ESC Shabbat Service: Mission Shabbat Part 2

May 09, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Yes in the Negev Dust

Peter stepped onto stormy water when Yeshua said “Come.” For years, the speaker hedged – torn between spiritual hunger and worldly safety. But obedience blooms when we trade excuses for surrender, like Paul finding Aquila in Corinth’s marketplace. Dusty sandals, shared tentmaking, and the slow work of discipleship began with one yes. [01:51:03]

God prioritizes availability over ability. He built nations through Abraham’s nomadic obedience and a tentmaker’s humble trade. Your “yes” today – however small – becomes His gateway for eternal fruit.

What stormy step have you avoided? Where does fear mute your surrender? What practical hesitation have you justified as prudence this week?

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila… and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.”
(Acts 18:1-3, NIV)

Prayer: Ask boldly for courage to obey the last clear thing God spoke to you.

Challenge: Write three areas where you’ve delayed obedience. Circle one to act on within 24 hours.

Day 2: Scars and Fresh Starts

Moses argued with God at 80. The speaker carried decades-old regret for a missed altar call. Yet Yeshua restored Peter after denial, commissioning him: “Feed my sheep.” Our failures become launchpads when we stop rehearsing them and receive mercy. [01:50:37]

God’s plans account for our stumbles. He repurposes Joshua’s doubt, David’s lust, and your worst regrets into testimonies. Delay isn’t denial – your next yes writes over yesterday’s no.

Where have you let shame silence your voice? What unfinished “yes” still haunts your prayers?

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
(Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one past failure you’ve let define you. Thank Yeshua for His restoration.

Challenge: Text one person about a time God redeemed your mistake.

Day 3: Finding Your Person of Peace

Paul sought Aquila. The speaker sat with Bedouins risking death for faith. A “person of peace” – like Lydia by the river or Cornelius’ household – opens doors no strategy can force. It starts with proximity: sharing meals, work, and stories. [01:53:33]

Yeshua sent the seventy to find receptive hearts, not conquer cities. Your mission field isn’t a place but people – the coworker, neighbor, or cashier already in your orbit.

Who have you overlooked because they don’t fit your evangelism template? Whose table could you join this week?

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them.”
(Luke 10:5-6, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one “person of peace” in your routine.

Challenge: Invite someone outside your faith circle for coffee. Listen more than speak.

Day 4: Tents and Timeless Truths

Aquila stitched tents; Paul preached. Their partnership birthed churches. The speaker trains soldiers between rocket sirens. Ordinary work becomes holy when done with Kingdom intentionality. [01:54:37]

God needs tentmakers, not just theologians. Your job, hobbies, and daily rhythms are divine appointments. What seams are you sewing for eternity?

How could your mundane tasks showcase God’s character? What skill do you undervalue that God wants to anoint?

“Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come… to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’”
(Isaiah 2:3, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for your daily work. Ask Him to reveal its eternal purpose.

Challenge: Share a faith insight with a colleague during a routine task today.

Day 5: Nairobi and Next Steps

The speaker packs for Kenya, clueless but committed. Like Abraham leaving Ur or Philip deserting revival for a desert road, radical obedience thrives on “daily bread” guidance. [01:58:42]

God rarely reveals the full map. He lit Paul’s path step-by-step: Troas to Macedonia, prison to Rome. Your next faithful step – a conversation, apology, or surrendered dream – matters more than the five-year plan.

What “unknown” have you avoided because it lacks guarantees? What’s your current “Nairobi” – the next step requiring blind trust?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

Prayer: Name one fear blocking your obedience. Ask for faith to move despite it.

Challenge: Write the next step God’s prompting you to take. Do it within 48 hours.

