Thus Far: Reflecting on God's Faithfulness in 2025

Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. As we come to the end of 2025, I want to take a different approach today. Instead of looking at a specific missionary story or a particular nation, I want us to look back together at this year—at how God has led us, provided for us, sustained us through everything we've faced.

There's a beautiful phrase in 1 Samuel 7:12 that captures what I want us to reflect on today: "Thus far the Lord has helped us." The prophet Samuel set up a stone monument and called it Ebenezer—which means "stone of help"—to commemorate how God had delivered Israel from their enemies. And he declared: "Thus far the Lord has helped us."

As I think about this phrase and about 2025, I'm reminded of some powerful reflections from Charles Spurgeon and L.B. Cowman that help us understand what "thus far" really means. Let me share them with you today.

[Looking backward - the avenue of God's faithfulness]

Spurgeon wrote that the words "thus far" are like a hand pointing backward toward the past. Whether you've walked with God for twenty years or seventy, you can say: "Thus far the Lord has helped us!" Through poverty and through wealth, through sickness and through health, at home and abroad, in honor and in dishonor, in difficulties and in joy, in trial and in triumph—"thus far the Lord has helped us!"

Think about your own year. Think about 2025. What did you face? For our family, this year has been filled with transitions and preparations. Jeff and I have been developing content for Homeschool to Launch, helping families prepare their teens for life after graduation. I’ve been creating podcast episodes for Nations 4 Jesus, learning about persecuted Christians around the world and growing in our passion for missions. Our youngest daughter has been preparing to go to South Korea for YWAM training in March. Our second oldest daughter moved home after two years in Colorado. Each member of our family had their joys and some sorrows. Through all of it—the busy seasons and the quiet ones, the challenges and the victories—thus far the Lord has helped us.

[The avenue of trees - counting mercies]

Spurgeon gives us this beautiful image: "We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from one end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves." He invites us to look down the long avenue of our years, seeing the green boughs of mercy overhead and the strong pillars of God's lovingkindness and faithfulness that have supported our joys.

Take a moment right now and do that. Look back over 2025 as if you're looking down an avenue of trees. What are the "green boughs of mercy" you see overhead? What provisions did God make that you didn't even realize you needed? What prayers did He answer? What dangers did He protect you from? What strength did He give when you thought you couldn't go on?

Spurgeon asks: "Are there any birds in the branches singing?" And he answers: "Surely, there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received 'thus far.'" What songs of mercy can you hear as you look back? Maybe it's healing received, provision given, relationships restored, faith strengthened, clarity provided, peace experienced.

[This year's specific mercies - our Nations 4 Jesus journey]

For me, as I look back on this year through the podcast episodes we've created, I see God's faithfulness in specific ways. We've studied the persecuted church—believers in Nigeria facing violence, North Korean Christians in labor camps, the hidden church in Afghanistan. And through learning about their suffering, God has deepened our own faith and expanded our vision for His global purposes.

We've learned about the Great Awakenings and how God has moved powerfully throughout American history. We've seen the campus revivals happening right now in 2025, with thousands of college students encountering Jesus. We've explored women in missions—from Mary Slessor to Amy Carmichael to modern-day female missionaries. We've learned about Squanto's story and how God used his suffering to save the Pilgrims. We've studied Saint Lucia and Swedish Christianity. Each episode, each story, each testimony has been a "green bough of mercy"—God teaching us, challenging us, growing us.

[Looking forward - the journey continues]

But Spurgeon reminds us that "thus far" doesn't just point backward—it also points forward. "For when a man gets up to a certain point, and writes 'thus far,' he is not yet at the end; there are still distances to be travelled."

As we stand at the end of 2025 looking toward 2026, we're not at the finish line yet. There are more trials ahead, and more joys. More temptations, and more triumphs. More prayers, and more answers. More toils, and more strength. More fights, and more victories. And eventually, for each of us, sickness, old age, and death will come.

