Series: The Cave
Sermon Title: From the Cave to the Call
Passage: 1 Kings 19:15–21

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Series: The Cave
Sermon Title: From the Cave to the Call
Passage: 1 Kings 19:15–21

SERMON POINTS: 

As we emerge from despair…

1. Rediscover Purpose
   1 Kings 19:15-18
   Acts 13:36
2. Invest in Legacy
   1 Kings 19:19-21 MSG
   2 Timothy 2:2
3. Embrace Second Chances
   1 Kings 21:17–25
4. Finish with certainty
   2 Kings 2:1-6, 9-12
   Luke 22:14-20

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How does it change your view of God to realize that He doesn’t just comfort us in despair, but calls us into renewed purpose?

• Scripture: 1 Kings 19:15–18, Acts 13:36
• Follow-Up: What assignment might God be inviting you into in this season of your life—even if you feel disqualified or worn out?

2. Elijah wanted to quit, but God gave him a mission. Why do we often believe our best years are behind us when we’re in a cave season?

• Scripture:Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 2:10
• Follow-Up: What dream or sense of purpose have you shelved that God might want to reignite?

3. Why do you think legacy mattered so much to God in Elijah’s story? What happens when we fail to invest in those coming after us?

• Scripture:1 Kings 19:19–21 (MSG), 2 Timothy 2:2
• Follow-Up: Who are you currently pouring into—and who could you begin to intentionally invest in starting now?

4. Elijah passed on his mantle to Elisha. Who has “passed the mantle” to you—and how are you carrying it forward?

• Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:6–7, Psalm 78:4–7
• Follow-Up: What’s one way you can help build or invest in a faith legacy—especially for the next generation?

5. Elijah, who once ran in fear, later stands in courage. What does his transformation reveal about God’s grace and restorative power?

• Scripture:1 Kings 21:17–25 (NIV), Jonah 3:1
• Follow-Up: Where have you seen God give you a second chance—and how can you live differently because of it?

6. What’s the difference between coasting into a spiritual finish and finishing with intention like Elijah?

• Scripture:2 Corinthians 7:10, Hebrews 12:1–2
• Follow-Up: What unfinished part of your spiritual race needs renewed attention and courage from you today?

7. How did Elijah and Jesus both model intentional preparation for those coming after them—and how does that speak to your role today?

• Scripture:2 Kings 2:1–6, 9–12; Luke 22:14–20
• Follow-Up: What does it mean to you that Jesus finished His mission so that we could finish ours with confidence and hope?

8. Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind. Jesus conquers death through the cross. How do these stories shift your understanding of what it means to finish well?

• Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51–57, Romans 8:11
• Follow-Up: How does the promise of eternal life influence the way you live out your purpose, your relationships, and your legacy today?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Day 1 – Rediscovering Purpose in the Cave

• Reflective Question: Where have I believed that my best days were behind me—and how might God be inviting me to believe otherwise?
• Scripture:  1 Kings 19:15–16 
• Meditative Prompt: Sit quietly and ask, “God, is there still something You are calling me into?” Write down what stirs in your spirit, even if it feels small.

Day 2 – Honoring God with What’s Still in Front of You

• Reflective Question: What gifts, passions, or experiences has God given me that He may want to use in this next season?
• Scripture:  Acts 13:36 
• Meditative Prompt: Hold your hands open as a symbol of surrender. Ask the Spirit to bring to mind where your story might be used in someone else’s healing or direction.

Day 3 – Naming Disappointment, Choosing Hope

• Reflective Question: What disappointment have I been carrying that’s clouding my ability to hope?
• Scripture: Romans 5:5 
• Meditative Prompt:Name the disappointment honestly before God. Then, pray this simple breath prayer: “I release my expectations; I receive Your better way.”

Day 4 – Who Are You Pouring Into?

• Reflective Question: Who in my life might be looking to me for encouragement, wisdom, or example?
• Scripture:  2 Timothy 2:2 
• Meditative Prompt: Pray: “Lord, who are You asking me to come alongside right now?” Then take one intentional step toward connecting with that person today.

Day 5 – Living the Second Chance

• Reflective Question: What failure or fear has held me back—and how might God be giving me a second chance to live with courage?
• Scripture:  1 Kings 21:17–25 
• Meditative Prompt: Imagine Jesus kneeling beside you, saying, “Let’s try again.” Let that picture reshape your next decision.

Day 6 – Living Today Like It Matters Eternally

• Reflective Question: If I believed my time left was short, how would I live differently today?
• Scripture:  2 Kings 2:9 
• Meditative Prompt: Ask God, “What does faithfulness look like today?” Write a short intention or mission for the next 24 hours based on that prayer.

