The ad for this show appeared on my Facebook page so naturally I ignored it. What good can come from Facebook? But then I read about this program in World Magazine, a favorite publication of mine that looks at the world and everything in it from a Christian perspective. They recommended this show so now I had to take a look. It has an unusual platform in that you can watch it via the app or on YouTube, the former providing a better picture. I have thoroughly enjoyed season one and season two will be out shortly, God willing and the Covid 19 waters don’t rise! It is a refreshing look at the life of Jesus from the perspective of the people around him. And let’s face it, the bible doesn’t give us much information about a lot of people that figure prominently or not so prominently in Jesus ministry on this earth, which could be for a very good reason. Maybe the Lord wants us to see ourselves in these people? In any case, with the help of a Protestant pastor, a Messianic Rabbi, and a Catholic priest, the show has panel of knowledgeable advisors to keep the “puppies in the box” so to speak, unlike the makers of Noah! What a hermeneutic mess that was!
It is the title that I find intriguing. “The Chosen”. To whom is this title referring? Jesus? The Apostles? Other disciples? For my part, I think this is referring to the character of God. Odd you say? Well, not really. God has been in the habit of choosing since before Moses first put pen to papyrus–in other words, from the beginning.
Recently our bible study group read through the Gospel of John looking for the Doctrines of Grace (the Calvinists among you would recognize them by the acronym TULIP). the “U” in this acronym stands for unconditional election, which is to say, our salvation hinges not on our choosing to follow God but in His sovereign choosing of us. Left to our own desires we would not choose God. The term du jour is “Sovereign Election” which describes God’s authoritative sovereign role in the election (choosing) of sinners to salvation. Ligonier Ministries has a series done by Dr. Steve Lawson on this topic which is very informative. Here is a link to his teaching series: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/doctrines-of-grace-john/
From the beginning of creation, the Lord God is in the habit of choosing. He chose to create all that is, He chose Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s, He chose Abram and Sarai to move to His chosen country in Canaan and create a chosen nation, He chose Isaac over Ishmael, He chose Joseph to save the Israelites, He chose Moses to lead His people out of bondage, and on and on it goes. Jesus chose 12 apostles to be sent out and teach the gospel. In essence, this is part of the nature of God–He chooses people to fulfill His purposes. And He does it from before the beginning of time as we know it.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6
For our part we can be thankful that it is the sovereign Creator who chooses and not us because He is holy, true, just, merciful, and all knowing. The choice is in good hands.
I hope you will take a look at this show. For those who have been walking with the Lord for a long time, it is interesting to see different possibilities of interpretation in the nature Jesus’ followers (I particularly like Matthew and Mary Magdalene). Taken with the proverbial grain of salt, we don’t truly know what the followers of Jesus were like but it is interesting to ponder. For others who may be newer to the faith, I hope this drives you to look in the scriptures to see what is actually written by God for us to know and understand about Him. He is the point and the purpose of it all.
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