Entitlement | 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia | Jonathan Pokluda

SUMMARY Has there ever been a time in your life when you were frustrated or complained because something didn’t make sense to you? Because you didn’t get what you wanted? As we continue our series, 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia, JP teaches us about the sin of entitlement by studying Luke 14:1-14. KEY TAKEAWAYS -What are things we feel entitled to? Comfort, health, time, food, money, safety, salvation, love…what is it for you? -Want to know a sure fire way to know what you feel entitled to? What do you complain about? Whatever you complain about, that’s what you are entitled about. -Don’t fall victim to a counterfeit version of Christianity and be OK with it. -Should Christians ever take the best seat? -Entitlement is focusing on what you deserve. -As Christians, we are to use whatever God has entrusted us with to serve others. -Discomfort kills entitlement. There is no comfortable solution to entitlement. -Entitlement is the air we breathe. It impacts everything about us. -For entitled people, it rarely feels like things are going their way. -Entitlement leads to disappointment. -Every disappointment you’ve ever experienced comes from your expectations. -Entitled people are perpetually frustrated. -You cannot be thankful for what you feel entitled to. -Christians in America have a lot to be thankful for, and on the whole, we are terrible at being grateful for most of it. -Want to grow in gratitude? Ask God to take away anything you aren’t grateful for. -Grateful people always win. Entitled people always lose. -We change entitlement by changing our perspective. -What is your role in “the party” that is life? The host, or the guest? Make no mistake, as a Christian, it’s always the host. -We are masters at manipulating the rules or the system in our favor. -The Christian (or biblical) worldview says life on this world is a limited amount of time to serve as many people as you can serve before spending forever in heaven with God. -All we actually deserve is hell. However, an infinitely good God gave us everything we need to be with Him through Christ. -If something is true, even if no one around you lives or acts like it, it is still true. -The gospel kills entitlement. -Practicing gratitude kills entitlement. -Ask people near you this week: am I a grateful person? Does gratitude mark my life? -Ask God what you are entitled to. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture study: Luke 14:7-14; Philippians 2:3; 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:10; Luke 13:30; Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:6-8 -Sermon: Busyness