Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

Christian Survival in the Last Days

On Sunday 2/4/18, Elder Michael Gowens took our congregation through a verse-by-verse exposition of 2 Timothy 3. In this chapter, the aged apostle reminds his younger brother in the ministry that the world in which we seek to serve the Lord will grow progressively worse and immoral as the second coming of Christ nears. Dangerous days, he says, are ahead. For those of us living even nearer to Christ's return than Timothy was when he received Paul's letter, the description Paul gives of the last days reads like the morning newspaper. Yet, in such a secular climate, the believer has a survival resource available--the inspired, authoritative, and sufficient word of God.

The Apparent Absence of God

In this 1/28/18 message, Elder Mike Gowens takes a look at the experience of Asaph in Psalm 77. What should the believer do when struggling with spiritual desertions--when it appears that God has withdrawn himself and is no longer interested in your case? Will the Lord ever truly abandon one of His children? Will His mercy be removed forever? Will God's loved one ever reach a point in which the best days are past and no prospect of future good remains? To those who find themselves in a present state of crisis, Asaph's experience, as recorded in this Psalm, may speak with special relevance and poignancy.

Hope: Anticipating Great Things from God

On January 21, 2018, "Sanctity of Life Sunday" in America, visiting minister Elder Dan Hall (GA) used three narratives from the Gospel of Luke to speak on the importance of looking hopefully to the Lord for future blessedness. He begins his message by noticing the prevailing "culture of death" in our country, then urges us to sharpen focus on the God of Hope and living in anticipation of His favor, as these first century disciples of Jesus lived. Hope in the Redeemer will, indeed, save the believer from despair in this present evil world.

Be Zealous

The 1/14/18 sermon by Michael L. Gowens is based on Revelation 3:15-19 in which the church is exhorted to holy zeal in their service to Christ. In this day of lukewarm spirituality, the contemporary church needs this reminder as much as the first century Laodiceans did. We regret that some technical difficulties impaired the final ten minutes of the recording. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Following Jesus in 2018

On Sunday, January 6, 2018, Elder Mike Gowens began the New Year with a look at the Savior's call to Christian discipleship, "Follow Me," from Mark 8:34-37. In this message, Pastor Gowens defines this imperative in three terms. To follow Jesus is (1) to spend time with Jesus in personal fellowship, (2) to imitate Jesus in personal attitude and conduct, and (3) to learn of Jesus with the goal of becoming like Him. Here is the essence of what it means to live as a Christian.

The Believer's Checkbook

Elder Michael Gowens takes his text from Philippians 4:19 for this final message of 2017. As we prepare to cross the threshold into a new year, it is crucial to sharpen focus on the One who promises to supply our every need. Great encouragement is available to the child of God in this sublime promise. Gowens employs the familiar image of a checking account to illustrate the meaning of this verse.

Behold the Lamb

Pastor Gowens completes his mini-series on the Person of the incarnate Christ with this 12/24/17 sermon on John 1:29: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." He identifies this sublime sentence as the first gospel sermon preached in the New Covenant, and leads the congregation to consider (1) the herald, or messenger, that delivered the message, (2) the content of the message, and (3) the benefit of heeding this gospel summons.

Behold the Man

A popular song heard during each December asks the question, "What Child is This?" In this 12/17/17 sermon, Elder Mike Gowens continues the mini-series aimed at giving a Biblical answer to that question. Using the frequent summons "Behold!" Gowens invites us to look into Bethlehem's manger with sustained focus on the character of the Messiah. Today's message draws from John 19:5 and focuses on the important doctrine of the Humanity of Jesus Christ, a truth that is central to the apostolic gospel.

Behold the Servant

In his 12/10/17 message, Pastor Gowens looks at Isaiah 42:1-4, the first of Isaiah's four "Servant Songs." This particular prophecy concerns the Character of God's Servant. According to this thrilling passage, the One sent to do Jehovah's bidding will be marked by humility, gentleness and fidelity to God. This prophecy finds a precise fulfillment in one figure in human history, and one figure only--Jesus of Nazareth. He is the promised and anticipated Messiah, Jehovah's righteous Servant, come to fulfill the most important mission in history. 

Be Still My Soul

On Sunday, 12/3/17, Pastor Mike Gowens expounded the 46th Psalm, focusing on verse 10 as a text: "Be still and know that I am God." Three reasons for personal calmness in crisis may be deduced from the three stanzas of the Psalm, each marked by the musical notation "Selah": (1) God is our Shelter in the Storm (vs. 1-3); (2) God is our Supply in Want (vs. 4-7); (3) God is our Salvation from the Enemy (vs 8-11).