But even that's not the end! Spurgeon continues: "Is it over now? No! there is more yet—awakening in Jesus' likeness, thrones, harps, songs, seeing the face of Jesus, the fellowship of other believers, the glory of God, the fullness of eternity, the infinite joy."

[The Lord who helped us will continue - the promise]

So as we look toward the unknown future of 2026, we can "be strong and take heart" as Psalm 27:14 encourages us, lifting our voices in praise and thanksgiving. Because as Spurgeon beautifully puts it: "The Lord who thus far has helped you, will help you all your journey through."

That's the promise we stand on! The same God who helped us through 2025 will help us through 2026. The same God who provided, protected, guided, and strengthened us this year will do the same next year. His character doesn't change. His faithfulness doesn't waver. His love doesn't diminish.

[The Alpine shepherds - encouraging one another]

L.B. Cowman shares a beautiful custom of Alpine shepherds that illustrates how we should end this year. These shepherds have a tradition of ending each day by singing to one another an evening farewell. As dusk falls and they gather their flocks to lead them down the mountain paths, they sing: "Thus far the Lord has helped us. Let us praise His name!"

The crystalline mountain air carries their song long distances. And then, with sweet courtesy, they sing to one another a friendly farewell: "Goodnight! Goodnight!" The words are taken up by the echoes, bouncing from mountainside to mountainside, reverberating sweetly and softly until the music dies away in the distance.

[Calling to one another through darkness]

Cowman writes: "So let us call out to one another through the darkness, till the gloom becomes vocal with many voices, encouraging God's weary travelers."

That's what I want to do today. To all of you listening—whether 2025 was a year of triumph or trial, joy or sorrow, growth or struggle—I want to call out: "Thus far the Lord has helped us! Let us praise His name!"

Maybe 2025 was the hardest year of your life. Maybe you lost someone you loved. Maybe you faced health challenges, financial difficulties, relationship breakdowns. Maybe your faith was tested in ways it never had been before. If that's you, hear me calling to you across whatever darkness you're in: "Thus far the Lord has helped you! He will help you all your journey through!"

Or maybe 2025 was a year of blessing and breakthrough. Maybe you saw prayers answered, dreams fulfilled, relationships restored. If that's you, join me in calling out to others who are still in the darkness: "Thus far the Lord has helped us! Let us praise His name!"

[The gathering echoes - a storm of hallelujahs]

Cowman continues: "Let the echoes gather till a very storm of Hallelujahs breaks in thundering waves around the sapphire throne." Can you imagine it? Believers all over the world, in every nation, every tongue, every tribe—all declaring together: "Thus far the Lord has helped us!"

The persecuted Christians in North Korea, singing quietly in their hearts where no one can hear. The Nigerian believers who lost loved ones to Boko Haram, still praising God. The Afghan Christians practicing faith in absolute secrecy, declaring in whispered prayers: "Thus far You have helped us!" The campus revival students in America, lifting their voices: "Thus far You have helped us!" The Korean missionaries serving in Central Asia, the Brazilian missionaries in North Africa, the Nigerian missionaries across West Africa—all joining the chorus: "Thus far the Lord has helped us!"

And that chorus—those echoes gathering from every corner of the earth—becomes a storm of hallelujahs that breaks in thundering waves around God's throne.

[The morning breaks - our ultimate hope]

And here's where this reflection ultimately leads us. Cowman writes: "And then as the morning breaks we shall find ourselves at the shore of the sea of glass, crying, with the redeemed host, 'Blessing and honor and glory be unto Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!'"

She's pointing us to Revelation 4:6 and 5:13—to that moment when our journey through this world is complete, when the morning of eternity breaks, when we stand before God's throne with the redeemed from every nation. And then our song of "thus far the Lord has helped us" will become an eternal song: "Blessing and honor and glory be unto Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!"

Revelation 19:3 tells us: "And again they shouted: 'Hallelujah!'" That will be our eternal refrain—praising God not just for helping us "thus far," but for bringing us all the way home.

