Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0051B recorded on May 13, 1979 teaching from Luke 8:40-56 – The Story of Two Women.
Pastor Cyril A. Stevens explores the intertwined narratives of a terminally ill child and a woman suffering from a chronic ailment to illustrate how Jesus responds to varying degrees of human desperation. Stevens begins by highlighting the contrast in faith between Jairus, a high-ranking official who required Jesus’ physical presence, and the ostracized woman whose superstitious yet persistent reach for the hem of His garment triggered an immediate healing. Pastor Stevens emphasizes the necessity of outward confession, arguing that true restoration occurs only when one moves from secret suffering to a public acknowledgment of Christ’s power. Ultimately, Stevens gives us a pastoral encouragement, suggesting that whether a believer feels spiritually drained or entirely “dead” in sin, we can be made whole through the compassionate and proactive intervention of the Savior.