Invitations
The Chosen (Season One, Episode Seven)
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be writing some thoughts and reflection questions for each episode of the TV show, The Chosen. I hope you’ll join me for this spiritual journey and pray that you’ll be open to hear what God might be wanting to communicate to you through this show! :)
I’M TRYING
In this episode, Nicodemus is still struggling to wrap his mind around who this mystery man is. Even Quintus and the other Romans are beginning to take notice of this “miracle worker” in town. Meanwhile, Mary of Magdala humbly asks Jesus if he would honor Nicodemus’ request for a private meeting between the two of them. Jesus agrees, and the two of them meet on a rooftop late at night so that no one would see them. The rooftop scene with Jesus and Nicodemus is incredibly beautiful (John 3:1-21 -- Did anyone notice the brief clip of John listening in to the conversation and writing everything down? Brilliant!) Nicodemus looks upon Jesus with awe, and yet can still have a casual conversation with him, asking him questions and being authentically himself. When I first watched this scene, it reminded me of how I can also have a conversation with Jesus through prayer. I can ask him questions and be authentically myself with him, imagining him sitting right near me. This scene gave me a mental image of how Jesus might lovingly look at me as I struggle to discover truth.
It is clear that Nicodemus has mentally prepared a list of questions for Jesus. He begins by asking him about the miracle with the paralytic man. He recognizes that Jesus must not be acting alone since no one can do what he has been able to do without having God in him. I absolutely LOVE how Jesus is super gentle with Nicodemus. He doesn’t provide answers right away, perhaps because the answers themselves might initially be too complicated to understand. He simply asks follow up questions and allows Nicodemus to speak whatever has been on his heart, and when he does provide answers, he tries to do so in a way that Nicodemus can understand. For example, Jesus tries to explain the concept of being “born again” of the spirit and not of the flesh. Jesus lightheartedly makes a joke that Nicodemus is a teacher of Israel and yet still doesn’t understand this teaching, and Nicodemus responds, “I’m trying, Rabbi,” to which Jesus lovingly responds, “I know.” This short exchange of words touched my heart so much. I feel like I constantly say, “I’m trying, Jesus,” through prayer, so I loved having another visual image of how Jesus might be responding to me. As long as we are trying, that is enough in God’s eyes.
Later in this scene, after hearing that Nicodemus is still struggling with how to explain all of this to the other Jewish religious leaders, Jesus says, “If I have told you of Earthly things and you do not believe, how can I tell you heavenly things?” I once heard an analogy that asking God for an answer to a question, sometimes a super theological one, would be like trying to drink water from a fire hose. The power of the water (or in this case, the answer to the question) would be too overwhelming for us to handle. Instead, we need a small cup or a slower, less powerful stream of water to be able to get a drink. God reveals Himself and His plan to us slowly so that we can understand it and Him better, and even then, sometimes we still can’t understand. Since God is God, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, as I mentioned in my post on Episode 6, it is beautiful to see that He is willing to humble Himself, meeting us where we are at, in order to help answer our questions and to get to know Him better. We’ve already physically seen this happen many times throughout this show when Jesus bends down to meet those who have fallen on their knees before him and raises them up, and we see this happen in this episode as well. Nicodemus falls to his knees before Jesus, after Jesus has asked Nicodemus to give up everything to follow him and after realizing that he is standing on holy ground. Jesus raises him up and then gives Nicodemus a long hug while Nicodemus cries in his arms. Once again, I was brought to tears after imagining how Jesus desires to hug me too, allowing me to unleash all of my emotions while in his arms. “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him” (Psalm 2:12).
GET USED TO DIFFERENT
In the very beginning of this episode, we see a conversation between Moses and Joshua. Joshua is struggling to understand what Moses is doing, but Moses, who has been instructed by God to make what he is making (Numbers 21:8-9), responds by saying, “It’s an act of faith, not reason.” It is fitting that this scene happens in this episode in particular because we see Matthew, one who has been driven by reason almost his entire life, struggling to believe in Jesus. He is clearly rattled by everything he has witnessed thus far. Fish appearing out of no where. A paralytic man walking. He goes about his usual routine but seems off. Not having anyone else to turn to, he visits his mother, even though his family has disowned him because of his chosen profession, and since his father is away on business, they are able to briefly talk. He asks his mother if she thinks that “impossible things can happen that overturn the laws of nature and cannot be explained.” She answers that many people used to say that about him when he was younger because he was extremely intelligent and could think faster than all the other children. He is still extremely on edge and eventually leaves at his mother’s request.
Later in the market, Matthew’s mind still seems to be elsewhere, as he attempts to do his work. Jesus and his crew walk by, and Jesus stops, turns around, and calls out Matthew’s name: Matthew, son of Alphaeus. Then, he says, “Follow me.” Once realizing that Jesus actually wants him to follow him, Matthew locks up his post. Gaius, Matthew’s Roman bodyguard, questions Matthew’s actions, saying that he would be throwing away everything -- his wealth, position of power, and Roman protection. Simon questions Jesus’ intentions, especially given Matthew’s profession, to which Jesus says, “Get used to different. This phrase, which has now become a popular slogan associated with this show, is something that I think is relevant even today. Jesus’ ministry most certainly would have been seen as “different” back in the day. He was hanging out with tax collectors, fishermen, prostitutes, lepers, etc., and he was miraculously healing people. He was loving and merciful to all, and yet also challenging them to new ways of thinking and acting. In a society that is consumed by greed, lust, hate, power, and pride, how can I be seen as “different” to those I encounter? How can I love more? How can I be more forgiving? How can I better practice humility? How can I serve others more without expecting anything in return? How can I spend more time with those who are considered “outcasts” to others? This is how we can continue carrying on what Jesus started for us.
EPISODE SEVEN REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
~Have you imagined what it would be like to have a face to face conversation with God, or have you ever found yourself saying to God, “I’m trying”? What do you think he would want to say to you if this happened right now?
~What are some of the questions you would want to ask Jesus if you were able to have a sit down conversation with him like Nicodemus did?
~As Christians, we’re called to be seen as “different,” living in the world but not of it. What are some ways that you can better live out this calling, and what would “different” look like for you in your community (family, friends, work, city, etc.)?
To watch all eight episodes of season one for free, download The Chosen app on Apple or Android mobile devices.
If you end up loving the show and want to “pay it forward” to help fund season two, you can either make a donation in the app and/or purchase the season one DVD set for yourself or friends/family.
