Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0108AB recorded on November 14, 1979 teaching from Mark 9:38-41 – The Unspiritual Followers of the Lord Jesus.
Pastor Cyril A. Stevens explores the frailty of Christ’s disciples to offer modern believers hope in their own struggles with imperfection. He identifies five distinct “spirits” that characterize unspiritual followers: the careless spirit of speaking without thinking, the blind spirit of failing to seek understanding, the powerless spirit resulting from a lack of prayer, the proud spirit of seeking status, and the sectarian spirit of religious intolerance. By highlighting the failures of biblical giants like John, Moses, and David, Stevens emphasizes that even the most devoted servants are prone to human error and ethical lapses. Pastor Stevens ultimately gives us a call to humility and mutual patience, urging the listener to abandon grudges and rely on divine forgiveness rather than their own perceived spiritual strength. Through humorous anecdotes and scriptural cross-references, Pastor Stevens seeks to move the listener from religious pretense toward a sincere, prayerful dependence on God’s grace.