May 2026
Mind: Plan for Tomorrow, 17 May 2026
17 05 26 Filed in: Sermons | Matters of Life and Death
Mind: Plan for Tomorrow
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Series: Matters of Life and Death
May 17, 2026
Proverbs 13:20-22
Series Big Idea: You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
Big Idea: It’s never too soon to think about the legacy—or mess—we will leave.
Key Verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
Are you ready to die? There’s a good chance it’s going to happen someday! Death and taxes are certain for all of us. The Psalms say,
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
I realize death is not necessarily the most happy, uplifting thing to think about, but failing to do so has tremendous consequences. As we conclude our three-part series Matters of Life and Death, I want to remind you of Jesus’ summary of the entire Bible. He said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
Two weeks ago, our ministry fellow Alex Miller talked about loving God with all your strength, your body. It’s a temple, a dwelling place for God and deserves care and respect.
Last Sunday, Pastors David and Kimberly spoke about loving God with all your soul, paying attention to your spiritual life and being prepared for death.
Today we’re talking about loving God with all your heart and mind…using your brain to make good choices that actually address Jesus’ next words.
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
Who do you love more than anyone besides God? Probably your family. Our days are numbered…and we don’t know how many we have left. Obviously senior citizens are likely to die sooner than high school seniors, but tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. Are you ready?
In addition to living healthy and getting right with God, we must get our affairs in order for those left behind.
Whenever someone asks, “How can I pray for you?” if I’m not in a crisis, I will say, “wisdom.” The Bible is filled with timeless wisdom, much of it contained in the book of Proverbs, often attributed to King Solomon.
Our text comes from the book of Proverbs. It begins,
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
That’s wisdom! You are your friends. Choose wisely.
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. (Proverbs 13:21)
At times, it may seem as if no good deed goes unpunished, but in the end, the righteous will be rewarded, if not in this life.
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
This is our focus today…what we leave behind. About 8500 people will die today in the USA. Some will leave a mess behind…debt, junk, a legacy of abuse and neglect. Others will leave an inheritance, not just money, but a legacy of faith, hope, and love.
I’m going to get extremely practical today. You can take notes now or visit PastorKirk.com later, but there are some things you won’t want to miss.
When people think of preparing for their death, the first thing they usually think about is their…will. Do you have one? Only 26% of USAmericans do. Or do you have a Revocable Living Trust, which has additional benefits? Are beneficiaries named on your assets? What about passwords? Is there a place people can access your login information for bank accounts, bills, and other websites? Is there a list of your assets, including insurance policies, properties, and investments?
My dad died twelve years ago of Alzheimer’s. We had years to prepare…and mom did. His transition to the next life was smooth and easy.
My mother-in-law died four years earlier…unexpectedly. When we took her to the hospital, we never imagined she would never come home. She had assets without beneficiaries, an under-water apartment, boxes of papers, and we spent needless time and money in probate court. It was a stressful mess.
If you died today, will your loved ones be grateful or grumbling about your estate? I’m not even talking about the amount of money, but are things organized? Are your plans written in a legal document? Will your possessions easily transfer? Do you have a “cheat sheet” with passwords for those left behind to settle your affairs? Are your financial wishes clear? Will all your wealth go to your children or have you considered eternal investments such as College First and other ministries? This is about loving well those dearest to us.
You may be thinking, “I’m a student with no assets…and I’ll probably live another 80 years.” Maybe, but maybe not. There’s a saying in the life insurance industry: it’s not for you, but those you leave behind. Speaking of, do you have life insurance? This is especially crucial if you have children at home. It’s never too soon to prepare for death.
Medical Preparation
Preparation for death does not always involve death itself. Do you have a living will? A health care power of attorney? Who will make medical decisions if you are unable to do so? It is imperative that you communicate with loved ones your wishes regarding medical care, especially regarding prolonging your life. Don’t burden others with decisions you can make today. Are your medical wishes clear? Have you completed a HIPPA authorization form?