[Personal application - three ways to respond]

So how should we respond as we stand at the end of 2025? Let me suggest three things. First, set up your own "Ebenezer"—your own stone of remembrance. Write down the specific ways God helped you in 2025. Don't let them be forgotten! Create a record you can look back on when 2026 gets hard and you need to remember: "Thus far the Lord has helped me."

Second, encourage someone else who's still in darkness. Be like those Alpine shepherds calling out through the crystalline mountain air: "Thus far the Lord has helped us! Let us praise His name!" Who in your life needs to hear that right now? Who's discouraged, struggling, wondering if God has abandoned them? Call out to them! Share your testimony of God's faithfulness. Sing your "Goodnight!" of encouragement until the echoes carry hope to weary travelers.

Third, face 2026 with confident faith. You don't know what next year holds. None of us do. You may be facing job changes, health challenges, relationship difficulties, or opportunities you can't yet see. But here's what we do know: "The Lord who thus far has helped you, will help you all your journey through."

[The ultimate "thus far" - salvation in Christ]

But I need to say something crucial: All of this—every reflection on God's faithfulness, every testimony of His help "thus far"—assumes that you are His child through faith in Jesus Christ. The greatest "thus far" isn't about the circumstances of life. It's about salvation.

If you've placed your faith in Jesus—if you've confessed your sins, trusted in His death and resurrection for your salvation, and committed your life to following Him—then you can say with absolute confidence: "Thus far the Lord has saved me, kept me, and is leading me to eternal life." That's the ultimate Ebenezer—the ultimate stone of help—because Jesus Himself is our helper, our Savior, our Lord.

But if you've never done that, if you're not sure you're God's child, then let me invite you to make 2026 the year when you can begin saying "thus far the Lord has helped me." Confess your sins to God. Believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins and rose from the dead. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. And then you can begin your own journey of testifying to God's faithfulness.

[Closing challenge and prayer]

As we close 2025 and prepare for 2026, I want to encourage you with one final thought from Cowman: "This my song through endless ages, Jesus led me all the way." That's our testimony now, and that will be our testimony forever. Jesus led me all the way—through 2025, through 2026, through every year until I see His face. And then, standing before His throne, the song continues through endless ages: "Jesus led me all the way."

Let me pray: 

Thank you for joining me in 2025 for these Nations 4 Jesus episodes. It's been a journey of learning and growing together. Please join my in the new year…there’s so much more God has to show us! 

Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations, and declare with confidence: "Thus far the Lord has helped us, and He will help us all our journey through!"

Spotify podcast

The Carpenter's Plows: Finding Glory in Ordinary Work at Year's End

Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. As we near the end of 2025, I want to talk about something many of us are feeling right now but might not want to admit. For some of you, this hasn't been the year you hoped for. Maybe you're out of work or underemployed. Maybe finances are tighter than you expected. Maybe the holidays feel heavy instead of joyful because you can't afford what you wish you could give your family. Maybe you're doing work that feels beneath you, work that seems insignificant or even demeaning.

If that's where you are, I want to share something with you today that might change how you see your circumstances. It's a reflection from Chuck Colson about Jesus—not about His miraculous ministry or His glorious resurrection, but about the thirty years He spent doing ordinary, manual labor in a carpenter's shop in Nazareth.

[Jesus the carpenter - the forgotten years]

Colson begins: "When we think of Jesus, we tend to focus on His birth or His last three years on this earth. But we should also remember that Jesus spent most of His life engaged in manual labor."

Think about that! Jesus lived approximately thirty-three years on earth. But He only had a public ministry for about three years—from roughly age 30 to 33. What was He doing for the first thirty years? He was growing up and then working as a carpenter, working with wood and stones (most likely). Making plows, yokes, furniture, tools, perhaps even helping build houses. Day after day, year after year, Jesus did ordinary manual labor.

Colson shares a fascinating detail: "Back in Galilee in the second century, the Christian apologist Justin Martyr said that during his lifetime it was still common to see farmers using plows made by the carpenter Jesus of Nazareth."

