Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Welcome to the Crema Chaj podcast.
[00:00:05] Thank you.
[00:00:07] Grab a.
[00:00:09] Grab a seat.
[00:00:12] So, as Juliet just mentioned, husbands. Do you ever get caught not listening to your wife?
[00:00:19] I was just in thoughts, praying, and I think I just got caught out. So I'm just confessing.
[00:00:29] I just want all the other guys to feel much better. Okay.
[00:00:33] Last week we talked about this building, all the new opportunities, and what we'll do is each week we'll show you a little bit more of the grounds and what we want to do.
[00:00:43] This week we had our architects and some planning consultants around the site, which was kind of made it a little bit more real and very encouraging. And also, thank you to everyone your response and giving. But we have a long way to go. We've got 12 weeks, £5 million.
[00:01:02] But as we sow, the Lord will multiply it, right?
[00:01:07] Yes.
[00:01:08] That's better than normal. It's like a third of you believe in good. Well, and this week we have presence and promise, a conference. So we're going to talk about it a little bit more and we're going to take up some offerings over the weekend, so come prepared.
[00:01:23] But I was thinking this week because we're kind of thinking buildings and it's, you know, the idea of a building and actually getting one are two very different things.
[00:01:35] Have you noticed that? You see, we can talk. Talking about getting a building is actually easier than actually building, right? It's much easier just to talk about it. You know, some of you are buying homes and some of you, they're your first homes and you have all these dreams of what they're going to look like, but to get them there, you're going to have to probably go through some pain.
[00:02:03] Dreams are what could be.
[00:02:06] But in the morning, someone has to get up and do the work. Right?
[00:02:12] Yeah. I'm just checking your. I'm just checking you're still with me. You know, I've said a number of times, when we first got married, one of the things we did was we bought and sold houses. We were doing ministry and we needed to support ourselves.
[00:02:25] And I distinctively remember house number three.
[00:02:30] It was a really big jump for us. It was by the sea, it had a beautiful garden. And.
[00:02:39] Can I just quote my wife?
[00:02:42] Even if this took us five years to do, I could live in here. This is such a beautiful house.
[00:02:52] Close quotes.
[00:02:54] So we buy this wreck.
[00:02:56] Okay. Day two.
[00:02:59] I can't live here in this mess anymore.
[00:03:06] Why?
[00:03:07] Well, because to get to the dream, there's a battle.
[00:03:12] You know, we had to knock walls down, ceilings were falling down.
[00:03:18] We had to run the electrics, the plumbing, and some of you might go, well, just get someone in.
[00:03:23] We couldn't afford to get someone in. And the time I did get someone in, I remember we had a kitchen fitter come in on this house, and we had this beautiful kitchen fitter. And he was like, not good.
[00:03:37] I mean, it was terrible job. And I walked in and said, go away.
[00:03:41] Get out of my kitchen. You're not fitting this kitchen like that. And we had to get someone else to do it. So I had to chase him off the site.
[00:03:50] And I remember while all this is going on, Juliet's going, and we could paint the walls this color and we could have curtains over there. And I'm going, we need walls and windows first.
[00:04:03] You see, it's easy to have a dream, but fewer are able to receive a dream from God and walk with him to its completion.
[00:04:15] And the story of Nehemiah, where he rebuilds the walls in 52 days, it's not only a miracle, but it's someone who hears what God says and he goes and does it.
[00:04:27] So grab your Bible, find Nehemiah, chapter three. Nehemiah is up in the history section. It's along with so after Chronicles, Ezra. Nehemiah, why don't you stand? And we're going to read, and we're going to try and read, okay? As we get into it, you'll understand what I mean. So this is Nehemiah, chapter three.
[00:04:53] Then Elsie Asiab, the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and built the Sheep gate. They consecrated it and hung its doors.
