Now that’s a title that will cause you to read on right?! Well you may be surprised, because there is no juicy news here resulting from a knock down brawl, instead our title refers to a scripture that references the work required for a man to change. Proverbs 27:17 says, “iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” The Bible is clear that we are changed when our lives are influenced by other followers of Christ. In the case of men, that influence can sometimes cause sparks. Just as the sparks fly when one piece of iron comes to blows with another piece of iron to make a sharp object, so the sparks can fly when men begin to challenge each other to pursue the value system of Christ. Metaphorically we could say along with the scripture that one follower of Christ “sharpens” another follower of Christ as the “sparks fly”.
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Here at Crossroads we are encouraging our men to “intentionally” get involved in the sharpening process. What that looks like at Crossroads is the Biblical example of “small-er groups”. Jesus modeled this in His ministry through a “sharpening” relationship with three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John (His small-er group). This brotherhood of men, pursuing the values that Jesus taught, became the building blocks of what we today call the church! We are beneficiaries of grace because these men gave their lives to the mission of “making Christ known”. They made that sacrifice because they were “iron” in each others lives.
So, with that model from our Lord, we are asking the Men at the Crossroads to find a small-er group of 3-4 men who can meet regularly to ask each other the tough questions and encourage each other towards the value system of Jesus. Men need to be challenged. It’s how we change. We are like that piece of iron that is simply minding it’s own business until another piece of iron comes along and strikes. That’s when we react and the “sharpening” occurs! This process of sharpening is not fights or battles, but edifying or “building up” one another. This isn’t easy because it requires men to be willing to admit their faults and seek counsel from each other. The Bible teaches us that we are healed when we admit our failures (spelled s-i-n). It requires great humility to willingly sit down with other men and admit your faults, but that humility leads to great change. It leads us into being the men that Jesus wants us to be. It leads us into the type of lives that Peter, James, and John had. The type of lives that change the world!
Men, seek out a small-er group! Ask some guys that you respect to join you in a process of “iron sharpening iron”. Find a time when you can gather weekly and make a commitment to the process. You will change. You will be humbled. You will get sharper. You will become the man that God wants you to be. The mission is great, and totally worthy of all that we have. Make a decision to set aside your pride and allow God to work through a brotherhood of Christ followers at Crossroads Church. One day when you walk the streets of heaven and talk with our brothers Peter, James, and John, you can tell them stories about the sparks that flew as you and your brothers were iron sharpening iron, and how your lives were spent in the ultimate effort of making Christ known!
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