Rev. Cyril A. Stevens – Sermon 0854A recorded on February 19, 1984 teaching from Mark 12:1-12 – God Wants to Bless Us.
Pastor Cyril Stevens draws a parallel between the parable of the vineyard tenants in Mark 12:1-12 and the Christian experience. He emphasizes that God, as the Creator, desires to bless His people, but humans often resist His plan. He uses the vineyard analogy to illustrate this resistance: God plants the vineyard (represents creation), patiently waits for it to grow (represents grace), and then sends servants (represents preachers and prophets) to collect the fruit (represents obedience and commitment). However, the tenants reject the servants and ultimately kill the son (representing Jesus Christ), who is the rightful heir of the vineyard. Through this analogy, Pastor Stevens stresses the need for individuals to recognize their responsibility to God and acknowledge their need for salvation through Jesus Christ. He concludes by urging listeners to embrace the blessings God offers through Jesus Christ, recognizing that our lives belong to Him, and that our ultimate fate depends on our response to His offer of salvation.