Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church at Ellerslie

The Christian life is won or lost in mind. The Devil knows this, too. So the Devil goes after the aperture of the Christian mind in order to direct its focus anywhere but on Christ and His Cross. If we as Christians know this, then we fight back and learn to counteract this demonic ploy with God’s weaponry. This particular sermon lays out one of the key tactics in God’s military strategy for keeping the Christian’s mental focus right where it belongs. 

Being a WW1 fighter pilot was gutsy. Kind of like being a radical Chrisitan today. When a pilot went up in one of those rickety biplanes, there was a high chance he wasn’t coming back. As Christians, when we sign up for serious Christian living, it’s kind of like climbing into a rickety WW1 biplane and taking off. It’s a dangerous and difficult mission that is promised to be accompanied by a thousand challenges. But God designed us for this very adventure—and He built us to bring down the enemy while we are at it.

From the outside looking in, the long jump event in track and field doesn’t seem very complicated. You run and then, well, jump. What’s so difficult about that? But, experts that know a little more than the average human say that the long jump is actually one of the most technically complex events in all of sports. And that’s kind of like living out the Christian life. From the outside looking in it doesn’t sound that difficult to make happen. You just need to love, rejoice, be patient, holy, and pure. How hard can that be? So, it’s a bit of shock when the average Joe tries to live it out and simply can’t. But, thank God that He is the ultimate spiritual track and field coach, and it is His desire to train us to succeed in this impossible event known as “living a godly life.” This is a fun biographical message in which Eric shares twenty brief stories in his life that explain the many technically complex moments in his journey that have made up his personal long jumping adventure. 

Consistency in any field or arena of life is important. But, consistency in the realm of Christian living moves beyond the term “important” into the zone of “eternally significant.” An inconsistent Christian can be the undoing of another human soul, the justification of a wary skeptic to stay away from the Truth, and even the excuse for another believer to take lightly their own inconsistent behavior. As believers we are designed to walk true, walk faithful, and walk consistent. But, many believers today question whether or not such a life is even possible. And that is why a fresh reminder message like this one is critical. 

Many Christians today are showing a greater faith in the power of Sin to continue to control their lives than they are in the power of God to deliver their lives from the power of Sin. We all go one of two ways. We are either overpowered by Sin, or we learn the secret of overpowering Sin. Yes. It’s true. Sin boasts a greater power than that of humans gritting their teeth, attempting to defy it. But, it’s also true that Jesus boasts a far greater power than that of Sin, even when Sin is in its best condition and at its strongest. Someone is getting overpowered. The question is who? Is it going to be Sin, or is it going to be you?

Our measurements for greatness often don’t match with God’s measurements. We see Eliab the strapping son of Jesse and we cry out, “Anoint him! Make him king!” But, God sees the eighth son of Jesse, who seemingly wasn’t important enough to even invite to the party, and He says, “There is a man after my own heart!” The Bible chronicles a long line of this “unexpected” and “unpopular” choosing of God. The people of God want one thing, but God doesn’t give them what they want—He gives them what they need most. Of course, in no way is this seen more clearly than in His supply of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ—the messiah rejected by the Jews, but appointed by God to stand in the gap for sinners the world over.  

God designed us as humans to remember. But, that doesn’t mean we do. He even commands us to remember. But, we still struggle to live according to our design. Ironically, we even want to remember, but without a purposeful and intentional strategy we simply fail in this mission. Remembrance is a tactical way to sponsor the growth and continuance of Truth, Hope, and Thanksgiving in the midst of our souls. Everyone should have a clear battle plan for remembrance in their life. For without it, we all can easily lose heart, lose vision, and lose faith.  

The Devil has convinced many in the Church today that he is an equal with God—that if he were to duke it out with the Almighty that he would have a real shot at winning the bout. That’s laughable, especially since the Devil is already defeated. And the fight wasn’t even close. But, the Devil still roars loudly from his cage and he doesn’t want anyone to actually realize that he was declawed and defanged at the Cross. A successful Christian life is one that is set up to tactically succeed in relation to the baits, maneuvers, and feints of this defeated foe. This message will unpack some of the best practices for dog piling the Devil.  

This is a message that sends both a holy thrill and a holy trembling through your spiritual being. There is a “golden chariot” described in and throughout Scripture upon which God rides. And on this chariot He comes to bring judgment. But, this same chariot that elicits awe and fear in those soon to be trampled beneath its wheels—elicits awe and joy in those that have gained the amazing privilege of actually sitting with the Almighty Charioteer when He comes in power. 

If you would like to access Eric's entire series, go to https://ellerslie.com/the-time-of-nero/

The time of Nero was an incredibly dark time in history; a time when people suffered under the rule of a madman and sadistic mass murderer. But there is also something that happened in the time of Nero that is absolutely extraordinary—something that can cause a believer’s soul to be stirred with great hope. The time of Nero was not just another oppressive memory on the calendar of antiquity—it was a profound season of punctuation to the work of Christ Jesus on the Cross. It was a time of fulfilled prophecy; a time when the Church of Jesus Christ emerged as an unstoppable force in this world. This is the first episode in this exciting Daily Thunder summer series. If you would like to catch the other forthcoming episodes, just go to your favorite podcast player and search for the Daily Thunder Podcast.