Time, treasure, tomorrow

Topics: God's time

I. Time is Short!

1. Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit" (James 4:13).
2. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14).
3. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that" (James 4:15).
4. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil (James 4:16).
5. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
6. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17.

II. True Wealth is Eternal!

1. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you (James 5:1).
2. Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (James 5:4)./li>
3. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7, see also Mark 2:27-28 and Isaiah 1:9).
4. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter (James 5:5).
5. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you (James 5:6).

III. Trust in God for the Future!

1. Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains (James 5:7).
2. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:17-18).
3. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near (James 5:8).
4. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful (James 5:9-11).

Sermon by Pastor Dane Nissen, April 17th, 2026.

Life Group Flow and Discussion Questions

Time, treasure, tomorrow

An important Guideline of Life Groups: Finances and planning are at the heart of most arguments in relationships. Discuss how changing your view of them to be God's time and God's finances changes the way we talk about them in relationships.

Getting Started:

1. Is it so tempting to make long-term plans without actively considering God's will? How do your typical career, financial, or family plans reflect this?
2. James compares our lives to a "mist" or "vapor" (v. 14). How does this perspective change the way you value your time and the things you stress about on a daily basis?

Discussing Truths:

1. Verse 17 says that knowing the good you ought to do and not doing it is a sin. What are some "good things" God might be prompting you to do that you have been putting off?
2. How can wealth, comfort, or financial security subtly shift our focus away from our dependence on God?
3. James uses the example of a farmer (v. 7). What is the difference between passively waiting and patiently waiting? How can we tell the difference in our own seasons of waiting?

Now What? Application:

1. Look up and define sins of omission vs sins of commission. Do you tend to focus on eradicating one over the other?
2. How can you be more proactive in not letting sins of Omission or a sin of passivity take control?
3. Read James this week. Extra credit for reading it daily.