Introduction

Thanks be to God for His Word. Today, I want to draw a connection between the overuse of smartphones, gaming, and media, and how it functions similarly to drunkenness in our lives. This sermon explores how excessive digital consumption mirrors gluttony, pulling us away from the purposeful life God calls us to. Two weeks ago, we discussed envy’s role in the mental health crisis fueled by social media, particularly among teen girls. Last week, we examined lust and the corrosive effects of online images on relationships and our connection with God. Today, we tackle an even greater threat to believers: gluttony, not just of food, but of time and attention consumed by distractions.

The working title of this sermon is, “How Much Candy Crush Is Too Much?” I’ll share a personal story to illustrate. On Monday night, I struggled to sleep due to too much caffeine and stress. My rule is, if I’m still awake by 5:00 a.m., I get up—there’s no point lying in bed. Teenagers, take note! A few years ago, the Netflix CEO famously said their biggest competitor is sleep. I preached on that earlier this year. That morning, I intended to use my time well: I read my Bible, prayed, and followed my routine. But exhaustion dulled my focus. My phone, sitting across the room, beckoned with distractions—25 minutes of a disc golf tournament video, then another suggested video, and suddenly it’s 7:15 a.m., and I’m watching a history of the Orange County Supertones. Two hours of my most productive time—meant for prayer, reading, and exercise—vanished into trivialities.

Our lives are at risk of being swallowed by a sea of insignificant distractions: memes, videos, games, and whatever Silicon Valley cooks up to capture our attention. Like food, these things may have a proper place, but there’s a line where welcome distraction becomes sinful gluttony. Proverbs 23:20-21 warns, “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” We see this “slumber” in people pulling out their phones the moment they have 30 seconds to spare. Today, we’ll address two questions: What does the Bible say about the time we spend on apps, games, and videos? And how can we escape the endless scroll?

What Does the Bible Say About Digital Distraction?

Let’s start with Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our salvation is not earned by being undistracted or living as digital minimalists. It’s by God’s grace alone, through Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet, this grace transforms how we live. We are created for good works, with a purpose to glorify God. Spending hours on short-form video content feels trivial because it is—our souls shrink when we waste time on things that don’t align with God’s purpose for us.

The Bible doesn’t explicitly mention smartphones or TikTok, but it speaks clearly about time. Ephesians 5:15-18 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Paul connects unwise time use to drunkenness, contrasting it with being filled with the Spirit. In the ancient world, drunkenness was a primary way to “zone out.” Today, our phones offer endless ways to do the same.

Scientifically, excessive phone use mimics drunkenness. Brain scans of alcoholics and those engrossed in games like Candy Crush show similar dopamine-driven responses, creating cycles of craving and reward. Like wine, which has a proper use in moderation, digital media can be useful within boundaries. But when it enslaves us, consuming our time and will, it becomes like drunkenness, dulling our mental and spiritual focus. This distraction leaves less time for meditating on God’s Word, loving our neighbors, or doing the good works God prepared for us.

Proverbs 24:30-34 illustrates the danger of small, cumulative choices: “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns… A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber.” Our phones are distraction machines, stealing our lives bit by bit—a video here, a game there. Studies, like one in The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, show that even having a phone nearby reduces teenagers’ test performance due to the mere possibility of distraction. Americans spend 4.5 to 5.5 hours daily on their phones, checking them 144 times on average. My own screen time last Tuesday showed 2 hours and 52 minutes by 10 a.m., mostly on YouTube—time that crowded out prayer, service, and family.

How to Escape the Endless Scroll

So, how do we break free? Here are three practical steps:

1. Know Your Purpose: 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Our lives have eternal meaning when lived for God’s glory, whether parenting, working, or serving. We’re not called to trivial pursuits like memes, but to lasting works that glorify God. Avoid digital gluttony, not by embracing anti-digital legalism, but by prioritizing God’s purpose over fleeting distractions.
2. Delete Time-Wasting Apps and Turn Off Notifications: Check your screen time (Settings > Screen Time on iPhone; Settings > Digital Wellbeing on Android) to see where your time goes. If an app or game wastes your time, delete it. Programs to limit usage often fail because we override them. Turn off push notifications to avoid constant interruptions. On iPhone: Settings > Notifications > Off. On Android: Settings > App Notifications > Off. Prioritize real communication—call or text, don’t rely on notifications.
3. Be Filled with the Spirit: Ephesians 5:18-19 urges us to “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.” This happens in community—worshiping, singing, and serving together. Digital devices pull us into isolated bubbles, fostering loneliness and depression. Instead, gather with family, friends, and church to worship, pray, and eat together. These moments fill us with God’s Spirit, countering the dopamine hits of digital gluttony.

Conclusion

Digital devices multiply opportunities for gluttony, hijacking our time and attention through dopamine-driven pathways akin to drunkenness. We’re commanded to avoid wasting our lives on trivialities and to be filled with the Spirit. By knowing our purpose, deleting time-wasting apps, turning off notifications, and worshiping in community, we can escape the endless scroll. Your life, purchased by Christ’s blood, is too precious to waste on Farmville or Fortnite. Live for God’s glory, doing the good works He prepared for you.

Let’s pray: Lord God, I repent of wasting the time You’ve given me. Change our hearts to let go of distractions and hold fast to You. May we honor and glorify You in all our choices, doing what is good and pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.