[00:05:04] They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred and consecrated it. Then as far as the tower of Hann Hananel. Then Elisha Shib, the men of Jericho built. And next to them, Zaccur the son of Imri built also. The sons of Hasenah built the Fish Gate. And they laid beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next to them, Mehmoth the son of Uriji something, son of Cos, Made repairs. Next to them, Meshullam the son of his dad, the son of Meshebel, made repairs. Next to them, Zadok the son of Banna, made repairs. Next to them, the Tekkenites, I think they were, you know, Microsoft or something, made repairs. But their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. Moreover, Jehoadiah, the son of Pasha Meshullah, I think we've talked about him before, son of Besodiah repaired the old gate and they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next to them, Melathah the Gibbonite, Jadon the Moronite, the men of Gibeon Mizpath, repaired the residence for the governor of the region beyond the river. Next to them, Uzziel the son of Hannah, part of him, one of the goldfish made goldfish.
[00:06:38] One of the goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him, Hananiah the one of the perfumers, made repairs. And they fortified Jerusalem as far as the broad wall. And next to them, him and his son and that leader and that person made repairs. Next to them, Jedediah the son and made repairs. Amen. Sit down.
[00:07:02] What is chapter three doing in the Bible?
[00:07:06] Okay? I mean, what was the Lord thinking?
[00:07:10] Who cares who did what as long as the job gets done, right?
[00:07:18] No, no, let me tell you. Who cares? The Lord.
[00:07:25] The Lord cares.
[00:07:27] The reason the walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt is because normal people answered the call of all that Nehemiah saw the Lord asking him to do.
[00:07:39] Priests, goldsmiths, not goldfish. Let me just be really clear. Perfumers, salespeople, daughters, whole families.
[00:07:53] You know, this is the word of God, okay? And we believe that every word is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
[00:08:04] Every T that's crossed, every I dotted, and every name that appears in this book. Real people who loved God, some of them got into a lot of trouble.
[00:08:19] And just as these names are recorded, who responded to the work.
[00:08:25] Do you understand that your names are written in the Book of Life?
[00:08:30] God records every name.
[00:08:35] No one is forgotten.
[00:08:38] All those people that I tried to pronounce terribly and are probably in heaven going, oh, my goodness, were recorded in the word of God. Every single one of you that has given their life to Jesus, your name is recorded in the Book of Life.
[00:09:02] You see, the Bible reveals the way to salvation.
[00:09:06] The Book of Life records those who have received it.
[00:09:11] Your name is there.
[00:09:13] There's going to be a moment when we stand before the Lord and the Book of Life is opened.
[00:09:19] And the reading across heaven of every name that has received salvation. And the angels cheering.
[00:09:28] I mean, just imagine how long it's going to take. But we're in eternity, so it's okay.
[00:09:34] But every name, not one mistake. Because God saw it all.
[00:09:43] You know, how many times do we read that a nation says yes to God in the Bible? Hardly ever.
[00:09:50] You know, David, in the times of David, we see a nation saying yes to God. The times of Solomon, they follow God. Maybe Jonah, you know, Nineveh turns to the Lord. But you know what? After 70 and the walls are getting rebuilt. You know, they were in exile for 70 years, and it's probably another 70.
[00:10:10] So it's probably another 140 years of exile. A whole generation say yes to building the walls of Jerusalem.
[00:10:19] And my prayer today is that a whole generation will say yes to revival in this nation.
[00:10:26] And not just the idea of it, but yes, God, we will build it.
[00:10:33] We will see you move in this land.
[00:10:36] You see, goldsmiths love making jewelry and all the intricate work forming the gold.
[00:10:46] But here, they're happy just to clear rubble.
[00:10:50] The perfumers love making incense, not sweat.
[00:10:56] But unless we get the gates on, no one will be safe.
[00:11:02] Whole families dedicated themselves to the clearing of the rubble and the rebuilding of the walls.
[00:11:09] You see, the dream of restoration requires everyone to clear the rubble.
[00:11:21] And they all have to do what might not be their dream to get the dream.
[00:11:29] Do you understand? Sometimes we have to do. We have a dream.
[00:11:33] But sometimes we have to do what isn't our dream to get the dream.
[00:11:38] Because there is a journey and there is work to do. I remember almost 50 years ago, I'm making sure the comma is in the right place in this service. I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ as 13.