[The quality of His work - plows that lasted]

Think about what that means! More than a hundred years after Jesus made those plows, farmers were still using them. They were so well-made, so durable, so excellent in craftsmanship that they lasted for generations. Theologian Os Guinness, in his book "The Call," asks us to consider this: "How intriguing to think of Jesus' plow rather than His Cross—to wonder what it was that made His plows and yokes last and stand out."

Jesus didn't just slap together functional plows. He made them with excellence, with care, with attention to detail. He made them to last. Why? Because even in the ordinary work of carpentry, Jesus was glorifying God. He was serving people. He was doing His Father's will.

[Our tendency - exalting spiritual over manual]

But Colson points out our problem: "Today, Christians typically exalt spiritual work above manual work. After all, what's making a plow compared with preaching to multitudes, feeding the five thousand, or raising someone from the dead?"

We do this, don't we? We think pastors and missionaries are doing "real" ministry while those who work in offices, factories, restaurants, or homes are just... working. We think spiritual work matters to God while manual or ordinary work is somehow less significant. We elevate some callings while looking down on others.

But Colson challenges this thinking: "But the very fact that Jesus did make plows—and made them well—suggests that any work can be done to the glory of God. Any work can be a genuine calling."

[What is a calling? - God's summons to service]

Guinness defines calling as anything we do "as a response to God's summons and service." It's not limited to pastors or missionaries. When God calls you to some task—even if it's something the world sees as lowly—that task is invested with what Guinness calls "the splendor of the ordinary."

Are you changing diapers? That's a calling if you're doing it in response to God. Are you working at a checkout counter? That's a calling. Are you driving a truck, teaching children, cleaning offices, entering data, serving food? If you're doing it as unto the Lord, it's a genuine calling invested with splendor.

[Drudgery transformed - done for God]

Guinness writes something profound: "Drudgery done for ourselves or for other human audiences will always be drudgery, but drudgery done for God is lifted and changed."

Let that sink in. The same task—the same tedious, repetitive, unglamorous work—can be either soul-crushing drudgery or meaningful service to God, depending on who you're doing it for. If you're just clocking in to make money, if you're just trying to impress your boss, if you're just working to gain status—it will feel like drudgery. But if you're doing it as unto the Lord, offering it up as worship, seeing it as your calling from God—it's transformed!

Colossians 3:23-24 says: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

[Discipleship in the ordinary - accepting humble tasks]

Colson continues: "Accepting drudgery is one of the ways we practice discipleship—learning to offer it up sacrificially to God."

This is crucial, especially at the end of a difficult year. Maybe you didn't get the promotion you hoped for. Maybe you lost the job you loved and had to take something less desirable. Maybe you're doing work that doesn't match your education or your dreams. But what if this is exactly where God has you right now for a purpose? What if accepting this "drudgery" is part of your discipleship—your spiritual formation?

God is more interested in transforming your character than in making you comfortable. He's more concerned with your holiness than your happiness. And sometimes, He uses humble, ordinary work to shape us into the image of Christ.

[Jesus's example - towels not spotlights]

Guinness writes: "We look for the big things to do—[but] Jesus took a towel and washed the disciples' feet. We like to speak and act out of the rare moments of inspiration—[but] He requires our obedience in the routine, the unseen, and the thankless."

We want the spotlight. We want the impressive ministry. We want to be known, celebrated, significant. But Jesus washed feet. Jesus made plows. Jesus did the ordinary, the routine, the unseen, the thankless—and He did it with excellence, as worship to His Father.

Colson concludes: "We, His followers, must be willing to take on the humble and thankless tasks as well—and not become impatient with changing diapers, doing homework, or taking out the trash."

[Application for difficult year-ends - when it's not what you hoped]

So let me speak directly to those of you who are struggling as this year ends. Maybe you're out of work and spending the holidays wondering how you'll provide. Maybe you're working two jobs just to make ends meet. Maybe you're doing work you feel is beneath you—work you never imagined you'd be doing at this stage of life. Maybe you can't afford the Christmas you wish you could give your family.

I want you to hear this: If you are frustrated in your job or think the work you have to do is beneath you, just remember that for thirty years, the One who turned water into wine and raised the dead to life...made wooden plows.

