Eric Ludy Sermon Podcast: Church at Ellerslie

The following quote from Charles Spurgeon should prove sufficient in introducing this moving and inspiring message: “There is no glory in being a featherbed soldier, a man bedecked with gorgeous medals, but never beautified by a scar, or ennobled by a wound. All that you ever hear of such a soldier is that his spurs jingle on the pavement as he walks. There is no history for this carpet knight. He is just a dandy. He never smelled gunpowder in battle in his life. If he did, he fetched out his cologne to kill the offensive odor. Oh, if we could be wise enough to choose, even were as wise as the Lord Himself, we would choose the troubles which He has appointed to us, and we would not spare ourselves a single pang.”

This is a message that is most appropriately listened to while on your face at the feet of your beloved Jesus. This is the eternal song of the redeemed. It's a song the world deems utter foolishness and extravagant waste. But to those of us that have beheld our almighty Lord and have had our lips touched with a burning coal from His altar, this is the song we are moved to sing—and even delighted to sing—no matter what this world may think.

This message pulls no punches, hitting squarely on some of the most touchy subjects in the conservative church. It's Eric Ludy's appeal to the modern Church which seems magnetically attracted to controversy and debate in and amongst Bible-believing saints. In the Ellerslie world, every conceivable conservative denominational persuasion is represented, with every vantage point on soteriology, eschatology, baptisms, sabbaths, and the gifts of the Spirit resolutely hosted within our student body. Yikes! The opportunity is rife for potential division and contention. And yet there is a supernatural sense of order and agreement in our midst. There is one mind and one message that rings forth from the students at Ellerslie, causing the lion to lay down with the lamb (or in our case, the Calvinist to respectfully hold hands with the Arminianist). So what is our message? It's Jesus Christ and Him crucified!

This message is about the basics that make Christianity really work. In other words, this is basic training. It's no-nonsense Truth applied to the human life so that the human life begins to function as it ought. Eric Ludy has his drill sergeant voice in full gear for this one.

This message is a game changer. It's a poignant look at how the Gospel is meant to be applied to the area of daily work, industry, and diligence. Most modern-day business owners would agree that Christians today are often some of the worst workers. And this very real blind-spot in our spiritual discipleship is crippling our testimony for Jesus Christ in countless ways. It's high time we gain a vision for how our behavior can (and must) begin to match up with our bold belief.

75% of 18 to 24 year old young people in America today are considered ineligible for military service. They are obese, mentally unfit, and unable to pass the hearing tests (due to hearing loss attributed primarily to a life filled with loud music). Could it be that what is true of the United State's military is also true of God's military? There is a lethargy, a soul obesity, and a Biblical ignorance that is disqualifying a vast number of young Christians from proving anything but pathetic in their Christian service. It is totally unlikely that God would find His valiant and victorious army in and amongst our spiritually lumpy ranks, but such is God's great agenda—to take the weakest things and turn them into triumphant pictures of His great redeeming grace. This message supplies one of the primary ingredients necessary for this great and seemingly inconceivable reformation to begin.

Every man needs a code of honor. He needs to know why he's here and what he's supposed to do with the short time he has here on Earth. This message supplies such a vision. For if a man knows what to live for and what to die for and possesses the God-imparted strength to live and die well, the world will undoubtedly be altered for the glory of King Jesus as a result.

This is a message that poignantly and powerfully weaves together two of Eric Ludy's favorite things: the pure undiluted Gospel of Jesus Christ and Eric's six-year-old son, Hudson. This message is an instant Ellerslie classic, sure to be held in a special place in the campus vault for years to come.

This may be the shortest Sunday message you ever hear Eric Ludy give. At the conclusion of a very special Sunday morning service dedicated to the testimonies of Advanced Ellerslie Graduates, Eric finished up the service with these inspiring words, reminding us once again that Jesus is the center of history, the center the Bible, the center of the Gospel, the center of our Christianity—and truly, the center of the entire Universe!

Where are the men that turn the world upside down? Where are the men that take their God at His Word and actually believe? Where are the men who have such a firm grip on the promises of their God that their spiritual knuckles turn bone-white with determination? Where are the men willing to suffer and die that Jesus Christ might gain His rightful due? If such men still stir on this suffering globe, then please, God, now is the time to raise them up.