Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0461A recorded on December 13, 1981 teaching from Luke 2 – And it Came to Pass in Those Days.
In this Christmas sermon, Pastor Cyril A. Stevens uses the nativity story to illustrate God’s humble approach to humanity. Pastor Stevens contrasts the oppressive rule of Caesar Augustus with the surprising gentleness of Jesus’ birth in a manger, arguing that God’s intervention wasn’t a display of overwhelming power, but a tender act of love designed to overcome human fear and resistance. Through extended metaphors of frightened animals—trout, frogs, and a traumatized horse—Stevens emphasizes humanity’s tendency to recoil from God’s perceived power, urging listeners to instead embrace the vulnerability and grace offered by the Christ child. Pastor Stevens concludes with a call to receive Christ into one’s heart, not as a fearful judgment, but as a loving and non-threatening gift.