Lucky Charms
The Truth About Luck
3/17/04
I. Introduction
Lucky Charms Not So Lucky
New Study Casts Doubt On Cereal Claim
A controversial new report released last week has thrown the breakfast community into chaos. Last Thursday in Waterloo, the Foundation For Money-Wasting Studies unveiled the results of two years of painstaking research into breakfast cereals. Among the items in the report was the claim that Lucky Charms does not increase a person’s luck in any way.
"We did not find any positive correlation between eating the cereal and our performance at games of chance," said head researcher James T. Crunch. "We blew hundred of thousands of dollars gambling, but we couldn’t come out ahead. It’s a good thing it wasn’t our money."
The study also found that, in certain circumstances, the cereal could cause bad luck. "Take a look at the mascot. He is constantly forced to hide from hordes of sugar-addicted children, simply because he has that cereal. I’d hardly call that good luck." The report also claims that Lucky Charms, while delicious, is not magically so. "The taste of Lucky Charms can be explained through completely mundane means" claims Crunch.
General Mills, the maker of Lucky Charms, says it is unconcerned by the negative publicity. Cereal spokesperson Lucky spoke out in defence of his product. "We’ve been attacked before and we’ve always survived. The parents group that misunderstood the word ’Lucky’, the parent’s group that misunderstood the word ’Charms’, the Mothers Against The Exploitation Of The Vertically Challenged — they’ve all rallied against us and failed. I guess the world will never get tired of marshmallows for breakfast."
Other findings by the group include the fact that Trix are actually safe for adult consumption, Rice Krispies will occasionally forget to pop, and that Count Chocula will not cause vampirism in children.
Tonight, we’re talking about Lucky Charms: The Truth About Luck. Have you ever thought that you were lucky? Have you ever said to yourself, “It’s my lucky day!” Have you ever come across a penny on heads and recite the old adage, “Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck”? Chances are, you have at some point thought or said one of those things. But tonight, I believe we’ll all see that luck has nothing to do with it.
II. What It Is
Luck n. - 1 a : a force that brings good fortune or adversity, b: the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual, 2 : favoring chance;
I want to challenge you to search the Scriptures, break out your concordance, go online, and use whatever resources you have, and you’ll find that the word luck never appears in the Bible.
We never see Jesus finding a drachma (a coin) and pick it up and say, “Oh, golly, it’s my lucky day.”
We never see Peter have an amazing catch of fish and say, “Boy, I must be lucky.”
We do however, see Jesus tell Peter to go catch a fish and get some money out of it. It’s tax time and Jesus and Peter need to pay their taxes.
Matthew 17: 27 27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."
You might expect someone to think they’re lucky if they find some money like that…but in this case, finding this money had nothing to do with chance or good fortune. In fact, Jesus knew exactly where the money would be. And Peter did exactly what Jesus said and found money.
III. If Not Luck, Then What?
If luck has nothing to do with chance events happening in my life, then what’s going on? What is this force that brings good fortune? What causes adversity? I assure you, it’s not luck.
First of all, adversity. What causes adversity? What causes the bad things to happen in your life? It’s a force all right. It’s the force of the enemy – the devil. The devil is bad and he makes bad things happen. It’s as simple as that. His job description is found in John 10:10.
John 10:10 10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
It’s not bad luck…it’s a bad devil.
Well, what about the good things, that has to be luck, right? Nope, not luck.
James 1:17 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
What force brings good fortune? What causes good things to happen in your life? God is good and He makes good things happen. In fact, for His children, there’s this little thing that He promises them called favor.
Let’s talk a little bit about that.
IV. The Flavor of Favor
Favor – an attitude of approval or liking. Act of kindness beyond what is usual. Provide with advantages. Prefer above all others. Over-generous, preferential treatment. It also means to be endorsed. To have things easier. Having special privileges. It is a gift. You can’t earn or buy it.
A lot of people would look at somebody who has favor and say, “Boy, you’re lucky.” But, it’s not luck…luck can be good or bad. Favor is always good. And more importantly, favor is always on the children of God.
Psalm 5:12 12For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Does the Bible say that if you never break a mirror, you will have favor? Does the Bible say that if you never walk under a ladder, you will have favor? Does the Bible say that if you carry around a 4-leaf clover, you will have favor? What about a rabbit’s foot, or a horseshoe? Does the Bible say that if you rub a red head’s hair, you will have favor? Does the Bible say that if you find a penny on heads, you will have favor? What about if you spill the salt and throw a pinch over your left shoulder, will you have favor? Does the Bible say that if you never open an umbrella inside, you will have favor?
No, none of that is true. The Bible says that the righteous are surrounded with favor.
Who are the righteous? The righteous refers to Christians, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we who confess him as Lord, are made righteous, which gains us entrance into heaven, and also a load of benefits here on earth, one of which is FAVOR.
There was this beauty pageant a number of years ago. And the winner of this pageant, not only gained fame and fortune, but she would also be made the queen. Well, there was this particular young woman who entered the contest. Let’s see what happened.
Esther 2:16-17 “16So Esther was taken to King Xerxes, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
Well, Esther won the contest and the crown. It was her lucky day, right? Nope, luck didn’t have anything to do with it. The Bible said that she found favor with the King, not luck. If she were depending on luck, she never would have won the crown. But she wasn’t depending on luck; she wasn’t depending on her good looks either. She was depending on the favor of God. And because she had favor with God, she found favor with the King.
Don’t depend on luck! Depend on the favor of God, which is ALL good, ALL the time. Let’s pray.
