By Hope 103.2Friday 17 Mar 2023#FollowingTheChosenPodcastsReading Time: 3 minutes
The best thing you can do after watching an awesome TV show is talk about that awesome TV show.
One of the most awesome TV shows around is The Chosen.
Like you, Ben McEachen and Laura Bennett are fans of the biggest crowdfunded screen production ever.
Season Three has dropped and film/TV reviewers Ben and Laura knew what they had to do: Watch every episode and dive deep into them.
Not a big fan of…
Here’s a confession from the outset, though.
“We’re Christians but we both have struggled with movies and TV shows about Jesus, in the past,” Ben said.
“To be frank, I’m not really a big fan. I haven’t actually watched that many and haven’t really wanted to.”
Due to production quality, performance levels or forced “altar calls”, Ben and Laura have not gravitated to Christian productions about the core of Christianity.
But Laura immediately pointed out that The Chosen‘s approach to broadcasting the good news takes a different, more engaging approach.
Now with more Jesus
“The Chosen has taken something that is so ancient but still so relevant, and bringing the human side a bit more to life,” Laura said.
“The ins and outs of Scripture, while still staying true to Scripture.
“That’s what give it such power and why so many people have continued to crowdfund it.”
Ben added that another delight of The Chosen is how it affords far greater air-time for the things of Jesus, rather than having to collapse them down.
Not being contained to the running time of a movie, for example, means The Chosen can present greater detail, depth and source material.
Homecoming
As they recap the entire first episode of Season 3, Homecoming, Laura and Ben reveal how it instantly plonks us in a place of personal reflection.
Starting up with moments from Jesus’ influential Sermon on the Mount, the episode not only reveals how disciples and other followers respond to these landmark words.
As Laura shared, she was personally impacted by seeing the Sermon on the Mount and reflecting on what it can mean for her.
“In our present-day world, I was really struck by those instances when you have culture telling you one thing – [as well as] the stresses of modern life – and then you can have this moment of being grounded in the bigger picture,” Laura said.
“The overarching truth of God saying ‘Hang on a second. Think about my kingdom… and what I would say to do.'”
Homecoming weaves through various reactions to Jesus’ words from his famous sermon.
From Judas accepting the call of Jesus, to Andrew visiting John the Baptist in prison, the difference Jesus makes to life is manifesting.
One of the most palpable moments in Homecoming is former tax collector Matthew facing his painful past.
As the back story about Matthew’s estrangement from his parents unfolds, Ben described it as a prominent example of what Homecoming wants us to recognise.
“What this episode is about is starting to turn the heat up on what it means to give your life over, to follow Jesus.”
Listen to #FollowingTheChosen in the player above or watch the video below.