Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

A Heart Governed by God's Peace

Pastor Mike Gowens' 8/6/17 sermon focuses on Colossians 3:15: "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts." He devotes the first portion of the message to a discussion of the position of priority Paul gives to the Christian's "heart" in this great chapter. Then he expounds the text by focusing on three key words: Let, Peace, and Rule. In a world of conflict, tension and disharmony, the Christian is to be governed by God's peace in his heart, a dynamic that will necessarily spill over into his relationships.

The Priority of Love in the Church

Guest minister Elder Sam Bryant closed the Saturday (7/29/17) worship services during our 5th Weekend Meeting with a moving message based on Ephesians 5:1-2. If Christian people could keep in memory the principle taught in this passage, "then love in every heart would reign and war would cease to roar." In a world of interpersonal conflict, relational tension, and broken fellowship, the need is great that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ be a place of love.

Continue in the Old Paths

Elder David Cothren of Holly Pond, Alabama, preached first during the Saturday evening service, 7/29/17, of our 5th Weekend Meeting. He took his text from Acts 17, commenting on how the Athenians perpetually sought to hear "new things." In contrast, Paul told Timothy that during those times when people thirst for something new, novel and sensational, he should "continue in the things he has learned." 

Things to Consider

On Saturday afternoon (7/29/17) of our 5th Weekend Meeting, guest minister Elder Samuel Bryant looked at several things the Bible tells us to "consider." His text for the message was taken from 2 Timothy 2:7. He concluded his message by urging us to consider the Christ of Calvary and the great gift of eternal life he bestowed on his elect people. 

The Priority of God-Conscious Living

On Friday evening, 7/28/17, visiting minister Elder Sam Bryant (Birmingham, AL) began our 5th Weekend Meeting by looking at an intriguing comment in Philippians 2:12. The apostle Paul commended this church for their obedience "not only in his presence, but much more in his absence." Elder Bryant traces the reason for their obedience, even when Paul was not there to hold them accountable, to the fact that the Philippian believers lived with a conscious awareness of God's presence and reality.

Christ, A Greater Than Solomon

The 7/23/17 sermon from Pastor Michael Gowens focuses on the narrative in 1 Kings 10 concerning the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon. Gowens takes his text from Matthew 12:42 and shows that King Jesus surpasses Solomon in terms of peace, wisdom, personal character, building projects, wealth, love for his bride, the happiness of his servants, and the honor and effort due Him.

Called by God

Pastor Gowens' 7/16/17 sermon is taken from Romans 1. He highlights Paul's emphasis on the concept of "Divine Calling" and proceeds to discuss three categories in which this subject may be defined: (1) The Effectual Call; (2) The Gospel Call; (3) The Call to the Ministry. The call of God is not a vague, nebulous invitation, but a Divine summons and directive. In one sense, every child of God hears and responds to God's call. In the other two categories of God's call, the child of God is responsible for hearing and heeding it. Listen today and find help to "rightly divide" this important subject.

Divine Preservation of the Saints

Elder Mike Gowens took his text from Philippians 1:6 on Sunday morning, 7/9/17. This text teaches that the God who begins the good work of eternal life in one of His elect will never abandon that child, but will complete the work He began. Simply stated, Philippians 1:6 is one passage among many in Scripture that affirms the great doctrine of Eternal Security, or, as Pastor Gowens terms it, the Divine Preservation of the Saints. 

Pressing into the Kingdom of God

On Sunday morning, 6/25/17, visiting Elder Chris McCool concluded our Communion Weekend meeting with an exposition of Isaiah 55. This wonderful chapter foreshadows numerous characteristics and virtues of the church our Lord established in the world, as well as the benefits of participation in it. Elder McCool urges us to press into that kingdom in order to enjoy the spiritual blessings that may only be found in the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When Jesus is In the House

During the Saturday evening (6/24/17) service of our Communion Meeting, guest minister Elder Chris McCool looked at the story of Jesus' visit to the house of Simon Peter in Capernaum as recorded in Mark 2. From that inspired narrative, Elder McCool drew several lessons of the kinds of things we may expect when Jesus is in the house. Here is the great need of the hour for the Church, i.e. the manifest presence of the Lord in our midst.