Rev. Dr. Bary R. Fleet - Pastor
September 30, 2007 – 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
1st Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31 

The Secret is a Lie

On February 8, 2007, millions of viewers tuned into The Oprah Winfrey Show to learn the mystery of “The Secret.”  Since then, the book has sold over seven million copies, and I am certain that some of them have ended up in our homes.  The secret of “The Secret” is called the “Law of Attraction,” which states that “like attracts like.” 

Basically, what the author proposes is that we create the circumstances of our lives with the choices we make every day.

The author admits that her work is based on a book written in 1910 called “The Science of Getting Rich.”  There are ways in which this is the American Dream all over – except this author happens to be Australian.

My sermon is called “The Secret is a Lie.”  Perhaps a better title would be “The Secret is not Scriptural,” which is a nicer way of saying the same thing.

Paul, in his letter to Timothy has a lot to say about wealth.  Jesus in this passage from Luke, has a lot to say about wealth … and none of it is encouraging!  None of it is in sync with “the secret.” 

Do we think for a minute that Lazarus was hungry because he didn’t think enough about money or food or wealth?  Granted, it may be that the rich man was rich because that’s all he thought about – how to get – and have – more!  But look what Jesus says about the ultimate fate of this guy … and about Lazarus.

What Paul says to Timothy is also a reminder – we came into the world with nothing, and we will go out of the world with nothing.  Having just buried my dad, I can attest to at least the leaving part.  I am reminded of a story of a guy who was so sure he could take his wealth with him, he arranged for his wife to put her husband’s wealth in the room directly above him.  When he died, she went up to discover that the man’s wealth was still there – and muttered to herself, “Maybe I should have left it in the basement”

What Paul wanted Timothy to know is that it is in the pursuit of a godly life that we find the contentment that the world thinks can be found in wealth.  If we have a roof over our heads and food to eat, we are rich.  There is a point where we say:  “Enough!”  “I don’t need more!”

Many of you know that I grew up Methodist and was enamored with much of John Wesley’s life and teaching.  The church which he pastured first in his career paid him £30 a year.  He lived on £28 and gave away £2.  As his salary grew each year – from 30 to 60 to 120 and so on, he continued to live on £28, and gave away the rest of it. 

There is something godly about that … and there was a sense of contentment about him that most of us have never experienced – and will never find in “The Secret.”

I know there are lots of folk who don’t go to church because there is so much talk about money.  Well, guess what!  The Bible talks a lot about money – because the truth is that money is an incredibly accurate gauge of our spiritual well-being, of our sense of groundedness, of our sense of contentment in life.

What Paul said to Timothy is “the love of money is the root of all evil.”  He goes on to talk about how the pursuit of wealth has led many folks down a painful road.  And God wants better for God’s children than to be led astray.

I would challenge each of us to spend fine minutes every day this week meditating.  First, read this passage from 1st Timothy, and then think about how we are going to implement this in our lives today … just for today. 

Do this, and you won’t be deceived by “The Secret” … or anything else!

NOTE:  Much of this sermon is credited to Homiletics, September – October 2007, Vol. 19, No. 5.

SERMON IN A SACK:  Everyday objects:  snack, article of clothing, TV remote, etc.  Talk about choices – all the choices we make every day.  Talk about making the choice of being thankful for what we have, instead of being unhappy because other people have more than we do.