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Pastor’s Post  Feb 28, 2025

 “Everyone has a plan until he gets punched in the mouth.”  That’s former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.  

Tyson’s line comes to mind in connection with last Sunday’s text from Mark 4, the story of Jesus’ disciples panicking in a great storm.  Chances are they’d have thought they’d do better.

Mark 4.35-41 would have especially resonated with Mark’s first readers: Jesus-followers in first century Rome were receiving more than a punch in the mouth.  When Mark wrote his account of Jesus’ life for them around 64-67 AD the emperor Nero had blamed them for starting a devastating fire in the city—a fire it’s likely he himself set.  Nero made Christians targets. He arrested and tortured them before executing them with lavish publicity. Some were crucified, some were thrown to wild animals and others were burned alive as living torches.

Not long after writing his gospel Mark himself was killed for following Jesus.  He first brought the Christian faith to Egypt. According to tradition, Mark was arrested in Alexandria on Easter Day of AD 68 and dragged to his death.  He is considered both the father of the Coptic Church and the first of the Coptic martyrs.

Which brings us to 10 years ago, Feb 2015, when ISIS filmed the beheading of 21 Christ-followers on a beach in Libya.  20 of the 21 were Coptic Christians.  Their story is portrayed in a 13-minute animated short film created in the style of Coptic iconography.  Over 70 artists from 24 countries worked to create this tribute to Christ and those who died rather than deny him. The film has been short-listed for an Oscar.  Here is a link to The 21. 

Here’s an encouragement to teachers.  An Egyptian woman called Mama Maggie has dedicated her life to feeding, educating, and caring for street children in Egypt. Many of The 21 martyred on that Libyan beach had been educated in the schools founded by Mama Maggie.

I hope this account encourages us.  Encourages us to remember that Jesus is with us in whatever storms we face, individually and together.  Encourages us to remember that we will never regret following Jesus, come what may.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12.1-3

–Pastor Brent