The Table Wk Eight // Planting Gardens
5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Jeremiah 29:5-7
Begin with prayer (5 minutes)
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of the living room, etc.) Have somebody lead a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide your time together.
Spend a Little Time in Triads (10 minutes)
Spend a few minutes catching up on life…Then talk through the following debrief question:
How was last weeks practice for you (Neighboring)? Did you come up with any ideas to get to know your neighbors? Have you had the chance to implement them? Did you add any names or info to your Block Map?
Transition Back to One Large Group (15-20 minutes)
Have a conversation around the following questions:
Did you listen to this week’s teaching and panel? What stood out to you?
What ways are you currently, or have you in the past been, involved caring for the good of our city?
What points of pain in our city way heavy on your heart? What might it look like for you to get involved in caring for this need?
Talk About the Coming Week’s Practice as a Community (10-15 minutes)
Here’s the practice for the coming week:
Exercise #1: Listening Prayer
(If you can, get somewhere quiet for this one. If you are not able to, that’s ok.)
Invite the Holy Spirit to give shape to your imagination. Ask him to bring a name or face to mind for you to share a meal with in the coming week(s).
Contact that person and invite them to share a meal with you.
Exercise #2: Share a Meal with Somebody
This next part is pretty straightforward – eat and drink with somebody!
Ideally, open your home or apartment. If that doesn’t work, invite them to a third space (a restaurant, café, etc.)
This might be a great time to learn how to cook a few good meals. A quick search of the internet will yield loads of easy-to-prepare, super delicious meals.
As you host the meal, think of creative ways to express the love and welcome of Jesus toward your guest.
During your time together, ask questions, listen and don’t be afraid to share meaningful conversation. At the same time, view small talk as a form of hospitality, of creating room for the guest. Just focus on loving them, not on“selling them” on Jesus.
Pray for your guest before, during, and after your meal. Whatever you want to see God do in their life, pray into that.
Work Through These Discussion Questions (20-25 minutes)
Is eating and drinking with the lost park of your day-to-day life? If not, are you open to it?
Does anybody have a story to share that would encourage the community about this practice? Perhaps you have an experience in which you followed Jesus’ example of eating and drinking with the lost and good things came of it?
Any thoughts, creative ideas, or feedback on this coming week’s practice?
Is there anybody in your life who immediately comes to mind that you want to share a meal with?