Day 7 – Anchoring in God’s Ongoing Presence

• Reflective Question: As I move forward, how can I stay aware that God’s presence goes with me—even beyond the cave?
• Scripture:  Matthew 28:20 
• Meditative Prompt: Reflect on Jesus’ words at the Last Supper: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Let it anchor you in His presence and promise.

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

Philippians 3:13–14
Isaiah 43:18–19

 

RESOURCES:

• PODCAST | LEONCE CRUMP | ENGAGING YOUR MISSIONAL MIND
• PODCAST | BUILDING RESILIENCE | REBEKAH LYONS
• BOOK | MICHAEL CUSICK | SACRED ATTACHMENT: ESCAPING SPIRITUAL EXHAUSTION AND TRUSTING IN DIVINE LOVE

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE: Prayer

The Stairway to Intimacy

Prayer is the primary way we intentionally place ourselves before God. It’s the heart-language through which we deepen and develop our relationship with Him. Just as oxygen fuels our physical life, prayer is essential to our spiritual vitality. Without it, we simply cannot thrive as followers of Christ.

As our prayer life matures, we shift from merely bringing our requests to God, toward discovering His desires, and eventually resting in silent, attentive communion with Him. Prayer becomes less about our voice and more about our vulnerability—leading us into genuine intimacy where fear fades and authentic openness thrives.

Last week, we explored breath prayer. This week, let’s see prayer as our intentional journey toward deeper intimacy. This pathway begins with a longing for something more, progresses through a sense that our current rhythms are insufficient, and moves us toward a deeper awareness of God’s constant presence and His gentle invitation to intimacy.

Three-Level Prayer Exercise: Growing in Intimacy

🌱Young Believer: “Inviting God into Your Day”

• Exercise: Start each morning this week by taking five minutes to intentionally invite God into your day.
  
• Simple prayer prompt: “God, I invite You into my day. Show me where You are already working.”
  
• Reflection: Each evening, reflect briefly on where you noticed God’s presence and write it down.

🌿The Growing Believer: “Opening Your Heart”

• Exercise: Choose a quiet place and set aside 10 minutes each day this week for reflective prayer. Begin your time by honestly sharing your deepest feelings—joys, fears, disappointments—with God.
  

• Guided prayer prompt: “Father, here’s what’s truly on my heart today… I trust You with these things.”
  

• Reflection: Note daily how opening your heart more vulnerably to God affects your sense of closeness and trust in Him.

🌳 Mature Believer: “Listening in Stillness”

• Exercise: Commit to 15-20 minutes of intentional silence each day, positioning yourself to listen quietly for God’s voice. Begin by praying, “God, speak—I am here, attentive and willing.”
  

• Guided prayer prompt: Enter into silence without agenda. Simply sit quietly in His presence, attentive and receptive.
  

• Reflection: After your silent time, journal anything you sensed God impressing upon your heart, including feelings, scriptures, images, or subtle nudges.

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

Emerging From the Cave: Learning to Trust Again
by Rob Hans Spiritual Formation Pastor | LifeChurch NV

Learning to trust God again after we’ve been in the cave of despair—or lived through the pain of the expectation gap—is no small thing. When we’ve been wounded by unmet hopes or left wondering where God was in our disappointment, we can become spiritually cautious. Trigger-shy. Unsure if we’re actually healed—or afraid we’ll just get hurt again.

But these moments of hesitation are more than vulnerabilities—they’re invitations. They are sacred opportunities to press deeper into relationship with Jesus, not pull away. As David Benner writes in The Gift of Being Yourself,

“Trust grows when we repeatedly risk stepping into the unknown and find God there, waiting for us.”

That’s the story of Elijah. He didn’t just meet God in the cave—he was called out of it. God wasn’t finished with him, and He’s not finished with you either. If we stay in the cave—whether out of fear, disappointment, or fatigue—we miss the deeper healing and purpose God is offering us. But if we’re willing to risk trusting again, to step into the unknown with open hands and soft hearts, we’ll find Him waiting for us too.

God repurposes our pain. He takes what we thought was wasted and turns it into strength for what’s ahead. But we must choose to step out of hiding. As we re-engage life after loss or setback, where we place our focus matters deeply. We become what we give our attention to.

John Mark Comer puts it this way: “What you give your attention to is the person you become. The mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to… We become what we give our attention to, for better or worse.”

As we emerge from the cave, our focus must shift—off of ourselves and back onto the unchanging character of God. His strength. His purposes. His calling. That’s what moves us forward in freedom. That’s what reshapes our story for impact.

God connects. He heals. He restores. And then He sends us out for impact.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” — 2 Corinthians 12:9

You may be stepping into this next season slowly, with a bit of limp—but you’re not stepping alone. His grace is enough. The whisper that called you out of the cave is calling you forward still.