Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

Paul the Christian

What can a preacher do when he no longer has a platform for ministry? How may any believer find incentive to keep going when the circumstances of life are adverse? Paul's personal affirmation of the meaning of life in Philippians 1:21a captures the surprising answer to these questions in terms of the great privilege of pursuing life as a genuine and sincere Christian. Although Pastor Gowens' May 5, 2019 message on this text did not properly record, he spoke on the same theme two weeks later at Bethany PBC in Ecru, MS. This audio file is the recording from that effort. 

The Way of Peace

On 5/19/19, Lic. Andrew Herrin delivered the message in the pastor's absence. His message from Matthew 5:9 urges believers to pursue a lifestyle of peace and reconciliation in interpersonal relationships, taking their cue from the Lord Jesus Christ, the penultimate Peacemaker.

A Love Surpassing Motherhood

In this 5/12/19 sermon, Elder Michael Gowens looks at the compelling analogy in Isaiah 49:15-16 - a comparison between a mother's devotion to her infant child and the Lord's covenant commitment to His people. Though we can think of few bonds as strong in the realm of nature as that between a mother and her child, yet God's covenant love for His children is stronger still. That inviolable loyalty to the objects of His everlasting love is the basis of both their eternal security and temporal hopes for the future. Note: Be advised that a power outage drove our congregation into the Fellowship Hall for worship, resulting in the use of a portable recording unit with a condenser mic instead of our ordinary sound system. Thanks for your consideration.

Making Sense of Suffering

In James 5:10-11, Job is given as an example of someone that persevered in suffering. But how, we wonder, did he keep going in the face of so many setbacks? In this 4/28/19 message, Elder Michael Gowens seeks to answer that question as he turns to the Old Testament book of Job to consider four great supports to faith in the midst of adversity. Job's case teaches us that we don't live by explanations. We live by faith.

The Significance of Jesus' Resurrection

In morning worship on 4/21/19, Elder Michael Gowens begins with the inspired, historical record of the resurrection of Jesus in Mark 16:1-14. He then proceeds to ask how the fact of the resurrection is relevant to believers today. Why is the resurrection of Jesus important? Brother Mike answers the question in three ways: (1) It is theologically significant; (2) It is pastorally significant; (3) It is eschatalogically significant. In other words, the relevance of the resurrection of Jesus arises from its relation to the doctrine of Christ's Person and Work, its spiritual value to the believer in the face of the many soul-struggles he experiences in life, and what it teaches us concerning the future and the ultimate question of the end of the world.

Imitate Your Heavenly Father

Elder Mike Gowens turns to Ephesians 4:31 - 5:2 to encourage the cultivation of loving, interpersonal relationships in this 4/14/19 sermon. Who has not felt the sting of relational tension? Who has not frequently felt defeated as he/she fails to interact Christianly with other people in the home, the church, the work place and the community? No area of life has the capacity to produce greater happiness than healthy relationships with the people that God has placed in our lives. Equally true is the fact that nothing tends to produce greater pain and distress than when those relationships break down. This passage offers practical instruction for dealing with other people, a subject relevant to each of us.

Remember Your Humble Beginnings

In this 4/7/19 sermon, Elder Mike Gowens looks at Isaiah 51:1-3 and the exhortation to God's people to reflect on their humble and inauspicious beginnings. Why is it important to frequently reflect on one's roots? What is the benefit of recalling one's personal history in weakness and helplessness and sin? The benefits of remembering where you came from and comparing it to the place God has brought you are two-fold: (1) It keeps one grounded in humility and gratitude; (2) It provides comfort, encouragement and hope for the future, for the God that has so graciously blessed you heretofore also promises to guide and provide for you in the future.

The Transfiguration of Jesus

In this 3/31/19 message, Elder Mike Gowens looks at the narrative in Matthew 17:1-9 to extract from it a Biblical Christology, or doctrine of the Person and Work of Christ, as well as a pastoral application concerning the bright future that awaits every heaven-born soul. Unlike Peter, James & John who witnessed this supernatural transformation of Jesus' appearance, we presently live by faith, not by sight. One day, however, we will see Him as He is, in all of his glory and splendor. Until then, we have a more sure word of prophecy to direct and to guide on the journey home.

The New Garden-City of God

In this 3/24/19 message, Elder Michael Gowens returns to Genesis 11 to complete the study on Genesis 1-11 by considering the contrast between the city of man in Genesis 11 and the hope for the city of God, the development of which theme begins in Genesis 12. This eschatological note of paradise restored is integral to the Biblical worldview, and is the basis of the believer's future hope even though the present order of things is in such confusion and disarray. This final "big idea" - the consummation of all things - developed in the first several chapters of the Bible provides a fitting summary to this brief study.

The City of Man

On Sunday, March 17, 2019, Elder Mike Gowens continued his studies in the first eleven chapters of Genesis by considering the narrative of Babylon and the building of its great tower, recorded in Genesis 11:1-9. This scene demonstrates the negative effect sin exercises on civilization and society. Since the Fall (recorded in Gen. 3), every part of God's world has been corrupted, even culture. Fallen man wants nothing more than to be left alone--to live his life and pursue his plans apart from God. But such an ambition is sure to fail, for God will not forever suffer the sinful rebellion of fallen humanity.