Ears to Hear

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In this episode, Mary asks about the prayer tassels in Matthew’s attic. This reminds him of a remarkable encounter from long ago and stirs up deep emotions. An intense conversation follows, revealing his struggle with feelings of regret and unworthiness.

Can you relate to Matthew’s struggle with regret over his past and feelings of unworthiness? If you feel comfortable, share about it.
What do you do when you feel regret about something?

Regret is an unpleasant and draining emotion. It gnaws at us, reminding us of choices we wish we could undo, whispering, “If only I had …”

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes about regret. His first letter had confronted the Corinthians with their wrongdoing, and they felt deep sorrow for what they had done.

Read together 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 and Psalm 32:1-5.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10

Psalm 32:1-5

What do these Bible passages teach us about regret and repentance?
Look at Psalm 32, verses 3 and 5. What do they tell us about how we should deal with regret over our wrongdoing?
How can regret and sorrow eventually lead to joy?
Do these Scriptures give you a new perspective for how you handle your feelings of regret and unworthiness? What is that new perspective?

God knows us completely — our failures, struggles, and regrets — and he continually reaches out to us with grace. The Bible is full of stories showing how God lovingly draws people closer to him despite their mistakes.

The Chosen depicts this reality too. Remember the very first episode? God used a dove to catch Mary’s attention when she was at her lowest point. And in this episode, we saw how God sent an old man to Matthew’s office with a gift. Often, we are so consumed by our own regrets that we fail to see how God is working to draw us closer to his heart.

Take a moment to reflect and share together:

Can you think of someone or something God has placed in your life to draw you closer to Jesus?
How has this experience impacted your faith and your understanding of God’s grace?
What step can you take this week to recognise and respond to the ways God is reaching out to you?

In this episode, we see how Jesus’ story about the wedding banquet — which the disciples shared during their mission — deeply unsettled people. They are not upset because they misunderstood it. They are upset because they understood it clearly, and they do not like the implications. The idea that God would welcome certain groups and types of people into his Kingdom clashed with the listeners’ priorities and prejudices, leading to conflict.

Which of Jesus’ teachings do you think would cause this kind of reaction in our world today?
Which of Jesus’ teachings have challenged your natural way of operating in and understanding the world? Which of his teachings have offended you or made you feel uncomfortable?
How do you respond when you feel challenged by Jesus’ teachings?

Jesus loved using parables to cast a vision of God’s Kingdom.

Let’s read the parable of the royal wedding banquet in Matthew 22:1-14 together.

Matthew 22:1-14

What does this story reveal about the Kingdom of God?
Who are the people who were originally invited to the banquet? Why did they refuse to come?
At this feast, everyone is welcome, but the man who is not wearing a wedding garment is thrown outside. What might this symbolise?
What does this story mean for the Church today?

Philip and Andrew boldly share what they learned from Jesus. Although their message comes directly from Jesus himself, it is not received with gratitude …

How do you navigate the tension between boldly sharing what you have learned from Jesus and maintaining healthy relationships with the people around you?
What biblical principles or tools help you to share your faith with both courage and sensitivity?
What is your key takeaway from this episode?

In this episode, we see Peter and Eden struggling after the death of their child. Peter trusts Jesus but wrestles with his questions: How could this happen when I gave up everything for him?

Eden feels she must carry her pain alone. She believes she needs to move on quickly, and she does not want to burden others with her grief.

Both Peter and Eden are grieving, but in very different ways. Their emotions are raw and their questions are endless. In the process, they lose touch with each other for a time.

Can you resonate with anything in Peter or Eden’s experience of grief? What questions does this storyline raise for you?
How have you dealt with loss in your life? What have you learned from God through times of grief or suffering?
Are you currently walking through a season of grief? If you feel comfortable, share about it, and let’s take some time to pray together.

We are all confronted with the reality of brokenness and loss in a fallen world. It hurts and raises questions. The Bible speaks to this reality and offers hope in the midst of it.

Let’s read Romans 5:1-5 together.

Romans 5:1-5

What does this passage teach us about suffering?
Have you ever thought that following Jesus would exempt you from suffering? How does this passage reset that expectation?
How does suffering shape your character?
What does it practically mean, in the face of suffering, to boast in the hope of the glory of God?

John says to Peter, “You are not exempt, Simon. Remember that He said that in this world, bones will still break, hearts will still break but He is making a way for people to access a better kingdom!” [1:00:25-1:00:36 min]

Loss — whether our own or someone else’s — reminds us of our longing for the day when Jesus will return to make all things new. Until that day, we need to learn how to walk with each other through sorrow in meaningful ways. We need to learn to receive times of loss as invitations to draw closer to our heavenly Father.

Do you give grief and sorrow space in your life, or do you try to avoid them?
Are you and the people in your life open to sharing your grief by talking openly about it? What makes it hard to be honest about grief?
How do you seek comfort from God when you are going through hard times?
How can you walk alongside someone going through a season of grief?

Have several cards and pens ready for the following activity.

As part of our response, we will write notes to people in our community who are going through difficult times. Let’s take a moment to identify and pray together for them. Then, we will each write a note of encouragement and sign our names.

Is there someone you know who needs encouragement as they walk through a season of loss?
How can we pray for them?

After praying together, have everyone write notes on the cards. Then find volunteers who will deliver the cards to their recipients.

In this episode, we see a flashback to Matthew’s past. An old man gives Matthew a box with prayer tassels as a gift and says, “When you understand the true value of these, no man will be able to meet their price” [31:48-32:10 min].

What struck you about the interaction between Matthew and this man?
Is there something in your life, like Matthew’s prayer tassels, which is similarly valuable to you? Tell us about it. What makes it valuable?

It is wonderful to see Mary share what she has learned from her own hard experiences with Matthew. She is able to use her past struggles to encourage and comfort Matthew as he navigates his current struggles.

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 together.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

What do these verses tell us about God?
What do these verses tell us about trouble and comfort?
How does this passage shape your perspective on suffering?
Have you experienced what this verse describes?
Has God placed someone in your life during a difficult time who could offer comfort and strength because they understood what you were going through?
Has God ever used your hard experiences to equip you to support someone going through a similar struggle?

Mary encourages Matthew to start wearing the prayer tassels. For the old man, these tassels represented his faith and connection with God — the most valuable thing he held onto at the end of his life. Passing them on was his way of sharing that faith with Matthew.

Are there symbolic items in your life that help you stay connected to Jesus or others? Tell us about them.
Is there a symbol you could “add to your garment of faith” today to remind you of God’s presence and promises?
What symbol could you pass on to someone else? Who might you give it to, and why?

SEASON 3 - EPISODE 7

Ears to Hear

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Initial Reflections

Dig In

2 Corinthians 7:8-10

Psalm 32:1-5

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Matthew 22:1-14

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Romans 5:1-5

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Respond

Find more on our Reading Plan

Next Episodes

I Have Called You by Name

Shabbat

Jesus Loves the Little Children

The Rock on Which It Is Built

The Wedding Gift

Indescribable Compassion

Invitations

I Am He

Thunder

I Saw You

Matthew 4:24

The Perfect Opportunity

Spirit

Unlawful

Reckoning

Beyond Mountains

Homecoming

Two by Two

Physician, Heal Yourself

Clean (1)

Clean (2)

Intensity in Tent City

Ears to Hear

Sustenance

Promises

Confessions

Moon to Blood

Calm Before

Sitting, Serving, Scheming

Dedication

The Last Sign

Humble

Entry

House of Cards

Woes

The Same Coin

Because of Me

Reunions

The Upper Room (1)

The Upper Room (2)

The Chosen Connect