Taste & See: You’re Invited to the Table

Hey friends, There are just a few days left until we start our next community Online Bible Study – Taste and See – and we don’t want you to miss out! Taste and See is one of the freshest Bible studies we’ve seen in a long time. Through the lens of looking at the thousands of mentions of food in the Bible, you’ll have familiar passages come alive in a whole new way. By the end of this study, you won’t read the Bible the same way again. Promise.

The community study starts next week, and you can get all the FREE downloads of the first session’s materials when you sign up (study guide recommended for weeks 2-6). We don’t want you to miss this, so hurry up and join today! We’d love for you to be a part of this with us! ~ FaithGateway’s OBS Team

Here’s a preview of the session one video and study guide

Getting Started (10–15 minutes)

TASTY ACTIVITY: THE IN-A-PINCH MEAL

What you’ll need:

As a leader, select five random food items — either bring them from your home pantry or borrow them from church kitchen (ask permission, if necessary) — and display them at the group session so everyone can see each one.

1. Invite everyone to imagine that it’s 6 p.m. and you need to cook a meal that only includes these ingredients and some spices.
2. Discuss the following:

• Looking at your ingredients, what dish might you create? On a scale of 1–10 (1 = let’s order takeout; 10 = let’s add to the menu rotation), how much do you think you’ll like it?
• What’s your go-to, in-a-pinch meal when you don’t have time?
• How many times a week do you eat your meals with someone else around the table?

PLAY SESSION 1 VIDEO (18 minutes)

Skip to the 4:30 mark if you want to jump ahead to the Bible teaching; see the full recipe for honey mustard dressing in the Recipe Index at the back of the study guide.

VIDEO NOTES

Foodie: One who takes a particular interest in food.

In the Gospels, Jesus is either coming from a meal, going to a meal, or enjoying a meal — when He’s not multiplying a meal.

Table time is transformation time.

What did Jesus do with the bread? He took it. He blessed it. He broke it. He gave it.

On the road to Emmaus, they encountered Jesus on the road, but they recognized Him at the table.

Four questions to make deeper connections around any table:

• How did you affect someone’s life today?
• How did someone else affect your life today?
• What blessed you most today?
• What did you notice today that helped you recognize an area of your life that still needs healing?

VIDEO DISCUSSION

1. What stood out to you from today’s teaching or had the most impact on you? When is the one table time you’re going to add to your calendar this week?
2. Read Matthew 18:20 aloud. Margaret describes that many of the miracles Jesus performed and lessons he taught took place around the table. On a scale of 1–10 (1 = hardly expectant; 10 = highly expectant), how expectant are you to experience Jesus’ presence when you gather to eat with others? That Jesus will do something extraordinary? Explain.
3. Margaret says, “Table time is transformation time.” How have you found this to be true in your own life? Discuss ways you become more intentional about inviting Christ into your table time.
4. Look up the following passages and note who accompanies Jesus during meals: Luke 5:27–32; Luke 7:36–50; Luke 11:37–41; Luke 14:1–6; Luke 22:14–31. How does Jesus challenge notions of hospitality through the “guest list” you just created? How are you challenged to expand your own guest list?
5. Turn in your Bibles to Luke 24:13–35. Take turns reading through the passage, 2–3
6. Respond to each of the four questions Margaret raises during the teaching: y

• How did you affect someone’s life today?
• How did someone else affect your life today?
• What blessed you most today?
• What did you notice today that helped you recognize an area of your life that still needs healing?

If you have time to go deeper, reflect on the following questions based on the four actions found in Luke 24:30:

• How is Christ taking you deeper in your relationship with him?
• How is Christ blessing you?
• How is Christ allowing you to be broken?
• How is Christ giving you, pouring you out, to the world?

CLOSING PRAYER

As you close in prayer, ask:

• God to expand each participant’s capacity to taste and see God’s goodness.
• The Holy Spirit to increase expectancy for Jesus at every meal.
• That each participant would experience Christ’s presence during table time.

PERSONAL STUDY

You’ll find the session one, Days 1-5 personal study questions and journaling pages in the study guide (pages 22-35). Want a free download right now? Get the entire PDF download for week one when you join the study!

* * *

Your Turn

What stood out to you from the first session of Taste and See? Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you!