Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church at Ellerslie

In 1799, the French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte sized political power of France, soon becoming its emperor. During his coronation, in a display of pomp and arrogance, Napoleon took the crown from the Pope and crowned himself. This self-crowned king is a great picture of how the flesh works in our life—always seeking to rule, master, control, and wear the crown. But this is completely opposite as to how Christ works. In God’s “Upside Down Kingdom” the first become last, the least become greatest, and we discover life in the midst of death. Christians are called to think like a king—the True King—which means we must become humble, a lowly servant, and not seek our own gain. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy compares the thinking of two kings—Napoleon and Jesus Christ—and exhorts us to spurn the coronation of Napoleon (i.e.: flesh) and instead follow the six baffling secrets of Jesus’ coronation.

The forehead, spiritually, is a determined position or declaration of defiance—either against God or against darkness. As Christians, we are biblically called to don a noble brow—a position of trust, reliance, and dependence upon Christ Jesus. We are to be immutable, fixed, unchanging, and unalterable in our position because we know Jesus and His character; or as Hebrews declares, God has promised and He cannot lie. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy declares Christians are people of freed foreheads—believers who have been freed from the mark of sin and who can now be marked by Christ—and therefore can live with noble brows.

We often look at the lives of heroic Christians like Apostle Paul, Charles Spurgeon, or others and forget the hardships and difficulties they faced. Mrs. Charles B. Cowman wrote that “Every flower, even the fairest, has its shadow beneath it as it swings in the sunlight. Where there is much light there is much shade.” Though lives like Paul and Spurgeon shown much light, their lives were also marked by much “shade.” In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy encourages us to embrace the difficulties, trials, and hardships that come our way—as that is often a tool God uses to declare the power of the Gospel even more through our lives. For as Paul reminds us, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The process of growth and maturity takes time, even for a church. In this revealing sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy examines what it means for the church to function in a full-scale Biblical pattern of truth, love, obedience, holiness, and Holy-Spirit power. Though we often want our lives and churches to showcase the remarkable, Pastor Ludy reminds us that God often uses the mundane and unremarkable as His way to reveal the majesty, triumph, and glory of Jesus Christ. But this message is more than theory—Pastor Ludy gives practical thoughts of how we are to live as Christians if our lives are to showcase Jesus Christ … and they likely won’t be what you expect.

A shepherd, in the simplest sense, is one who keeps out wolves and comforts sheep (and knows the difference between the two). Good shepherds are willing to sacrifice their safety, comfort, and pleasure for the sake of those in their keep—the same should be true for anyone in leadership—fathers, husbands, pastors, etc. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the role and art of shepherding in the Bible and applies that challenging concept to everyone in a headship position. Pastor Ludy gives practical ideas on how to shepherd ourselves and others well, and also reminds those under headship that we must extend grace and mercy to those above us.

Too often as believers, we attempt to fulfill the calling, commands, and commission of the Christian life in our own strength, resource, and power. We rush to the practical living aspects of Christianity and forget those aspects must be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and His work within our lives. As Pastor Eric Ludy says in reference to the book of Ephesians, we start in chapter four (living the Christian life) but forget the first three chapters (the power to do so). In this compelling sermon, Pastor Ludy reminds us that if we are going to live triumphant Christian lives that actually work, we must start in “chapter one” and let the outflow of our lives be from the resource, work, and power of Christ within.

There is a vast difference between visiting somewhere and abiding there. When you visit, its a purposeful short-term stopover; but to abide means to move in, remain, and stay regardless of difficulty or trial. And this is certainly true in our spiritual lives—do we abide in Christ or do we merely show up for a short visit? In this message, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the single most important thing ever: Jesus Christ and how He alone is to be the center, the preeminent, and the focus of the Christian life. As you learn about the four major earthquakes of the New Testament, you will discover that Christ is to be the epicenter of your life.

Every generation has had to face attack on the Word of God. Even in the Garden, the serpent questioned God’s word by asking, “Did God really say?” And this same assault rears its head in every generation—often attacking the God-ness of the text, the preservation of the text, and the sufficiency of the text. In this foundational sermon on the all important Word of God, Pastor Eric Ludy lifts high the preeminence of Jesus Christ and gives ten points of evidence to show the construction, preservation, and accuracy of the Bible. This message will supercharge your faith, give you greater confidence in the Word of God, and cause you to fall in love with Scripture all over again.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 10 that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” He continues a few verses later and declares “how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace.” In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy gives a special message dedicated to the His Little Feet International Children’s Choir and expounds upon Paul’s message in Romans 10 about declaring the Gospel to the world. Pastor Eric uses a simple picture anyone could replicate to walk through 27 incredible aspects of the Gospel, and in so doing, causes us to freshly reflect upon the amazing wonder of the cross and the depth of the Gospel we can experience in our lives.

