Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0023AB recorded on February 21, 1979 teaching from Malachi 2:5-7 – A Portrait of the Messenger of the Lord.
Pastor Cyril A. Stevens defines the spiritual and moral anatomy of a divine messenger, arguing that true ministry is validated by character rather than outward showmanship. He asserts that a legitimate representative of God must be born again, possessing an internal foundation of life and peace, while maintaining a tremendous reverence for the majesty of God. Central to this “portrait” is the requirement for domestic and personal consistency, as Stevens warns that a leader whose family life is in disarray or whose conduct is hypocritical will inevitably preach an “excusing theology” instead of divine truth. Ultimately, Pastor Stevens challenges the listener to move beyond mere fellowship and become active “fishers of men” who rescue the perishing through a life that is both mighty in the Scriptures and harmonized with the holiness of Christ.