Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church At Ellerslie

Too often we forget that in the Christian life suffering is a good thing. We are commanded to rejoice when faced with trials, to have exceeding gladness in the midst of suffering, and to endure tribulation and testings with endless joy. But the question we must ask ourselves is do we actually believe (and live) this? Using the “happy” story of a grape, Pastor Eric Ludy takes us to “Grape School” to discover the hidden secret in the training of a grape. Through these simple yet powerful lessons, you will understand the joy of embracing any hardships and difficulties in your life. This sermon was originally given on March 12, 2017. Support this podcast

Just as a physical body has several systems that help it function and live (e.g.: respiratory, endocrine, digestive, etc) so too the Body of Christ has systems that help it live fully for the glory of God. In this sermon, Pastor Eric Ludy compares the physical body to the Church and explains why each of us is necessary for its function and life—although we don’t all have the same gifting, function, or role. The difficulty of being a body is that we typically think in terms of our “system” while forgetting the others are just as important—thus allowing irritants and frustration from others to distract us from Christ. The heart of this message is Eric’s appeal to allow God to take every irritation and frustration and, just like an oyster, use the irritant to produce pearls. Support this podcast

The Christian is one who has a reason to smile. And this reason doesn't change . . . ever. The Christian possesses an indomitable joy, an impervious sense of gratitude, and an ever-present buoying grace that supplies, not just an endurance through difficulties, but shouts of joy in the midst of the darkest of life's turns. This sermon was originally given on January 8, 2012. Support this podcast

In this straightforward and illuminating message, Pastor Eric Ludy addresses the often misunderstood concept of spiritual gifts and how they work together within the Body of Christ today. As a Body, we are called to function together and showcase Jesus Christ. As such, the Bible says He has given us different gifts in order to bring about that purpose. Rather than an intimidating sermon on a concept that can divide the Church, Pastor Ludy lays a biblical foundation for the gifts and reminds us that the chief gifts given by God are Himself and love. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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.” Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

“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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast

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. Support this podcast