Sermon Tone Analysis

Six Levels of Maturity

Pastor Keith Hassell

 

 

Key Verse:     I Corinthians 4:14-15  “As my beloved children (“teknon”) I warn you----Though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”

I.

NEPIOS (Strongs #3516):   Means “non-speaking baby, newborns”

A.                 I Corinthians 3:1  /“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to //babes// in Christ.”/

B.                 I Corinthians 13:11  /“When I was/ /a //child//, I spoke as a child//, I understood as a child//, I thought as a child//; but when/ /I became a man, I put away //childish// things.”/

C.                 Galatians 4:1-3  /“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a //child//, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

Even so we, when we were children//, were in bondage under the elements of the world.”/

D.                 I Peter 2:2  /“As //newborn babes//, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”/

E.                  Characteristics of newborns

1.                  Helpless

2.                  Vulnerable

3.                  Require constant monitoring

4.                  Soiled garments

5.                  Unable to have solid food

6.                  Demand lots of loving affection

 

II.

PAIDION (Strongs #3813):  Toddler

A.                 Matthew 18:2-5  /“Then Jesus called a //little child// to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children//, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child// is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever receives one little child// like this in My name receives Me.’”/ (see also Mark 10:15)

B.                 Mark 9:36-37  /“Then He took a //little child// and set him in the midst of them.

And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ‘Whoever receives one of these little children// in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”/

C.                 Characteristics of toddlers

1.                  Teachable

2.                  Trusting

3.                  Keeps close relationship with parents but can easily wander

4.                  Developing motor skills and coordination

5.                  Desire exceeds ability to accomplish

6.                  Self-oriented (“me, my, mine”)

7.                  Begins testing limits

8.                  Say things they don’t mean

9.                  Make promises they can not keep

10.

Simple faith

11.              Trusting

12.              Short attention span

13.              Unstable

14.              Unpredictable

15.              High but short term energy spurts

16.              Humble

17.              Innocent

18.              Curious

19.

Potty training

 

III.

TEKNON (Strongs # 5043):   Young child

A.                 Galatians 4:19  /“My //little children//, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”/

B.                 I Peter 1:13-15  /“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient //children//, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”/

C.                 I John 2:28  /“And now, //little children//, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”/

D.                 I John 3:7  /“//Little children//, let no one deceive you.

He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”/

E.                  I John 3:10  /“In this the //children// of God and the children of the devil are manifest; whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”/

F.                  I John 3:18  /“My //little children//, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”/

G.                 I John 4:4  /“You are of God, //little children//, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”/

H.                 I John 5:21  /“//Little children//, keep yourselves from idols.”/

I.                    2 John 4  /“I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your //children// walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.”/

J.                   Characteristics of Young Children

1.                  Learning obedience

2.                  Learning how to abide

3.                  Learning discernment between good and evil

4.                  Learning to conduct themselves in righteousness

5.                  Learning to love out of a genuine heart

6.                  Learning to rid themselves from idols

7.                  Learning to walk in truth

8.                  Learning responsibility

9.                  Learning focus and priorities

10.              Developing moral foundations

11.              Overcoming competition and jealousy

12.              Developing skills

13.              Developing consistency and faithfulnes

14.              Discovering own identity apart from parents

15.              Testing authority

16.              Pushing limits

17.              Peer consciousness

18.              Transitioning between childhood and sonship

 

IV.

VIOS (“hwee-os” ~/ Strongs#5207):  Son

A.                 Acts 2:17  /“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your //sons //and daughters shall prophesy.”/

B.                 Romans 8:14  /“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the //sons //of God.”/

C.                 Romans 8:19  /“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the //sons //of God.”/

D.                 2 Corinthians 6:17-18  /“Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My //sons// and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”/

E.                  Galatians 4:6  /“And because you are //sons//,God// has sent forth the Spirit of His Son// into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”/

F.                  Hebrews 2:10  /“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all thing, in bringing many //sons// to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”/

G.                 Hebrews 12:7  /“If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with //sons//; for what son// is there whom a father does not chasten?”/

H.                 Characteristics of Sons

1.                  Has the heart of a son which cries out “Abba, Father!”

2.                  Led by the Spirit rather than by the flesh

3.                  Prophesies the word of the Lord

4.                  Walks under authority

/5.                  /Receives correction as love

/6.                  /Perseveres under hardships

/7.                  /Able to carry responsibility

/8.                  /Character has been tested and proven

/9.                  /Faithful in the Father’s house

10.              Walks in destiny

 

V.

NEANISKOS (Strongs # 3495):  Youth under forty, young man

A.        Acts 2:17   /“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your //young men// shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.”/