedom.

Or bondage. Paul writes to the glacier, says

this. This was his measure.

Where's your joy gone? He didn't.

Talk about the end. Times when Jesus come.

He didn't say that, he said dude.

Where's your joy? And if you.

Find yourself getting less joyful?

They say that children laugh a lot more than adults.

You know why? Because we get bitter, not

better. In two. 1016 I think I've shared

this story before, but we had a incredibly strange, weird year.

We affectionately call it something else, which I will not

repeat in this room. But 2016 took on another name

for us because of all the things that happened.

In January, our youth pastor died, got struck by lightning.

In March, my wife had a cancer scare.

In April, Mitchie broke his arm. In May I had a blood infection

which almost killed me. I survived that praise.

God, but the blood infection did damage one of my heart valves,

so I had to have heart surgery. And this went on and on and on

right through the end of the year.

And I'll be honest with you, I didn't get many answers for that

year. To this moment in time, I still

don't have any answers for you. Why did that happen?

I don't know. But I'll never forget.

What happened on the 31st of December 2016?

Because I was walking my normal walk, praying to God, and I just

was overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible year that I

just had. Because I chose to.

Reframe it with a better narrative.

Than what a horrible. Year.

I didn't get. Any answers?

And I still don't have answers. But you know what I did get?

Because I got something and I got something really precious.

I got God and. I got him at.

A whole nother level. I got him at a level of intimacy

and depth I'd never experienced before.

And with tears. In my eyes, as I'm walking the

public streets of our neighbourhood, I mean, I was

loud crying, I said to Roy. I don't cry much.

I think every story I've told, I cry, obviously cry more than I

actually give myself credit for. But I'm crying.

I said. God never let me forget this day

on a mark, this day, the 31st of December 2016.

May I never forget what an incredible year 2016 was.

Why? Because I got God at a whole

nother level. And I don't know what it is

you're going through, but I know you're going through something.

And if you're not going through something right now, you went

through something recently. And if you haven't gone through

something recently and you're not going through something now,

guess what? You will in the future.

Pains just. Around the corner.

I went to. Many conferences in Australia

where the keynote preacher would always say this, the best is yet

to come. And I believe that, and I say it

all the time. But equally as true as this, the

worst is yet to come. Best.

Worst tears weep. They go together.

Sheep, goats. Good, bad, light, dark.

You can't have Christianity. We just like rainbows and

butterflies. I am a rainbow, but I don't

always have rainbows and butterflies.

But we can always. Have God every moment of every

day you stand to your feet right now.

Every day we can have him. Every day we.

Can just be in his presence. This is.

What I know every one of us will either get better or bitter.

And not only. Is that a choice to become

better? It's also a fight to become

better. Better is found at.

The top of the mountain. Bitter is.

Found in the Valley. Better is a climb.

Bitterness is a fool and with the help of the.

Holy Spirit, in this place tonight, I believe that.

God wants to put. Strength and courage into each

and every one of us. That we would commit to the

climb of getting better and not bitter.

That we might make a commitment here in this place with the help

of the Holy Spirit to change our narrative from a -1 to a +1.

That we would see His goodness and His grace.

That we would be a people that hold on to the good.

It's one of my favourite passages of scripture because

it's easy to remember and it's so powerful.

Hold on to the good. Whatever church you're from

tonight, hold on to the good. The Bible doesn't say hold on to

the bad. We don't have to be reminded to

do that. That just happens naturally.

But to hold on to the good, to hold on to the great, is.

Amazing. We just raise.

Our hands to heaven, Father, we just thank you for your

goodness, We thank you for your kindness, we thank you for your

greatness, and we declare. We surrender afresh.

We re surrender our lives. We recommit our lives to you

afresh. Tonight we won't.

We don't want bitterness to get the better of us.

We want your goodness to be our narrative.

We want your grace to be our narrative.

We want your joy to be our narrative.

We want your hope to be our narrative.

We want you, King Jesus, to be our narrative.

So Holy Spirit, won't you come? Won't you saturate this place

right here, right now as we worship you and honour you and

sing songs of praise and worship and or adoration to your

goodness today?