1. Better Than Gold
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Tim. 6:10
“And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses .”
Lk. 12:15
1. Aim: To discuss some things that are really valuable.
2. Many people are destroying themselves because of a love for material things.
3. I Tim. 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
a. He did not say money is the root of all kinds of evil, he said the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil
4. Price of Gold has increased in recent weeks and months
a. Gold Bullion is 8.3 inches x 3.3 inches x 1.8 inches and it weighs 400 troy ounces
b. The price of gold today is $1,770 per ounce = $708,000 for a bullion
c. Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
7. There are things that are better than gold (money). We want to look at some of these.

2. Better Than Gold A Good Name is ...
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Prov. 22:1
A Good Name...
1. Suggests Honesty - Christian wants to be considered an honest person
2. Radiates Truthfulness - if we have a good name, people can trust us
3. Involves Our Reputation - what others think of us is valuable
A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOLD
A. Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.”
1. Riches and gold have their worth - it is necessary to have some money.
2. But your reputation and a good name are of a greater value.
3. Poverty with a good name is much to be preferred, to riches with a bad reputation or evil character.
4. Great possessions with no friends and meaning to life can be cold and empty!
5. A good name....
(1) Suggests honesty - a Christian wants to be considered an honest person
(2) Radiates truthfulness - if we have a good name then people can trust us
(3) Involves our reputation - what others think of us is valuable

3. Better Than Gold A Good Name is ...
“And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.” Gen. 34:30
Stink = to smell bad; to be offensive
Obnoxious = NKJV
C. Genesis 34:30 “And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and
slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.”
1. Simeon and Levi, sons of Jacob, had deceived the people in the land where they were dwelling and killed many of them
2. Jacob was disturbed with their actions and predicted that there would be severe consequences.
3. He said You Made me to stink
a. To smell bad; fig. to be offensive
b. Morally: - (make to) be abomination, loathsome
c. Stink = in the NKJV is translated “obnoxious”
4. The reputation or name that these people had was important !
D. There is something in a name. It is not a coincidence that parents don’t name their children Jezebel or Judas
E. A good name is of more value than gold

4. Better Than Gold Good Health is …
“Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Acts 3:6
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Jn. 2
GOOD HEALTH
A. Acts 3:6 explain situation “Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
B. 3 John 2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
C. One cannot buy good health.
1. If we enjoy good health we should be thankful
2. Knew a man in KY who had a lot of money, but could not leave his home because of poor health
D. Our health is more valuable than Gold.

5. Better Than Gold God’s Word is …
“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold.” Ps. 19:9-10
GOD’S WORD
A. Psalm 19:9-10 “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold.”
1. The words of God are far more valuable than gold, even all of earth’s gold
2. The majority of men prefer gold to God - silver rather than the Savior
3. Real riches are found in God - genuine wealth is found in Biblical wisdom

6. Better Than Gold God’s Word is …
“Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold!” Ps. 119:127
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jn. 8:32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:32
A. Some other verses describe the value of God’s word
Ps. 119:127 “Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold!”.
God’s word is valuable because of what it will do for us: John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” – from sin thru forgiveness
3. Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
4. God’s word is greater than Gold !

7. Better Than Gold God’s Word is … - Ulysses S. Grant
“The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that.
The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only a book”
- Ulysses S. Grant

8. Better Than Gold A Good Conscience is …
Matt. 27:3-5 Judas had betrayed Christ
He was guilty
Conscience hurting him - threw the silver away
Rom. 2: “their conscience also bearing witness”
Acts 23:1 The conscience must be educated
1 Pet. 3:21 “answer of a good conscience”
A GOOD CONSCIENCE
A. Matthew 27:3-5 “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!“ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.”
1. Because his deed burdened him with intolerable guilt, he wanted desperately to reverse his disastrous bargain.
2. He was guilty of betraying one who was innocent
3. His conscience hurt him so bad, that he just threw the money down and went out and hanged himself.
4. He would have gladly traded that money for a clear conscience!
B. The function of the conscience: Romans 2:14-15 “for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)”
C. Our conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is--that we are taught by God's word. Example. Acts 23:1 “And Paul said, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
1. Did all in good conscience
2. But conscience was not rained by the Word until after a Christian
D. We must do everything that God requires to receive this good conscience: 1 Pet. 3:21 “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God)”
1. We can attain a good conscience by obeying God, not only in baptism, as specified here, but in all things