[00:11:57] And I remember saying, lord, anything for you.
[00:12:01] I gave my life into his service, and I haven't regretted a moment of it.
[00:12:08] And through the greatest change in culture and technology the world has seen since probably the industrial revolution, I have seen the true church of Jesus Christ. It hasn't only held its ground in this nation, but it has grown in every city of this land.
[00:12:32] There are now larger, vibrant churches that did not exist in the 1970s.
[00:12:39] God has been moving, and God has been building. And don't believe what the media tells you.
[00:12:46] Every city.
[00:12:48] And you know, people love to criticize the baby boomers. Have we got any boomers in here today? Any? Come on. Oh, no. Have we got any boomers? Yep. Come on, Come on. There's a few more.
[00:12:58] The boomers are 1946 to 1964. There you go.
[00:13:04] I'm just in.
[00:13:06] And people love to knock this generation, but I want to tell you something, okay? We are leaving this next generation with some things.
[00:13:17] We are leaving you with an understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit.
[00:13:23] We're leaving you with a commission to preach the gospel and heal the sick.
[00:13:28] We are leaving you with the practice of worshiping God, corporately declaring to the principalities and powers that Jesus Christ is Lord, changing the atmosphere in cities as we worship.
[00:13:41] And we're leaving you with land and Buildings that are not surrounded with graves but are ready to use to equip the saints, to raise a Jacob generation.
[00:13:52] Land that is not owned by Hindu gods but is dedicated to Jesus Christ for preparing the way for the greatest revival this world has known in anticipation for his coming.
[00:14:04] That's what we're leaving.
[00:14:06] That's what the boomers will leave. You and I know that we want to be building in so many areas of the world and so many things need to be put right and need to be done.
[00:14:20] But if the house of the Lord is not built, everything else is built in vain.
[00:14:31] My question today is really a simple one. What is your generation going to leave?
[00:14:37] What is your legacy?
[00:14:41] This Thursday presence and promise starts. We've got, oh, I think about 1200 people booked in, which is going to be really fun since we can only fit 800 in.
[00:14:52] But not everyone comes at the same time. And first come, first served, and God is going to do some amazing things this week. Four days of immersing ourselves in the presence of God, worshiping and enjoying his presence. But on Thursday night, Juliet and I are on and I want to say to you, if you're called for ministry, if you're called for the service of Jesus Christ, if you have friends that are called for ministry or the service of Jesus Christ, I want you to be here. We're going to talk a little bit of our journey when we were younger than. But also we're going to anoint you. We're going to anoint you with oil for ministry that this next generation would rise up and have the adventures, have the victories, the stories that we have had the privilege of seeing over the last 50 years of our life.
[00:15:57] So I want you to be there, bring your friends Thursday night. And then there's lots of stuff happening all over the rest of the weekend. You're going to have a lot of fun. But Thursday night, we're going to anoint for ministry. Okay, Dill.
[00:16:11] Dill. Good. I'll see all 10 of you.
[00:16:17] It is interesting that the nobles.
[00:16:20] I'm just moving on now. Verse 5 in amongst all the names, it could really easily be missed. Verse 5 says, the nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their lord.
[00:16:34] You know, the perfumers hear the call, but the nobles would not.
[00:16:39] In fact, later we see the nobles trying to make money out of the rebuilding of the walls. They mortgaged the people's land, an exact usury, which the law says you're not allowed to make money out of God's people. That's why James says, don't show partiality to the rich. Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
[00:17:10] Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith? That's us.
[00:17:19] And you know, there are two important lessons.
[00:17:25] The first one is restoration comes through willing servants, not the established elite.
[00:17:32] Let me say that again. Restoration of a land comes through willing servants, not the established elite.
[00:17:39] You want to see change in this land?
[00:17:42] It will not come through the politicians.
[00:17:45] It'll come through people like you and I who hear the call of the Lord, who are willing to stand in the rubble and start to build up the walls.
[00:17:56] Paul writes to the Corinthians. He says, for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.