“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” This passage from Paul is one that most Christians today are slightly nervous about. Kiss? How do we practically apply that as the body of Christ? In this slightly humorous (and awkward) message, Pastor Eric Ludy examines the book of Philemon and what it means for the Church to have purposeful affection for others in the Body of Christ and “prepare a guest room” for the brethren, thereby applying the phileo love of Christ.

The study of the coming judgment is often a gloomy, negative topic. Yes, we should tremble before the holiness of God … and yet all the while yearn to approach. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy says that the coming judgment shouldn’t be a dread but, if we are in Christ, should be a delight. Examining the difference between the “two books” mentioned in Scripture—the Book of the Letter (the Law and the Prophets) and the Book of Life—Pastor Ludy asks if we are ready for the day of judgment and gives a series of helpful and pertinent questions to ask ourselves. If you’ve always seen the coming judgment as scary or frightful, you need to listen to this happy study on the topic.

Few people enjoy difficulty, trials, and hardship. So how should we respond to proverbial “thorns” in our lives? God allowed Paul to experience a thorn in his side—demonstrating God’s grace is sufficient, that His strength is made perfect in the midst of weakness. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy considers Paul’s thorn and discusses not only how to think about it biblically, but he also gives practical application on how to handle the thorns of our lives. We do not need to ask God for thorns, but we can receive and realize His amazing grace in the midst of any thorny experience.

Casper ten Boom, the father of Corrie ten Boom, used a suitcase to give young Corrie a powerful lesson in trust. Using this story, Pastor Eric Ludy talks about how God trains us to trust Him, even if He tells us “no.” When we pray, God may respond with “no,” but what does a “no” really mean? Eric reminds us that there are four sorts of loving “no’s,” and ultimately, every no is a greater yes. If you’ve found yourself discouraged or questioning why God might say no, this sermon will embolden your faith and trust in our Lord.

The Old Testament is full of stories that point to the battle between flesh and spirit. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy dives into the Old Testament story of Ahaz and his son Hezekiah and shows how Ahaz (a picture of the flesh) must be removed so that a new beginning can begin in the spirit. Using this Old Testament example, Pastor Ludy discusses the seven steps that are needed to move toward a new beginning that ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus and the Cross of Christ. If you desire to live out greater victory and triumph in your life, this message will encourage you to repent of your “Ahaz Rut” and embrace the Hezekiah life.

First John tends to bring confusion and crisis for many Christians. How do we deal with the issue of perfection and John’s statement that whoever abides in Jesus does not sin, yet John says earlier in his book that if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves? In this revealing sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy tackles First John and explains the tenor of the Christian life and how we deal with these seemingly contradictory statements. If you’ve ever struggled with how to live victorious amidst a sin-filled world or have questioned what perfection means for your life, this sermon will help remove the confusion.

As Christians, we are called to stand—to be immovable, to endure, to persist. And yet many of us don’t understand the two types of “stands” Christians must make: standing for Christ (also known as believing) and standing against the devil (also called resisting). In this piercing sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy explains the recipe for effective evangelism and calls all Christians to make a stand and be an irresistible Christian.

In this Resurrection Day sermon, we are reminded by Paul that “if Christ is not risen, your faith is worthless, and you are still in your sins” (see 1 Corinthians 15:17). Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the topic of power and explains the kind of power the grave has and the incredible power our Risen Lord possesses. This message reminds us of the amazing reality of Christ’s unstoppable life and His work upon the cross to set us free from sin and death.

How far are you willing to go to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others? If we truly understood the power of the Gospel, should we not be willing to walk over broken glass, on hands and knees if necessary, to share the truth with even one soul? In this uncomfortable yet stirring message, Pastor Eric Ludy calls the Church away from passivity and into relentless Christianity. If you have struggled with evangelism or need God to give you His love and passion for others, this message will equip and give you a grand vision for the uncomfortable commission God has given you.

As Christians, a passion for the lost should capture our hearts and cause us to share the Good News with unbelievers. Oddly, it is during the times of suffering and persecution that the Church evangelizes and grows the most. In this message, Pastor Eric Ludy uses an article Richard Wurmbrand wrote about preparing for the Underground Church to describe how we can suffer well, embrace our perilous mission, and use every opportunity to share the truth and life of Christ with those around us.

