Bethel Pulpit - Primitive Baptist Sermons

The 10/18/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is message #4 in "The Believer's Beautiful Garments" series. The sermon is based on Romans 13:10-14, a passage in which the apostle exhorts the Christian to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" in discipleship. Gowens explores several ways this exhortation applies to the believer's daily walk.

Continuing the topic of the Christian's Beautiful Garments (a sequence of sermons taking as their cue the imperative to "put on thy beautiful garments" in Isaiah 52:1), Michael Gowens brings this message from Isaiah 61:3: "...to give unto them...the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..." This sermon was delivered 10/11/26.

Elder Gowens' 10/4/26 sermon continues the theme of the Christian's Beautiful Garments with a look at Isaiah 60:10 and the gracious gift of imputed righteousness. By nature, every human being is dressed in the tattered garments of depravity. As a result of the Lord Jesus Christ's substitutionary atonement, however, each of God's covenant people are now covered by the white linen garment of salvati...

This 9/27/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is based on 1 Peter 5:5-6. Gowens defines this important virtue, then proceeds to provide several biblical examples, and finally addresses various helps to self-humbling.

This 9/20/26 sermon is the conclusion of this study in Philippians. Mike Gowens considers Philippians 4:19-23 and extracts four important blessings, or resources available to the church for her ongoing life and labors: 1) The Church's Promise; 2) The Church's Purpose; 3) The Church's People; 4) The Church's Provision.

This 9/13/26 sermon by Michael Gowens considers Philippians 4:14-19 and comprises the "thank you" section of Paul's letter. The apostle commends the church at Philippi for their generosity and humbly expresses his sincere gratitude. Gowens employs the passage to make application to us today, emphasizing that we too will have opportunity to be both givers and receivers in serving Christ, and theref...

This 9/6/26 sermon by Mike Gowens is based on Philippians 4:10-13 and is #35 in the exposition of Philippians series. The virtue of contentment is not native to human beings; it is a discipline that must be learned. Neither is it a mere Stoic resignation to adverse circumstances, but a sweet, inward peace derived from an understanding that Jesus Christ is the believer's sufficiency. 

This 8/30/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is based on Philippians 4:8-9 and is #34 in the study of the Philippian Epistle. In this richly pastoral passage, Paul the Apostle gives very practical advice concerning the importance of disciplined thinking in living the Christian life.

This message from 8/23/26 is based on Philippians 4:6-7 and is #33 in the study through that epistle. Gowens emphasizes the priority of prayer as both the remedy for anxiety and the conduit for subjective peace.

Brother Gowens' pulpit offering on 8/16/26 is an analysis of the precious blessing of God's peace, as the apostle highlights in Philippians 4:6-7. This supernatural gift that God gives to His children is foreign to everything with which the world is familiar. It defies rational explanation; it baffles secular observers; it passes understanding. Perfect peace, however, is a reality in the believer'...

Michael Gowens continues the exposition of Philippians series with this message from Philippians 4:6-7. Anxiety, or worry, is one of the principal thieves of joy. But rare is the person who does not struggle to keep matters of concern from deteriorating into worry. Gowens emphasizes that worry is essentially an unbiblical habit of thinking that is driven by fear, but God has provided a remedy via...

The 8/2/26 sermon by Mike Gowens considers four "last" things from 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection chapter in Scripture. This important chapter discusses the 1) Last Adam; 2) Last Apostle; 3) Last Trump; and 4) Last Enemy. 

This 7/26/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is based on Philippians 4:5 and is #30 in the Exposition of Philippians series. Gowens devotes the first half of the sermon explaining the various nuances of the term "moderation," than spends the balance of the time explaining the means by which the believer maintains his/her spiritual balance.

Elder Gowens' sermon on 7/12/26 is taken from Philippians 4:4 and is message #29 in the Exposition of Philippians series. He highlights the imperative "Rejoice," an activity of exulting in God, as the key to maintaining joyful feelings in the believer's heart. This practical sermon emphasizes the primary difference between secular happiness and true, biblical joy, a difference captured by the cruc...

In this 7/12/26 sermon, Mike Gowens continues the look at Philippians 4 with a focus on verses 2-3. Although the apostle is constrained to specifically address a potentially divisive conflict between two women in the church, he does so kindly & respectfully - in a word, pastorally. Among the pastoral encouragements he cites, Paul highlights the fact that these two sisters belonged to the same...

This 7/5/26 sermon from Mike Gowens is based on Philippians 4:1 and is message #27 in the Exposition of Philippians series. The apostle's warm, pastoral heart is on full display as he writes to the church at Philippi, especially in this text. Gowens develops the holy fraternity that is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, a relationship unlike anything this world might duplicate.

On Sunday, 6/21/26, Elder Gowens considers two texts addressing the family "father" -- Ephesians 6:4 & Colossians 3:21. He insists that leading a family should be a distinctively "Christian" endeavor, that is, that fatherhood should be informed and shaped by the gospel message. Gowens offers a list of ways in which fathers might engender frustration and discouragement in a child, as well as pr...

This 6/7/26 sermon by Mike Gowens is based on Philippians 3:17-21 and is #26 in the "Exposition of Philippians" study. Using the fact that Philippi was a Roman colony although a distance of 800 miles separated the capital city from its Greek city-state, Paul reminds the saints of the need to think of our lives in this world in terms of our heavenly home, and to prioritize that ultimate, political...

The 5/31/26 message by Mike Gowens is #25 in the "Exposition of Philippians" series, and is based on Philippians 3:8-14. Gowens develops Paul's metaphor of the athlete that strains for the goal as a metaphor of the Christian life. The entire passage emphasizes the importance of focus, self-discipline and strenuous effort in living the life of discipleship.

This 5/24/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is #24 in the Philippian series. It is based on Phi. 3:7-10. Paul's language reveals his personal passion and ambition. Gowens elaborates on the impropriety of ambition if it is self-centered and self-promoting, but argues that when a deeper knowledge of Christ and conformity to Him is the goal, it is not only a proper, but essential personal trait.

This 5/17/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is based on Philippians 3:4-8 and is #23 in the Exposition of Philippians series. In one of his characteristic autobiographical paragraphs, Paul draws from his own experience to describe a complete restructuring of his life perspective and outlook on the future. He employs the metaphor of an accountant that revalues his assets for liabilities and vice versa, i...

Brother Gowens sermon from 5/10/26 is based on Psalm 127-128, companion Psalms that paint a lovely portrait of home blessed by God. Before developing the thought of the godly family, however, Gowens considers two other "houses" that God builds: 1) The Entire Family of God; 2) The Household of Faith.

This sermon by Michael Gowens, delivered on 4/26/26, focuses on Philippians 3:3. Gowens first develops the New Testament emphasis on "spiritual" Israel, then proceeds to describe the three distinctive traits that mark true worshipers of God. This is message #22 in the expository series on Philippians. 

This message from the Philippians study was delivered by Mike Gowens on 4/12/26. The text is Phi. 3:2-3. This is sermon #21 in the series.

This 4/12/26 sermon by Michael Gowens is #20 in the Exposition of Philippians series. It is based on Philippians 3:2, a text that introduces the challenge that false teaching in general, and legalism in particular, poses to Christian joy. Paul will continue to develop this contrast between an emphasis on righteousness by human works and righteousness by Christ's finished work in following verses.