As Iron Sharpens Iron

I would like to share with you a sermon from Douglas Hamilton, preacher at the Junction City Church of Christ, Junction City, KS.

By Douglas Hamilton, Junction City Church of Christ, Junction City, KS
Douglas Hamilton Video link

This evening we’re going to have a lesson on…

The Sharpening of the Christian

The point of the lesson is on the personal growth of the Christian.

Proverbs 27:17, says: "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (NAS)"
→ Let me give you some other translations:
→ There’s not a lot of variance, but in God’s word it says:
"[As] iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the wits of another." (God’s Word)
"Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend." (Bible in Basic English)
"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (KJV)
"Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend." (Youngs)

Though there are [some] apparent differences in the varying versions of the Bible, they [are] in essence saying the same thing. Let us examine the verse more closely and make application to our lives.
→ Scott: The Bible (or God, if you will), is making an analogy for us. Christians interacting with one another are being compared to the interaction of iron on iron. It’s like God is saying, "Hey! Look at this. You can learn something about your christian fellowship by looking at this comparison!"

History of Iron

To understand the sharpening process of the Christian, we must understand the sharpening process of iron. How does iron sharpen iron? Let us cover a little "Iron History".

Note	THE 3 PREHISTORY AGES: Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age

Bronze [was] the [primary] material used for weapons prior to 1300 BC. Near the end of the Bronze Age, bronze was in short supply because of a "perfect storm" of events [that occurred] in the world at that time that caused several bronze age civilizations to collapse simultaneously. The Aegean people (early Greek, from around the Aegean sea), and perhaps the Philistines, developed a skill for making weapons out of the much-stronger iron.

Iron weapons were so revolutionary that the Philistines kept the technology to themselves, similar to our approach on nuclear technology today. Their "Iron" advantage helped them hang onto the early monopoly on iron weapons as indicated in:

1 Samuel 13:19-21,: Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears." ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. ²¹ And the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes.

So, it appears they were regulating the pricing. Over the next couple decades, the technology leaked out and Israel came into possession of this newly found skill. Sometime near the age of King David, Israel began making iron weapons for themselves. By the time of Solomon, who wrote, Proverbs 27:17, the making and sharpening of iron swords was a huge national endeavor which allowed for military independence of the nation. This information was known to all of Israel, they would have understood then, what Solomon was saying.

The Sharpening Process

The "Iron Sharpening Iron" process was carried out in a few steps. They are as follows.

First was the pounding out of the sword with the iron hammer. They would flatten it around the edges like sheet metal.
Second, they would use an iron file or and iron-ore stone to create a razor- edge. This step is the "iron sharpens iron."
And Thirdly, they would use another piece of iron to rub and lift that edge. This would have to be done whenever the edge would become dull. You have heard the saying: "He’s lost his edge." That is referring to a blade that needed to have the edge raised.

And so when Solomon said "As iron sharpens iron", this cutting edge technology (Pun intended) was all in place and everyone would understand what he wrote. Anyone that heard this at the time would have had great and timely images in their heads [of this process]. When iron was around other iron, great things happened.

Application

And so the application to us is when Christians are spending time with each other, there is an incredible sharpening process that occurs. It is not in the form of a weapon of this world and not in a razor edge on a sword, but something that gives all Christians "the EDGE" on dealing with this world. The people of God are a culture defined by the blood of Jesus and an accompanying lifestyle of morality which comes with it. It is when we are around one another as the "Holy Nation, a Royal Priesthood, a People of God’s Own Possession" (1 Pet 2:9), that we gain the Spiritual Advantage, the Razor Edge, by sharpening each other. It causes us to be victorious in this world and leads us to the heavenly realm.

Taking On Your Environment

In psychology & sociology, they say that "You are the average of the five people you hang around with the most." If you hang around people who value others, who love their neighbor as themselves, who are giving & forgiving, all those elements of Christianity. Guess what. That’s going to sharpen you.

However, if you surround yourself with crackheads, liars and cheats, and murderers…, do you think you’re going to raise that standard? No, you’ll dull that edge. [Douglas] like[s] what a scholar[, from the 1800’s] named Matthew Henry, wrote concerning this verse. In paraphrasing him, he states that [whether] child[ren are] born in Brooklyn or in the South, they are [all] taught the English language from a young age. [However], [their] respective "Nasal Tone" or the "Southern Twang" [accents are] not something they are born with or taught, but [something they] pick up, unconsciously, from the culture that they are surrounded by. You can literally identify the region most people are from in the US by their [accent]. Different sounds, words and phrases like the following make it obvious.

In the Midwest, we call soda "pop". In the Northeast it is called "soda pop". In the Midwest we have youths, but in Brooklyn you have "Yutes".
In Texas, they call all soda "Coke". If you want a Sprite, you ask for a "Sprite Coke". If you want a Dr. Pepper, you ask for a "Dr. Pepper Coke". They call gas stations "fill’in stations", "you all" is "Y’all", hello is "howdy" and preparing to do something is "fix’in".
In Southern California, objection is pronounced "Gag Me", extreme objection is "What-Ever?", very and really translate to "totally" and "way" and you have to use the word "like" in "like" every sentence.
Valley Girls from California end their sentences with a "question mark?" at every sentence?, Southern folk "draw it out", Louisiana grunts and smashes the words, Bostonians talk tough and Iowans (and Northern Ohioans) speak normal (LOL).

