THINGS BETTER THAN MONEY

1 TIMOTHY 6.1-12

Intro. We live in a money crazy country. There seems to me that there are many things Americans have set up as idols. Three of such are:

MONEY – PLEASURE - FOOD

Proverbs 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

I.                  A GOOD NAME. PROV. 22.1

A.     How do you want to be remembered?

B.     Here are some funny epitaphs from real tombstones:

1.         In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery:

                                    Anna Wallace

                                    The children of Israel wanted bread

                                    And the Lord sent them manna,

            Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife,

                                    And the Devil sent him Anna.

                        2.         In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:

                                    Here lays Butch,

                                    We planted him raw.

                                    He was quick on the trigger,

                                    But slow on the draw.

                        3.         A lawyer's epitaph in England:

                                    Sir John Strange

                                    Here lies an honest lawyer,

                                    And that is Strange.

4.         On a grave from the 1880's in Nantucket, Massachusetts:

                                    Under the sod and under the trees

                                    Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.

                                    He is not here, there's only the pod:

                                    Pease shelled out and went to God.

                        5.         In a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery:

                                    Here lies an Atheist

                                    All dressed up

                                    And no place to go.

C.     Bible verses that talk about good names.

1.                1 Samuel 18:30  Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

2.                Ecclesiastes 7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

3.                Acts 10:22  And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

4.                Acts 22:12  And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

5.                3 John 1:12  Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

D.     You create the name that you end up with whether its good or bad.

II.              THE BIBLE – PSALM 119.72, 127

A.     The Bible is the road map to heaven.

B.     The Word of God shows us how much of a sinner we are. Rom. 3.10, 23

C.     The Scriptures tell us of a Savior that loved us so, that He came to this world to die for us. John 3.16

D.     The Bible tells us of a future kingdom in which we Christians will be a part of.

E.      The Bible warns of a Hell that is real. Luke 16

F.      The Bible tells us how to treat one another.

1.                To love, forgive, respect, to help, exalt, comfort, protect, etc.

G.     The Bible is of more value than any other book in the world. It is more valuable than all the books put together.

H.     There was a time a few hundred years ago, that Bibles were not available to the public.

I.        They were chained to pulpits and not allowed to be read accept by clergy.

J.       How valuable is your Bible today?

III.          REDEMPTION.    1 PETER 1.18-21

A.     All the money in the world could not buy your salvation.

B.     Only with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

1.                Heb. 9.12

2.                Col. 1.14

3.                Eph. 1.7

IV.           THE FEAR OF GOD. PROV. 15.16

A.     The fear of the Lord is vital for your life.

1.                Hatred of evil. Pr 8:13

2.                Wisdom. Job 28:28; Ps 111:10

3.                A treasure to saints. Pr 15:16; Isa 33:6

4.                A fountain of life. Pr 14:27

5.                The worship of God. Ps 5:7; 89:7

6.                The service of God. Ps 2:11; Heb 12:28

7.                Avoiding of sin. Ex 20:20