Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony

Teaching text

Ephesians 5:15-21

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Sermon recap

This week, Pastor Suzy Silk continued our sermon series on the Seven Deadly Sins with a teaching on gluttony versus living a Spirit-filled life. Historically thought of as an obsession with food or drink, gluttony is better described as an excessive desire or obsession with something that is never satisfied. In our modern culture, this often looks like seeking after comfort and pleasure through more money, higher status, sex, social media, or other temporary sources as a way to satisfy our deepest desires. This led Pastor Suzy to pose the question: “What are you filling yourself up with?”

Gluttony is driven by the lies that 1) the world can give us lasting and sustainable pleasure, 2) that we should seek comfort and pleasure above everything instead of embracing suffering like Christ did, 3) that “just one more” won’t hurt us or others, and 4) that the Lord Himself is not enough for us. At its core, gluttony stems from a heart of distrust and dissatisfaction with what God has provided. In Numbers 11, we see the Israelites raise their dissatisfaction with the manna God provided and cry out for the meat they had when they were slaves in Egypt. God provided meat, but they had to leave His presence to retrieve it, and their cravings and indulgences led them away from the Lord to their eventual death.

We often end up over-consuming when we seek comfort and pleasure outside of intimacy with God. In Ephesians 5:15-21 verses, the apostle Paul lays out two commands: to not give in to drunkenness (or excess) and to be filled with the Spirit. We can combat gluttony by pursuing self-control through tempering the cravings of our flesh and allowing our deeper desires to lead us, evaluating what is excessive or acceptable for this season of life, creating helpful limits, and redistributing energy, time, and resources back towards the Kingdom of God. Self-control must then be paired with a commitment to cultivate gratitude for what the Lord has already given us. Finally, we have to acknowledge that our desires are still present, redirect them towards our Creator, and allow them to be met in Him rather than the world around us. We are invited to not only hunger for the Lord, but to feast on Him for all our days. We are called to be filled with the Spirit of God, who desires to satisfy us with Himself.

Discussion questions

Connect

1. What is something that made you laugh this week?

Character

Ask someone (or multiple people) to read Number 11:4-34 aloud. Then, ask the following questions:

1. What words, phrases, or specific parts of the story stand out to you?

2. What do you learn about God’s heart in this story?

Consider

1. What are you currently filling yourself up with when you are in need of comfort or are seeking pleasure?

2. Which one of the lies about gluttony in the recap above do you find yourself believing most often?

3. In the Garden, God gave Adam and Eve the freedom and choice to eat from any tree they wanted, except for one. This boundary was set in place to protect them, yet despite God’s provision with all the other trees and fruits, they chose to want more than what they were given. Have you ever crossed a boundary that was set for your good? What were the consequences?

4. To grow in self-control, Pastor Suzy provided these questions from Saint Augustine: Are you consuming in a way that contributes to or at least maintains your overall health and well-being? Is your desire to consume (whatever gives you pleasure) taking precedence over the good of others? How is your consumption of this thing contributing to or detracting from the specific call God has on your life in this season? Take time to think through these questions with the Holy Spirit as individuals, then if you are comfortable, share with one another.

Cover

Spend time confessing and repenting of any gluttonous habits that came to light during your time together. Then, pray that the Holy Spirit would come and fill you up, and increase your ability to hunger for the Lord.