New Year Sermon - Secret Millionnaires?

New Year’s Day 1.1.2012 Sermon Galatians 4.4-7

I don’t know if any of you have seen any of the “Secret Millionaire” TV programmes on the British Channel 4. I saw one of them “by accident” as I usually hate reality television. I actually found it surprisingly moving,  and could see connections and contrasts with the Christmas story…

Here’s how “Secret Millionaire” works:-
•    Multi-millionaire goes undercover in deprived community
•    Lives on breadline for 2 weeks, gets to know locals
•    Identifies a few “worthy” groups or individuals whose lives could be transformed by a cash gift
•    Reveals true identity & gives gifts £10K, £15K, £25K !!
•    Returns to see how it worked out

Comments
•    A bit of a gimmick – publicity seeking TV producers & rich folk “playing at” having a social conscience
•    Giving cash to a few who have impressed the Secret Millionnaire in 2 weeks, may cause more harm than good

But
•    Some of the millionaires have clearly been deeply moved and changed by the experience, like the time a poor man used his last £3 to buy the millionaire a kebab!
•    Some found their prejudices exposed and were forced to radically change their views on “spongers” etc.
•    Some like Charan Gill, Curry and property tycoon from Glasgow who featured in the programme I saw – have gone back and continued to mentor and support their beneficiaries.

On the whole I think this is a worthwhile series of programmes which has made real improvements to a few lives and informed and pricked the consciences of many more.

In Galatians Ch4 we learn how, at exactly the right moment in human history, God sent his own Son into the world to bring healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. God humbled himself to come and live amongst ordinary people, bringing gifts which could transform lives. There are obvious comparisons between the story of Jesus and that of the secret millionaire, but also contrasts.

1.    (a) The secret millionaire is somebody very rich who believes they have a duty to use some of their wealth to help others
    (b) Jesus was present with and equal to God from the beginning, infinitely rich and powerful, the Word through whom all things came into being, including life itself.

2.    (a) The secret millionaire came down from Glasgow to Thetford, giving up his luxury for 2 weeks to live in temporary poverty.
    (b) Jesus came down from Heaven to Earth, leaving his glory and power to live as a human being in a poor and ordinary family. He gave himself completely and eventually gave his life on the cross.

3.    (a) The secret millionaire took an interest in the struggles of poor and disadvantaged people, choosing a few who were “worthy” to receive his gifts. He finally revealed himself and gave gifts which gave the recipients a chance of a better life.
    (b) Jesus also took a special interest in the poor and disadvantaged, but considers everybody a worthy cause and makes his gifts freely available to all. The way he lived and died revealed him to be the very Son of God and Saviour of humanity. He is the source of life, light and love and he freely gives the gift of ADOPTION into God’s family.

4.    (a) The secret millionaire returns to see how his cash gifts have helped and he may offer additional support and advice of his own freewill, but this goes beyond the requirements of the programme.
    (b) Jesus will return, but in another sense he never leaves those who have received his gift. He stays with them and lives inside them, by his Spirit, as the guiding light and power of their lives.

5.    (a) The secret millionaire could be accused of having mixed motives, of being a lover of publicity, as much as a lover of people.
    (b) Jesus consistently showed his love to be pure and true and unconditional, without any false motives. In the end, the “Secret Millionaire” is a piece of entertainment. Entertainment with a conscience, but still entertainment. The coming into the world of Jesus brings REAL hope, REAL life, REAL love and REAL commitment from God to you and to me. At the beginning of a New Year, the world needs more than ever to receive him and listen to him.