Sermon Summary

We gather around a testimony of answered faith and renewed obedience. We thank God for family, fellowship, and the call to ask big things. We confess the weight of missed opportunities that linger as sins of omission and we resolve to let those failures propel us toward fresh yeses. We relocate spiritually and sometimes physically to follow conviction, even when the path looks unclear and discretion feels necessary. We cultivate relationships across cultural and religious lines, investing in Arabs, Jews, Bedouin, soldiers, and young families so that gospel witness takes root in everyday life. We equip house groups to disciple practically, especially where persecution makes public ministry dangerous. We learn to identify persons of peace, to move from casual conversation to meaningful spiritual engagement, and to present Scripture as the final authority that ends our hedging between the world and God. We embrace grassroots disciple making as the engine for long-term fruit, trusting God for provision and doors into networks of thousands. We remember Isaiah 2 and the irrevocable call for Israel to shine light to the nations, and we accept our part in that calling whether we are Jew or Gentile. We step into unknown assignments like trips to Nairobi and the Philippines with simple yeses, relying on God to supply means and wisdom. We resist putting God in boxes and refuse to hide from God’s voice; instead we prepare our hearts to obey promptly. We invite practical support for this work and we welcome deeper partnership in building community, training leaders, and making disciples where they live. We press on with humility, expecting growth, and trusting that obedience produces fertile ground for the gospel to spread in hard places.

Key Takeaways

1. Say yes to God quickly Saying yes rewires our timidity into readiness. When we respond promptly we align our will with God’s immediate purposes and remove the habit of delaying obedience. Prompt yeses cultivate courage to step into unfamiliar tasks without full clarity. This habit trains our trust and multiplies opportunities to serve. [109:51]
2. Position for your next yes Positioning means practical preparation more than perfect clarity. We forgive past omissions and intentionally place ourselves where God can work through us again. Small, consistent placements of availability let us accept larger callings later. Our next yes often grows out of a steady posture of willingness. [111:03]
3. Make disciples where people live Disciple making thrives in homes and daily rhythms, not only in institutions. We move from casual chats to scripture-rich conversations that address real needs. Local, relational ministry withstands pressure and persecution because it adapts to context. Sustained presence among the lost reveals their needs and opens pathways to transformation. [113:58]
4. Seek persons of peace first Identifying persons of peace focuses our efforts on relational entry points instead of random outreach. We invest in those who welcome spiritual conversation and can influence others. This yields exponential fruit because relationships carry trust and access. Patient investment in one open heart often opens whole communities. [120:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[105:31] - Greeting and opening prayer
[106:31] - Family, gratitude, testimony
[108:00] - Regret and a call to say yes
[110:37] - Sin of omission and forgiveness
[112:04] - Relocation and discretion in Israel
[113:58] - Building relationships and training
[117:24] - House groups among Arabs and Jews
[120:22] - Identifying persons of peace
[123:07] - Isaiah 2 and the nations
[125:15] - Invitation to support and partnership

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Isaiah 2:3 (ESV)
"And many peoples shall come, and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

Acts 18:1-3 (ESV)
"After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade."

Matthew 13:22 (ESV)
"As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful."

Observation Questions

Isaiah 2:3 speaks of nations seeking God’s ways in Zion. How does this connect to the idea of Israel’s role in being a "light to the nations" mentioned in the sermon? [02:03:43]
In Acts 18:1-3, Paul intentionally sought out Aquila and Priscilla. What practical steps did he take to build relationships, and how does this mirror the sermon’s emphasis on "persons of peace"? [01:53:58]
The sermon highlights "sins of omission" as lingering regrets. What example was shared about a missed opportunity to obey God’s prompting? [01:50:10]
Matthew 13:22 warns about worldly cares choking spiritual fruit. How did the sermon describe the dangers of "hedging" between the world and God? [02:01:21]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Isaiah 2:3 be foundational for both Jewish and Gentile believers in understanding their shared mission? How does this challenge individualistic faith?
The sermon mentions "positioning for your next yes" even without full clarity. How does Paul’s partnership with Aquila and Priscilla model this kind of intentional preparation?
The parable of the sower (Matthew 13:22) warns about distractions. In the context of modern life, what "thorns" might hinder believers from saying "yes" to God’s call?
The speaker emphasized discretion in ministry (e.g., avoiding public exposure in sensitive areas). How do we balance boldness with wisdom in contexts where faith is costly? [01:52:42]

Application Questions

What is one "yes" you’ve delayed saying to God because of fear or uncertainty? What practical step could you take this week to move toward obedience?
The sermon urged believers to "make disciples where people live." Who in your daily rhythms (neighbors, coworkers, etc.) could you intentionally engage in spiritual conversation? How?
Reflect on a past "sin of omission" where you avoided acting on God’s prompting. How might confessing and releasing that regret free you to say "yes" to new opportunities? [01:51:03]
Identify a "person of peace" in your life—someone open to spiritual dialogue. What specific action could you take to deepen trust and explore Scripture with them?
The speaker mentioned grassroots disciple-making in homes. What space or routine in your life (meals, hobbies, etc.) could become a setting for discipleship?
Discretion was necessary in the speaker’s ministry. Are there relationships or contexts where you need to prioritize quiet faithfulness over visibility? How?
The sermon called for supporting global ministry. What tangible way (prayer, giving, advocacy) could you partner with those serving in hard places? [02:05:15]

