Sermon Tone Analysis

Growth

Synopsis

The process of development and maturing, used to refer to the progress of the kingdom of God and the spiritual development of believers.

Scripture uses images of growth (such as seeds, plants and infants) to stress the dynamic nature of personal faith and the kingdom of God.

Images of growth

Infancy to maturity

Eph 4:13–15

(ESV) — 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

See also 1 Co 3:1–2; 1 Co 13:11; 1 Co 14:20; Heb 5:12–14; 1 Pe 2:2

(ESV) — 1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it.

And even now you are not yet ready,

(ESV) — 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

(ESV) — 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking.

Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

(ESV) — 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.

You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.