Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

Michael Gowens continues the exposition of Philippians series with this message from Philippians 4:6-7. Anxiety, or worry, is one of the principal thieves of joy. But rare is the person who does not struggle to keep matters of concern from deteriorating into worry. Gowens emphasizes that worry is essentially an unbiblical habit of thinking that is driven by fear, but God has provided a remedy via the privilege of prayer.

The 8/2/26 sermon by Mike Gowens considers four "last" things from 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection chapter in Scripture. This important chapter discusses the 1) Last Adam; 2) Last Apostle; 3) Last Trump; and 4) Last Enemy. 

This 7/26/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is based on Philippians 4:5 and is #30 in the Exposition of Philippians series. Gowens devotes the first half of the sermon explaining the various nuances of the term "moderation," than spends the balance of the time explaining the means by which the believer maintains his/her spiritual balance.

Elder Gowens' sermon on 7/12/26 is taken from Philippians 4:4 and is message #29 in the Exposition of Philippians series. He highlights the imperative "Rejoice," an activity of exulting in God, as the key to maintaining joyful feelings in the believer's heart. This practical sermon emphasizes the primary difference between secular happiness and true, biblical joy, a difference captured by the crucial phrase "in the Lord."

In this 7/12/26 sermon, Mike Gowens continues the look at Philippians 4 with a focus on verses 2-3. Although the apostle is constrained to specifically address a potentially divisive conflict between two women in the church, he does so kindly & respectfully - in a word, pastorally. Among the pastoral encouragements he cites, Paul highlights the fact that these two sisters belonged to the same heavenly family. Their "names," he says, "are in the book of life." What rich encouragement is here!

This 7/5/26 sermon from Mike Gowens is based on Philippians 4:1 and is message #27 in the Exposition of Philippians series. The apostle's warm, pastoral heart is on full display as he writes to the church at Philippi, especially in this text. Gowens develops the holy fraternity that is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, a relationship unlike anything this world might duplicate.

On Sunday, 6/21/26, Elder Gowens considers two texts addressing the family "father" -- Ephesians 6:4 & Colossians 3:21. He insists that leading a family should be a distinctively "Christian" endeavor, that is, that fatherhood should be informed and shaped by the gospel message. Gowens offers a list of ways in which fathers might engender frustration and discouragement in a child, as well as practical helps to fulfill the calling to have a Christian influence on that child.

This 6/7/26 sermon by Mike Gowens is based on Philippians 3:17-21 and is #26 in the "Exposition of Philippians" study. Using the fact that Philippi was a Roman colony although a distance of 800 miles separated the capital city from its Greek city-state, Paul reminds the saints of the need to think of our lives in this world in terms of our heavenly home, and to prioritize that ultimate, political reality in the way we think about the present life.

The 5/31/26 message by Mike Gowens is #25 in the "Exposition of Philippians" series, and is based on Philippians 3:8-14. Gowens develops Paul's metaphor of the athlete that strains for the goal as a metaphor of the Christian life. The entire passage emphasizes the importance of focus, self-discipline and strenuous effort in living the life of discipleship.

This 5/24/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is #24 in the Philippian series. It is based on Phi. 3:7-10. Paul's language reveals his personal passion and ambition. Gowens elaborates on the impropriety of ambition if it is self-centered and self-promoting, but argues that when a deeper knowledge of Christ and conformity to Him is the goal, it is not only a proper, but essential personal trait.