Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church at Ellerslie

 

 

This is the sixth installment in Eric’s series entitled, The Shadow Nation Rises. In this message he digs into God’s pattern for taking the Land of Promise as enunciated in Deuteronomy chapter seven. God informs the Israelites that they will not be able to take the land quickly, but instead, He will enable them to take it little by little. This pattern of “little by little” is a foundational principle of the spiritual growth of the Christian life.  Many trip over the idea that an all-powerful God does not do everything He does immediately. The thought is, "if He has the ability to do it immediately, why doesn’t He?”  However, this "little by little” process is very much on-purpose and critical in the proper development of both individuals and nations.      

 

 

This is the fifth installment in Eric’s series entitled, The Shadow Nation Rises. In this message he explores the prescription of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter six for the Israelites to not “test the Lord” in the Promised Land as they did at Meribah. This idea of “testing the Lord” is a crucial concept and one that can be easily be misunderstood in the Christian life. For there is a “testing" that flows out of unbelief and there is a “testing" that flows out of faith. The first form of testing has zero part in Promised Land living, whereas the second form of testing is the essence of Promised Land living.      

 

 

This is the fourth installment in Eric’s series entitled, The Shadow Nation Rises. In this message he walks through the idea of putting off our sandals when we step upon God’s holy ground. Time and again in Scripture we see this “removal of sandals” happen, and each time it is when something new is unfolding. The book of Deuteronomy brings us to this same place of holy ground. It’s the transition from something old into something new. Could it be that the Church of Jesus Christ is needing to remove its sandals and follow God into a new, and more powerful work.    

 

 

This is the third installment in Eric’s series entitled, The Shadow Nation Rises. In this message he explores the thrilling “giant conquering” phase of the Israelite's 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. When the final “fighting man” from the previous generation passes away in the 38th year of The Wandering, the time comes to seize the Land of the Giants. The victory over this heavily populated territory to the east of the Jordan River is extraordinary and wholly God-operated. But, the territory taken is NOT the Land of Promise. It’s merely the territory necessary in order to NOW take the Land of Promise to the west. So, when Reuben and Gad request this territory, on the east side of the Jordan River, as their inheritance, the sparks start flying. How often we do the same. We accept a cheap imitation in our spiritual lives instead of pressing forward into the uncomfortable to lay hold of the real thing.  

 

 

This is the second installment in Eric’s series entitled, The Shadow Nation Rises. In this message he dives into the formation of the first godly national government. Ancient Israel, in 1445 B.C., will supply history with a governmental model that is still, in many facets, actively employed in today’s U.S. Constitution. It’s an amazing format for the governance of a large body of people. And yet, in and of itself, this wonderful governmental model is unable to save the people of Israel (then) or the people of America (now) from their sinful propensities. However, another government, a “second” government, was ratified on this Earth two thousand years ago by God’s own Son, Jesus. This “second” government is able to perform on behalf of its citizens, what the first government was powerless to accomplish.    

 

 

Deuteronomy means “second law”. Many scholars believe that this book title is a mistake from an improper translation in the Latin Vulgate. However, Eric Ludy presses the point that this unusual title (Deuteronomy), though it could very well be a mistaken translation, perfectly matches this extraordinary and supernatural book. This book is about the “second” — it is a second invite to a second generation to follow a second leader. It is a brilliant shadow of the glorious Gospel invite found in the New Testament.  This message marks the first episode in Eric’s new series which walks through the profound textual landscape of Deuteronomy in order to showcase the profound Man, Jesus Christ.  

 

 

Most of us struggle with carrying our own burdens let alone the burdens of others.  But a Christian, set on fire by Love isn’t just willing to carry the burdens of others, but is desirous to do it. Whatever it is that causes men like C.T. Studd to eagerly long to go to the most difficult place on earth to speak of Christ or that causes men like Jim Elliot to seek out the most dangerous native tribe for evangelism and then get genuinely excited when they are found — this strange and bewildering attitude is desperately needed in the Body of Christ again.  

 

 

What causes one man to shrink back and cower before Goliath and the next man to rise up and sprint after him? This mysterious function of bold spiritual daring is often chalked up to being nothing more than a function of extraordinary personality that someone either has or doesn’t have in their native DNA. But, in actuality, this soul moxie is the result of something sturdy and gritty being built into the soul over time and through the joyful encounter of many trials. It’s the result of a vigorous faith being continually exercised in the human soul. This particular message is installment #13 in Eric Ludy’s series entitled, “The Spiritual biography of a Nation”.  It rewinds the calendar 400 years to 1620 and sticks us in the middle of the Atlantic in a ship known as the Mayflower. A magnificent crisis is going to unfold before our eyes, and yet, the 102 people on board this small ship are going to shock us, because they are not going to give way to panic. Why? Because they were readied for this crisis.  

 

Series: The Spiritual Biography of a Nation

Part: #12

 

Many Christians start out strong, but few finish strong. Many believers come out of the gate with gusto but instead of continuing steadfast they either limp to the finish line or bail out altogether from the spiritual fray. Using the Pilgrim’s extraordinary send-off from England in 1620 as powerful illustration for the need of spiritual resilience, Eric Ludy will make every listener crave to be a William Bradford rather than a Robert Cushman. 

 

Series: The Spiritual Biography of a Nation

Part: #11

 

In 1618, the unthinkable took place in England — King James I officially kicked every religious non-conformist out of his country. He boldly declared that these “fanatics" were no longer welcome to live in grand ‘ol England. That meant the Puritans were out on their backsides and all the Separatists needed to find a new country to call home. Long and short, it was a tough time to be a strong Christian in lukewarm England. This great purge of spiritual strength out of England strangely changed the course of the United States of America, because it brought all this spiritual zeal and strength into North America — and dramatically changed the course of our nation.