Jesus—the Creator of the universe, the Word who spoke galaxies into existence, the Savior who would die on the cross and rise from the dead—spent most of His earthly life doing manual labor. He wasn't "too good" for carpentry. He didn't consider it beneath Him. He made plows with such excellence that they were still being used a century later.

[No work is beneath you if it wasn't beneath Jesus]

If carpentry wasn't beneath Jesus, then no honest work is beneath you. If the King of Kings could serve as a carpenter for many years before His three-year ministry, then you can serve faithfully in whatever work God has given you right now—even if it's not what you hoped for, even if it's not what you trained for, even if it's not what you think you deserve.

The question isn't "Is this work worthy of me?" The question is "Can I do this work as unto the Lord? Can I offer this as worship? Can I serve faithfully here until God moves me elsewhere?"

[Trusting God's timing - the carpenter became the Savior]

And remember: Jesus didn't stay a carpenter forever. For thirty years, He lived and worked in relative obscurity in Nazareth. But when the time was right, God called Him to His public ministry. The carpenter became the preacher. The plowmaker became the miracle worker. The humble craftsman became the Savior of the world.

Your current season may not be your permanent season. God may have bigger plans for you. But even if He doesn't—even if He calls you to faithful service in ordinary work for the rest of your life—that work matters! It has eternal significance if it's done for His glory!

[Practical encouragement - five ways to glorify God in ordinary work]

Let me give you five practical ways to glorify God in your work during this difficult season. First, do your work with excellence, as Jesus did. Even if no one else notices, even if you're not appreciated, make your "plows" well. Let your work quality be your witness.

Second, serve the people around you—your coworkers, your customers, your family. Jesus's plows served farmers. Your work, whatever it is, serves people. See it as ministry, not just a job.

Third, offer your work as worship. Start each day by consciously dedicating your work to God. Pray: "Lord, I offer this day's work to You as an act of worship. Help me do it as unto You, not for human approval."

Fourth, trust God's provision and timing. He knows your needs. He knows your desires. He knows your frustrations. Trust that He has you where you are for a reason, and He'll move you when the time is right. Matthew 6:31-33: "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Fifth, remember that your identity is in Christ, not in your job. You are not defined by what you do or how much you make. You are a child of God, redeemed by Christ's blood, filled with His Spirit, and called to bring Him glory in whatever you do.

[The holidays and financial stress - practical help]

Now, let me speak specifically to those struggling financially during the holidays. If you can't afford the Christmas you wish you could give, remember: Jesus was born in a stable. The King of Kings had a feeding trough for His first bed. His parents brought the offering of the poor to the temple—two turtledoves instead of a lamb—because they couldn't afford more.

Your children don't need expensive gifts to experience the joy of Christmas. They need your presence, your love, your faith. Tell them the story of Jesus. Sing carols together. Bake simple treats. Focus on the incarnation—God becoming man to save us—not on materialism.

And if you're alone during the holidays, struggling financially and emotionally, remember that Jesus knows loneliness. He knows poverty. He knows what it's like to be misunderstood and undervalued. He's with you in your struggle.

[Looking toward 2026 - hope for the new year]

As we move from 2025 into 2026, some of you are hoping for change—a new job, better circumstances, financial breakthrough. Those are good hopes, and it's appropriate to pray for them. But even if circumstances don't change immediately, your perspective can change today.

You can choose to see your ordinary work—whatever it is—as a calling from God. You can choose to offer your "drudgery" as worship. You can choose to make your "plows" with excellence, even if no one but God notices.

Let me pray: 

Remember: The One who made plows that lasted for generations is the same One who holds your life in His hands. Trust Him. Serve faithfully where you are. And know that no work is insignificant if it's done for the glory of God.

Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations, and do all your work as unto the Lord!

Spotify podcast

Out of Egypt: The Holy Family's Flight and the Church of the Martyrs

Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I want to share something that connects the Christmas story to one of the oldest and most persecuted Christian communities in the world—the Coptic Church of Egypt. It's a story that begins with the Holy Family's flight to Egypt to escape King Herod's murderous rage, and it continues through 2,000 years of Egyptian Christianity marked by both triumph and tremendous suffering.

