Total Sessions: 4 Video Sessions

Total Time: 7 Hours

Overview: This series teaches the fundamentals of rebuke (correction) and repentance. After completing this Bible study participants will:

• Understand fundamental principles regarding the importance of rebuke and repentance. 
• Understand how God has given us rebuke and repentance as lifelines.
• Understand the the importance of repentance and the difference between conviction and condemnation. 
• Understand how to correct a fellow believer using God's outlined instructions.

Session Topic: The Blueprint For Delivering Rebuke 

Focal Text: 2 Samuel 12:1-24

Biblical Figure Focus: King David

Objective: To provide an understanding of the importance of Godly correction [rebuke] and our response of repentance. 

Key Words

• Rebuke - From the Greek word, elegchó,  which means ‘to expose or discipline’. The Hebrew word, musar, means ‘discipline, chastening, or correction’. 
• Repent - From the Greek word, metanoia,  which means ‘change of mind’. The Hebrew word for repentance, shubh, means ‘to turn’ or ‘return’. 
• Refine - From the Greek word, puroo, which means ‘to set on fire,  full of fire, or ignited’, ‘purify by fire’, or ‘to be inflamed’. The Hebrew word, tsaraph, means ‘to smelt, refine, or test’. 
• Conviction - From the Greek word, yakach, which means to decide, adjudge, chasten, correct, or judge.
• Condemnation - From the Greek word, katakrima, which means penalty. The word specifically implies the exact sentence handed down after due process [judgement establishing guilt]. 

Text Background

​The book of 2 Samuel records the history of the reign and life of King David. While the author of the book is unknown  some of the writings in the book are from the prophets Nathan and Gad (1 Chronicles 29:29). Some suggest that the book was authored by Nathan’s son, Zabud but this is not explicitly stated. Throughout the book we are privy to the successes and shortcomings of King David. The book places emphasis on kingdom development, leadership, success, influence, justice, sin, and consequences. 

In our foundational text, Nathan the prophet of God, addresses the sins that King David had committed. King David was supposed to be at war but instead was walking on his rooftop when he saw Bathsheba bathing. She was the wife of Uriah, one of David's men. David summons her to the palace and he sleeps with her. Bathsheba becomes pregnant and sends a message to David. He replies back with a ‘put that on everything Usher confessions voice’,  and does what any other person does naturally, attempts to hide the sin. 

David summons Uriah back from battle hoping that when he gets home he will sleep with wife. He even sent Uriah home with a gift.  This plan is foiled because Uriah is so committed to the cause that he gets home and refuses to sleep with Bathsheba while the others are at war. Uriah literally slept at David's door and didn't even go home (2 Samuel 11:9-11). David got him drunk, he still did not go home. After the second night, Uriah returns back to the battlefield.

Once it became clear that plan A was not going to work David goes for the next obvious plan, kill Uriah. He sends a letter to Joab the military leader and tells him to place Uriah on the battlefield where the fight was fiercest and then pull back so he will be killed. This left Uriah exposed and he was killed. Bathsheba mourns her husband's death and then marries David and gives birth to a son. God is displeased with David and sends Nathan the prophet to rebuke the King.

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. ~Matthew 18:15-17 NLT

One of the enemy’s biggest tactics against us is offense. One definition of the word offense in the Greek is a stick for bait of a trap. One explanation of this word is the mechanism closing a trap down on the unsuspecting victim putting a negative cause and effect relationship into motion. Another definition states, the means of stumbling, stresses the method or means of entrapment and how someone is caught in their own devices [see also stumbling block, snare]. 

The enemy wants to use offense to plant seeds of division, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Why? Because division, bitterness, and unforgiveness in your heart separates you from God. Offense will hinder your worship, prayers, and even God’s forgiveness. 

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." ~Matthew 6:14 NLT

Blueprint For Delivering Correction To Believers

Step 1: Speak privately to the believer to discuss the offense.

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense… 

The key word here is privately! Too many times when we are offended we call everyone and their auntie to talk about it and we haven’t addressed the situation with God or the offender. 

Our first conversation about the situation needs to be with God and then the second needs to be with the offender. I have definitely been guilty of going to my wise council first and that is out of line. So if that is you also don’t pass go or collect $200, we need to first speak to the offender privately.

QUESTION TO CONSIDER: Ask yourself if we are looking for healing or just to be heard?

Step 2A: Assess the response or reaction. 

If the other person listens and confesseses it, you have won that person back. 

If the other person listens and confesses (eg., repents, apologizes) you've won them back to body and the situation is dead. That means that you cannot continue to harbor the offense especially because they have repented.  If you stay mad and gossip about the situation and the apology you have now crossed into unforgiveness, which is a sin. Remember that we are forgiven in the way that we forgive others. We are also called to forgive others as many times as it takes. Does this mean that you cannot have boundaries? No, but this means that you need to cast the situation and continue to move forward. 

if the person does not receive your rebuke, we move on to step 2B.

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!" ~Matthew 18:21-22 NLT

Step 4: Assess the response or reaction.

If they still won't listen,  Jesus says, treat that person as a pagan or corrupt tax collector. 

After step 3 if the person continues to refuse to listen we are then supposed to see them as a candidate for evangelism. Their lack of repentance is an indicator of their heart posture and we have a bigger issue going on than the initial offense.

Step 5: Repeat As Necessary