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Study Gateway's First Listens: Find your next Bible study! Join host Shelley Leith as she curates first sessions of Bible studies on various themes each season, taught by some of the world’s most influential Christian authors, teachers, and pastors. To learn more, visit https://StudyGateway.com.
First Listens Season 6: Episode 3
Taste and See, by MARGARET
Plus interview with MARGARET
[MUSIC PLAYING] SHELLEY leith: Welcome to Study Gateway's First Listens, where you get first listens to the first sessions on Study Gateway, so you can find your next video Bible study. Hi there, I'm your host Shelley Leith, and today is a real highlight for me. I get to share with you my good friend Margaret Feinberg. Welcome Margaret!
MARGARET FEINBERG: Shelley, always a joy to be with you.
SHELLEY: So before we get started, I want everyone to be aware that by just listening to this podcast, you get a 15% discount on any subscription plan at Study Gateway for the life of your subscription using the code PODCAST15. That code works on any type of plan, personal, small group, or church. Go ahead and write that down, PODCAST15, and thank you for being a first-listens listener. So, Margaret. We are in season six of First Listens, which we're calling Explore and Discover. We're featuring studies that either take us to different locations or that help us explore and discover something about the Bible that we never knew before. And your study, Taste and See, does both. So Margaret, tell us a little bit about yourself and why you decided to go on this food odyssey with God in Taste and See.
MARGARET: Yeah, you know, I'm somebody who's just naturally super curious about everything in the Bible, and I'm not content to have, just read it, that seems a little flat, I want to taste and touch and see and experience. And so a number of years ago, I actually had an encounter with a woman in a bed and breakfast in Alaska, and she shared that she happened to be a shepherdess. And so in her free time, she took care of sheep. And I eventually wrangled myself an invitation to her house to spend time with her and her flocks. Suddenly I got a glimpse into the agrarian context through which the Scripture was written. And that's such a far cry from today where Instacart delivers our groceries. We didn't have to go into a grocery store. We didn't even know where the animal came from. And yet the pages of Scripture, the people, the leaders that we read about are all living in that kind of world. And so that actually started me on a book called Scouting the Divine. And I went and spent time with shepherds and beekeepers and farmers and vintners. I wasn't done. And so I actually waited about 10 years and I knew it was the time. And so I went and I started to look at food in the Bible again. And this time I took six different foods and zeroed in on them. And that became the journey for Taste and See, Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers, and Fresh Food Makers.
SHELLEY: Wow, what kinds of places did you go and visit when you were putting the study together?
MARGARET: Yeah, you know, the study took me all over the world. I went everywhere from Madeira, California to study under the United States' largest fig farmer manager. I know, all these strange words all put together. I traveled to Yale University to study under a professor who's the foremost expert on ancient grains. I traveled to Croatia to bring in an olive harvest with a family who'd been doing it for generations and generations. I went to Israel to go fish in the Galilee. But with each of these individuals, I started to open up the Scriptures and say, how do you read these passages, not as theologians, but in light of what you do every day? And their answers changed the way that I read the Bible forever. I mean, time and time again, I found myself asking, how have I grown up in the church? How have I studied the Bibles? How have I listened to so many sermons and podcasts, and nobody has told me these things?
SHELLEY: Okay, so what did this journey do for you in your approach to Scripture and help you see the food of the Bible in a new light?
MARGARET: You know, I didn't realize, first of all, just how many mentions of food that there are. Literally, if you start to look for food in the Bible, you will discover that it pops and sizzles on almost every page. From the opening of Genesis, where God lays out creation like a five-star buffet, to the closing of Revelation, where we join in the greatest invitation of all time to the marriage supper of the lamb. We see that food is not just something that is given to humans, just out of necessity, it's so much more. The creator God could have literally made us without taste buds and just all we had to do is lick stones for instance to survive. And instead he imbues us with tens of thousands of taste buds and he gives us food which by its very nature is something that makes us dependent on God. Because we're dependent on God who spins the sun and the stars and the seasons and who brings the rain and who provides that food, dependence on God as creator, as provider, and as sustainer.