Sermon Clips

48s

#PersonOfPeace

“And I would I would examine myself and out of this, it's like, what are the needs of the lost? Well, I don't really know what the needs of the lost because I'm not with the lost. So so out of this came a whole I mean, this is like someone who's older in the Lord than me, older than me, been in long term ministry, long term, and it it completely reset her, I guess I would just say her approach to being, I guess, I would just say simply based on identifying, as the scripture says, a person of peace, building relationship with them, developing conversations that might start from casual to meaningful to spiritual to unpacking the scriptures.”

47s

#HouseGroupDiscipleship

“And out of that out of those relationships, I mean, I have had the privilege of training a whole group of people about identifying persons of peace, reaching out, really discipling them in in house groups kinda settings, which is ideal for, I guess, would just say places where there's more persecution. I would just I would just say put it put it that way. So and that has grown into a really tight fellowship of other, I would just say, believers who were just needing fellowship with others to be equipped to make disciples in practical ways.”

45s

#PositionForYes

“But the point of saying that and sharing that is that we each get to choose to position ourselves for our yes. And if you're if you're a young person or someone with some gray hair, I'd like to still say that that's middle aged because I'm counting on a 120 because because I got I got work to do, but I might only have a few months. I might only have a decade. I don't know what I have, but I wanna be faithful. So with that, don't let even the falling short or the not saying yes hinder you from your next yes, but position yourself to say yes the next time.”

56s

#SayYesToGod

“Just prepare yourself for the Lord's gonna be speaking loud and don't and don't be like these little kids and say, you know, put your hands over your ears, and I don't wanna hear it, Lord. No. It's, you know, it's best. It's best to say just yes and, like, you however you wanna do this, I'm I'm yours. And and with that, I would just say is, you know, There's a lot more I could say concerning the scriptures, but I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna read this Isaiah two. And my and many peoples will come and say, come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us concerning his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

41s

#NoMoreExcuses

“I would just say when when the Lord calls and when he makes his voice heard, just check all those excuses. You know, Moses didn't say, hey. I'm 80. He just says, I don't speak well. So we have our own excuses for our our reasons, and I just wanna encourage you that when the Lord starts speaking to you, just to say, Lord, I'm willing. My little yes is is is enough. And, like, Lord, I don't know how I'm gonna do that, but yes.”

46s

#RelationalOutreach

“But even Yeshua who was doing everything right, he was still discreet, you know, about what was he what he was up to. And it's for a purpose. It's not for my purpose. I but the but the point is I moved there and started building relationships with those that the lord showed me to build relationships with. And as a result of that, I've had this amazing opportunity to build relationships with IDF soldiers, with young adults, young couples, middle aged, older couples, older leaders who just don't have a a an ear that they can talk to that's, like, won't share their business, I guess I would just say.”

34s

#DifferentPathsSameFaith

“But he he he says that, really, however people come to the Lord or how ever come to into my, like, opportunity to speak into their life, think of that as like a plane. Like, you you get on a plane, you go somewhere, and and you arrive at the scriptures. And then when you get there, you get off the plane. You don't, like, you don't you don't, like, evaluate the plane. It's like, you don't like, how did how did you get here? It's like, well, we all got here in different ways. We all have different stories about how we got to surrender.”

41s

#GlobalDiscipleMaking

“There's a lot more, but that's that's foundational to it. And, you know, the the the season that I'm coming into next, I don't have I don't have the answers. I just know the next step I'm gonna take. I know I'm leaving June to go to Nairobi, and I'm I'm a I'm I'm a little pet I'm a sand a grain of sand of the of the giants that are there, and I'm just hoping to receive and to build connection. And one of these guys leads a 40,000,000 member network of of of believers, disciples as a result of of grassroots disciple making, and he wants to come to my house in Israel.”

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How should Christians respond to calls from God?

What constitutes a sin of omission for believers?

How to identify and disciple a person of peace?