9. Better Than Gold The Trial of our Faith is ..…
“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” 1 Pet. 1:7
Trial of your faith
More precious than gold
“…the testing of your faith works patience” Jas. 1:2-5
THE TRIAL OF ONE’S FAITH
A. 1 Peter 1:7 “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”
1. That which is “more precious” in God’s sight is the faith which has been proved and, bearing up under the test, stands a-proved.
2. It has shown itself to be that real, solid, genuine faith that does not succumb under adverse circumstances
3. Gold: proved by fire - pure gold remains after admixtures, alloys and dross removed.
4. Christian’s faith: given trials and testings, - Christian’s faith: “more precious than gold
B. James 1:2-5 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

10. Better Than Gold The Trial of our Faith is ..… A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II. Airplanes for the defense of the united states. And they showed these test pilots and these airplanes. How would you like to be the fighter pilot on a plane that has not been tested. I mean they just built it and they said alright, get on it. But nobody tested the individual parts, and nobody tested the whole thing after it was put together. Frankly, if you can't test it, you can't trust it. We don't want to be the first to try something, or we don't want to try something that's not been tested.
How do you know that your faith is real unless it can stand the test? God allows our faith to be tested (1) to see if it is real (2) testing of our faith, increases our faith and makes it stronger

11. Better Than Gold Our Salvation is …
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mk. 8:36-37
A piece of wood and a bar of gold will be the worth the same on judgment day.
SALVATION
A. Mark 8:36-37 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul”
B. A piece of 2x4 wood and a gold bullion will be worth the same on judgment day.
C. Would Judas like another chance?
D. We get no 2nd chance with our eternal soul

12. Better Than Gold Our Salvation is … George Wilson – 1830
“Pardon Refused”
Back in 1830 George Wilson was convicted of robbing the U.S. Mail and killing a government employee, and was sentenced to be hanged. President Andrew Jackson issued a pardon for Wilson, but he refused to accept it. The matter went to Chief Justice Marshall, who concluded that Wilson would have to be executed. "A pardon is a slip of paper," wrote Marshall, "the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged."For some, the pardon comes too late. For others, the pardon is not accepted.
That incident made me think of the offer of pardon that is made to all sinners through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The fact that pardon was offered freely, does not ensure the salvation of one's soul. That pardon must be accepted, or the ultimate and eternal punishment must be administered. But if we do accept the pardon by obeying the gospel... Our salvation is better than gold

13. Better Than Gold Treasures in Heaven are ...
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matt. 6:19-20
Luke 16: Who was richer, the rich man or Lazarus?
TREASURES IN HEAVEN
A. Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
1. Treasures in heaven are more valuable than treasures on earth
2. Earthly treasures are not secure - they can be destroyed or stolen, can take them with you when you leave this earth
3. Heavenly treasures are secure
4. What is gold on earth, is street paving material in heaven!
B. Who was richer the rich man or Lazarus? Luke 16:22-23

14. Don’t lose your soul in pursuit of material things
“Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21
“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” 1 Tim. 6:7
1. We need to make sure that we do not lose our souls in the pursuit of material things.
2. Job 1:21 “Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
3. 1 Tim. 6:7 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

15. Better than Gold A Good Name Health God’s Word A Good Conscience
Treasures in Heaven
Go over slide
7. Will you be happy a 1 million years from now? You will exist
8. We pass through this life one time -- please make the right decision!!!
Salvation
Trial of our Faith

16. Gospel Plan of Salvation
Believe
Jn. 8:24
Repent
Lk. 13:3
Confess
Matt. 10:32-33
Baptism
Acts 2:38
Faithful
Rev. 2:10