At the Table
These questions are meant to be a choose-your-own-adventure. That is, use what you like. Skip what you don’t. And add to it in any way you see fit.
Intro Questions
- Thanksgiving is coming! So – favorite part of the traditional meal? Favorite nontraditional (but traditional in your family) Thanksgiving food? Favorite dessert?
Love One Another
Read John 13.34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
- This command is simple, as in straightforward, yet it is also quite complex. Look at verse 34 first. What do you think Jesus means? And in what ways is this challenging?
- And then there’s verse 35. What is the connection between our love for each other and everyone knowing we are his disciples? Have you ever had anyone make that connection about you or your church?
The Breaking of Bread
Read Acts 2.42-47
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
- Looking at this passage about the VERY early church, what is it that defined how the followers of Jesus lived together? (There are different ways to count, but there seem to be at least 7 different things listed here.)
- “Breaking bread” is listed twice. This seems to be more than our modern practice of communion. The gathering of Jesus followers was centered around eating a meal together. What do you think (then and now) makes that experience so meaningful and powerful?
- God is not calling us to be a 1st-century church. He’s calling us to be a 21st-century church. But what can we learn (or even emulate) from this gathering in the book of Acts? And in what ways are we different that’s a good thing?
Church In Our House
Romans 16.5 – Greet also the church that meets at their house.
Colossian 4.15 – Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
- A small group – like this one – might be as close as most of us get to a regular breaking of bread. There’s something about snacks at small group that seems to make all the difference. Do you think of small group as going to church? Or maybe the original word – ecclesia – gathering – is a better way to describe what you’re doing right now?
- Two challenges – (1) – If you have not done so recently, plan a time to share a meal together as a group. Thanksgiving and Christmas make for great excuses. – (2) – Decide as a group how you might invite others to join the group for a meal. It could be Thanksgiving or Christmas. It could be a separate time. Either way, who might that be? Others from Commonway? Folks from your neighborhood? Friends who don’t attend Commonway? Some combination?