Funeral Preparation
What about your body? Do you want to be buried? Cremated? A funeral or memorial service? Who do you want to officiate your ceremony? Do you have special songs you want sung, a favorite Bible passage read? Some of us will have months to consider such decisions, but there may be no better time than the present to sketch out some ideas of how you want to be remembered. Are your funeral wishes clear?
Legacy
Obviously, none of us has complete control over how we will be remembered. Even if we plan the most memorable funeral, we will have no say in how others remember us once we’re gone. What will people say at your funeral?
The most important thing you can pass down to your loved ones is not money or even a well-planned memorial service but your legacy, your story, your wisdom, your life. I’ve attended countless funerals and the legacy of the deceased is always apparent.
What do you want on your tombstone? He worked hard and made a lot of money? She was devoted to her hobbies and loved to shop? They generously invested their lives in the next generation, mentoring and tutoring? Their life resembled Jesus and they helped others to know Christ, too?
This is where things get personal in a hurry. Your legacy will not be established during your final breaths. It is established now, today, on an ordinary day, over the course of ordinary days, months, years, decades. Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
While you’re at it, write notes to your loved ones. Videotape stories of your childhood. Preserve your memories for future generations.
I was recently introduced to a tool called The Exhale Vault (exhalevault.com). There is a fee, but it guides you through documenting, organizing, and securing your stuff in one place. You can upload videos such as how to change the furnace filter, post letters to loved ones, list passwords, detail investments, share legal documents, and more. You can even grant access to certain items to certain people. This isn’t a commercial and I don’t get a commission, but it has been comforting to me and my wife to have everything in one place.
My dear friend, Ken McIntyre at the University says if you’re in your 20s and 30s, you need to focus on foundation and protection, legal and financial decisions that will matter. Those in their 30s and 40s are in a season of family and asset growth including kids, career growth, and often home ownership. If you’re in your 50s and 60s, it’s time to develop tax and other strategies to preserve wealth, while 70s and beyond is a season to update, finalize, and address healthcare documents.
I also have a list of local resources that can assist with estate planning, legal matters, CPA and finances, and Medicare issues. If you’d like a copy, simply e-mail kirk@collegefirst.org. This isn’t an endorsement, necessarily, but might be a good place to start.
So What?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die…spiritually and otherwise. This entire message…this entire series has been created to give you a moment to pause, to take inventory, to account for your life and how you are living it…how you are loving God and loving others.
I hope your funeral is decades away, but for some of you it may only be days. I challenge you—for your sake and the sake of your loved ones—to get ready.
Our days are numbered…and we don’t know how many we have left. Now is the time to live healthy, get right with God, and get our affairs in order for those left behind. Now is the time to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Now is the time to love our neighbor—and our loved ones—as ourself.
A message like this can be a downer, but it need not be depressing. Actually, planning for your death can be a tremendous blessing to your loved ones and even to you. As followers of Jesus, we have hope that we truly are going to a better place, but it begins with preparing today for tomorrow. Jesus said,
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:42-44)
Faith in Jesus does not promise escape from death. It promises something better, that death does not get the last word. Now go live like you’re dying…because you are! And remember, the best is yet to come!
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Series: Matters of Life and Death
May 17, 2026
Proverbs 13:20-22
Series Big Idea: You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
Big Idea: It’s never too soon to think about the legacy—or mess—we will leave.
Key Verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
Are you ready to die? There’s a good chance it’s going to happen someday! Death and taxes are certain for all of us. The Psalms say,
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
I realize death is not necessarily the most happy, uplifting thing to think about, but failing to do so has tremendous consequences. As we conclude our three-part series Matters of Life and Death, I want to remind you of Jesus’ summary of the entire Bible. He said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
Two weeks ago, our ministry fellow Alex Miller talked about loving God with all your strength, your body. It’s a temple, a dwelling place for God and deserves care and respect.
Last Sunday, Pastors David and Kimberly spoke about loving God with all your soul, paying attention to your spiritual life and being prepared for death.
Today we’re talking about loving God with all your heart and mind…using your brain to make good choices that actually address Jesus’ next words.
