Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth

Teaching text

2 Peter 1:3-11

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Sermon recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our Lenten series over the Seven Deadly Sins by exploring the often unnoticed dangers of sloth. Originally, the Desert Fathers’ understanding of sloth was less akin to laziness and more in line with acedia: spiritual resistance to spiritual progress. As followers of Jesus, we must push back against the spirit of acedia through the power we have received in the Holy Spirit and make every effort to persevere in our faith. Unlike lust or greed, which are disordered desires, acedia is something that is done against us. The spirit of acedia seeks to make us joyless and aimless by disrupting our ability to focus, exaggerating our concern for ourselves, stirring an aversion to our commitments, and convincing us to neglect life with God. The enemy is committed to sabotaging our spiritual progress on this side of eternity by discouraging and distracting us into a state of languishing. In 1 Peter 2:3-11, the apostle Peter sends an encouragement to the persecuted church to fight back and continue to grow into their full spiritual potential that is relevant for us today.

Pastor Jon broke down Peter’s exhortation, and called us to recognize our spiritual resources, prioritize our spiritual progress, and remember the rewards we have in Christ. Through Jesus, we have been chosen and redeemed, given divine power and purpose, and sent out into the world to share this good news. We have inherited the precious promises of God, and the enemy’s goal is to make us forget who we are and what is available to us in Christ Jesus. Christianity does not limit our horizon of possibility, but expands it beyond our wildest imagination. With these truths in mind, we must make every effort to continue increasing in our faith by actively pursuing goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Satan desires to make us ineffective for the Kingdom by keeping us in cycles of shame and apathy, but God intends for those who are sealed in the finished work of Jesus on the cross to reach spiritual fullness by going from glory to glory in Him. Acedia seeks to rob us of this vision, so we have to learn to anticipate resistance, and remember the rich rewards that will be ours in eternity.

We have everything we need to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus, but we cannot dismiss the importance encouragement can play in our ability to persevere. Community has the power to remind us of the story we are in, and help us hold our ground in the fight against acedia. Even when we are not in seasons of fruitfulness, we are called to lives of faithfulness that stand against resistance. To continue plodding along regardless of our circumstances, we must keep our eternal future in mind. When we cling to Jesus and His truth, we can endure despite spiritual resistance, and experience increasing fullness in Him.

Discussion questions

Connect

1. What is your favorite part of the seasonal transition from Winter to Spring?

Character

Ask someone to read 2 Peter 1:3-11 aloud. Then, ask the following questions:

1. What words or phrases in this passage stood out to you?

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

Consider

1. After Pastor Jon explained acedia, could you think of any moments where you encountered this spirit? What was it like?

2. Satan uses acedia to rob God’s people of Jesus’ vision for their lives and make them forget what Jesus has already accomplished on their behalf to keep them from reaching spiritual fullness. Do you tend to struggle holding onto the eternal vision in the midst of life’s circumstances, or fall into forgetfulness and approach God based on your own merit?

3. What is a practical way you can prioritize your spiritual progress this week?

4. What truths or promises of God can help you 1) hold your ground, 2) plod forward with perseverance, or 3) fight back against the lies of acedia?

Cover

Spend time praying God’s promises over anyone in your Community Group that feels like they are being attacked by acedia right now.