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When I teach about wisdom, I am also teaching about discipleship in the kingdom of God.

• Why do I say that?
• Because discipleship involves wisdom; it is both practical and supernatural.
• Yeshua instructed his disciples, “Be as wise as serpents, yet as gentle as doves.”

A few weeks ago, I gave some practical pointers for getting wisdom—are you practicing them?

• Ask for it, prayerfully. How many of you are praying for wisdom? Getting any?
• You stop asking for wisdom, you’ll start getting foolish. Amen?
• Study wisdom: Proverbs 7:1-2, “My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.”
• Are you reading a chapter of Proverbs every day?
• Are you memorizing Scripture? Memorization gets God’s word deep in your kishkes.
• Then when you need it, it will come out of your mouth as wisdom.
• It is a treasure for which you must search. Proverbs 2:3-4: “If you seek it as you would silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure—then you will understand the fear of Adonai and find knowledge of God.”

Godly wisdom is uncommon sense, for two reasons:

• It’s uncommon because it often the opposite of our natural inclinations.
• It’s uncommon because most people don’t have it. Indeed, just because believers are born again doesn’t mean they have spiritual wisdom. Babies are cute but they are silly!

Here’s an example of uncommon sense from Proverbs 25:12. “Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.”

• How many of you like a rebuke?
• Remember I talked about how uncommon sense says that the way up is down.
• I recently memorized Yaakov 1:9-10, “Let the brother in humble circumstance boast…”
• Here’s another example of uncommon sense: A good rebuke is like an earring of gold—it’s precious, even something to show off. It’s true—I’ll share a few precious rebukes I got with you this morning…
• If you want to be wise, make mistakes, then let someone tell you all about it!

Proverbs has a lot to say about the wisdom of listening to a rebuke.

• In Proverbs 1:23-26, the Spirit of wisdom warns, “If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”
• The sad truth is that most people don’t like rebuke and don’t listen. So here’s what happens:
• “But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster.”
• If you don’t listen and learn from the rebuke of wisdom when you make little mistakes, then you will proceed to make bigger mistakes.
• If you don’t listen and learn from the rebuke of trials or difficult circumstances, then you will encounter even more trials.
• For example, what happened to the children of Israel when they grumbled against Moses?
• God rebuked them and disciplined them.
• What did the children of Israel do a short time later? Grumbled against Moses some more?
• Did things get better for them? No, God sent them plagues, to discipline them.
• Has anybody experienced this pattern in your life?

Yaakov 1 starts, “Regard it all as joy….” then switches to “If any of you lacks wisdom.”

• As I memorized Scripture, I meditate on it… what’s the connection between trials or temptations and getting wisdom?
• Respond poorly, and you learn nothing from it, and things usually seem to get worse.
• Respond wisely, and you get wisdom, and things get better.
  Listen to what the spirit of wisdom is saying!
• Proverbs 3:11-12. “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
• The letter to the Hebrews or Messianic Jews quotes this verse, and says, “12:9 “Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!”
• How many of you know that the LORD disciplines those he loves?
• Story of the board…. The Lord taught me a lot about obedience.
  Listen to some more proverbs about rebuke:
• Proverbs 9:8 “Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
  • A wise man actually loves a good rebuke.
• Proverbs 17:10 “A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.”
  • When you receive a rebuke, are you impressed, or offended?
  • A wise person listens, ponders, and grows.
• Prov 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”
  • So, do you want to be wise or stupid?
• Proverbs 15:31. “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.”
  • Can a rebuke be life-giving? How so?
• Proverbs 19:25 “Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.”
• Proverbs 27:5. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend are trustworthy, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
  • Why is open rebuke better than hidden love?
  • Why is the ability to give and receive rebuke important in a life-giving community?

How many of you want to be disciples of Yeshua the Messiah?

• Discipleship is the way of the Kingdom of God.
• That was the most important part of Yeshua’s ministry before he died: making disciples
• That was the command he gave to his first disciples: “Go and make more disciples.”
  Well, rebuke and correction are part and parcel of discipleship.

Yeshua rebuked his disciples, didn’t he? A lot!

