First Church of the Entitled

Jeremiah 7:1–10 ESV

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?

Opening Prayer

Entitled: “believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.”

God Addressed the False Sense of Entitlement

Jeremiah 7:2 ESV

“Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord.

“Stand at the gate of the Lords house..”

Different kind of “Greeter Ministry”

“All you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord.”

What do you think when you are coming to church?

(particularly today - communion)

Do you think about your mistakes/ successes

Do you think about the health of your relationship with God.

These men of Judah apparently thought about going through the motions of worship while they led their families away from God.

Jeremiah 7:3 ESV

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.

“Lord of hosts” - Yehweh of multitudes

His authority

“The God of Israel” - God of you specifically

His authority and relationship

“Amend your way and your deeds…”

1st step is admit you have a problem

Reality check

You show up so confident only to be told BY GOD

“Your ways need to be amended.”

This shouldn’t be a surprise to you. (but it is)

“..and I will LET YOU dwell in this place.”

Attention getter!

Do this and I will let you stay.

We know this was a shock to them because of verse 4.

Jeremiah 7:4 ESV

Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

This is the temple of the Lord (x3)

They were giving glory to God

They were claiming their stake to it.

This is God temple

We are God’s people

(therefore) this is our temple

Imagine being to arrogant, so entitled

That you don’t even consider the notion that are only here because God allows it.

God Outlines the Path to Peace.

Jeremiah 7:5 ESV

“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another,

Key word here: TRULY

(starts with what they must do)

If you TRULY amend your ways and deeds

God is not about going through the motions.

The same goes for repentance.

if you TRULY execute justice

no favoritism

then what they MUST NOT do...

Jeremiah 7:6 ESV

if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm,

If you do not oppress ...

this is a representative list

Do not oppress those who are vulnerable

Treat with dignity those who cannot offer you anything.

Do not shed innocent blood

Why would you shed innocent blood?

For profit

Have integrity, be just, be honorable

2nd key word was IF

God’s love is unconditional

But a healthy relationship with Him is not!

IF they wanted to have a healthy relationship with God, and enjoy His favor, THEN they had to truly amend their ways.

IF they do that, God said...

Jeremiah 7:7 ESV

then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

God Highlights the Foolishness of a Duplicitous Life.

Jeremiah 7:8 ESV

“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.

They had allowed themselves to be convinced of a lie.

Surely you can point blame to the leaders who told them the lie

But they also chose to believe it.

How were they so easily led astray

Because they wanted to live their own lives and seek their own happiness.

Jeremiah 7:9–10 ESV

Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?

Will you really live this way and then come stand before me, in my house, and claim to be “delivered”

knowing your going to leave and keep on sinning.

WHICH IS CALLED BY MY NAME

This is a phrase you will find several time in the Old Testament.

Is it more sinful to commit a sin inside the walls of God’s house?

Is God simply chastising their audacity to come there and “fake it”?

I read this a see a deeper issue.

“It’s Not About Me” by Max Lucado:

pastor Lucado met a Jewish Rabbi

Read from the book pg. 141-142

Summerize the story of the Child

The sins listed above are decided bad.

But most may tempted to say excuse ourselves from those.

Besides the sins themselves, (which are bad)

When we live in such as way that would dishonor God and come to worship Him with intention to change … YOU ARE MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT GOD!!!!

What does your lifestyle say about God?

Are you like the Jews that God sent Jeremiah to speak to?

Do you seek blessings and forsake your relationship with God?

(Closing Point)

Security is Only Found in an Authentic Relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is kind of unbelievable how the nation of Isreal could be blessed by God and still seek things of the world.

But the truth is that the church still does this.

How is this possible?

A faith that is more self-serving than it is responsive.

Jews enjoyed blessings from God

But they became entitled and God became a “good luck charm”

Since they were really seeking blessings for themselves instead of responding to a Loving God

When the world enticed them with alternate ways of pleasure … they jumped on it.

The New Testament Church is no different!!!!

We are INVITED into a relationship with our Creator.

We are ALLOWED to live and serve in HIS blessings.

There is one way to accept that life in God

And that was through faith in Jesus Christ

Then followed by a life that is focused and committed to Glorifying God.

Closing Prayer