SHELLEY: Well, I've never heard of anybody going on a food odyssey to put together a Bible study. And so as you look at all of your food growing and catching, harvesting, cooking experiences, which one was your favorite?
MARGARET: Oh goodness, I love them all for different reasons. I think one of the most special ones was going, I just traveled about an hour and a half south of where I live here in Utah, and I went down about 400 feet into a salt mine, a place where salt is preserved. It's basically an ancient ocean underground that has been preserved in the form of salt, and got to see the most unbelievable mesmerizing beauty, and God hides so much beauty from us in the midst of creation that human eyes never get to see. And every so often we catch these glimpses. But as I sat down with a man who had been harvesting salt since he was a boy and began to open up the Scripture, I began to understand salt. You know, for instance, Jesus described that we are the salt of the earth. And what he intends with that is that first of all, that we are preserving agents. That just as salt is used to preserve foods much beyond their life expectancy, so God calls us to be preserving agents of what? Of him and his culture and his goodness. and his presence in this world. But we also find out that salt is a flavoring agent. Just as we as believers, as salt of the earth, as Christ calls us, are called to bring flavor of heaven down here to earth everywhere we go. But there's also a salvation message in the very message of salt, because if you look at the root of salt, which is salt, it was actually, it was what was used during the Roman Empire and in the time of Christ, or before that, to pay the soldiers who are going out to war. Why? Because even today, most people who have been in the military know when you go out into a dry and hot area, you have to have the salt replenished or you cannot survive. And so salt in the Latin, in its very root word, is the word for salvation. And so when Christ says you are the salt of the world, he is saying we are sending you out as invitation to encounter the salvation of Christ.
SHELLEY: So many layers to just a simple thing like salt. I can see why that was your favorite experience. Okay so what was the most surprising experience that you that you had with that you discovered about God?
MARGARET: Yeah, I think one of the most surprising ones was actually a side note. You know when I spent time with the fig farmer in Madera, California, I had never spent a whole lot of time with our own figs. I'm sure some of our listeners and viewers have probably been around, it may have a fig tree in their own yard, to which I am super jealous, because a perfectly ripe fig is one of the best desserts ever in all of creation. It is just, it is phenomenal in its own right with its flavor profiles. But a fig is fascinating because it's one of those images that keeps popping up in the Scripture. And I don't know about you, but I spent my whole life just breezing by them. But one of my favorites in the Old Testament is this imagery that is often used, and God will say, well, it will be like you are residing under a fig tree. Like that would be representative of the blessing and the provision and the protection of God. And I never really understood it until I began to see the size of fig trees and how they're grown. I always thought a fig tree, what would it produce? It might produce, I don't know, 100, 500, 1,000 figs, but a really ripe, well-developed, older fig tree can produce up to 40, 50, 60,000 fruits. And what's unique about a fig tree is the size of its leaves. They can be up to a foot or more in diameter in all directions. And so whenever you're in Israel, one of the things that you'll notice is often wherever the vineyards are planted, there's always at least one fig tree planted nearby. Why? Because it's where the workers will go in order to find the cool of the day and to have natural shade. And so you can imagine this imagery of God saying, you know, you are like a people who are planted under a fig tree. He's saying, you are a people who are planted in a place of protection and where it's cooler and where there's food. And it is this beautiful, rich imagery that I had missed most of my life. And now every time I see it, I get to taste and see the sweetness of God.
SHELLEY: Well, okay. So how has this discovery been out worked in your own life?
