Sharpen Your Iron (Living 2021 On Purpose pt. 7)
Sunday Morning
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream
2/21/21
{All scriptures are NIV unless stated}
We’ve spent the month talking about holding on to things past the time we should.
We talked about checking the value of the things in our lives in 2021.
Many people are starting this year out in search of purpose.
Is it difficult to find the purpose God has for us?
Are we making it more difficult because of those who are around us?
Genesis 12:1-3
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
God told Abram…I have something I want to do for you.
I have a covenant I want to make with you.
I want to make you into a great nation.
I want to bless you.
Leave the place…
Leave the people…
God had some place he wanted to take Abram.
He wouldn’t be able to go trying to take everyone with him.
His country, people and father’s household had worked well for him up until this point.
Now God was trying to take him to a new place.
We talked about how this relates to us.
God May Be Trying To Remove Things From Us
Abram, everything God wants to do with you is yours…
BUT…
You’ve got to do something….
Your time where you are is up.
Your time with the people around you is up.
In the grocery store…
We make sure before buying food to check the shelf life right?
If it’s good to buy, we take it home.
We keep it in the fridge/freezer.
But don’t we check it again before cooking it?
We have to make sure we don’t get sick right?
Why Do We Check The Shelf Life On Food, But Not Those Around Us?
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
When we talk about “bad,” we have to make sure we say the “wrong” character.
You might have some great people in your life.
But if they aren’t going for the same goals you are.
They are now wrong for you.
If they aren’t going after God’s purpose like you are,
They’re the wrong company.
If they aren’t leading you the direction you WANT to go in,
They’re the wrong company.
If they’re encouraging you to do the things you don’t want to do…
They’re the wrong company.
We talked last week about how they may have been amazing for you in the past.
But they aren’t going with you into this new season. (i.e. Snow boots aren’t needed in the summer)
The bible says Bad Company Corrupts Good Character.
Who has good character?
You do!
Hopefully!
Anything wrong for you is corrupting you.
The Wrong People Around You Will Change You
How do they change you?
They influence you!
Others Can Influence You!
Moses was at the burning bush talking to God.
God told him to go get the Israelites from Egypt.
Moses was basically going back and forth with him.
For every excuse, God gave an answer.
Exodus 4:14-16
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.
Moses didn’t want to do it.
God says what about your brother?
Aaron!
Tell him what I told you.
I will give you both the words to speak.
He will speak for you.
You will represent me.
Aaron was there through it all.
In Exodus 7 it was Aaron’s staff that became the snake!
Aaron was there through the plagues!
Aaron was there to help lead the Israelites out of Egypt!
Aaron was there to see the Red Sea split!
Aaron was there to help lead the Israelites across.
Aaron was there to see God purify water for them to drink.
The manna and quail…
The water from the rock!
Basically Aaron was there!
But what happens??
Exodus 32:1-4
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
So Moses was up on the mountain having an experience with God.
Moses was getting the 10 commandments.
He was getting the laws from God himself…
The Israelites who had been delivered from so much…seen so much…go to Aaron.
“That guy Moses…we don’t know what happened to him.”
“We need Gods to serve.”
And the MAN of God..the PRIEST says what!?
2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
These are your gods!?
Who brought you out of EGYPT!?
Wait what!?
What about everything that GOD had done for them already?
How soon do they forget??
More importantly…the one who KNEW better…
How did he forget???
He was influenced!
People Can Influence You!
Exodus 32:19-20
19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
The Israelites should know better…
But someone else who should know even better…the priest Aaron.
Exodus 32:21
21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” 22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”
Aaron tries to throw the blame…
But he knows better!
People Can Influence You To Do The Wrong Things!
This is what happens when you have the wrong people around us.
This month we’ve talked about the types of people we need in our corner.
The Type of People We Need In Our Corner:
- Those Who Will Pray For Us
- Those Who Will Encourage Us
- Those Who Will Keep Us Accountable
We may have all types of people around us…but are they willing to do this?
We Need People To Help Us Go AFTER God, Not AWAY From Him
We need a group of people with the same mindset as we do.
We need a group of people who are going after the same things we are!
We need people who will HELP us!
We need the support of those going after God!
Exodus 17:8-13
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Something special about this battle.
Verse 11-12
11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
If the Amalekites were winning when Moses’ hands were lowered…
then the battle would be determined by Moses’ ability to keep his hands up.
Moses…like ANY person…gets tired.
But Moses had a support system to help him even when it became too much for him.
We need people with us willing to help us!
Are The People With Us Going To Hold Our Hands Up, Or Hold Them Down?
We need people with us to support us!
We talked about what happens when we have the wrong people around us.
The Wrong People With Us
Acts 19:14 - The Seven Sons Of Sceva
Genesis 13:5 - Abram Traveling With Lot
So with all we’ve said about removing people.
What are the types of people we need?
Who DO We Need Around Us?
We need people who think like us.
We need people with the same goals we have.
If we’re going to run with all we have…we need people to do that with us.
For example:
Say you are going to play sports.
Who Do You Want On Your Team?
- “We Really Don’t Want To Be Here”
- “We Just Want Some Exercise”
- “We’re Going To Play Hard”
- “Losing Is Not An Option”
We want the 4th option right?
Naturally we want the best at what we do.
We want the Jordan’s and Kobe’s on our team.
For those who think that way…
Is Losing Not An Option For You?
Did you see the Last Dance documentary?
Michael Jordan is known as one of the greatest basketball players ever.
His run with the Chicago Bulls was known arguably as one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
But they weren’t just good players.
They were a good team.
And Michael did his best to try to MAKE them hungry like he was.
He did everything he could think of to get them beyond the levels they were.
He demeaned them.
He made them angry.
He made them afraid of him.
He even physically attacked some of them.
But he did it to win.
He wanted that more than anything.
Is that your level?
Michael is one of the best…but if you aren’t on his level, you’re gonna have a hard time.
What did I say earlier?
You might have some great people in your life.
But if they aren’t going for the same goals you are,
They are now wrong for you.
If they aren’t going after God’s purpose like you are,
They’re the wrong company.
If they aren’t leading you the direction you WANT to go in,
They’re the wrong company.
If they’re encouraging you to do the things you don’t want to do…
They’re the wrong company.
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
We talked last week how this is referencing how we need people LIKE us!
A specific metal sharpened by a specific metal.
We need people like us to sharpen us!
If we have others who are not like us…
If they aren’t sharpening us…they’re dulling us!
We Need People Who Think Like Us!
If you’re trying to save money…finding the people who NEVER spend money on anything might not be the people you want around.
They’ll make you feel bad for spending money!
But when you find people who are on your level…
When you find people with the same goals as you…
We are unstoppable!
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.
When 2 or 3 are gathered.
Not just 2 or 3 together…
When 2 or 3 are gathered in his name…he is there in the midst.
The people around you have to have similar goals!
Are you chasing and running after purpose?
Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
What happened?
They were all together.
The spirit came in and filled the room.
Every one was filled with the Holy Spirit.
But WHY did it happen??
Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
There are many more examples.
But if we are trying to move forward…
We can’t continue to have those around us who are holding us back.
Whatever we do in 2021…
If we’re going after purpose or not.
We can be more powerful and effective.
If we have the right people with us.
