Jesus’ First Followers

 

As Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen. Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.

As Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus. (Matthew 4:18-22, New Century Version)

I tend to assume that if you are reading my Sunday blog posts, you already know the story of Jesus – His birth, His teachings, and His death and resurrection. But what if you don’t? What if you don’t know me well enough to know about my faith, or what if you don’t know me at all and just stumbled upon my blog? What if you only know about Jesus from what you’ve heard about Christmas or Easter and want to know more? 

This year, I’ve decided to write about a different Bible Story on my blog each Sunday. Since we just got through the Christmas season and the birth of Jesus, and last week I wrote about His baptism, I thought I’d begin with when He started calling His disciples.  

Throughout His ministry, Jesus had many followers, but eventually, He named twelve men to be His chosen few, His disciples – Simon Peter, Andrew (Simon’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (called the Zealot), Judas (son of James), and Judas Iscariot. If there is only one of these men whom you have heard of, it would be Judas Iscariot, right? We’ll get to him when we get close to Easter.

Instead, over the next eight weeks, I’ll tell you about other things Jesus did and said.         

Two Different Houses - Cambodia blog entry #32

 

Today I’m going to tell you about two very different residences we visited in Battambang. 

First is the Battambang Royal Residence, built by the French in the early twentieth century. It looks very impressive from the outside.

Inside however, it was mostly a museum. Many of the items weren’t properly marked and some of them were only in the Khmer language, and we hated to make K constantly translate for us.

The governor actually lives in a similar building just behind this one. So, at least we were able to wander unimpeded in this building.

The next day we visited the Khmer Ancient House.

Not sure why it’s called the ancient house, as it was built in 1920.

The owner gave us the history of the building and her family, how it was taken over during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, and how the family was miraculously able to return to it years later.

It was a simple home with simple furnishings.

But had as much history as the Royal Residence. 

And as many stories are within its walls.

Wat What – Cambodia blog entry #31

 

On the way back to our hotel in Battambang one afternoon, K detoured us to a spot that confused me and fascinated me. 

According to the internet, this complex is called Wat Kandal and is a “serene testament to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Cambodia”, as quoted by one tourist website. 

It goes on to say that “this Buddhist temple, renowned for its striking architecture and peaceful ambiance, offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the local spiritual practices and traditions. Surrounded by lush greenery, the temple is not only a place of worship but also a tranquil retreat for those seeking solace from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The intricate carvings and vibrant murals that adorn the walls of Wat Kandal tell stories of Buddhist teachings and historical events, providing an enlightening experience for tourists.” 

I don’t know. It was certainly beautiful and intriguing, but I really had no idea what I was seeing, all the buildings I was walking past. Plus, on Google maps this area of several square blocks, also includes Wat Pacha and a replica of Angkor Wat.   

Another website says that “the temple is large in scale and very beautiful in appearance, in the style of a Thai temple. There are many tombs in the temple, mostly Chinese.” 

But the best description I could come up with is that it is a complex of temples, pagodas, stupas, chapels, gravestones, greenery, topiaries, and even a few monks and puppies. (But I didn't want to be disrepectful by taking a pictures of the monks and the puppies did not look friendly.) And I think the whole area should have a single name. Or maybe it's more accurate to call it a monastery, where I can easily visualize multiple buildings on the grounds.  

And – surprise! – I took way too many pictures. 

Jesus is Baptized

 

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17, English Standard Version)

Only two and a half weeks ago, we celebrated the birth of Jesus, and now, in just a blink of an eye, just like with our own sons, that tiny baby is a grown man.  

We always think of baptism as a way of washing away our sins, so why was Jesus baptized if He was sinless? When I went looking for that answer, I found more than I had anticipated. Such as: Jesus was baptized to show humility and set an example for others, to fulfill all righteousness, to show God confirming Jesus was His Son, and to be able to begin His ministry.

I don’t know. All of those reasons are probably accurate, but I’m all about keeping it simple. Jesus had to be baptized because even though He would never sin, He became one of us when He came to earth. But the part I focus on is when God says to Jesus, “This is my beloved Child who I am pleased with.”

I want to be a beloved child, too. I want to please God and hear Him say those words to me someday when I meet Him in heaven.

Best Ride Ever - Cambodia blog entry #30

 

For months before my trip to Cambodia, I was scouring all the channels streaming on my TV in search of all things Cambodian. One day, I came across an episode of Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates. On it, he was digging up ancient stuff in Cambodia, but at one point, he needed to (or, more like, wanted to for Hollywood allure) ride an unconventional train. Part of the bamboo railroad.

I watched that segment several times and became convinced that, after seeing Angkor Wat, this was what I wanted to experience the most on my trip.

 In the 1930s, French colonists built the Cambodian railroad to transfer rice and other goods between Phnom Penh and Poipet. Unfortunately, during the Vietnam War, the railroads were easy targets for bombs, and in 1975, when the Khmer Rouge took control of the country, a large proportion of the track was removed. Once the Khmer Rouge was overthrown, locals used the scrap that was left from tanks and other vehicles to mend and reinstate the track. They then built small bamboo ‘trains’ to transport goods and passengers locally. 

Passengers ride on a wooden or bamboo platform called a norri. This base sits on a set of wheels and is powered by a small engine. 

Not much more I can add to that, except, “Wheeee!”

And also, that this ride gave us a chance to view more of the beautiful countryside. 

Where-Was-I Wednesday - Cambodia blog entry #29

Goodness, it has only been a month since I last posted a story from my trip to Cambodia, but it feels way longer than that. I gotta figure out where I was.

Okay, the last time I wrote about that amazing trip, we spent our last night in the captivating little city of Siem Reap.

The next morning, which would have been Wednesday, September 25, we checked out of the Darling Pub Hostel and boarded a bus for the town of Battambang. It was a three-hour bus ride up and over the top of the Tonle Sap River/Lake. We had the bus to ourselves, so we spread out and made ourselves at home. Okay, I did anyway.   

The name Battambang translates to mean "lost stick.". Located on the Sangker River, Battambang was founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire but was mostly under Thai jurisdiction instead of Khmer. It is the country's leading rice-producing province. We had another two very full days exploring all the city offers. 

The first evening we were there, we walked along the riverwalk. So much to see, but in many ways, just like any other town.

In one place, an extended family was playing a game of hacky sack around one of their children, who was strapped in a walker chained to a tire. Hey, at least the kid was with their family.

The Emerald Hotel, where we stayed.

Our room.

Our view.

I'll be sharing much more about this city in the coming days, including another one of the things I had really been looking forward to.

The Wisemen

 

Ah, here we are – the visit from the Wisemen. Hopefully, you have heard enough about them to know that they didn’t find Jesus at the manger and that it was many months, possibly up to two years, before they tracked Him down in the humble home of Mary and Joseph.

I think it makes it easier for us to picture the Wisemen in Bethlehem just after Jesus’ birth, because then we can take down our nativity set right after Christmas and move on. But something just dawned on me.

Remember Mary and Joseph trudging all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, maybe – hopefully – Mary riding on a donkey. Then they had to trudge home again, with a baby this time. And even though they would appreciate gifts at any time, maybe they would rather have these gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh delivered straight to their home. Don’t you think?

     On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11, NIV)

And what about those gifts? What do they symbolize? Wealth, sacrifice, and death. Gold was for a king, frankincense was used by the priests when making sacrifices, and myrrh was a spice for embalming.

But this year, I heard it a little differently. Not that these items were used by or on Jesus. But that they symbolize who He is. A King, a Teacher or Priest, and our Savior, one who would die to save us.