Small Group Questions and Reading Plan

The small group questions will guide you and your group to discuss Jesus, His followers, and how you can follow Him better.
The reading plan will guide you through the entire Gospel of Matthew, and into some key moments that you see in The Chosen show.

Introduction -  Get to know your group

If you are a new group, or have added different members, it may be good to spend your first week just getting to know each other. Eat some food together, and share stories. This will open up your group for later weeks to have deeper and more meaningful conversations.  Also be sure an recommend for this that have not watched Season 1, to go back and "Binge Jesus" and get caught up.

Small Group Questions:
- What do you think of Jesus?
- If you are a Christian, what is you "Chosen" story? How did Jesus call you, and what was your response?
- If you are not a Christian, what made you decide to join this group?
- How has it been following Jesus?
Prepare:
Spend some time with you group preparing them for what "The Chosen" is. Remember that this show is a portrayal of Jesus and His followers, and what it could have been like. It is not scripture.
Read through these words from the creator of "The Chosen" and share them with your group.
Resources:
- You can view all of The Chosen Episodes by downloading "The Chosen" App or through multiple sites. You can check it all out here.

Week 1 -  Thunder

Reading Plan:
Day 1: John 1:1-18
Day 2: Matthew 1
Day 3: Luke 15: 1-7
Day 4: Matthew 2
Day 5: Matthew 4:18-22
Day 6: Luke 10: 25-37
Day 7: Matthew 3

Small Group Questions:
- What was your favorite moment from Season 1? What about from this episode?
- Have you ever thought of the story of the good Samaritan from the perspective of the robber? Why is that important for what Jesus is trying to teach the disciples?
- “‘Is that a good thing?’ ‘Today it wasn’t'” When Jesus calls John thunder he says that fiery passion can be both a gift and hindrance. Share about a personality trait that is an asset that sometimes gets you into trouble.

Week 2 -  I Saw You

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 4
Day 2: John 1:43-51
Day 3: Matthew 5
Day 4: Matthew 10
Day 5: Matthew 6
Day 6: Matthew 7
Day 7:

Small Group Questions:
- How did you feel about Phillip’s conversation with Matthew- especially when Matthew draws the circle in the dirt?

-Why do the disciples disagree about writing down Jesus’ words? How do we still see that playing out now?

-If you feel comfortable sharing- what was a time that you felt seen by God like Nathanael under the fig tree?

Week 3 -  Matthew 4:24

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 8
Day 2: Zechariah 4
Day 3: Matthew 9
Day 4: Matthew 4: 23-25
Day 5: Matthew 10
Day 6: Matthew 11
Day 7:

Small Group Questions:
- How does Jesus disrupt cultural dynamics? Personal dynamics?

- If you’ve been following Jesus long- does it make you happier, fulfilled, or joyful than you were before? If you can’t remember a time that you didn’t follow Jesus- why do you still?

- Why did the disciples assume that Jesus was going to gather an army?

Week 4 -  The Perfect Opportunity

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 12
Day 2: Psalm 69
Day 3: Matthew 13
Day 4: Zechariah 14:16
Day 5: Matthew 14
Day 6:  John 5:1-30
Day 7:

Small Group Questions:
- How could the Pharisees, Zealots, and others interpret the same scripture passages so differently? What do you rely on to help you interpret the scriptures?

- The disciples talk about the feast and sleeping outside to be a great leveler of man. The poor, the rich- everyone faces the same difficulties. What did Mary say it was to remind them of and why is it necessary to have that reminder?

-The religious elite and the religious extreme were both missing out on the miracles of Jesus. Jesse’s hope was misplaced but why do you think he still experienced the miracle and what was the significance of that?

Week 5 -  Spirit

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 15
Day 2: Matthew 8: 14-17
Day 3: Matthew 16
Day 4: Luke 3:1-20
Day 5: Matthew 17
Day 6: Matthew 18
Day 7: 

Small Group Questions:
- Jesus tells Simon the Zealot that He has everything He needs, but he WANTS Simon with Him. How did that scene make you feel? Have you felt like Simon?

-Did this episode change your perspective on the miracles that Jesus performed? Do they seem a little more real now?

-Mary lets her past get the best of her and believes she isn’t worthy to stay at the camp and learn from Jesus. How do we keep ourselves, and each other, from feeling this way?

-What stuck out to you most from the conversations between John and Jesus in this episode? What about the conversations about the Sanhedrin?

Week 6 -  Unlawful

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 19
Day 2: 1 Samuel 21:1-9
Day 3: Matthew 20
Day 4: Psalm 20:7
Day 5: Matthew 21
Day 6: Mark 2:18-27
Day 7: Hosea 6:6

Small Group Questions:
- How did you feel about Mary’s storyline in this episode?

- Have you thought before about the irony of the disciples being hungry following the Bread of Life? How do you think you would have responded to a situation like that?

- Where are you too legalistic with your faith? Where can you be more understanding and compassionate this week?

- How would you describe the reaction of Jesus when he is questioned about healing on the Sabbath? Take a look at Mark 3:5. Do you think this episode shows that reaction?

Week 7 -  Reckoning

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 22
Day 2: Matthew 6: 5-15
Day 3: Matthew 23
Day 4: Matthew 4: 12-17
Day 5: Matthew 24
Day 6: Luke 5:16
Day 7:  Matthew 25

Small Group Questions:
- Which groups and people are tracking down Jesus and why?

- If you had been preparing something with Jesus and He was arrested- which disciple or Pharisee do you think you would have responded like?

- What was significant about Andrew and Philip’s encounter in the marketplace?

- How do you tend to pray and do you think of it as a significant practice?

- How is this series helping you understand life in the first century – and the many forces at play – better?

Week 8 -  Beyond Mountains

Reading Plan:
Day 1: Matthew 26
Day 2: Matthew 5-7
Day 3: Matthew 27
Day 4: Mark 3:13-19
Day 5: Matthew 28
Day 6: Isaiah 9:6-7
Day 7:  

Small Group Questions:
- Why can’t the disciples all agree on how to help prepare for the sermon event?

- Which of the beatitudes feels the closest to you? What about the hardest or farthest from you?

- Go through the beatitudes and think of one person in your life who portrays each of these traits.

- Were you surprised when we learned who Judas was – or did you see it coming? What do you see in his character so far?

- There are several places in the New Testament where Jesus may be reacting to a teaching that was specific to either Hillel or Shammai. As this episode indicates, Hillel was usually the more lenient of the two. How is this religious disagreement shaping responses to Jesus?

- Jesus says the Sermon on the Mount is a manifesto of revolution and radical shift. What did he mean by this?