The Chosen with Paul McDonald and Allen Arnold
Paul McDonald Allen Arnold tackle the first television series with The Chosen. What would it be like to rediscover the Bible as an invitation to the unknown? God’s framework of story is woven throughout the world, both in the universe and in the Bible. And we find that following the Bigger Story of following Jesus always feels impossible and risky, but leads to the discovery and revelation of our truer selves. Join us as we dive into this series.
Quotes
The Bible is a story that has nuances, ups and downs, and characters we love that fell really hard.
The series brings a wildness and wonder and the unexpected to a story that might feel familiar.
This creates the best possible response from me, which is “I’m falling in love with Jesus more.”
What is the worst thing we can do to Jesus/God? Make Him boring.
You see the tension and the cost, the drama and the humanness, and the rawness of what it would mean if you were there when Jesus was on the scene.
“I was one way. Now I am completely different. And the thing that was in between was Him.”
We want to watch (and live in) stories of people being invited and stepping into something greater.
The easy way out will never lead to the hero’s journey.
The more I’ve spent time knowing and loving God, the more time I’ve spent asking Him questions.
When we put limits on God, sometimes He honors them.
Themes
The invitation into the unknown
God’s framework of story in the world—our whole universe and Scripture is based on story.
The series focuses on the lives of the people around Jesus, which brings the story to life. The story of Jesus told by the people around him. It brings Jesus to life. This brings back the playfulness, wildness, the unexpected and the intimacy of what life with Jesus looks like.
The Bigger Story of following Jesus always feels impossible and risky, but leads to us becoming our truer self.
Our culture and this world makes it harder and harder to speak truth.
Comparison of Nicodemus and Matthew: Both are invited to follow Jesus, but only Matthew accepts. Nicodemus highly esteemed by the religious structure, Matthew is shunned. They both have a great deal to walk away from. Both wants answers to their questions. Nicodemus would’ve been welcomed by the disciples, while Matthew was not popular.
Most of what we geek out about and spend our time thinking about won’t ultimately matter in the Kingdom.
The idea of putting God in a box, telling God what He can or cannot do.
Resources
The Chosen series: https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen
The Chosen Christmas episode: https://youtu.be/a9s7OUspzes
Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus by John Eldredge
Questions
How would you describe the personality of Jesus?
What Bible stories are you most familiar with? If you put yourself in that same situation, how does it change the feel of the story?
Where did Jesus come in to your story? How were you before? How are you different now?
What invitation do you wish you had accepted?
What impossible situation did you enter in where God showed up?
What do you care most about? How does that reflect/compare to eternity?
What are some ways that you put God in a box?