Difficulty, challenge, and hardship is something we often shy away from—but it can, in fact, be a great blessing and refinement to our lives. In this vulnerable and personal message, Eric Ludy discusses how God has pruned his own life, which in turn allowed Jesus to be seen more clearly. Jesus declared in John 15 that God, the Vinedresser, will prune the branches that bear fruit in order that they might bear even more fruit—and as Pastor Eric reminds us, we as Christians must embrace this pruning as a gift.

C.T. Studd, a famous athlete turned missionary in the late 1800s, was passionate about calling Christians out of their mediocre, lackluster living to a heroic and fervent life. He desired Christians to actually do something rather than be passive in their lives, so he penned a short book called The Chocolate Soldier: Heroism—The Lost Chord of Christianity. In this convicting and arousing sermon, Eric Ludy gives C.T. Studd the pulpit and reads his modern adaptation of Studd’s Chocolate Soldier. As Studd so famously declared, “Before the world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, we will venture our all for Him, we will live and we will die for Him, and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts.” Will you be a heroic Christian or of the chocolate sort?

Without vision the people perish, and even when we know the vision, it is helpful to be continually reminded of where we are heading. In this “vision casting” sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy uses the seven churches in Revelation to talk about his passion for the Church at Ellerslie and the direction he senses God is leading us toward—simply it is a body that is fervent, a body that has life, a body that continually has intensity for, obedience to, and purity in Jesus Christ. And whether you are a part of the Church at Ellerslie or not, this message will cast a vision for your life.

Everyone loves a good love story, especially if it is true. In this message on Pastor Eric Ludy’s wedding anniversary, he gives a glimpse at the difficulty and pain he and Leslie experienced through the early years of their marriage. In doing so, the grandeur of romance and the faithfulness of God is seen as Eric explains that difficulty is merely the catalyst to extraordinary love and beauty. If you’ve ever experienced difficulty, trials, or hardship, this message will breathe an expectancy for joy and the reward of suffering through every circumstance and situation. Though difficulty is hard, let us embrace it for it contains exquisite benefits.

A recalibration is making small changes to an instrument so it measures accurately. A spiritual recalibration then is to allow the Holy Spirit to make small changes to our thinking, living, and behavior so that we reveal the Kingdom of Heaven correctly. In this fifth study on renewal and revival, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses our continued need for spiritual recalibration. The reality of the Christian life is not one of arrival but of every increasing growth, transformation, sanctification, holiness, and righteousness as God makes spiritual recalibrations in our lives. If you’ve ever longed for something more in your Christian life, this message will reveal how to receive it.

In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up. Contained in this powerful passage we find “woe,” “lo,” and “go”—and therein the forth step to change the world. Continuing his series on renewal and revival, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the importance of seeing a clear picture of Jesus Christ (the “woe” vision), responding (lo), and then going forth to share the Good News (go). Christians are “WoLoGo’d (revived in soul, humbled, broken, forgiven, ready, and commissioned to go). If you crave greater intimacy with Jesus Christ, a fuller expression of His life, then you need to understand this forth step. Simply, it is the life of our Lord Jesus poured into human hearts.

In this continued series on revival and renewal, Pastor Eric Ludy talks about a third element essential in every movement of God—a full surrender to Christ and living on purpose. It is the declaration of “Yes, Lord!” as we give access to the Holy Spirit to come into our bodies and master us. We yield the control position and we become His bond-slave. Our time is no longer our own. Our gifts and abilities are no longer our own. Our money is no longer our own. Our lives are no longer our own. In short, we have a new purpose under the mastery of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t a mystical or mysterious thing, but a call to live “on bread and water.” If you seek a freshness, renewal, or revival in your own life, this series of sermons is a “must listen.”

Last week Pastor Eric Ludy preached on our desperate need for revival. In this follow up message, Eric gives the second step toward changing the world—what he calls the “test of Mt. Carmel.” Examining the story of Elijah and Mount Carmel, Pastor Ludy gives the steps to becoming “carmelized” and the key to greater focus and intimacy with Jesus Christ. How far would you be willing to go, what would you be willing to set aside, and what is too great a sacrifice to seek Christ and see revival stir in our midst once again? May we set aside every diversion and run with endurance, looking unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith.

