Someone once asked famous evangelist Billy Graham what surprised him most about life, now that he was old (Graham was in his 60s at the time). Graham’s answer? “The brevity of it.”

No question, life does go by quickly.

What do the following texts teach about human life here? Psalm 49:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-7; Psalm 39:11; James 4:14; Eccles. 2:18-22.

Not only does life go by quickly, but when you die, you take nothing with you, at least of the material goods that you have accumulated. (Character? That’s another story.) “For when he dies he shall carry nothing away” (Psalm 49:17, NKJV), which means that he or she leaves it behind for someone else to get. Who will get it, of course, depends upon what plans are made beforehand.

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Though, of course, not everyone has an estate per se, most people, particularly as they have worked through the years, have accumulated some wealth. In the end, what will happen to that wealth after you pass on is really an important question that people should consider.

For those who have possessions at the end of life, no matter how great or small our goods might be, estate planning can be our final act of stewardship, of carefully managing what God has blessed us with. If you don’t have an estate plan that you have created with a will or trust, the state’s or civil government’s laws can come into play (all this depends, of course, on where you live). If you die without a will, most civil jurisdictions simply pass your assets on to your relatives, whether they need them or not, whether or not they would make good use of the money, and whether or not you would have chosen to give a portion to that person. The church will get nothing. If that’s what you want, fine; if not, you need to work out plans beforehand.

In the very simplest terms, we can say that because God is the Owner of everything (see Psalm 24:1), it would be logical to conclude from a biblical perspective that when we are finished with what God has entrusted to us, we should return to Him, the rightful Owner, what is left, once the needs of loved ones are met.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Read Luke 12:16-21. What’s the relevant message to us here? What strong rebuke did the Lord give to the foolish man, and what should that say to us regarding our attitude toward what we own?

Though the message is broader than this, one could argue that this was a story Jesus told about what not to do in retirement. Accordingly, if a person is quitting work to spend his accumulated assets on himself, he should beware and take this story to heart.

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The problem is not with working hard or getting wealth, particularly as one gets older and, perhaps, even richer. The problem is with the attitude toward it. His words — “take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19, NKJV) — express the real issue here.

“This man’s aims were no higher than those of the beasts that perish. He lived as if there were no God, no heaven, no future life; as if everything he possessed were his own, and he owed nothing to God or man.” — Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, Pages 257, 258.

If, during this stage of life, we think only of ourselves and ignore the needs of others and the cause of God, we are following the example of the rich fool. There was no indication in Jesus’ parable that the rich man was lazy or dishonest. The problem was in how he spent what God had entrusted to him. Because we don’t know the day of our death, we should always be ready for it by living to carry out God’s will instead of pursuing a life of selfishness.

The general picture given in the Bible is that a person works and remains productive as long as he or she is able. In fact, it is interesting to note that the authors of the great prophetic books of Daniel and the Revelation were, many believe, both in their 80s when they completed their work. This was at a time when the average age at death was about 50 years. Ellen G. White published some of her best-known and best-loved books, such as The Desire of Ages, after about age 70. Age, then, as long as we are healthy, should not mean that we stop being productive and, to whatever extent possible, doing some good.

Jesus counseled those waiting for His Second Coming not just to watch but to continue working as well (Matthew 24:44-46).

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 12:16-21, Eccles. 2:18-22, Proverbs 27:23-27, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Eccles. 5:10, Colossians 1:15-17.

Memory Text: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13).

As we near the end of our earning years, our financial focus turns toward preserving our assets in anticipation of the end of life. The transition from working to retirement can be a very traumatic experience. In terms of our finances, what is the best way to proceed?

As people get older, they almost naturally begin to worry about the future. The most common fears are: dying too soon (before the family is taken care of); living too long (outliving their assets or savings); catastrophic illness (all my resources could go at one time); and mental and/or physical disability (who will take care of me?).

When commenting on these fears, Ellen G. White wrote: “All these fears originate with Satan. … If they would take the position which God would have them, their last days might be their best and happiest. … They should lay aside anxiety and burdens, and occupy their time as happily as they can, and be ripening up for heaven.” — Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 424.

This week we will review God’s counsel regarding our last years. What are things that we should do, what should we avoid doing, and what principles should we follow?

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 11.

Sunday–>

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Support for the mission activities of the Seventh-day Adventist church has always been part of the Sabbath School program. This video is Mission Spotlight for this week. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-bjxbVemJ0&w=560&h=315]

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-march-4/

Key Thought:  Covetousness is listed with many heinous sins like extortion, idolatry, fornication, and adultery. Let’s look at bad it is, and what we can to do to overcome it.
March 4, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Joshua 7:21-25.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What reason did Achan give for taking the garment, silver, and gold?
3. Personal Application: What are the normal things that people covet? What is the real problem with coveting? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why is there inconsistency in the Bible about the spoils of war? When Jerusalem was surrounded by armies and God killed all the enemies in the camp, everyone was encouraged to take as much spoil as they wished, but here Achan took gold and silver and was cursed with a curse. What made the difference?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read John 12:3-8.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What did Mary do that attracted so much attention during the feast?
3. Personal Application: What is the difference between a legitimate desire and covetousness? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why did Judas respond to Mary’s act with the expensive perfume the way he did? Was he discontent with the misuse of that which could have been given to the poor, or did he have other motives?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Acts 5:1-11.

1. Ask class members to share a short
2. What were the results of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira upon the church?
3. Personal Application: What was worse, holding back part of the money, or lying about it? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What if they had agreed to give half their profit from selling the property to the church? Would they have been destroyed for not giving all their proceeds?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 10:13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What promise is here, and why is it important to understand the context of covetouness?
3. Personal Application: What are other things, besides money, that we can covet? Share your thoughts?
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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