• What happened when John and James asked Yeshua if they should call fire down from heaven when some Samaritans didn’t welcome them? Oh, they must have thought, we’re hot stuff! Let’s be just like Elijah and call down fire from heaven.
• Luke 9:55 just says, “But Yeshua turned and rebuked them.”
• Or what happened when Shimon Peter said Yeshua would never be killed.
• Matthew 16:23 “Yeshua turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! "”
• What happened when the disciples woke Yeshua up in the middle of a storm?
• He said to them, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
  Yeshua can be tough! Can you handle that?
• Consider what he told a man who said he wanted to go and bury his father. “Let the dead bury their dead.”
• Has Yeshua ever rebuked you? If you are his disciple, and you really want to grow, he will!
• He will, because he loves you.
• Story: “The Lord of your work?”

Listen to more proverbs, about discipline:

• Proverbs 10:17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
  • It’s dangerous to ignore correction. You may lead others astray—maybe your own children or other members of the congregations or unbelievers.
• Proverbs 13:18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.
  • What was the difference between Saul and David?
  • When Samuel rebuked Saul for offering the sacrifice instead of waiting, Saul made excuses for himself. Then things got worse for Saul.
  • When Nathan rebuked David for stealing another man’s wife, David confessed, prayed and prepared himself for God’s discipline. Eventually things got better for him.
  • Saul ignored disciplne and came to shame. David heeded corrected and is honored.
• Prov 15:10 Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
• Proverbs 15:32 “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”

I’m reading a lot of proverbs to make a point: God is trying to get our attention about this!

Why do some people ignore reproofs or resist discipline?

• Pride: some people just can’t admit they are wrong or made a mistake.
  • Consider the difference between Rehaboam and Hezekiah.
  • Rehaboam ignored the complaints of his people against his father’s excesses, as well as the advice of his elders, and lost over half of his kingdom.
  • Hezekiah responded to Isaiah’s warning to prepare to die by crying out to God, and Hashem gave him seventeen more years to live.
  • The way of discipline is through humility, not pride.
  • Proverbs 3:34 says that God “mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.”
  • You may not like it at the moment, but it leads to prosperity and peace.
  • You can’t get wisdom if you can’t listen to rebuke.
  • I learned so much each time I accepted the Lord’s rebuke.
• Fear: some people are plumb afraid to receive bad news.
  • Some people ignore warnings by putting their heads in the ground.
  • “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” but self-protective fear is spiritual blindness.
  • Put ungodly fear on the cross, so you may get godly wisdom.
• Laziness: some people just don’t want to make the effort to change.
  • Proverbs 10:4, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”
  • It’s foolish to ignore a doctor’s advice, even if it means you have to change.
  • It’s foolish to ignore a supervisor’s review, even if it means you have to change.
  • It’s foolish to ignore a brother’s rebuke, even if it means you have to change.

For our congregation to become a life-giving kingdom of God community, we must learn wisdom.

• Consider one of my wife’s favorite proverbs:
• Proverbs 24:26 “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” That’s a good one, isn’t it?
• Why is this proverb really important in a life-giving community?
• We need to know that we can be honest with each other.
• We need to know that we can learn from each other.
• Yaakov 1:20, “Let every person be quick to listen, yet slow to speak and slow to anger.”

Story: “Why do come for prayer, two years in a row, with this blank look on your face?”

The word of rebuke can come from God (in prayer), from circumstances (that God allows), from a person in authority in your life, from a member of the congregation.

A word of advice: if you are going to give someone a word of rebuke, give it gently!

• Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
  • Most people find it hard to take rebuke, so at least give it gently!

For our congregation to become more a kingdom of God community, more and more of us must become real disciples of Yeshua the Messiah.

• More and more of us must get ready to make disciples, because God is preparing a harvest.
• Carol Ann’s spiritual pregnancy for North America, Israel and Islam.
• Dutch Sheets, author of Intercessory Prayer, confirmed what God is doing.
• Pray for God to prepare laborers to go into the harvest.
• The laborers must themselves be disciples, people who appreciate spiritual discipline.

Listen to one more proverb:

• Proverbs 6:23. “For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.”
• Do you see how the corrections of discipline are the way to life?
• Be wise and walk in the way of life.
• Amen?

If any of you have trouble receiving a good rebuke, maybe we can pray about that now?

• Does anyone need to repent of pride? Receive the fear of the Lord!
• Does anyone need to repent of fear? Receive the fear of the Lord!
• Maybe someone needs to repent of laziness? Receive the fear of the Lord!