MARGARET: Yeah. You know what's amazing? I think it's affected so many things. I think it's affected hospitality. I think it's affected how we gather around the table. There is this beautiful confession that goes on that when we eat with one another, it is this physical confession that when I take food to my mouth and I put it in, and for those who maybe aren't able to eat and may have to have food intravenously or just in liquid form or whatever that may be, but there is this confession that we cannot survive on our own, that at some level we as humans, we don't like to admit this, we are fragile and we are dependent upon each other. We are dependent on God. And so I see the time around the table particularly as just this special and this holy time. You know, when we unlock and offer one good question, all of a sudden the conversation can shift. And it's not just the food that fills us, but it's that knowing and being known that truly satisfies. And that's one of the things that I keep hearing happens in the Taste and See Bible study. Because so often people come, they talk about the Bible, they leave. And this is about having different tastings, maybe with salt or with fruits or with different foods, of course being attentive to food allergies. But in the process of that, there is this opening up of knowing and being known that happens that is transforming people's lives. People are coming to know Christ. And the Scripture is coming alive in a whole new way.
SHELLEY: You know, you point out in your study that Jesus spends a lot of time eating with others and often very surprising people. And so tie the bow on this for me. What's the point about sharing food that creates those special times in our relationships?
MARGARET: Food is so much more than the food. It is so much more than fuel. I think we're living in a modern society where food is just calories, it's just intake, it's just management. Oh no, no, no, no. Food, when we share it with one another, whether it's a takeout from a restaurant and you're sharing a restaurant that you love or a particular dish you love and you offer someone across the table a bite or even better, maybe you're making something at home and maybe it's your aunt or your grandma's recipe and you're passing that down through the generations. There is this place where food has this way of connecting us. of being a background and a spotlight into where we came from, our cultures, what we were raised, how we were raised, and all of these different aspects of each other. It's one of the places, other than a garage sale, go to somebody's garage sale or state sale, everything is out on the front deck. It makes no sense that people allow people to know all that about them, but it's all out there, right? But the other place that happens is around the table, in eating and sharing, asking good questions, being a good listener, taking the risk to be vulnerable, that the life of Christ, who is the one and the ultimate one, the ultimate one who satisfies and nourishes us, that that exchange happens and the Holy Spirit comes in. And man, I think, I hope everybody has had that at least once, but Taste and See will help you become a better curator of those experiences.
SHELLEY: Okay, so that brings us to what I think is one of the most important parts of this study, and that is you're helping us to cultivate this rhythm of living that makes the table a time of sharing and teaching and learning the gospel. What do you recommend to us that in order to cultivate this type of rhythm?
MARGARET: Yeah, I think being intentional and I think being creative and getting rid of any guilt, okay? Like we need zero more guilt in our current culture. We're all like not measuring up to whoever's whatever of nonsense. So let's get rid of that for a hot five. And let's just recognize that when we can carve out that time to be with others, it really, really matters. And then sometimes what I've found is it's so cool because once you do Taste and See, you're gonna have all these biblical insights about the foods that you're just eating and around all the time. And it is so easy to use that knowledge spiritual conversation. Let me give you one quick example. Olive oil. So olive oil, whenever oil is used in the Old Testament, primarily it's used for anointing. And who was primarily anointed? It was the kings and the priests, those who are called to bring healing to the land. So when Jesus comes, he is the anointed one. He is the one who is bringing healing. And so just even in acknowledging the healing properties in something like olive oil, it opens up the of maybe mentioning maybe where you've experienced healing in your life from your past wounds, or maybe asking the other person, you know, just have you experienced healing, or anything, or are there any areas where maybe you want healing in your life? And those simple questions all of a sudden are just those unlocking questions with that little bit of information that can transform a conversation and community.
SHELLEY: Now you started off by saying no guilt, get rid of the guilt. What are the things that we tend to feel guilty about that prevent us from entering into this type of lifestyle?