With a deep passion for revival in our nation, our church, and his personal life, Pastor Eric gives a stirring message on revival and how we can go after it. Using the principle and illustration of farming, Eric not only addresses what revival is but he reveals how revival comes about. Yet before revival can happen in our nation or churches, it must start with us—as such, Pastor Eric calls the church to heed Hosea 10:12 and “break up your fallow ground” by listing a series of sins, behaviors, attitudes, and motives that must be rooted from our lives. This list to break up the fallow ground itself is worth listening to the entire message for—but in so doing, may God stir the embers of your heart and awaken you to your need of revival.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Yet how many of us want to only focus on our strength, rather than His? In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy expounds on the four mindsets of the triumphant—using the story of King Jehoshaphat at one of his weakest times, to remind us that God is not afraid of our weaknesses and He Himself must become our sole solution. And at the end of the sermon, Eric gives a series of repentance points that can be used to press you toward Christ even more.

Are you willing to be numbered amongst the foolish? It is something most people shy away from, yet something we must pursue. Using the story of Jonathan and his armor-bearer, Pastor Eric Ludy reveals in this sermon how choosing what the world deems foolish is actually the key to audacious faith. Learn the five elements of “pulling a Jonathan” and then choose to walk the narrow, foolish, way.

Tireless. Even hearing the word makes most eyelids heavy. But spiritually, we are called to have no “down time” in our souls—we are to be always ready, always alert, always and constantly moving forward in our spiritual lives. The Bible has a lot to say about the sluggard, both physically and spiritually, and in this stirring sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy gives a study in spiritual constancy and calls believers to pick up the tent sakes and exercise godliness. As Christians we are to be built for anything and everything, are you?

A brief summary of this episode

In a continuation from last week’s sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy gives another intimate message for the Church at Ellerslie, casting a vision for how God desires to shape and use this particular church body. Using a picture given in Isaiah 3, Pastor Ludy talks about the loss of the eleven strengths of ancient Israel and shows how these strengths are needed today in this generation—it is a call for godly men and wise to rise and return to the “desiderio domini”—the ache for the return of Jesus Christ.

In this intimate message for the Church at Ellerslie, Pastor Eric Ludy casts a vision of eleven things the Church at Ellerslie should become and grow into. While all eleven statements are grand in scope, some may think the eleventh is perhaps an oddity in the mix—to be the happiest church in the world. This isn’t a commission to put on fake smiles but rather to be a church which showcase the full grandeur and greatness of God Himself.

There is a tension in Scripture—Christians are supposed to be constant and consistent (ie: without change), but they are also supposed to grow, mature, and … yes … change. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy examines change from a Biblical perspective and argues that there are two kinds of change, one of which is necessary for the Christian’s life. It is true that God does not change, and yet He seeks to change us.

You are in a spiritual battle and there is a real enemy seeking to destroy you. Yet in Christ, we need not fear for He has given us the ability to stand valiant and victorious in His power and might. And Paul wrote, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…” (2 Corinthians 10:4). In this practical and equipping sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy talks about the spiritual battle, our war chest of tools to fight and stand immovable, and gives practical examples of how to handle the enemy’s attacks in our lives. If you seek greater strength and triumph in your spiritual life, listening to this sermon is a must.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy that God is the “King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light.” Using the illustration of light, Pastor Eric Ludy shows the grand contrast of judgment, hell, and eternal punishment with God’s overwhelming mercy, grace, and love. There is a choice—will you choose the “cave of hell” or enter into the cave of our Beloved? In this stirring and convicting sermon that leaves you with an astounding twist, you will discover that though there is a literal hell reserved for judgment and punishment, there is hope, freedom, salvation, and mercy that triumphs over judgment.

Popular culture may call it the “butterfly effect”—but regardless of what you call it, God uses people’s lives to influence others who in turn are used to transform many others. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy shares two stories of people’s lives who created ripples resulting in the transformation of countless others; and then shares his own personal “ripple effect of heavenly love.” If you’ve ever had a desire to be used by God to transform the world, we must first be willing to do something small—and it’s often these seemingly unimportant acts that result in big change.

During creation God breathed life into man, and humanity shared breath with its Creator. Yet in the fall, we were cut off and divorced from God—a separation from the shared breath and from intimate fellowship with God Almighty. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the two degrees of “divorce” and God’s relentless pursuit to draw humanity back into relationship with Himself. Stand in awe as we examine God’s desire to extend mercy and return humanity to a shared breath with the perfect-righteousness Man, Jesus Christ.

