Taste and See Week 5 — Relishing the Olive and Its Oil

And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. — Luke 22:39

No matter the struggle, God’s peace is already planted there. ~ Margaret Feinberg

Welcome to week five of the Taste and See Online Bible Study with Margaret Feinberg!

Comfort. Gosh, this word gets to me. Especially during hard times. Is that true for you, too?

I want comfort. We all want comfort, don’t we?

Once when one of my daughters was about 11, she told me what her ideal afternoon would include: lounging on a comfy bed with new, clean sheets, wrapped in cushy, cozy blankets, it’s cold and rainy outside, watching a favorite movie, having popcorn and hot cocoa with whipped cream. And then she added, “Oh! And, right out of the shower with freshly shaven legs.” I nearly broke a rib laughing… but my girl hit the target, right? That sounds great to me!

While we do get to experience those incredible moments of serenity and ease from time to time, as believers we’re also going to go through seasons of suffering and distress. It’s unavoidable. Sometimes those seasons are short and sometimes… well, you know already, don’t you?

Sometimes God will lead us into places of great discomfort as we walk in obedience and faithfulness to Him. ~ Margaret

Being a Jesus follower means doing hard things, being willing to be crushed… and endure even though I would prefer comfort… knowing Jesus is my comfort.

Are you with me?

In that which looks dead, there remains life. ~ Margaret

This week for the study you will:

1. Watch the video for Week 5 – either on DVD or on Study Gateway and take notes in the Taste and See Study Guide on pages 97-103.
2. Enjoy your personal study this week on pages 104-114.
3. Join us on Thursday, February 21st (optional) at 12 pm EST and 8 pm EST in the Facebook Private Group for a watch party to view the video together and enjoy a live chat discussion. We want to meet you! So, come introduce yourself to our community.

Bible Verse of the Week

And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ — Luke 22:39-42 NASB

Scriptures this Week

1. Genesis 8:8-11
2. Luke 22:39-46
4. James 5:14

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, thank You that You are our comfort and our peace. Thank You that no matter what circumstances we may face in this life, that You will never ever leave us to cope alone, but promise to walk with us. Help us to trust You with all of our hearts that You are good and that life with You is infinitely better than trying to soothe ourselves on our own. You are the One who understands because You walked this same earth that we do. Thank You for the rich promises You give that bring us hope and peace, Jesus. We love You. Amen.

TASTE AND SEE EXPERIENCES

Choose one (or more) of the following activities to grow more intentional in your relationships with one other and God.

1. You can infuse your olive oil with your own flavors. Use lemon peel, oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic, or thyme (maybe even the spice you started growing from the Tasty Activity in session one). Add your spice to the oil and wait a few weeks. You can also speed up the process by placing the mixture on low heat for 5–8 minutes. These can usually be refrigerated for several weeks.

2. Think of one person in your community who may be on the margins or new to the area. Invite them to coffee or to share a meal together.

3. Pray over your home. If you’ve never prayed over your home, consider inviting your family members to join you. Pray over each room in your home and ask God to fill your home with his presence, love, and grace. Ask God to remove anything in the home that does not bring joy to him. As you move through the home, dab olive oil above each doorpost as a symbol of consecrating your home as holy and pure.

4. Select three healing stories of Jesus from the Gospels and read them back-to-back. What commonalities do you see among the stories? How are each of the people’s lives transformed physically, spiritually, and emotionally? What do you need to do to experience God’s deeper healing work in you?