[00:18:05] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise.
[00:18:12] And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty and the basings of the world. And the things which are despised, God has chosen and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence, but of Him. You he's talking to us are in Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
[00:18:49] That as it is written, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. What's he saying? He's saying that God takes the weak things, the things that the world might despise, to put to shame the wise and to show God's glory so that he gets it all. So that people don't get glory, but God gets glory as his people live for him.
[00:19:15] And you see, the restoration of a nation comes when ordinary men and women turn from their sin and embrace the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
[00:19:25] They receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, so they are empowered to walk in his ways. But then they declare his testimony of life to the world. That's you and I.
[00:19:38] You know, a few weeks ago, we did some training in here. There was about 60 people and we did some preaching training.
[00:19:47] They were amazing. They had like three minutes to share a talk. They're the fruit of this house. The next generation is ready. The next generation has a legacy.
[00:20:01] And that's why on Thursday night, I think it's really important we're going to anoint you. We're going to put our hands on you and pray.
[00:20:08] The second lesson I want you to take this morning and this is a really simple talk is for the people who think they're too important to get their hands dirty.
[00:20:22] Jesus says this for everyone. To whom much is given, from him much will be required.
[00:20:29] And to whom much has been committed, of him, they will ask no more.
[00:20:35] You see, the more the Lord has given you, the more he expects from you.
[00:20:42] What was it the nobles feared?
[00:20:45] You know, I don't know, maybe if they supported the, you know, building of the walls and, you know, started getting their hands dirty and clearing rubble, people would think less of them, they wouldn't be noble anymore.
[00:20:58] Maybe you could lose their position. Suppose in Artax circuses turned on them and he could.
[00:21:05] What if some ballot or Tobiah, and we'll talk about them next time, undermined them and, you know, put their faces on social media and they lost reputation. What would happen?
[00:21:17] God, and we've been talking about sowing and reaping, but I really, I want to clarify this. God wants to bless people. He wants to bless you.
[00:21:26] But serving God is not an opportunity to get rich.
[00:21:32] You cannot determine to make money out of what God is doing or out of God's people.
[00:21:40] Your service to God is not a plan to get rich.
[00:21:44] If he chooses to bless your service, that is a totally different matter.
[00:21:50] So the plan is not to get rich, but the service he often puts his hand on and blesses.
[00:21:57] What do the nobles do?
[00:22:01] They see that people are in need.
[00:22:04] Why are the people in need? Because they're doing the work of rebuilding the walls.
[00:22:09] They've left their lands, they've left their homes and they've come to dedicate themselves to rebuilding the wall. And instead of sowing themselves, the nobles mortgage their land.
[00:22:22] They were meant to be giving, not taking.
[00:22:26] And, you know, one of the things, you know, as we just move and raise this money in college courts is, you know, often there's a talk, well, how can we make some money out of college court?
[00:22:43] And, you know, it needs to wash its face. But what I mean by is, well, we'll give you this money and we'll structure this and we'll charge this interest and then, you know, in five years this and five years this, but no, boss, do you really want to charge the Lord Jesus interest while all the normal people are doing the work? Do you want a payday?
[00:23:11] Really?
[00:23:13] Really.
[00:23:15] Do you understand that when Jesus died on the cross, you received your payday in full? Your sin paid for in full, and you want to charge God interest?
[00:23:30] That's why it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. That's what Jesus was talking about.
[00:23:41] And you know, often I talk to, well, not often I come across wealthy. Occasionally, actually, we don't. And you know, often the line is, well, we don't like to give our money to churches. We prefer projects.
[00:23:58] The thing is, Jesus never said, I'll build my projects. He said, I'll build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail.
[00:24:05] The church is no longer where it was in the 1970s.
[00:24:10] The Holy Spirit has appointed and anointed good leaders who love Jesus with all their hearts, who are walking in his ways and building his church. And I want to say to the nobles and to the wealthy, it's now time to give your money. I'm putting you on notice because there is a generation that awaits.
[00:24:36] You see, so many people have a dream of revival, but revival is hard work.
