Katie Nelson

I struggle to imagine what Jesus was truly like. Can you relate?

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” -Luke 5:4-5

What tone do you hear Jesus speaking in? What do you imagine his personality was like? 

If I’m honest, I think I usually hear Jesus speaking as if he was a drill sergeant. I’m a soldier in his army. My job is to listen, follow, and obey. If I screw up, there are consequences. 

I know from many other verses in the Bible that this is not true. Jesus calls himself:

The Good Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11

The Life: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25 NIV).

The Teacher: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14-15)

One thing that has helped me hear Jesus in a new way has been watching The Chosen. 

It has changed my perspective and impacted my relationship with God in so many positive ways. If you are looking for a way to stay connected to God this summer – or even just find out more about Jesus, I hope you’ll watch at least the first 4 episodes of The Chosen. After that, I think you’ll be hooked. The first episode was hard for me to get into because there is a lot of cultural context and character introduction. But, don’t get too caught up in all that. It will make more sense in the next few episodes. 

So many people recommended The Chosen to me. I just struggled to want to sit down at night when I was already tired and watch something “deep.” Yes some themes are deep, but there is also humor, compassion, and beauty. To give you an idea of what to expect, check out this scene from Luke 5 as Jesus tells Simon to let down his net…

To watch it for free, simply download the Angel Studios app on your phone or TV – or you can watch season 1 on Peacock.

Let me know what you think!