God clears away the dead wood of the church through judgment to make room for the holy seed to grow. Introduction Welcome to the third and final sermon in the "Operation Reconquista" series. Previous sermons: Part 1: "Return of the Exiles" – Mainline Protestant churches still have the Bible, like the exiles returning with Scripture under Ezra and Nehemiah. Reform begins with teaching its plain sense. Part 2: "Taking God at His Word" – You can’t separate God from His word without losing Christ. Today’s sermon: "Room to Grow" – God’s plan isn’t always reform but often judgment and replanting. Main Points Scripture as the Foundation Ezra’s reform began by preaching God’s law clearly (Nehemiah 8). Mainline churches must return to the Bible’s plain sense, rejecting theological liberalism and progressive politics. Example: Testimony in Hartford against a state constitutional amendment, citing Genesis 1:27 – "Male and female he created them." Sex is a God-given category, not a human construct. God and His Word Are Inseparable Jesus in Luke 4:21 fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, declaring Himself the Messiah. His hometown rejected Him, trying to separate "Christ" from "Jesus" (Luke 4:22). Modern churches do the same: "We’ll take God, but not His ‘outdated’ word." Result: Rebellion akin to Genesis 3:1 – "Did God say?" – questioning God’s design for a man-made alternative. Response to critics: Love, compassion, inclusion, and acceptance are biblical, not secular, categories (John 15:13, Psalm 51:1, Acts 10:47, Hebrews 12:6). God’s Judgment Clears Room to Grow Isaiah 6:9-10: God told Isaiah to blind and deafen Judah, a judgment to prevent healing. Isaiah 6:13: After burning, a stump remains – "The holy seed is its stump." Judgment clears dead wood for new growth. John 15:6: Jesus echoes this – dry branches are burned, not restored. Application: The church’s "dry wood" (unrepentant sin, false teachings) is fuel for God’s fire, not a target for reform. Reconquista Means Reckoning and Replanting Historical reforms (Protestant Reformation, Catholic Counter-Reformation, Vatican II) splintered or ossified the church, failing to unify it. God’s plan: Clear denominational deadwood to replant one church from the holy seed. Luke 5:1-11: Jesus calls fishermen to catch the living, not the dead, for His kingdom. Key Illustrations Testimony in Hartford: Quoting Genesis 1:27 to affirm God’s design against secular categories like "transwoman" or "non-binary." Angry letters accused the preacher of lacking love, yet Scripture defines love better (1 John 4:8, John 15:13). Isaiah’s Call: Preached judgment for 60 years, obedient despite no healing for Judah. Contrast this with the preacher’s call to Woodbury, where reform is still possible. Gardening Analogy: Pruning a tree allows regrowth. God prunes the church similarly. Practical Applications Stand on Scripture: Reject man-made meanings for love, compassion, inclusion, and acceptance. Fill these "buckets" with God’s definitions. Say "No": Courageously oppose sin masquerading as virtue in the church. Trust God’s Process: Accept that some branches are dead by choice (John 15:6). Focus on the living remnant God is replanting. Prepare for Growth: The church’s future lies in the holy seed, not the ashes of the past. Scripture References Genesis 1:27: God’s creation of male and female. Genesis 3:1: The serpent’s rebellion against God’s word. Isaiah 6:9-13: Judgment on Judah, the holy seed as the stump. Luke 5:1-11: Jesus calls fishermen to catch the living. John 15:6, 13: Dry branches burn; true love lays down its life. Psalm 51:1: God’s compassion blots out sin. Acts 10:47: inclusion through the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 12:6: God’s acceptance includes discipline. Revelation 2:9, 3:9: "Synagogue of Satan" – imposters in the church. Closing Recap: Reconquista isn’t just reform—it’s a reckoning to clear space for God’s remnant church to grow. Prayer: "O God, bring fire to your church—not to destroy, but to refine. Kindle a blaze in First Church of Woodbury." Next Series: "The Holy Seed" (starting next Sunday through Lent) – Who is the remnant? What about the dead branches? Stay Connected: Follow Pastor Jake on X at https://x.com/jakedell73. Subscribe to Experimental Sermons at https://jwdell.substack.com/. Join us for Sunday worship at https://firstchurchwoodbury.org/. Get full access to Experimental Sermons at jwdell.substack.com/subscribe
