A. Opening Prayer
B. Culture Scene Investigation – scene from CSI: Miami
1. What does Horatio Caine’s character do in the first scene?
2. What does he do in the second scene?
3. Compare and contrast these two activities.
4. In the second scene, regarding “protect and serve,” Horatio says, “That’s all that I know how to do.” What does this indicate about the connection between what Horatio does and his personal character?
5. Is there something in this scene that points us towards God?
6. Consider Psalm 121
C. Crime Scene Investigation – Part I – The Crime
Read 1 Kings 19:1-18
1. Why did Elijah run into the desert?
2. How did God restore and renew Elijah?
3. Are those things important for us when we need restoration and renewal?
4. When the word of the Lord comes to Elijah in the cave at Horeb, Elijah shares his concerns with the Lord. List all six.
a. _________________________________________
b. _________________________________________
c. _________________________________________
d. _________________________________________
e. _________________________________________
f. _________________________________________
5. One of these six concerns is not true. Which one?
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren states that our thoughts are the basis for our emotions and actions. What we think influences how we feel, and how we feel determines what we do.
6. What emotions are Elijah feeling as a result of his false belief?
7. What actions result from those emotions?
8. What truth does God say to Elijah that turns his life around?
9. Why was it so easy for Elijah to believe that he was the only true believer left?
10. Have ever been discouraged by not seeing visible results from your church work efforts?
D. Crime Scene Investigation – Part II – Jesus’ Remedy for the Crime
Read John 3:1-8
1. Why is it often the case that we do not see visible results from our labours as church workers?
2. Why does that make it hard for us?
Read Matthew 28:16-20
3. Why do we do what we do?
4. What true thought is our encouragement to carry on even when we do not see results?
E. Small group time
1. break into small groups of 3 people
2. take turns answering the following questions
a. Have you ever felt discouraged or frustrated by not seeing results from your labours?
b. If you have come through that season, what helped you to get through it?
c. What spiritual practices help prevent you from getting discouraged?
3. Take time to pray for one another
F. Large group time
1. What spiritual practices help to prevent a person from getting discouraged?
G. Closing Prayer
Farewell to Shadowlands 