In this special Father’s Day sermon, Pastor (and father) Eric Ludy talks about the difference between God being our Father (capital F) and the role of the earthly father (lowercase f). In short, the earthly father is supposed to be a picture and reflection of the Heavenly Father—and Pastor Ludy not only gives great insight into fatherhood but gives practical steps on how to be a good and godly father.

In this personal and revealing sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy recounts several key moments in his life where he chose obedience and discovered the difficult, but blessed, path of faith. If you want a behind-the-scenes peak at the moments that shaped Eric Ludy into the man and preacher he is today, this sermon will acquaint you with not only his personal story, but you will also discover what God can do in a life that is fully obedient to Him.

Gluttony is often a topic most modern pastors shy away from, but in this sermon, Eric Ludy goes straight to the gut in a convicting message on the power of self-entitlement and pampering in our lives. Dealing with far more than just food, gluttony keeps ourselves upon the throne of our lives rather than relinquishing our rights and lives to Jesus Christ. With revealing personal illustrations and an incredible story from the book of Judges, Pastor Eric asks us whom we serve: the God of the universe or the the belly god—and reveals how Jesus Christ can have sole position in our lives.

What is your identity? Perhaps it sounds like a simple question but it goes to the heart of the battle raging over you—will you live for the pleasure and splendor of self or will you pursue the splendor and glory of One greater? In this sermon, Eric Ludy talks about the identity issue in our world today, where it came from, and how we can lose our identity in Christ Jesus.

Many Christians shy away from the idea of battle—but the New Testament is clear: we are living in the midst of war. As such, we must be built for battle and ready to not just survive but thrive amidst danger. What does that look like? In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses the life of a happy soldier and 22 words every Christian soldier must know. Though this sermon is humorous at times, it strikes conviction at the heart of every believer who wants to aggressively follow after Christ.

The topic of modern apostleship is becoming an issue of great contention in the Church today. Yet to either ignore or over-emphasize the topic can cause us to stray into concerning areas of doctrine. In this illuminating sermon on the issue of modern-day apostles, Pastor Eric Ludy tackles this challenging issue with grace and biblical insight—showing how we must understand the difference between the first Apostles (capital “A”) and modern-day apostles (lowercase “a”). In the end, you will understand that we need both the pattern passers and the pattern implementers. For anyone concerned with the growing focus of modern-day apostleship, this sermon will help give you a foundational biblical perspective.

The Church today is often passive in bringing the Gospel to the world—and what we need is a seemingly small but effective means that will deliver a gigantic blow. In short, we need a hobelar—an instrument of war, designed by God, to wholly shock the enemy and swiftly overcome them. Just as lightning is fast, surprising, and delivers a blow, we need a battle plan for “The Lightning War.” In this illuminating (pun intended) sermon, Eric Ludy declares that we are in the middle of a war … what are each of us willing to do?

Continuing his theme of using events from the Civil War to highlight spiritual truths, Pastor Eric Ludy discusses John Brown and the event of Harper’s Ferry to remind Christians that the flesh (the first) must be dealt with in order for the Spirit (the second) to really work. In this sermon, Eric walks through the New Testament showing that we must put off the old man (our former way of living) and put on the new man “which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Within the Christian life there is one of two battle fronts that we will find ourselves in—we will either battle for self-preservation (fighting for the enemy against God) or we will battle for self-denial (fighting for God against the enemy). Using the story of Wilmer McLean from the Civil War, Pastor Eric Ludy addresses the topic of having to deliberately choose in the Christian life whom we will serve. The truth is, we will refuse something, the question is what? It is time to make a decision.

In an updated version of his sermon “The Bowl of Peanuts,” Eric Ludy re-examines King Cotton, the Boll Weevil, and George Washington Carver to talk about Biblically solving impossible dilemmas in the world and our lives. Too often in the church we are confused about works verses faith—but this sermon gives clarity to how the Christian life is to function properly in light of God’s grace working within the believer’s life as we live by the work of faith and not the work of law.

Eric’s kids recently had the opportunity to experience an “Oatmeal Day” and it created a fun idea for a sermon. An Oatmeal Day is a day set aside to reflect upon the loveliness of the Christ-life—an opportunity, if you will, to cherish the good things in life and be purposeful in thanksgiving. In this sermon on the anatomy of Biblical thanksgiving, Pastor Eric Ludy talks about the two dimensions of true thanksgiving and how both aspects must be demonstrated within the believer’s life. Despite the circumstances you find yourself in, would you be willing to go beyond lifting up a mere “thanks” to God and lift up all He is worthy to receive? For He deserves everything.