The Book of James Week Five Lesson One

“Tomorrow”

‘Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.’ James 4:13-17

“Tomorrow,” songs have written about it, plans have been made for it, hope has been placed in it. We say things like, “Tomorrow is another day,” to make us feel we will have a new start, a do-over. What does tomorrow hold for us? We can only speculate. It’s ok to plan for our futures, but we cannot place our hope in it. Our hope lies solely in the hands of God.

Read James 4:13-15. What does James say about making plans?

What does he compare our lives to?

Have you ever been going about your day and something arises that changes everything? Well, I’m sure most of us have had that happen and more than once. Our lives get interrupted. Plans change. Jesus used a parable to teach us about plans that do not include God.

Read Luke 12:13-21. Summarize the parable Jesus taught.

What did God say to the man in verse 20?

What does verse 21 tell us?

So does this mean we aren’t t have plans or things like a savings account. No, but it does mean we better be seeking God’s will regarding these things and realize it is God who has control over our future, both in this life and the one to come.

We may shake our heads at the rich fool in Jesus’ parable, but each of us could be that person. We’ve all looked at what we have and what we have done and not always given the credit to God who provided it all.

Those who place their earthly treasures of more importance than God, are fools. I am foolish to worry about storing up treasure for my selfish pleasure because my life could be taken from me at any time. God’s desire isn’t for us to plan for our next day on earth, but to be prepared for eternity with Him.

Read Matthew 6:19-21. What does Jesus tell us NOT to do? Why?

What does He tell us to do? Why?

What does your treasure tell you about the condition of your heart?

Ever heard, “You can’t take a U-Haul to heaven”? It’s true, but if we have stored up our treasures in heaven, they will be waiting for us there. It’s real treasure, not the temporary, unfulfilling treasure of this world. 

James teaches us everything we have on this earth is from God’s hand. He has the power to give and to take away. Our concerns should be with the eternal things ~ God’s love, salvation, grace, wisdom, knowledge... We should look to God as our Provider and give Him all the credit. We must fear (respect) Him. This is our goal as His children.

Read James 4:17. Write it out in your own words.

James is giving us fair warning. He’s warns us and it is our choice to be obedient to Christ or not. He must be first. He is our Master.

Read 1 John 3:6-10. Can those who truly live in obedience to Jesus continue on in their sin? Why or why not?

How do we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are?

Our objective as Christians is to love God with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Everything we do should fall in line with this. Our treasure is Christ.

In the great scheme of things, tomorrow will come and go. We live and grow in Christ if we put Him alone as our treasure. Life continues on, day to night, night to day, over and over. Things that were once so important fade from memory. Everything is temporary. Life is a mist that appears for an instant and vanishes. What really matters is our eternity. If you love and serve the Master, you know what you treasures should be and where you should store them. If you don’t love and serve the Master, I hope you will. Treasure in heaven is eternal. Treasure on earth will disappear when we cross over after this life is through. Choose well.