Mount Paran Primitive Baptist Church

Brother Jonah Lowrance considers the doctrine of predestination, beginning in the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. He distinguishes between the terms of foreknowledge, election and predestination, noting the limited times predestinate is used in the Bible. After looking at some common mischaracterizations of the doctrine of predestination, Brother Jonah then asks and answers some questions concerning predestination. Why does God predestinate? What is the adoption God predestinates us to? Finally, he looks at the hope and joy we can experience, and strength it can give us, when we understand we are “joint heirs with Christ” and that God does not cast away His people. Elder Bryce Lowrance looks to Psalm 11 and considers verse three “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” He notes the previous Psalms leading up to it and how Psalm 11 has a glorious, emphatic theme that we must trust in the Lord. Brother Bryce looks at the likely occasion that frame the Psalmist’s statement in verse three, and then he looks at the numerous scriptural proofs that refute the foundations ever being destroyed and other lies and strategies of the devil. Of the remaining verses, Brother Bryce shows us that God is unaffected by the devil, that he chastens whom He loves but doesn’t destroy, that the Lord will judge the wicked, and that we should glorify God for His righteousness and trust Him.

“Flee from Temptation” • 1st Corinthians 10:1-14 – Elder Bryce Lowrance Starting in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Elder Bryce Lowrance considers the Apostle Paul’s reminders to the church at Corinth that God takes care of His people and recalls specific occasions in which God was with Israel and delivered the Israelites time and again, sometimes with chastisement. Brother Bryce shows us how the instruction to the church in Corinth has application for us today, that we can learn from the examples Paul gives and that we can turn back to God when we stray away from Him, knowing He’s a God that chastens but also forgives. Finally, he explains just what exactly our Christian “liberty” is and how it should be used today. This message was preached on Sunday, May 28, 2023

“Christian Olympics” • 1st Corinthians 9:1-27 – Elder Bryce Lowrance Keeping in mind how the Apostle Paul is building up to the subject of charity in 1st Corinthians chapter 13, Elder Bryce considers the main points Paul makes in chapter 9. Brother Bryce shows how Paul references his authority as an Apostle and how Paul drives home that the work of the ministry should be supported. Then he notes the dramatic pivot Paul makes, how Paul says he isn’t commanding support of the ministry despite his authority to do so. He shows how Paul chooses charity over liberty and that Paul establishes the pattern that true gospel ministers today should strive to get themselves out of the way for the “gospel’s sake.” This message was preached on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

Sunday, May 14, 2023. “The Attributes of God” • Various Scriptures. Brother Jonah Lowrance teaches about the various reasons why God deserves our praise and worship from both Who He is and what He has done. “Adonai - Praise to the Almighty God” • Psalm 114 - Elder Bryce Lowrance. This Psalm is the second of the Hallel songs that the Jews would sing during their festivals. These songs of praise were used to remind the people of Who God is and what great things He had done for them. Psalm 114 recounts three events where God controlled nature in a miraculous way.The Psalmist questions the earth why it reacted this way while not naming God as the cause. Then, the Psalm reaches its pinnacle by revealing that it was the Almighty God, Adonai, that had done these things. Adonai also performed another miracle, He provided water from a rock to quench the thirst of several million people and their cattle. This last miracle shows that our salvation requires nothing short of the full power of Adonai in the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Christian Liberty and Charity • 1st Corinthians 8 – Continuing in his expository series on the 1st Letter to the Church at Corinth, Elder Bryce discusses one of the questions the Corinthian brethren had about their liberty to eat meat offered to idols. The Apostle uses this question as a launching point on the subject of charity that he will discuss for the next several chapters crescendoing to a high point in Chapter 13. In the 8th Chapter, Paul tells them that he agrees they have the liberty to eat meat offered to idols because there is only one God. However, not all their brethren understood this, and so it was a sin to them. So, while Paul agrees that they have the liberty to to eat they should not if it offends their brother with them. Paul’s main point is that the knowledge that we have been given is by the mercy of God and is not just for us. We really do not have any knowledge without a charitable life with others. This message was preached on Sunday, May 7, 2023

Make Your Calling and Election Sure • 2nd Peter 1:1-11 - April 30, 2023 Speaking at Jack’s Creek Primitive Baptist Church for a special 5th Sunday Meeting, Elder Bryce teaches about the importance of making our calling an election sure to ourselves. We do this by adding to the grace of faith that God has given us in the new birth. We conform our lives to be more like Christ in our actions and words. And the more we live by charity, the more clear hope of glory we are blessed to see.

Let the Church Sing Praise to the Lord • Psalm 9 Part 2 Psalm 9:1-20 - Elder Bryce Lowrance David began this Psalm stating that he was going to praise the Lord every moment of every day for the glory of His judgment. The second half of the Psalm calls on all the people of God to worship the Lord by actively singing praises to Him in the local church and learning about His works in the preaching of the gospel. This message was preached on Sunday, April 16, 2023

Psalm 16• The Precious Golden Secret • Elder Bryce preaches from Psalm 16 concerning our risen Savior and our hope found in Jesus Christ. He begins by considering that the Apostle Peter quotes the Psalm in the book of Acts, with Peter making clear to us that Psalm 16 is a Messianic psalm and is from our Messiah’s perspective. The psalm begins with a lesson for us to trust in God just as our Savior trusted God the Father. Then Brother Bryce considers the ensuing conversation Jesus has with Himself and the other lessons we can learn from it, ultimately leading up to the last verse and what should give us “fulness of joy” today. This message was preached on Sunday, April 9, 2023

Elder Bryce Lowrance preaches concerning Psalm 9 and David’s celebration of God’s victory over His enemies. He notices that David shows us in this passage that we can rejoice in God’s justice while simultaneously thanking Him for His grace and mercy. Brother Bryce goes through the first 11 verses and looks at how passages in John 3, Romans 3 and 1 Corinthians 15 harmonize with what God inspired David to write in Psalm 9. He exhorts us to follow David’s example and praise the Lord every day and in worship together, that we can also rejoice in God’s marvelous works, and that we should remember God is the one that wins the victory, not ourselves or our works.  

Paul Answers Questions Concerning Marriage • 1st Corinthians 7 – Elder Bryce Lowrance 
Elder Bryce continues a series of messages looking at the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth. Brother Bryce considers Paul’s instruction in chapter 7 regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage, noting that Paul mentions a “present distress” (v.26) for which the advice was primarily given. Brother Bryce provides historical context of the church at Corinth and what precipitated Paul’s opening statement at the beginning of chapter 7. He then goes on to consider other instruction provided in God’s word regarding marriage, including God’s view of marriage and the many purposes for which God gave us marriage. This message was preached on Sunday, March 26, 2023