Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

The 3/10/19 sermon by Michael Gowens draws from the narrative of Genesis 3:1-15 concerning the Fall of man into sin. This chapter is really the thesis statement of the entire Bible. Apart from an understanding of Genesis 3, it is impossible to make sense of why the world is in its present condition of conflict and tension, and to answer the question of why suffering and pain is so prevalent in human history. Genesis 3, consequently, is basic and fundamental to a theistic, or Biblical, worldview. It reminds us that we are not in Eden any more. Against the darkness of man's tragic failure, however, a Divine ray of light breaks upon the scene, for God reveals at the very moment of man's failure His provision to send a Second Man, through whom paradise lost will be restored.

In this 3/3/19 sermon, Michael Gowens continues the survey of Genesis 1-11 by considering the creation narrative in Genesis 1 and 2 from the philosophical perspective of meaning and purpose. Gowens argues that the fact of creation presupposes that life is purposeful, then proceeds to insist that the intricate design in the universe - both on a macro and a micro scale - reinforces the idea of purpose. Finally, he focuses on the creation of man and explains the four-fold purpose of human existence: 1) Fellowship with God; 2) Relationships; 3) Vocation; 4) Worship. Again, we see from this section of Divine Revelation just how relevant and pertinent God's word is to our times.

Elder Mike Gowens begins his 2/24/19 message by looking at Matthew 16:13-15 and drawing from this passage an important biblical principle, namely, true faith is a personal matter. Until a person overcomes the temptation to fit in with the crowd, follow opinion polls and to court the approval of the world, he will never be an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ. The question that ultimately matters is not "what do people think?" but "what do I believe?" 

On 2/17/19, Elder Michael Gowens continues the study he began last week, returning to Genesis 1-11 to glean from these important chapters the basic emphases intrinsic to a Biblical Worldview. In this message, he deals primarily with theology proper, the queen of the sciences and the foundation for everything else. Because our world refuses to begin at the beginning, nothing else makes sense. But when a person begins with God, everything else around him begins to make sense. Do you possess a Biblical Worldview?

In this 2/10/19 sermon, Mike Gowens considers the first chapter of Genesis as the foundation of social order. Relativism, the idea that there is no concrete foundation for either truth or ethics but that personal preference and the situation governs thought and behavior, is wreaking havoc on our world. Pastor Gowens takes on the godless philosophy of relativism by arguing for the premise that because God exists as Creator of all, philosophical and moral absolutes also exist. Reality demands acknowledgment of these absolute truths. *Note: We regret that due to a technical failure with recording equipment, the final ten minutes of the message was not recorded.

Elder Michael Gowens' 2/3/19 sermon is based on the narrative recorded in Mark 4:21-43. In the two miraculous healings recorded in this passage, the Lord Jesus demonstrates his sovereign power over disease and death with an incomparable level of compassion and pity. Unlike modern-day celebrities, Jesus never secluded himself to the ivory towers, but interacted personally with real-life people who needed his touch. Still, he takes notice of individuals in their need, moving to alleviate their sorrows and transform their lives.

In a moment of candor, most people would likely admit that there are numerous things about life in this world that prove to be an occasion for fear. But what if I told you about One who was more mysterious, more powerful and more intimidating than the many things that frighten us about the phenomena of nature? Even further, what if I said that this One is in the business of solving impossible problems, reclaiming lost causes, mending broken lives, and restoring lost hope? This 1/27/19 message by Elder Michael Gowens looks at the unsolvable, terrifying case of the Wild Gadarene (recorded in Mark 5:1-20) as an object lesson of the principle that if a person fears the Lord, there is no reason to be afraid of anything else.

Elder Michael Gowens' 1/20/19 message is based on the narrative of the storm on the Sea of Galilee recorded in Mark 4:35-41. Gowens gleans numerous doctrinal and practical lessons from this passage, not the least of which are these two: (1) Because the Lord Jesus has power to calm the storms we encounter, we must never allow excessive fear to overtake and rule our lives; (2) Because the Lord Jesus possesses greater power than our problems, the best response is to fall before him in reverential worship.

Elder Mike Gowens' 1/13/19 sermon looks at an expression in Exodus 19:6 in which God's people are identified as "a kingdom of priests." Gowens insists that maintaining the balance between the personal privilege of approaching God as a priest and the corporate responsibility of living together with other believers in a kingdom is critical to healthy church life. Understanding the priesthood of each believer challenges the dangerous extreme of clericalism. Understanding the community nature of the kingdom of God curbs the kind of unaccountable extremes that are so prevalent today among religious mavericks who tend to strike out on their own apart from the fellowship of the church.