[00:24:46] If you get a catch of fish, someone has to clean them up, make disciples. You see, Jesus brings people into the church. Forgiven, justified, just as if I'd never sinned. But they are not sanctified.
[00:25:02] That's the journey.
[00:25:06] Jesus receives people where they are, but he doesn't leave them as they are. Where does this transformation happen? The church, always the transformation of people's lives happens in the church. And the irony of the Nehemiah story is the important people are remembered because they wouldn't do the work. But the ordinary people are honored by name for giving their all.
[00:25:36] And so this week, as I said, is our conference week.
[00:25:41] Four days of immersing ourselves in the presence of God.
[00:25:46] We are believing the Lord for a new home and we're believing the Lord for a changed nation.
[00:25:55] Thursday night, we're going to pray the anointing of ministry. Friday morning, we're going to have a special revival prayer. So we pray every Tuesday night, But Friday morning, 10 o' clock in here, we're going to be praying for a few hours for the nation. And all the Lord is going to do, we're going to take offerings to raise £5 million. You know, when the Lord spoke to me and you know, and I said, this is impossible, and he said, you only need 500 people to give £10,000.
[00:26:30] For boomers.
[00:26:32] That's not a stretch.
[00:26:34] It's not a stretch.
[00:26:37] We can do more than that.
[00:26:39] But it's time, you see, it's really important that my ceiling is this next generation's foundation to build.
[00:26:51] I may be leaving a legacy, but they are the generation that are Going to take it further.
[00:26:57] They don't have to, you know, they don't have to go right back here and start again. Oh, well, they just need to learn what I learned.
[00:27:05] Ah.
[00:27:09] I fell in too many holes.
[00:27:11] I didn't climb out of them, brush myself down. No, they don't.
[00:27:16] If they will give themselves holy to the Lord Jesus Christ, he'll teach them all the lessons as he takes them along the journey.
[00:27:25] But we, we can start them. We can start them off.
[00:27:31] We're going to worship for hours over the weekend. Some great teaching, but the icing of the cake. The reason we gather is the manifest presence of Jesus in our midst, calling us into his service.
[00:27:47] What am I saying to you this morning?
[00:27:49] When a generation of ordinary people like you and I hear the call of Jesus Christ, a nation can be changed.
[00:27:58] And I've seen that to a degree over the 50 years of ministry and life.
[00:28:05] Nobles and nobles are just important people.
[00:28:09] It's time to set up this next generation so that they can do all that the Lord has prepared for them.
[00:28:20] Give out of the blessing the Lord has given you.
[00:28:26] And then, just as the Bible is God's revealed word to mankind, the Book of Life is the story of all those who received him into their lives.
[00:28:42] And what I'm saying to you this morning is I believe there is a generation that's going to hear this call and that's going to give their all to Jesus.
[00:28:52] It's going to be costly.
[00:28:54] It's going to mean giving up family traditions.
[00:28:58] It's going to mean moving out of home. It's going to mean studying. It's going to mean giving up dreams. It's going to mean picking up your cross and following the Lord Jesus Christ. But as you do it, as you say, Jesus, anything, the anointing of the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will see this nation changed. We've seen it to a degree.
[00:29:22] The baton it's time to pass on to the next generation.
[00:29:28] The only way this nation will ever be changed is through ordinary people like you and I, filled with the Holy Spirit. It's still going to be hard work.
[00:29:38] And as I said, it's going to cost you everything. But are you ready?
[00:29:43] Are you ready?
[00:29:45] Are you ready to do it? Are you ready to rise up? Are you ready to take this and say, Jesus, whatever it costs, whatever you want me to do, wherever you want me to go, I will go. Are you ready? Are you ready?
[00:30:00] I'm done. Why don't you stand up?
[00:30:05] Thanks for listening to the Cromer Charge Podcast. If you enjoyed this message, you can like and subscribe. You can also join us in person or online every Sunday at Cromer Church. For more information about us, including our ministries, events, worship and how to donate, visit our website at Cromer Church.
