The Chosen ~ “The Rock on Which it is Built” S01E04

Greetings Dear Reader, 

There will be spoilers.  This is your only warning.  This BLOG series will walk through each episode of the first two seasons of the amazing show The Chosen available free to watch at the link.  If you have not seen it, I encourage you to do so.  It is by far the best adaptation of the Gospels to film I have ever encountered. 

The tension of this episode is palpable. Simon Peter is at odds with Rome, his brother, his wife, and his God.  He is misleading the Romans.  He owes two years' worth of back taxes plus interest.  He is about to be arrested by the very dangerous Quintus, the Praetor of the region.  Simon’s life is entangled in a net of lies, betrayal, and lack of faith. 

Some things to pay close attention to in this episode are the conversation between Simon and his wife Eden.  Every husband should hear her words and take stock of his own life.  Every wife should love her husband enough to be boldly honest and still good to her husband.  Another vital thing to catch is the non-verbal communication in the episode.  The interplay between Jesus and Simon is powerful.  So is the face of Jesus as he regards the catch Simon and Andrew make, the reaction of Zebedee when he calls James and John to follow him, and Mary Magdalen’s reaction to the fish. 

Pay attention as well to the character evolution between Matthew and Simon.  There is some vital understanding to be gained in their escalating conflict.  Matthew, rejected by so many, sees Jesus in a way really pleasing to me. 

What I  must take away from this episode for my life is the complete ability of Jesus to provide hope realized in the midst of hopelessness.   I had some rough times over the last few days but there is Jesus in the midst of things reminding me of what matters.  He says to Simon, “Fish do not matter.  Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  The Father has made it clear I am to keep laying aside anything hindering me from loving him with all my heart.  There are still more things to leave behind. 

There is a message of unity running throughout the episode which is also vital to my life.  Quintus says, “You Jews worship one God yet  you are so divided.”  Even this violent jaded Roman sees the need for us to be united in our faith.  Jesus tells Simon to gather all kinds of fish (men) and that he (Jesus) will sort them out later.  We cannot hope to catch men, Dear Reader, if we are not one in faith and Spirit.  There is so much to be gained by leaving behind that which divides us. 

The Things We Leave Behind – Michael Card 

There sits Simon, so foolishly wise
Proudly he's tending his nets
Then Jesus calls and the boats drift away
And all that he owns he forgets 

But more than the nets, he abandoned that day
He found that his pride was soon drifting away
And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind 

Matthew was mindful of taking the tax
And pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call, he responded in faith
And followed the light and the way 

And leaving the people so puzzled he found
The greed in his heart was no longer around and
And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind 

Every heart needs to be set free
From possessions that hold it so tight
'Cause freedoms not found in the things that we own
It's the power to do what is right 

With Jesus, our only possession
And giving becomes our delight
And we can't imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind 

We show a love for the world in our lives
By worshiping goods we possess
Jesus has laid all our treasures aside
And love God above all the rest 

'Cause when we say no, to the things of the world
We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind 

And when we say no, to the things of the world
We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind
Oh, and it's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind 

Wishing you joy in the journey, 

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good. 

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“We don’t need the Lamb; we need fish.”