Amanda Jenkins - The Chosen Book Two: 40 Days with Jesus

The Chosen devotionals are like The Chosen series in that they help Gods Word jump off the page for me. I appreciate anything that moves Scripture from information I consume to divinely inspired words I apply and live by. That is what these devotionals have done.

Mandisa, recording artist and speaker

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

THE CHOSEN Book Two: 40 Days with Jesus

Copyright 2021 The Chosen Productions, LLC

978-1-4245-6163-6 (faux leather)

978-1-4245-6164-3 (e-book)

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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CONTENTS

I remember the first time I watched The Chosen series. I had heard about it from some of the crewmembers who had worked on the set. Many of them had helped me produce our own films, so I knew that their endorsement of this biblical series deserved my attention. Ill admit that when I finished viewing it, I rewatched the whole thing again with my family. Not only was it well made, but it also ministered to me. I found myself wondering what I would have acted like had I been there with Jesus. Would I have freely given my opinion like Peter? Would I have tried to calculate His actions like Matthew? Or would I have followed Him in awe like Mary, clinging to His every word?

I imagined walking with Him daily, watching His kindness, His patience, and the way He displayed His love to others. Yes, I would have felt thrilled to see a miracle up close, but to sit and eat with Him the way His followers did or to have a one-on-one conversation with Him to share my questions, thoughts, and concernswell that would have been unbelievably amazing!

And yet, we can still do that.

The fact that this same Jesus who walked the earth with the disciples is still alive today and wants to spend personal time daily with each of us is still amazing! He sent His own spirit to dwell in us, to guide us, and to help us. He still longs to hear our questions, thoughts, and concerns. He still wants to love others through us. He still wants to do miracles! And He still says to us, Follow me.

As you read these devotionals, dont forget that the One who loves you so much that He gave His own life wants a growing relationship with you. He wants to walk with you, to love you, and to show you more of who He is. And He patiently waits for you to respond to His invitation.

So find that quiet place each day where you and Jesus can meet. Worship Him from your heart. Thank Him for all Hes done. Listen for Him to speak in that gentle, quiet voice as you read His Word. And take comfort in the fact that He still sees you, loves you, and has chosen you.

Alex Kendrick

Writer, Director

For our first book, the questions governing each devotional were:

1.What dont we know about these people?

2.What should we know about these people?

3.How will going from not knowing about these people to knowing about these people change us and other people?

Answers: Plenty. Everything. A lot.

As the stories of Mary, Peter, Nicodemus, and Matthew unspooled and intertwined, we came to appreciate this obvious truth in a whole new way: every detail matters. Every exchange is deserving of thorough examination and deep contemplation, as well as the setting and context in which they reside. Without exception, every aspect of their nopicnic lives offers us another breadcrumb along the trail.

Out of the four, Nicodemus was who we knew the least. Studying him was like finally connecting with a complicated uncle. We feel like we get the guy now and look forward to seeing him at family gatherings. Matthew and Peter are our brothers now. And Mary! Marys our girl. Were very close.

As serendipitous as knowing about and relating to certain Bible characters can be, it doesnt hold a candle to understanding the lengths to which Jesus will go to relate to us so we can know Him. Thats the purpose of every persons story in the Bible: to aid in the supernatural revelation of Jesus Christ.

In other words:

Because we know Nicodemus better, we now know Jesus better.

Because we know Matthew better, we now know Jesus better.

Because we know Peter better, we now know Jesus better.

Because we know Mary better, we now know Jesus better.

Thats it. Thats what makes these folks so wonderful. Through their stories were able to see Jesus compassion, patience, mercy, love, and redemption. Because of these guys (and so many others), we can start to wrap our brains and hearts around how Jesus feels toward us. And, of course, its a tremendous help knowing they were all such a messthrough them we can see more clearly the only Way to be whole.

So now, with this second devotional book, were switching gears a bit. Instead of three overarching questions about the people around Jesus, this new batch is predicated on one penetrating question: What does it mean to reeeeeally follow Jesus?

Not just showing up periodically, hoping to get a meal or a healing, but going all in and following Him wherever He may leadlike, say, to a cross.

We hope you, too, will appreciate and contemplate the details in a whole new way, as we have. And we humbly pray this devotional will aid in your supernatural revelation of Jesus Christ, as it has for us.

Amanda, Kristen, and Dallas

When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

MATTHEW 16:1318

Not every miracle was jaw-droppingly epic. There were levels. One miracle was so low-key it wouldve gone undetected had Jesus not pointed it out. It happened during a private conversation between Jesus and the disciples.