Let me start by reading from Matthew 2:13-15: "Now when they (the wise men) had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Rise, take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child to destroy Him.' And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet (Hosea 11:1), 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.'"

[The deeper meaning - Ferguson's insights]

Now, most of us know this story as part of the Christmas narrative. The wise men visit Jesus, they don't return to Herod, and Joseph takes Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety. But theologian Sinclair B. Ferguson, in his book "The Dawn of Redeeming Grace," helps us see something much deeper happening here.

Ferguson writes: "The point in this story of Egyptian exile is about Jesus' identity; for later, once Herod was dead, Jesus would be brought out of Egypt, and thus fulfill Hosea 11:1...which reflects on the rescue of God's people - His 'son' Israel - from slavery in Egypt."

Do you see what Matthew is doing? He's showing us that Jesus is reliving Israel's history—but this time, doing it perfectly. Israel went down to Egypt as a family (Jacob and his sons during the famine), grew into a nation there, and then God called them out through Moses in the Exodus. Now Jesus—God's true Son—goes down to Egypt as a child and is called out, fulfilling what God had always intended through Israel's story.

[The pattern of exodus - Jesus as the fulfillment]

Ferguson continues: "In Matthew's account of their escape to Egypt, 'there are echoes of the story told in Genesis and Exodus. A family goes down into Egypt; a child is rescued from a wicked ruler; he grows up and leads his people out of their bondage; they pass through the waters of the sea; they are tested in the wilderness; eventually they reach the borders of the promised land.'"

Think about those parallels! Moses was rescued from Pharaoh's order to kill Hebrew boys. Jesus was rescued from Herod's order to kill baby boys in Bethlehem. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea. Jesus would be baptized in the Jordan River. Israel was tested in the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus was tested in the wilderness for 40 days. Israel entered the Promised Land. Jesus would lead His people to the ultimate promised land—eternal life with God.

Ferguson writes: "These events are like a shadow cast backwards into history from the life of the Lord. He is the reality. He is the true Son of God who was called out of Egypt; He would go through the waters in His baptism in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:1-17); He would be tested in the wilderness (4:1-11)."

[The greater exodus - eternal salvation]

Here's what Matthew is telling us: "In Jesus a greater exodus has begun." The first exodus delivered Israel from physical slavery in Egypt. But Jesus came to accomplish a far greater exodus—deliverance from spiritual slavery to sin, Satan, and death.

Ferguson notes that 30 years later, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus discussed with Moses and Elijah the "departure"—literally the "exodus" in Greek (Luke 9:31)—that He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. "This true and final exodus would not be a physical deliverance from an earthly pharaoh. It would be deliverance from Satan, and from the guilt, and power, and shame of sin."

So Jesus being taken to Egypt wasn't just about His safety—though it was that. It was about fulfilling a divine pattern, filling up a prophecy that God had written into Israel's history to point forward to the ultimate salvation Jesus would bring. As Ferguson beautifully concludes: "Now there is no earthly danger, worldly power, or spiritual snare that His people need to fear. Everywhere we look into this story, we discover that it is all about salvation. That is its central message. That is the Christmas message. And it is our greatest need."

[Where Jesus went in Egypt - the tradition]

Now, according to ancient Coptic Christian tradition, the Holy Family didn't just briefly pass through Egypt—they spent several years there, perhaps as long as three years. Coptic tradition identifies numerous sites in Egypt where the Holy Family stayed, creating a "Holy Family Trail" that Coptic Christians have venerated for centuries.

They traveled south along the Nile, and tradition says they stopped at places like Matariya (where a tree is said to have bowed to Jesus), Old Cairo (where the Church of Abu Serga now stands, built over a cave where they supposedly sheltered), and even as far south as Assiut. Whether all these specific sites are historically accurate, we can't know for certain. But what we do know is that Egypt became a refuge for the infant Christ—and later, Egypt became home to one of the strongest early Christian communities in the world.

