The Upper Room (2)

Each track is a different way to engage with the content of the episode. You can choose to follow a track for the entire season, or you can choose to follow a track for a specific episode. Come as you are and grow at your own pace.

In this episode, Jesus reflects on the moment when God tests Abraham and asks him to sacrifice his son—a moment where faith is stretched to its limits. God asks Abraham to trust him with what is most precious to Abraham, without knowing the outcome [33:58-34:54 min].

Why do you think The Chosen chose to connect Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane with Abraham’s story?
Abraham did not know what God planned to do. Why do you think he still obeyed God?

This story points forward to a much greater moment. God ultimately spared Isaac by providing an animal as a substitute. But for Jesus, it was different. He was the Lamb. He was the substitute. Unlike Abraham, he knew what God had planned, and he fully surrendered himself to his Father’s will.

Let’s read Genesis 22:1-18, Hebrews 11:17-19 and Matthew 26:38-39.

Genesis 22:1-18

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,

7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time

16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,”

17 “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,”

18 “and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Hebrews 11:17-19

Matthew 26:38-39

What do these passages reveal about Abraham’s faith? What does it mean that Abraham trusted God in this way?
Why was he willing to trust God with what was most precious to him?
What does Hebrews 11:17-19 add to our understanding of this story?
How does this story point forward to Jesus?

What Abraham did was a sacrifice of the deepest part of his heart—out of radical trust in God and the desire to do his will. Jesus did the same, but where Abraham was spared, Jesus went all the way.

What is something in your life that is difficult to entrust to God?
What does it look like to trust God when you don’t understand what he is doing?
Have you ever experienced a moment where your faith was tested? How did that impact your relationship with God?
What does “not my will, but yours be done” look like in your life today?

In this episode, we see Jesus in deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is not distant—he is fully present in his humanity. He experiences sorrow, fear and distress.

Intense suffering has a way of overwhelming a person. Some things are too heavy to carry alone.

Have you ever experienced deep sorrow that made you afraid and distressed? How did it impact you?
Have you ever seen someone who was in despair? What did you notice? What did you do?

Jesus is fully God and fully human. The suffering that lies ahead deeply affects him. He has a physical and emotional response. The Bible describes him as deeply distressed and troubled, even to the point that his sweat became like drops of blood. He prays earnestly to his Father, asking if the suffering might pass from him.

Let’s read Luke 22:39-46 and Isaiah 53:3-4a.

Luke 22:39-46

Isaiah 53:3-4a

What do these passages tell us about Jesus?
What does it mean that he is described as a man of sorrow or suffering?
How does Jesus respond to the intense suffering ahead of him?

We all face suffering—our own and that of others. Sometimes it feels overwhelming—physically, emotionally and spiritually—and sometimes others can’t fully understand what we’re going through.

Jesus shows us how to respond. He goes to a familiar place. He takes some of his friends with him. He prays honestly to his Father. He expresses his desires and at the same time surrenders his will because he seeks his Father’s glory through it all.

What can you learn from Jesus’ example at this moment?
How do you respond when you are overwhelmed by fear or sadness?
What do you do when someone around you is struggling deeply?
Where do you go—or what helps you stay grounded—when life feels heavy?

At the beginning of this episode, The Chosen imagines how Jesus and Thaddeus might have first met. While working together, Jesus invites Thaddeus to follow him and help build a new kingdom with eternal impact. Thaddeus has no idea what Jesus means or how he would fit into it [05:13-05:54 min].

How do you think Thaddeus felt in that moment?
Have you ever been invited into something you didn’t fully understand? How did you respond?

Thaddeus is also called Judas in the New Testament. We don’t know much about Thaddeus from the New Testament, but we do know that he was chosen by Jesus. His life seems to have been marked by faithful service, quiet dedication, sincerity and loyalty. He may not have been part of the “inner circle,” but his life shows the value of steady, faithful commitment. In John 14:22, Thaddeus asks Jesus a question about why the Lord reveals himself to his followers and not to the world. It shows a desire to understand Jesus more deeply.

Let’s read Luke 6:12-16, 27-38 and John 14:21-23.

Luke 6:12-16, 27-38

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:

14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,

16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

27 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.

30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

John 14:21-23

What do these passages tell us about the kind of people Jesus calls?
What does it mean to follow Jesus according to these teachings?
What stands out to you in the way Jesus describes how his followers should live?
In John 14, what does Jesus promise to those who love him and obey what he says?

Jesus invites Thaddeus into a life that is both beautiful and costly—full of purpose, relationships, joy and challenges. And then Jesus says, “But none of that’s the point. The point is that you will have said yes to the world’s no. That you hoped against hope, and believed against belief. That you surrendered everything and held fast to the very end” [07:43-10:50 min].

Just like Thaddeus, we have a choice if and how we follow. We can stay at a distance to watch what happens or step in with all we have as the action unfolds.

What part of Jesus’ invitation to Thaddeus stands out to you most? Why?
What feels difficult or challenging about following him?
Have you said yes to the world’s no? What does that look like in your life?
How does your life respond to Jesus’ question, “Will you follow me?” Do you stay at a distance—or do you step in and participate in his work? Why?

When Jesus arrives with his disciples at Gethsemane, he asks them to wait while he goes to pray.

Andrew: Do you need anything?
Jesus: I need to go in there and pray.
[16:44-17:30 min]

Step into Andrew’s shoes: What would you want to give Jesus in that moment? What would you want to do?

Jesus asks Peter, James and John to go with him into the olive grove. He asks them to stay awake, to be alert and to pray so that they will not fall into temptation. But it is not easy for them. While Jesus goes a little further to pray, they keep falling asleep.

Let’s read Matthew 26:36-46 and Galatians 6:2.

Matthew 26:36-46

Galatians 6:2

What do we learn about Jesus in this moment?
What do we learn about the disciples? Why do you think they struggle to stay awake?
What does it mean to watch and pray? Why is this important?
What does Galatians 6:2 say about carrying each other’s burdens? What does that look like in practice?
Why can it be difficult to be present with someone who is suffering?

Sharing in someone else’s suffering is not easy. There are many things that pull our attention away: physical tiredness, busy schedules and our own thoughts or struggles.

Often, we don’t know what to do when someone is hurting. We want to fix it, to act, to say the right thing. But sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer is simply our presence. Being there—without solutions—can be harder than we expect. It takes focus, patience and the willingness to stay, even when there’s nothing we can do.

How do you respond when someone is hurting, and you feel like all you can do is be present or pray?
Who do you allow to come close in your hardest moments—and what does that look like in practice?
Where might you be overlooking suffering around you? How so?
What distractions make it hard for you to stay present and attentive?
What is one step you can take to grow in being present in times like these? How can you support each other in growing in this way?

SEASON 5 - EPISODE 8

The Upper Room (2)

Select a Track

I want to...

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Genesis 22:1-18

Hebrews 11:17-19

Matthew 26:38-39

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Luke 22:39-46

Isaiah 53:3-4a

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Luke 6:12-16, 27-38

John 14:21-23

Respond

Initial Reflections

Dig In

Matthew 26:36-46

Galatians 6:2

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