They are all speaking English, and yet uniquely different from each other. The point of this is to emphasize that we take on our environment. We typically take on the actions and language of our environment.

Proverbs 13:20, says: He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

You are the average of the five people you hang around with the most.

Paul says in: 1 Cor 15:33,: Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

When one surrounds themselves with other people who love Christ, there is the likelihood of becoming a better and stronger Christian. If that environment is not good, let’s say "Iron and Paper", the sharpening process cannot take place and you lose your EDGE for Jesus. If you want to be SHARP for Jesus and His kingdom, then you must put yourself in position of being sharpened by Jesus. If you want your Christian countenance lifted up, then you must be active and involved with the other PIECES of IRON.

Here are some of the sharpening techniques that…

We should be doing all the time, right from the Bible. They’re defined as the "one another" passages. Because you see, until iron comes in contact with iron, it cannot be sharpened. You know, just because you buy a file or an iron ore sharpening stone and you have a blade over there, you say, "look that blade is still dull." It will remain dull until you actually use the tool [on] it.

So, here are some sharpening techniques we have.

Number One: Showing Love for one another

John 13:34,35: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

In this passage, look at how many times Jesus mentions, "one another." You can’t love one another without coming in contact with one another. So through showing love to one another (and love is not how we feel, it’s how we act), we show dignity and respect for everyone else. Primarily because they’re made in the likeness and image of God, whether saved or not saved, they’re a human being.

Confession to and prayer for one another.

James 5:16,: Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Who should we confess our sins to? How about the one we’ve sinned against! What did Jesus say in the sermon on the mount?

Matthew 5:23-26: So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶ Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Singing and Studying with one another

We are singing and studying with one another… right now!

Colossians 3:16,: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms {and} hymns {and} spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness [or making melody] in your hearts to God.

How can you let the Word of Christ dwell within you? By Singing! Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, WITH THE INTENT to teach and admonish… "one another."

We sharpen each other by Showing Humility to one another

Philippians 2:3,4,: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; ⁴ do not {merely} look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let’s say you’re not getting along with a brother or sister in Christ and they come up to you and they say, "You know what, I don’t like the way you do that. I don’t like how you… chew your food, whatever it is, you make… sounds."

Now the natural reaction is to do the opposite of humility! And it usually starts with the words, "oh yeah!" And then you just exaggerate that action, you chomp at it. But that’s not the Christian thing [to do], that’s not sharpening.

It’s our duty to sharpen one another. Maybe it’s, "Okay well, um, you might be right about that. Tell me more about those sounds, because I don’t want to be making sounds when I’m eating. I don’t want to become a stumbling block."

You know the point is, we have to be humble. We have to be humble and when we show humility we are sharpening "one another".

The difference between humiliation and humility is: humiliation is when you aren’t humble. You don’t show humility and then that’s the result that you get, humiliation. Humiliation is when you do not react in the proper way.

Words and Deeds of encouragement for one another

1 Thessalonians 4:18,: Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5:11,: Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Hebrews 3:13,: But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is {still} called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

So, we have a responsibility to say encouraging words. And the greatest encouragement is to take them back to the Covenant that they’re in. Because that anchors them in Christ. It’s very very important, words we have can dull and take the edge off someone. How would you feel if a brother or sister had a complete dull edge and YOU had something to do with it. We should feel bad about that. Our job should be to be sharpeners of each other.

Simply Spending Quality Time Together

Colossians 3:12,13: And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

All those one another’s were brought to you by the scope of time. You got to spend time. You know time is the most precious commodity we have. We all have equal amounts of it, 86,400 seconds a day. You have exactly the same number of seconds that I do. So that, guess what, when the day is over it’s gone. You got to spend it all and spend it wisely, because it’s all gone at the end of the day. And you get a new regenerated account at the next day. So with that in mind,…

Are we spending time with each other? And it’s not just time here in worship. It doesn’t have to be time in study, it could be time going fishing. It could be time you spend with that person and they might say something to you. They might open their heart to you, you know, you look at confession to one another. James says, "Confess your faults to one another, pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much." They might have something on their heart they need to talk about. That happens all the time. It might be just going over and having a meal. It might be visiting them in the hospital. Visiting them in their home. Sending an email or a card, whatever it is, there has to be an investment of time.

Conclusion

And so, the application. It’s pretty simple.

YOU are pieces of IRON. We are here together for the sharpening of one another. Remember what Cain asked God: "Am I my brother’s keeper." And we tend to think, yes, we are. But, we are not our brother’s keeper, we are our brothers and sisters sharpener! This should also be a primary function of the church as a whole. Next to salvation, our fellowship is the greatest thing we have to offer each other AND to those who have yet to come to the Lord.

Invitation

We are extending the invitation, now, to anyone who is subject to it. Come,… while we stand and sing.