Study The Chosen - Season 1 Episode 3

"The Chosen" Season 1 Episode 3 - Small Group Study

In episode 3 of season 1 of The Chosen, we see Jesus spending time alone in the woods when some children visit. He tells the children he comes out here to be alone and pray. Despite those goals, he makes time for the children, answers their questions, and teaches them some lifelong lessons. We see him also working on various carpentry projects during this episode, including leaving something special for Abigail at the end.

Early in the episode, Abigail visits his campsite one day and in the days that follow, brings some friends along each day. During this time, Jesus teaches them and encourages them. He tells Abigail, you are wise to bring your friend because there are bad men out there. He calls Joshua "Joshua the brave" saying he admires his bravery to come to see him and says he is a good friend. Jesus says that they can stay, but that he has work to do. Abigail brings several friends back the next several days and they help him with his projects and asks him questions. One boy talks about how he got into a fight with another boy and how he pushed him so hard that he fell down. Jesus said, "What does the Lord say in the Law of Moses about about justice and vengeance?" Abigail answers, "Vengeance is mine." He goes on to say the Lord loves justice and that "maybe it's not for us to handle." He goes on to tell a story about David and how he had mercy on Saul and says "maybe we let God provide the justice." When you talk to children, whether yours or someone else's, do you look for opportunities for teach them about God and encourage them/build them up?

There is a part of the episode when the children recite a passage from scripture. I know when I was a child, I recited and memorized scripture with a respect out of the Bible and my teachers, but not really realizing the power of the truth. When you were a child, how did you view the Bible and God? As a loving God, or one that makes rules for us to follow? 

Although he's a carpenter, he tells them "everyone has a much larger job than just their trade." You are more than just students, you are at school to show love to one another. And to take God's Word and to share it. And at home, to honor your father and mother. And most important, from the law of Moses, to love Who?" Joshua answers, "The Lord, your God, with all your heart." Do you view your job or schooling as just a job or just school or as an opportunity to be the light to others? Do you find that hard to do? 

The big picture of this episode is that Jesus loves children and finds them very precious. And I know he loves all children dearly, not just those who study scripture like the ones in this episode. Imagine his compassion towards those children suffering, who have no control over their circumstances: the poor, the lame, the sick. Like Jesus said in this episode, He came to "proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed" (which was actually a quote from Isaiah.) In the end, it's good for us to keep especially those children in mind and look for opportunities to bless those experiencing the most difficult challenges of life. Is there a child or group of children less fortunate that you have an opportunity to bless?

Summary Questions:

• When you talk to children, whether yours or someone else's, do you look for opportunities for teach them about God and encourage them/build them up?
• When you were a child, how did you view God? As a loving God, or one that makes rules for us to follow? 
•  Do you view your job or schooling as just a job or school or as an opportunity to be the light to others? Do you find that hard to do? 
• Is there a child or group of children less fortunate that you have an opportunity to bless?

Study The Chosen - Season 1 Episode 2

"The Chosen" Season 1 Episode 2 - Small Group Study

OK, we're on to episode 2 of season 1. We see some key developments in this episode. Simon is working to find merchant fishermen about to fish on the Sabbath, Matthew comes to Quintus with concerns that his deal with Simon is a bad one, and Nicodemus investigates the report that Mary has been healed of her demonic possession.  

But let's take a look at Matthew's relationship with his family. Matthew was a tax collector. He was hated by fellow Jews because he was working for the Romans occupying their land by collecting taxes from his own people for the Romans. He was considered a traitor. In his conversation with Gaius we learn that Matthew's father "says he has no son." He has disowned him. I'm sure Matthew's father and mother would have been looked down upon in the community because their son joined the Romans in tax collecting. They were ashamed of him. 

On Shabbat evening, Matthew longs to have Shabbat dinner with his family, but couldn't get up the courage to knock on the door. Have you ever felt you wanted to make amends with someone, but couldn't find the courage? Or have you ever showed love to someone despite the sin they continue in?

Then we see Nicodemus in disbelief that someone else had healed Mary. She told him it wasn't anything he had done, but that it was someone else. She went on to say, "I was one way, and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between, was him (Jesus)." You later see Mary trying to host Shabbat dinner...trying to do things right and honor God although she hasn't been doing in the recent past. She was truly thankful, truly changed. Have you had a significant change in your spiritual life? Or a period where you changed abruptly out of an outpouring of love and thankfulness to our Savior?

Summary Questions:

• Have you ever felt you wanted to make amends with someone, but couldn't find the courage?
• Have you ever showed love to someone despite the sin they continue in?
• Have you had a significant change in your spiritual life? 
• Have you had a period where you changed abruptly out of an outpouring of love and thankfulness to our Savior?

Study The Chosen - Season 1 Episode 1

"The Chosen" Season 1 Episode 1 - Small Group Study

So you've watched season 1, episode 1 of The Chosen TV series. Great. Now let's dive into what happened and see what we can learn.

What we see in the beginning of the series is the redemption of Mary Magdalene and some character development of some of the disciples and other characters. Let's start with Mary. She was portrayed as having hit rock bottom. Possessed by several demons and causing havoc in the Red Quarter, the Romans occupying Capernaum ask visiting Pharisee Nicodemus to help her. "She needs a holy man", they say. 

Despite Nicodemus' efforts, her condition remains unchanged. At the tavern she gives away one of her long held possessions, her doll that held a piece of paper with scripture that her father would encourage her with:

"Thus says the Lord who created you and he who formed you. Fear not for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine."  Isaiah 43:1

After an episode of being controlled by the demons, she started reading the scripture that helped her so many times in the past. But finally, she gave up and tore up the paper. The solution she found herself considering was to take her own life by jumping off a cliff. True desperation. 

Have you had a rock-bottom moment? When things got difficult; when your back was against the wall; when you needed encouragement desperately? Where did you go? Was there a verse that encouraged you? For me,  Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great encouragement. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." It helps me remember that my life is in His hands and helps me trust Him with every detail. 

Then there was Peter and Andrew. Peter had a different level of desperation. He was looking for ways to make money because Rome was taxing the Jewish people and making it hard to live. And they owed. A lot. He and Andrew had a plan to take advantage of others through gambling and rigging a fight, which backfired. Peter was also fishing on the Sabbath (Shabbat), justifying it by saying that lives are at stake. If they don't make enough to pay the taxes, they could lose the boat, their livelihood. So, he makes a deal with the Roman official, Quintus to help catch Jewish merchant fishermen fishing on the Sabbath to avoid taxation. Have you ever worked to meet your needs outside of God's plan (or against his principles)? I know I have. And things often don't turn out as I had expected.

Lastly, Mary was in the tavern when she met Jesus. As she was walking away from him out in the cold of the night, He said the words she'd been reciting to remind her of God's protection. "Thus says the Lord who created you and he who formed you. Fear not for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine." When has God met you where you were? When has He rescued you from your situation despite the poor choices you were making? Isn't that totally like Him? Displaying His love without measure....with a patience that never ceases. Romans 5:8 says, "But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us." 

Summary Questions:

• Have you had a rock-bottom moment? 
• When things got difficult; when your back was against the wall; when you needed encouragement desperately? Where did you go? Was there a verse that encouraged you?
• Have you ever worked to meet your needs outside of God's plan (or against his principles)?
• When has God met you where you were? When has He rescued you from your situation despite the poor choices you were making?