MARGARET: Number one, we think our houses have to be perfect. Ew, no, I intentionally leave a mess, so everybody knows I'm human. Number two, the feeling you have to make everything from scratch and cook for 73 hours. Ain't got no time for that. If you do, please invite me, because I'd like to come over. But take out Tuesdays at your favorite pizza place when it's $10. Bring it, you don't have to do a lot or spend a lot to get people. When you say the word food, people just come. That's just what they do. It's like the free invite. buying some chickens on sale, throwing them on the grill, inviting, hey, just inviting your neighbors and saying, come gather around. It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to do it all yourself. Invite people to bring things. They feel better about themselves often when they do. Make it easy and light. And make the focus maybe not so much about the food, but about the gathering and the connecting. Because at the end of the day, in 10 years, the odds of your meal being remembered are very, very low. But the odds of you speaking a word of life or courage or hope that stick with somebody and lock them or help them break free or help them see the world differently, those odds are very, very high.
SHELLEY: Well, your study is one of the most unique that we have. Well, it is the most unique because who else is talking about food in this way and showing us how to cook things and demonstrating for us and then actually encouraging as part of the meeting times to experience the food that you're talking about. I just love this. Before we listen to the first episode though, I want to, or the first session. I want to let you talk to us about your own podcast. So tell our listeners about Joycast and where they can find it.
MARGARET: Yes, the Joycast is just a fun 20 minute little interviews, discussions, what I'm seeing in life, and you can just grab that on your favorite download podcast station.
SHELLEY: Well, thank you so much Margaret for being with me today.
MARGARET: Thank you, Shelley. Thanks for all you do and the incredible Bible studies you guys produce. It is such a joy to be a part of them. And yeah, can't wait for the next one.
SHELLEY: All right. And the next one is…?
MARGARET: On the book of James.
SHELLEY: The book of James! Oh, my favorite. Okay, and now, I am so pleased to present session one of Taste and See called, You're Invited to the Table.
[MUSIC PLAYING] MARGARET: Welcome. I am so thrilled that you're here. My name is Margaret Feinberg, and this is my husband Leif. And I could not think of a better way to start the Taste and See Bible study than here in a kitchen. In our home both Leif and I cook, and all of our friends will tell you that Leif is the better cook. And I am so grateful for that, and so is my tummy.
Now, most days, just be honest, 6:00 rolls around, and we think what are we going to eat? And I'm sure that doesn't happen to anyone else. Just us, right?
LEIF: Oh absolutely.
MARGARET: Yeah, we're like how did dinner sneak up on us again? Well, you know better than most, Leif, that I tend to be a little bit of a rut cooker, meaning I tend to cook the same thing again and again.
LEIF: From what I remember, our first year of marriage, it was grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables every night for at least the first year, and I was extraordinarily grateful, because I wasn't having to do all the cooking. But yeah, a rut was one way to describe it.
MARGARET: So we want to share with you some of our go to in a pinch meals. And our first is the classic rotisserie chicken.
LEIF: It's great. Oh, it's so tasty.
MARGARET: And it's fast and immediate, which we love. And the second is any food from the deli counter at your grocery store. Now Leif, you tend to love—I know, look at you, mac and cheese.
LEIF: It's cheese. And this even has jalapenos, so it's everything that I want all in a little plastic bin. It's so spectacular.
MARGARET: Now, if I remember correctly, about a year ago, you had a little bit of a foodie intervention with me, because I had brought home dinner from the grocery deli, like I don't know, it must have been 50 nights in a row.
LEIF: My vote is for 51 at least. But yeah, sure. We'll go with 50.
MARGARET: It was rough. If you live a busy life like us, and you don't have time to cook, or maybe you've lost your passion for cooking, or maybe you just never had it, know that you are in good company. So, what are we going to make today, Leif?
LEIF: Well, today, we're going to do a very simple salad and a homemade dressing.
MARGARET: That sounds amazing. Now, for the salad, we're going to combine Romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, a little bit of carrot, some fresh avocado, because avocado makes everything better, and some yellow peppers, which I love, because it also adds a little bit of color to the salad as well.
LEIF: It's everything that we like, all in one plate.
