Nehemiah: How To Build The Future
This is our Sunday teaching from Senior Pastor, Tom Thompson on Sunday 24th November, 2024. Below you can find talk summary; full audio; full video; the complete transcript; and small group discussion notes.
Talk Summary - Finding Purpose in Your Everyday Assignments
How do we experience true transformation in our lives? This is a question we’ve been reflecting on as a church. Transformation isn’t just about attending services or filling seats—it’s about becoming people who carry the love and hope of Jesus into every part of our lives. Inspired by the story of Nehemiah, we’re discovering how God assigns each of us to bring change in the spaces we occupy.
Nehemiah lived 2,500 years ago, far removed from our modern world, but his story resonates deeply. He was an exile in Persia when he heard devastating news about his homeland, Jerusalem, lying in ruins. Instead of ignoring the pain, Nehemiah sat with it, prayed, and recognized that God had placed him in his current position for a purpose. From that moment, his life was transformed. He walked into familiar rooms—rooms he’d entered countless times before—but now with a renewed sense of assignment from God.
What about you? Tomorrow, you’ll likely walk into rooms you’ve been in hundreds of times: your workplace, your home, or your school. What would it look like to approach those spaces with the understanding that God has placed you there for a reason? You are not there by accident. God’s purpose for you is to bring His hope, healing, and redemption to those around you.
Identity, Purpose, and Assignment
Nehemiah reminds us of three key truths:
Identity: God gives us an identity as His children, a gift that can’t be earned or taken away. This secure foundation allows us to approach challenges with confidence.
Purpose: Your life is not random. God has created you with a purpose: to reflect His glory and bring healing to a broken world.
Assignment: Each season of your life comes with specific assignments. Whether it’s caring for a relative, improving your workplace culture, or raising issues in your family, God equips you to bring change, even in small ways.
Persevering Through Challenges
Nehemiah’s story also teaches us the reality of assignments—they’re not easy. Walking in God’s will often feels like stepping out “at night,” where things are unclear, risky, and hard. It’s tempting to give up when the road feels uphill. But as Nehemiah shows, perseverance and faith in God’s promises lead to lasting fruit.
You may face mockery or discouragement, as Nehemiah did. But just as he declared, “The God of heaven will give us success,” you can rely on God’s covenant of love to sustain you.
An Invitation
What would it look like for you to embrace the assignment God has given you? Imagine the transformation in your workplace, family, or community if you walked with renewed purpose. Croydon has over 400,000 people—what if God used just a few of us to bring His hope and healing?
Take courage: God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. The same God who worked through Nehemiah wants to work through you.
So, as you walk into the rooms of your life this week, pause and ask: What is my assignment here?.