[Christianity comes to Egypt - Mark the Evangelist]

According to tradition, Christianity was brought to Egypt by Mark the Evangelist—the same Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark—around 42-43 AD. Mark is said to have established the Church of Alexandria, which became one of the most important centers of early Christianity, rivaling Rome, Antioch, and Constantinople.

Alexandria had a massive Jewish population, and the Gospel spread first among these Jews, then to native Egyptians. By the 2nd century AD, Christianity was growing rapidly in Egypt. The Coptic Church—"Coptic" comes from the Greek word for Egypt—developed as a distinctly Egyptian expression of Christianity, using the Coptic language (descended from ancient Egyptian) in their liturgy.

[The Desert Fathers - monasticism born in Egypt]

Egypt became the birthplace of Christian monasticism. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, believers fled to the Egyptian desert to devote themselves entirely to prayer, fasting, and spiritual warfare. Saint Anthony the Great (251-356 AD) is considered the father of monasticism. He sold all his possessions, moved to the desert, and spent decades in solitude seeking God. His example inspired thousands of others.

Saint Pachomius (292-348 AD) organized these hermits into communal monasteries. The Wadi El Natrun valley, west of the Nile Delta, became filled with monasteries—some of which still exist today, nearly 1,700 years later! Egyptian monasticism influenced all of Christianity. When missionaries like John Cassian brought monastic practices to the West, they were bringing traditions developed in the Egyptian desert.

[The golden age - Alexandria's influence]

By the 4th and 5th centuries, Alexandria was one of Christianity's greatest intellectual centers. The Catechetical School of Alexandria, founded in the 2nd century, produced brilliant theologians like Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Athanasius, and Cyril. These men shaped Christian theology, defended orthodoxy against heresies, and wrote commentaries on Scripture that we still read today.

Athanasius (296-373 AD), the great defender of Trinitarian orthodoxy, spent much of his life fighting the Arian heresy. His stand at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD helped establish the doctrine that Jesus is fully God, not a created being. The phrase "Athanasius contra mundum"—"Athanasius against the world"—describes how he stood alone for truth when nearly everyone else compromised.

[The Arab conquest - everything changes]

But in 641 AD, everything changed. Arab Muslim armies conquered Egypt, ending Byzantine Christian rule. At first, the new Muslim rulers were relatively tolerant—Christians were allowed to practice their faith as "dhimmis" (protected but second-class citizens) if they paid the jizya tax.

But over the centuries, pressure increased. Christians faced discrimination in employment, education, and legal matters. Converting to Islam brought social and economic advantages, so gradually the Christian population declined. Forced conversions occurred during periods of persecution. Churches were destroyed. By the 10th century, Arabic had replaced Coptic as the common language, even among Christians.

Despite this, the Coptic Church survived. But from being the majority religion of Egypt in 641 AD, Christians shrank to perhaps 10-15% of Egypt's population today—estimates range from 10-20 million Copts in a nation of 105 million.

[Modern persecution - the 20th and 21st centuries]

In modern times, Egyptian Christians have faced waves of severe persecution. Under Islamic extremism's rise in the late 20th century, attacks on Christians increased dramatically. Churches have been bombed. Christian villages attacked. Christian girls kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam, and married to Muslim men.

Some tragic examples: In 2011, a New Year's bombing at Saints Church in Alexandria killed 23 worshipers. In 2017, twin Palm Sunday bombings at churches in Tanta and Alexandria killed 47 and wounded over 100. That same year, ISIS militants attacked a bus carrying Coptic pilgrims, killing 29. In 2015, ISIS beheaded 21 Coptic Christians on a Libyan beach—their final words were "Lord Jesus Christ," and their martyrdom was captured on video that shocked the world.

Egyptian Christians face legal discrimination, difficulty building or repairing churches, barriers in education and employment, and social pressure. Yet they remain faithful. The Coptic Church has not abandoned Egypt, though hundreds of thousands have emigrated to escape persecution.