MARGARET: Well, one great way to enjoy a fresh salad is simply to make your own dressing. And we do this almost every single night. So, I'm just curious. What dressing are we going to make today?
LEIF: We're going to make a very simple, very tasty sweet honey mustard dressing.
MARGARET: And so we're going to start combining ingredients. And the first is a tablespoon of mayonnaise, followed by a tablespoon of honey, two tablespoons of yellow mustard, a half teaspoon of white vinegar, and a pinch of salt, as well as a pinch of pepper. Now, Leif, I'm just curious as you blend these together, what are some of your other ideas, just for keeping salad interesting?
LEIF: Well, I love treats as you well know. So, there's a particular theme here, like things like feta cheese, blue cheese, and then black olives. There's so many things that you get to put into salad based on what you like.
MARGARET: All right, is it time? Should we try your dressing?
LEIF: Oh, definitely.
MARGARET: OK, I'm excited about this. Dipping in a little bit of cucumber. That is so good, so, so good.
LEIF: Every time. Spectacular.
MARGARET: Well, at the beginning of each lesson, either Leif, or our friend Jessica and I are going to share a recipe that ties directly in the day's teaching. And we're going to keep those recipes simple, fast, low cost, and, of course, totally delish. And we hope you'll try some of these recipes. And if you're missing an ingredient, or maybe you have a food allergy, feel free to make substitutions. And if you want to get creative with a recipe, go for it. But just make sure you send those recipe ideas to us at hello@margaretfeinberg.com, because we want to try them, too.
LEIF: Oh, absolutely.
MARGARET: Today, we're going to explore just how much variety God intended for us when he created the very first garden.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MARGARET: Growing up in the church, people often talked about the O's of God, his omnipotence and omniscience and all those big words I struggle to pronounce. But I'm becoming increasingly convinced that one of the least discussed and most important attributes of God is that God is a foodie.
Now, a foodie is one who takes a particular interest in food, and I have an insatiable interest in food and the Bible. So, I decided to start searching the Scripture, looking for all the mentions of food. What I began to notice is that cuisine pops and sizzles on almost every page. Whether it's the fruit in the garden, the stew served by Esau, the grain stored by Joseph, the almonds that grew on the staff of Moses, the sacrifices made by the people and priests, or the gleaning collected by Ruth; the Bible is this buffet of the delicious and delectable.
When John the Baptist appears in Matthew 3, he is described by, of all things, his diet. He lives on locusts and honey, which would not be my first choice. And Jesus, well, he compares the Kingdom of God to wheat fields and mountain moving faith to a mustard seed. And if you nosh on the Old Testament and nibble into the New, you'll start to see food everywhere.
And so, the question becomes, why is God such a foodie? In other words, why does God take a particular interest in food? And I think the answer traces back to the garden. Those of you have Bibles, turn with me to Genesis Chapter 2, in verse 9. "The Lord made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food."
It's this opening pages of Genesis that we start to see God unfolding creation, like a feast. I mean, imagine what it was like to walk through the garden with pomegranates and passion fruit, beans and greens and tangerines. It is the ultimate table time with God. And then God invites the original couple and says in essence, look, look at the banquet I've prepared for you. Help yourself to that which sprouts and seeds and meets your needs.
God says there's just one fruit on the no no list. Despite the multi-course buffet before them, the couple can't help themselves. They eat the one thing that they were denied and are soon banned from the garden banquet. Now in that moment, God doesn't just throw up his hands and walk away.
No. He doubles down and creates a way so that we can enjoy table time with God forever. Even though the enemy tries to use food to draw people's hearts away from God, God uses food to draw people's hearts back to himself. And we see this time and time again in the life of Christ.
I mean, if you look at the gospels, you start to notice that Jesus is either coming from a meal, going to a meal, or enjoying a meal when he's not multiplying a meal. Jesus, he turns the water into wine. He feeds 5,000, he feeds 4,000, he fills fishermen's nets. He serves brunch on the beach.
