Key Verse

1 Corinthians 9:27

Additional Verses

Galatians 5:22-23; Titus 2:12; Philippians 3:19

Materials Needed

• Bag of potato chips (Lay’s is best because the slogan is “bet you can’t eat just one.”

Object Lesson

(Take out the bag of potato chips.)

Do any of you like potato chips? What is your favorite kind? (Allow for some responses.) I love potato chips too.

(Open the bag of potato chips and start eating them as you talk).

The problem that I have is when I open up the bag and start eating them, I want to keep eating and eating them until the whole bag is gone. Have you ever done that before? Maybe you are sitting watching a movie and you don’t even realize that you keep eating them and eating them, talking about movies, do you know how much netflix costs overseas? it it crazy to know that some countries have more options in Netflix than other, the good thing is that you could also get a subscription internationally, that way you keep on eating your chips.

Do you know what the Bible calls that? Gluttony! Being a glutton is when you are not able to control how much you eat.

(Hand out a chip to everyone.)

I am going to give you all a chip, but I do NOT want you to eat it. This is going to take some self-control. Do you know what the slogan of Lay’s potato chips is? “Bet you can’t eat just one.”

(Eat a chip.) Man they are right! It is so hard to eat just one! They are so salty and crispy and taste so good. I just want to eat the entire bag right now! Would you like to eat your chip? (Wait for a response). Nope! Not yet.

In 1 Corinthians 9:27 it says that we should discipline our bodies and keep them under control. It is ok to eat a chip or some good food, but when we get out of control it turns into sin. Are you ready to eat the chip? Not yet!

We need to control ourselves. That means being able to say “NO” to certain things. Maybe it’s food, maybe it is something else that you need to say “NO” to. God wants us to have self-control. It is one of the fruits of the spirit.

Are you ready to eat the chip? OK, let’s see if you can really just eat one.

(Let everyone eat the chip.)

Great job! You only ate one and you practiced self-control!