Benjamin Ramsbottom
Benjamin Ramsbottom (1929-2023) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. In 1967, he was appointed pastor of the church meeting at Bethel Strict Baptist Church, Luton, Bedfordshire, a position he held for fifty-five years.
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The Lord Going Before His People
There is a similar circumstance in these events in ancient Israel and the state of us as a church and as a nation today. First of all, it was a time of great sadness in Israel, and especially a time of sadness to Joshua to whom these words were spoken. Moses was about to die, and O what a terrible loss this was for God’s ancient people. He had ruled them, he had led them wisely. Most of them could not remember a time without him. But what were things going to be like when Moses was taken from them? So it was a time of crisis in Israel, and there must have been many thoughts among the people. There was the personal sadness, the…
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The Lord Abiding With Us To Help And Strengthen
Surely this is one of the most beautiful chapters in the New Testament. "The Lord is risen indeed"; "Vain the stone, the watch, the seal"; and these precious appearances to these godly women and to these two on the road to Emmaus. Now beloved friends, on a number of occasions I have spoken to you from this chapter, and often I have tried to go through it and open it up. Often over the years it has been on Easter Sunday. But the way this word rests with me this evening, not so much on the truth of the resurrection, not even the glorious Person of the risen Saviour, and not these to whom He appeared, but ourselves, that this prayer might be our prayer,…
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Hold Thou Me Up
I have thought a lot about the preaching of the gospel and its effect, and the hearing of the gospel. In a way, it seems to me that there are two kinds of preaching. There is one which, under the Lord’s blessing, really touches our hearts, when we are enabled a little to speak of Gethsemane and Calvary, the cross of Christ, His sufferings, His matchless love, what He has done for sinners, and those can be sacred occasions. Then there are other occasions when the preaching of the Word is not just like that, when it speaks of a sinner’s present need, how he ought to behave, what he ought to do, the way he ought to walk. It seems to me that sermons…
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The Everlasting Covenant
In past years this was one of the favourite texts in our chapels. Actually, it was the text preached from at my own baptism. The old, godly people used to quote it in prayer, and they used to cling to it, that “everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure.” But at one time, the preaching of the everlasting covenant was not just the glory of our chapels. Even in the Church of England, there were people like Dr. Hawker who gloried in these truths – covenant love, covenant faithfulness, covenant blood, an everlasting covenant. People so often feel the uncertainty of everything here below, everything all around, everything in their own lives, everything in their own hearts. There is such a beautiful, sweet attraction…
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The Preaching Of The Cross
The preaching of the cross, the preaching of Christ and Him crucified – when did it begin? Not with the Apostle Paul. I believe it began in the Garden of Eden when man had sorely fallen, when he was there in his lost, ruined condition, and Almighty God first preached to him deliverance. The first promise: that the Lord would bruise the serpent’s head, O but the serpent should bruise His heel. That was in the crucifixion, when the Saviour’s heel was so dreadfully bruised, even unto death. And then all this with that revelation, there was the shedding of blood, there was the coat of skins, and they were clothed. There was life instead of death. I solemnly believe that was the first preaching…
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Hard Questions
This was a most interesting occasion in the life of King Solomon. The Queen of Sheba, hearing of the fame of Solomon, and as it is emphasised, the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord (see 1 Kings 10. 1), she was attracted, and she came. It was a long journey, but she ventured, and she was not disappointed; she did not come in vain. I just mention for the sake of the young ones, different divines hold different views where Sheba was. Some think it was in Arabia, somewhere like Iran or Iraq. Others think it was in Africa. But of course, that is not anything of great importance. Now I do not intend to speak of this word only in a…