Around the table, he performs healings and exposes the hardness of religious hearts, including our own. Jesus spends so much time eating and drinking, he's accused of being a glutton and a drunkard. And yet, some of Jesus's most stunning miracles and remarkable teachings all take place during table time.
Now, there may not be a literal table present, but what we see in the life of Christ is that through the procurement of food, the preparation of food, the serving of food, the enjoyment of food, and the discussions surrounding the food, that Jesus is continually transforming lives. And I think that, that challenges you and I to take a second look at what Christ might want to do in our lives whenever we gather around the table to eat.
[MUSIC PLAYING] SHELLEY: Isn’t this one of the most fascinating lenses to use to look at the Bible? I had never thought of tracing the theme of food through the storyline of the Bible, and it’s so profound! We’re listening to the first session of Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg, and as a bonus for our listeners we have unlocked this session on Study Gateway, so you can go there and watch Margaret and her husband Leif make the salad and homemade dressing – like a cooking show! Taste and See is published by HarperChristian Resources and it streams on Study Gateway. For our First Listens listeners, when you use the promo code PODCAST15 at studygateway.com, you’ll get any size of plan – for yourself, your small group or your whole church, at a 15% savings for life! And, for a complete experience with Taste and See, take advantage of our publisher-direct pricing on the essential Bible study guide designed to be used with the videos. This study guide gives you all the normal things—the discussion questions, between-sessions exercises—but this one also gives you recipe cards for all the dishes you’re trying throughout the study! Get all the details at Studygateway.com.
And now, let’s return to Margaret Feinberg.
[MUSIC PLAYING] MARGARET: One of the reasons that I believe that God is a foodie, meaning that he takes a particular interest in food, is that he knows table time is transformation time. Now, I think one of the best examples of this appears in Luke chapter 24. And if you have your Bible, would you turn with me there. You see, in this final chapter in Luke's gospel, Jesus has just risen from the dead. And Cleopus and his companions are struggling to wrap their heads around all that's happened regarding Jesus's life, death, and resurrection.
And so, in verse 15, it says, "As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. But they were kept from recognizing him." And I love this because here Jesus, he appears, the very topic of their conversation, and they don't recognize him. It's almost as if Jesus, he plays it cool, and he says what are you all talking about, as if he doesn't already know.
Verse 27 says, "And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scripture concerning himself." I was recently in Israel, and the guide explained that all modern translations list the length of that walk as seven miles, the actual road to Emmaus is more like 17 to 20 miles, which may fit better with the time needed for Jesus to explain to them the double use of all the Scriptures, all the prophets in verse 27.
The passage continues in verse 28. "As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them."
There's a sense that Jesus wants to come to their home, to participate in table time with him, but he's waiting for the invitation. Verse 30. "When he was at the table with them…." Okay, let's just stop right there, because it's around the table that everything changes. "He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them."
Okay, let's take a moment and look at those four verbs. What did Jesus do with the bread? He took the bread, he blessed the bread, he broke the bread, and he gave the bread. One more time. He took the bread, and he blessed the bread, and he broke, the bread, and he gave the bread.
You see, those four verbs, those four actions, they're significant, because Jesus has done them multiple times before in the feeding of the 5,000 and when he says to his disciples take, eat, this is my body. And so, it's during table time, that everything changes.
Verse 31. "Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scripture to us?'" You see, my hunch is those two men went on to tell that story for the rest of their lives.
They encountered Jesus on the road, but they recognized him at the table. And how often does Jesus want to do the same for you and for me? You see, we live our lives on the road, on the go, among the coming and the going and the errands and the chores and the car pooling and all the responsibilities. And Jesus is in the midst of our everyday lives. But like those two men on the road to Emmaus, we don't always recognize him.
And there is something that happens when we gather around the table and invite Christ into that place, that through conversations and sharing and authenticity and vulnerability, we start to see where Christ has been at work all along. Do you recognize the people sitting at your table? Not just the physical presence of your friends or spouse or children or siblings, but do you recognize the Jesus in them?
