Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church at Ellerslie

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.