Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

Help My Unbelief

On Father's Day 2018 (6/17), Elder Michael Gowens takes an intensive look at the story of one father's internal battle as he seeks help for his afflicted son, recorded in Mark 9:14-29. This sermon focuses on the profound admission of need in verse 24: "Lord, I believe; but help thou mine unbelief." Pastor Gowens insists that this plea for help is the reality in which each of us lives--a reality in which both genuine faith and grievous fear coexist in the heart. How wonderful to know that we have a heavenly Helper in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is able both to remedy the maladies that concern us, and to strengthen our own frail faith! 

God's Pattern for a Heavenly Marriage

In this 6/10/18 sermon, Elder Michael Gowens explores the Song of Solomon 2:2-5 as an illustration of the mutual love relationship that exists between Christ and His bride, the church. The message is premised on the principle that building a husband/wife relationship on the two-dimensional model of Christ's love for the church and her loving admiration for Him is the secret to a successful, God-honoring conjugal love.

Who is My Neighbor?

In this message from June 3, 2018, Michael Gowens considers the juxtaposition of two stories in Luke 10:25-42--the parable of the Good Samaritan and the account of Jesus' visit to the home of Mary and Martha for supper. These inspired sequence of these two accounts in Luke 10, Gowens argues, is intentional. Together, they give us a complete answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" The parable of the Good Samaritan answers, "My neighbor is anyone out there with a need that I am able to meet." The account of Mary and Martha answers, "My neighbor is anyone with whom I live on a day to day basis, i.e. my own family, my own fellow believer in the local church." This passage defines the parameters of the important principle of "neighbor love."

The Greatness of John the Baptist

This message was delivered by Elder Mike Gowens on Sunday 5/27/18 to the congregation of Winter Garden Primitive Baptist Church, Winter Garden, FL. The text of the sermon is Matthew 11:1-11. Elder Gowens looks at the biblical titles ascribed to John--the Forerunner, a Burning and Shining Light, a Voice, the Friend of the Bridegroom, and one who was more than a prophet--to explain the reasons behind Jesus' statement, "Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist."

Zion's King or Earth's Princes?

On Sunday 5/20/18, Elder Michael Gowens expounded Psalm 146, the first of the "Hallelujah Psalms" in the Psalter. This Psalm was the basis of the familiar hymn by Isaac Watts, entitled "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath." It develops a pertinent contrast between frail and fallible man and the sovereign, covenant-keeping God as an object of hope and trust. Pastor Gowens builds his message around this startling contrast, urging believers to cease to look to man as a source of help and to discover the blessedness of a life of total dependance on the One who alone is able to satisfy man's need.

Champion Warfare

In this 4/29/18 sermon, Elder Michael Gowens looks at the familiar narrative in 1 Samuel 17 concerning David's victory over Goliath. Without question, this legendary battle is the premier example of the ancient practice of "single combat" or, if you will, "champion warfare." As such, it foreshadows the cross, when David's greater son represented His elect in the most significant of all battles and singlehandedly won a decisive victory over the enemy of sin. Here, in this well-known account from Jewish history, we discover one of the clearest proclamations of the gospel in the pages of the Old Testament.

The Christian's Triple-Threat

Elder Mike Gowens' text on Sunday, 4/22/18, was taken from Ephesians 6:10-18, the premier passage in the New Testament on the important theme of "spiritual warfare." The believer, merely by virtue of his relationship to Jesus Christ, is engaged in a battle. Gowens outlines the scope of this conflict in terms of a three-fold assault from the world, the flesh and the devil. This triple enemy presents a significant challenge to every Christian who seeks to live faithfully to Christ. But our Captain has already won the war, and through Him, we too may also find the resources needed to survive in this good fight of faith.

In Hope of Eternal Life

On Sunday, 4/22/18, we were blessed with a visit from Elder Dannie Loy, pastor of First Primitive Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and his family. Elder Loy shared time with our pastor, taking his text from Titus 1:2: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."

Paul's Doctrine of Salvation

Elder Mike Gowens' 4/15/18 sermon focuses on Titus 3:3-7, a passage that he calls "the most concise yet comprehensive statement of Paul's doctrine of salvation in the New Testament." After discussing the importance of interpreting the verb "to save" accurately, Gowens proceeds to exposit this passage in terms of the need, the motive, the means, the basis, and the result of God's gift of salvation. This great doctrine is the heart and soul of the Christian gospel. We have a message of good news because salvation is by God's grace, not man's works, all of Him and none of us.

The Resurrection Promises

Elder Mike Gowens delivered this message on Resurrection Sunday, 4/1/18. The 43 minute sermon is based on 1 Cor. 15:14: "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." After emphasizing the critical significance of the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ to Christian faith, Gowens proceeds to discuss five promises that are specifically connected to the Savior's resurrection from the dead: (1) The Coming of the Holy Spirit; (2) The Personal Presence of Jesus with His Church; (3) Direct Access to the Father in Prayer; (4) The Redeemer's Glorious Return; (5) The Bodily Resurrection of the Saints at the Last Day.