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A Capstone on the Heart of a Saint and the Body of a Man
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Welcome back from your mission camp. I hope you'll share what you've learned and how you've been changed by the experience. Today, I want to give a capstone to our sermon series on "BAS and the End Result," designed by Pastor Gideon. This will likely be our last message on this topic as we synchronize with other Crosspoint campuses.
I want to explore what it means to be a "San Leandro"—a saint with the heart of a lion and the body of a man. Pastor Gideon's theme seems idealistic, but I found something remarkable in Scripture.
In Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4, we see a vision of angelic beings called cherubim—each with four faces: a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. Early church fathers, beginning with Irenaeus in the 2nd century, connected these four creatures to the four Gospels. By the 5th century, St. Jerome made specific associations:
St. Mark is the winged lion—the San Leandro. This is his symbol in classical Western art depicting the four Gospels.
Mark came from privilege. His mother Mary's house was large enough to host prayer meetings (Acts 12:12)—something impossible for ordinary families. But more importantly, she risked everything to shelter believers during a time of fierce persecution. This was dangerous. Being Christian meant facing violence, arrest, and death.
Mark bore two names: John (Hebrew) and Marcus (Roman/Latin). This reveals a family comfortable in both Jewish and Roman worlds. His bicultural background made him familiar with different cultures and perspectives.
Mark's cousin was Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement." Barnabas was an early missionary and coach—a mentor who knew how to identify and develop leaders. When Barnabas and Paul returned from Jerusalem to Antioch, they brought young Mark with them (Acts 12:25). Mark was blessed to travel with the two greatest apostles of the early church.
Mark began his missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas. They sailed from Antioch to Cyprus, then to Perga in what is now Turkey. But at Perga, Mark deserted them and returned alone to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13).
For centuries, I was told Mark was spoiled, protected, and cowardly. But I want to offer another perspective.
Only Mark's Gospel records a peculiar detail: during Jesus' arrest, a certain young man wearing only a linen cloth was nearly captured. When soldiers grabbed for him, he fled naked, leaving the cloth behind (Mark 14:51-52).
No other Gospel records this embarrassing story. Why would Mark include it? Because he was likely there. Mark may have witnessed Jesus' arrest firsthand—sneaking around as a young man, following the action, nearly caught in the chaos himself.
Mark lived through the crucifixion, saw James martyred, witnessed Peter imprisoned. Being a "second generation Christian" in those days was not comfortable or protected—it was dangerous.
We must understand the perils of early Christianity. Today, many assume faith is safe, but globally, Christians face:
Paul himself testified to his sufferings:
"I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11)
He endured lashings, stonings, shipwrecks, dangers from rivers, robbers, and false brothers. In this context, we cannot dismiss Mark as weak or cowardly. If you faced such persecution, you might not even step forward in the first place.
Mark's story didn't end with desertion. He was restored.
When he rejoined Barnabas in Acts 15, it caused a split between Barnabas and Paul—two giants who disagreed over giving Mark another chance. Barnabas believed in him. He took Mark to Cyprus and invested in his restoration.
Eventually, Mark and Paul reconciled. In Colossians, Paul asked believers to welcome Mark when he arrived—Mark had become his courier and assistant. By the end of Paul's life, in 2 Timothy, Paul called Mark:
"Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry." (2 Timothy 4:11)
From deserter to co-worker. From abandoned to essential.
Peter also embraced Mark deeply. Writing from Rome (he calls it "Babylon"), Peter signed off:
"She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does Mark, my son." (1 Peter 5:13)
Peter called Mark "my son"—not literally, but spiritually. This was the only person Peter ever called "son." The intimacy between them shows how completely Mark was restored and loved.
After his years in Cyprus, Mark went to Rome, where he served both Paul and Peter during their imprisonments. And there, Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark—likely the earliest of the four Gospels.
The man who once deserted his team now gave the church one of its most precious treasures. His Gospel preserves Jesus' teachings with remarkable detail and vividness. This is the fruit of his restoration.
After Paul and Peter were martyred in Rome, Mark traveled to Alexandria, Egypt. There, he founded a church in a pagan city. He became the first bishop of Alexandria—a pioneer planting the Gospel in new soil.
Today, the Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria traces its heritage back to Mark. Yet even now, this ancient church suffers persecution.
Mark's faithfulness did not escape notice or opposition. According to Coptic Church history, on April 25, 68 AD, enemies bound Mark in ropes and tied him to a horse cart, dragging him through the streets of Alexandria.
His flesh was torn, his skin scattered, his blood marking the path. He survived one day, only to endure it again the second day, finally dying from the agony.
Yet he did not suffer alone. His three great mentors—Barnabas, Paul, and Peter—also died as martyrs:
My conclusion: To be a San Leandro comes with high cost but huge reward.
Do you dare to be a San Leandro? Do you want a heart of a lion? I hope you will. True, Mark's death was agonizing—but such violent martyrdom is rare today. Don't be afraid.
However, if you truly want the heart of a San Leandro, you must be brave. This bravery will lead you to places you never intended, to missions beyond what you thought you could bear. But with God's help, you will see huge reward.
Mark is now smiling in heaven. He completed the Gospel of Mark. What a wonderful legacy. Through his words, Jesus still speaks to millions.
Our Father, we thank you so much for giving us these wonderful examples of early church saints—those who carried the torch of faith. We pray that we would be willing to carry on that torch until we see you face to face.
I especially pray for our young people here, with their lives ahead of them. May they love to carry on the mission. There may be failures—and that's okay. But may they continue forward. With your help, they will see your glory. May you be glorified. Amen.