[Pope Shenouda III - a modern hero]

One of the greatest modern Coptic leaders was Pope Shenouda III (1923-2012), who served as Pope of Alexandria from 1971 to 2012. He strengthened the Coptic Church during incredibly difficult times, established churches for the Coptic diaspora worldwide, and boldly stood for his people's rights while calling them to forgiveness and faith.

When President Anwar Sadat tried to intimidate the church, Shenouda refused to back down and was exiled to a desert monastery for three years. His courage and spiritual depth made him beloved by Copts worldwide. At his funeral in 2012, hundreds of thousands gathered—a testimony to his impact.

[The church today - suffering yet faithful]

Today, the Coptic Church continues under Pope Tawadros II. Egyptian Christians still face persecution—church bombings still happen, discrimination continues, and extremists still attack Christian communities. Yet the church remains vibrant. Coptic monasteries in the desert still house monks devoted to prayer. Coptic liturgy, largely unchanged for centuries, still uses ancient Coptic alongside Arabic. Young Copts are rediscovering their faith and standing firm despite pressure.

The Coptic Church also has a missions vision. Coptic missionaries serve in other African nations, and the Coptic diaspora has established churches in North America, Europe, and Australia, bringing the ancient liturgy and spirituality of Egyptian Christianity to new lands.

[Lessons from Egypt - what we can learn]

So what can we learn from the Egyptian church's story? First, God's plans are bigger than we imagine. Who would have thought that Egypt—the land of Israel's slavery, the land from which God called His son—would become home to one of Christianity's strongest early churches? God had been preparing Egypt for the Gospel since the Holy Family fled there.

Second, faithfulness under persecution produces deep spirituality. The Egyptian Christians who endured 1,400 years of Islamic rule, discrimination, and periodic violence developed a profound faith. Their liturgy, their monasticism, their commitment to Christ despite the cost—these aren't shallow. This is faith forged in fire.

Third, ancient churches are still relevant. The Coptic Church traces its founding to Mark the Evangelist—they've been worshiping Jesus for nearly 2,000 years! We need their witness, their endurance, their connection to the early church. Western Christians can learn much from our ancient Egyptian brothers and sisters.

And fourth, the church Jesus founded will never be destroyed. For 2,000 years, enemies have tried to wipe out Egyptian Christianity. Yet it survives. Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Coptic Church is living proof of that promise.

[The greater exodus - back to Ferguson]

But let's return to where we started—with Sinclair Ferguson's reflections on Jesus being called out of Egypt. Jesus didn't go to Egypt just to find safety. He went to fulfill a pattern, to show that He is the true Israel, the true Son of God, who would accomplish the ultimate exodus.

And what is that ultimate exodus? It's deliverance from sin, from Satan, from death itself. Jesus accomplished that exodus through His death and resurrection in Jerusalem. And everyone who trusts in Him participates in that exodus—we are delivered from bondage to sin, we pass through the waters of baptism, we journey through the wilderness of this world, and we're heading toward the promised land of eternal life with God.

Ferguson writes: "Everywhere we look into this story, we discover that it is all about salvation. That is its central message. That is the Christmas message. And it is our greatest need. If only we would see it!"

[Personal application - our need for the greater exodus]

This Christmas, don't just celebrate a baby in a manger. Celebrate the greater exodus that baby came to accomplish! Celebrate that Jesus went to Egypt so He could be called out of Egypt, fulfilling prophecy. Celebrate that He lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we deserved. Celebrate that He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death. Celebrate that through Him, we can be delivered from every spiritual bondage!

And pray for the Egyptian church—our brothers and sisters who still live in the land where Jesus found refuge as a child. Pray for their protection from persecution. Pray for their witness in a Muslim-majority nation. Pray for revival in Egypt. And support ministries that help persecuted Copts.

Thank you for joining me today. This reflection is based on Sinclair Ferguson's wonderful book "The Dawn of Redeeming Grace," and I encourage you to read it for deeper insights into the Christmas story.

Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations and celebrate the greater exodus Jesus accomplished!

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