Like those two men, our eyes are opened and we can recognize him, because table time is transformation time. In our modern culture, finding table time has become increasingly hard. Between long hours at work, side jobs, after school activities, sports leagues, juggling all the schedules, finding time to just stop and eat with others, sometimes it can just feel downright impossible.
I wish that I could say that Leif and I, we live this life where we just sit around a table, every night with meaningful conversation and incredible homemade meals. But most of the time, we sit around our coffee table exhausted, TV blaring, cell phones within reach. You see, mealtime becomes more of a task than a treat, a time for disconnection, rather than transformation.
But what we're discovering is that when we take time to cook, even if it's a salad and a rotisserie chicken, and circle around the table, and ask each other questions and invite other people in, that we experience a better life because we are living life together. We become more connected to ourselves and to each other in these meaningful ways, and we are better able to experience Christ's transforming power during table time.
In this first session, I'm going to challenge you to pull out your calendar and add table time to your schedule this week. Whether you already have some or not, would you just add one more? It could be with friends or families or neighbors or coworkers or someone who just needs encouragement or companionship. This could be breakfast or lunch or dinner or coffee or a meal or something that Leif and I like to call linner, kind of that late afternoon, lunch, dinner meal time.
And if you don't have time to cook, remember your go-to's—a rotisserie chicken, salad, the grocery store deli counter. But most importantly, like those on the road to Emmaus, ask Christ to show up in your conversation in such a way that you can recognize him.
I want to give you four questions that you can use to make deeper connections around any table, four questions that you can begin asking today to make table time more meaningful, to become more vulnerable with others, and even begin to experience Christ in your midst.
1. First question, how did you affect someone's life today?
2. How did someone else affect your life today?
3. What blessed you most today?
4. What did you notice today that helped you recognize an area that still needs healing?
With these questions and a prayerful heart, you can come to the table expectant, wide-eyed for Christ to meet you, to reveal himself to you, and to transform you.
Psalm 34:8 invites us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good." And that is what this whole Bible study is all about. More than anything, I want us to come hungry for the Scripture to come alive, to have Christ transform us, to have our relationships grow deeper, so that we can share more than a meal together. We can share life together and declare in awe, look at what Christ has done in our midst.
In the weeks ahead, you're going to be diving into the Taste and See book and study guide. And you'll notice that there are only four days of homework, and that's intentional. The fifth day is full of fun activities designed to help you grow in your relationship with God.
In the next session, we're going to explore one of my favorite foods in the Bible, fruit. And we will learn how to better understand God's vision for our lives and how you and I can discover deeper satisfaction in him. May we start to experience Christ in our hearts, in our homes, and around our table. I can't wait to see you then. Bon appetit and amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING] SHELLEY: I hope you enjoyed this session from Taste and See, a video Bible study by Margaret Feinberg, published by HarperChristian Resources and streaming on Study Gateway. And, if you go to StudyGateway.com, you’ll find this first session of Taste and See is unlocked, so you can watch Margaret and Leif cooking, and see Margaret’s teaching in the rest of the session, for free!
Here at Study Gateway you can find your favorite authors, pastors and Bible teachers, all in one place. We’re the only streaming video subscription service that offers plans for individuals, small groups, AND has user-based pricing for churches, no matter what the size. And don’t forget, you can use the promo code PODCAST15 to get a 15% savings on the plan of your choice, and that discounted rate lasts as long as you keep your subscription!
With Study Gateway, you also get a direct link to our store, where you get publisher-direct pricing on the essential Bible study guide for Taste and See. This study guide with its exercises and projects and discussion questions helps you get the most out of this study. Is Taste and See going to be your next study? Get started right now by going to studygateway.com, click start free trial, use the promo code PODCAST15 at checkout.
Make sure you rate and review this podcast so other people can find this show too. And join me next time when we’ll get to explore another wonderful place and discover something new along the way.
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