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
Who do you love more than anyone besides God? Probably your family. Our days are numbered…and we don’t know how many we have left. Obviously senior citizens are likely to die sooner than high school seniors, but tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. Are you ready?
In addition to living healthy and getting right with God, we must get our affairs in order for those left behind.
Whenever someone asks, “How can I pray for you?” if I’m not in a crisis, I will say, “wisdom.” The Bible is filled with timeless wisdom, much of it contained in the book of Proverbs, often attributed to King Solomon.
Our text comes from the book of Proverbs. It begins,
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
That’s wisdom! You are your friends. Choose wisely.
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. (Proverbs 13:21)
At times, it may seem as if no good deed goes unpunished, but in the end, the righteous will be rewarded, if not in this life.
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
This is our focus today…what we leave behind. About 8500 people will die today in the USA. Some will leave a mess behind…debt, junk, a legacy of abuse and neglect. Others will leave an inheritance, not just money, but a legacy of faith, hope, and love.
I’m going to get extremely practical today. You can take notes now or visit PastorKirk.com later, but there are some things you won’t want to miss.
When people think of preparing for their death, the first thing they usually think about is their…will. Do you have one? Only 26% of USAmericans do. Or do you have a Revocable Living Trust, which has additional benefits? Are beneficiaries named on your assets? What about passwords? Is there a place people can access your login information for bank accounts, bills, and other websites? Is there a list of your assets, including insurance policies, properties, and investments?
My dad died twelve years ago of Alzheimer’s. We had years to prepare…and mom did. His transition to the next life was smooth and easy.
My mother-in-law died four years earlier…unexpectedly. When we took her to the hospital, we never imagined she would never come home. She had assets without beneficiaries, an under-water apartment, boxes of papers, and we spent needless time and money in probate court. It was a stressful mess.
If you died today, will your loved ones be grateful or grumbling about your estate? I’m not even talking about the amount of money, but are things organized? Are your plans written in a legal document? Will your possessions easily transfer? Do you have a “cheat sheet” with passwords for those left behind to settle your affairs? Are your financial wishes clear? Will all your wealth go to your children or have you considered eternal investments such as College First and other ministries? This is about loving well those dearest to us.
You may be thinking, “I’m a student with no assets…and I’ll probably live another 80 years.” Maybe, but maybe not. There’s a saying in the life insurance industry: it’s not for you, but those you leave behind. Speaking of, do you have life insurance? This is especially crucial if you have children at home. It’s never too soon to prepare for death.
Medical Preparation
Preparation for death does not always involve death itself. Do you have a living will? A health care power of attorney? Who will make medical decisions if you are unable to do so? It is imperative that you communicate with loved ones your wishes regarding medical care, especially regarding prolonging your life. Don’t burden others with decisions you can make today. Are your medical wishes clear? Have you completed a HIPPA authorization form?
Funeral Preparation
What about your body? Do you want to be buried? Cremated? A funeral or memorial service? Who do you want to officiate your ceremony? Do you have special songs you want sung, a favorite Bible passage read? Some of us will have months to consider such decisions, but there may be no better time than the present to sketch out some ideas of how you want to be remembered. Are your funeral wishes clear?
Legacy
Obviously, none of us has complete control over how we will be remembered. Even if we plan the most memorable funeral, we will have no say in how others remember us once we’re gone. What will people say at your funeral?
The most important thing you can pass down to your loved ones is not money or even a well-planned memorial service but your legacy, your story, your wisdom, your life. I’ve attended countless funerals and the legacy of the deceased is always apparent.
What do you want on your tombstone? He worked hard and made a lot of money? She was devoted to her hobbies and loved to shop? They generously invested their lives in the next generation, mentoring and tutoring? Their life resembled Jesus and they helped others to know Christ, too?
This is where things get personal in a hurry. Your legacy will not be established during your final breaths. It is established now, today, on an ordinary day, over the course of ordinary days, months, years, decades. Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
While you’re at it, write notes to your loved ones. Videotape stories of your childhood. Preserve your memories for future generations.
I was recently introduced to a tool called The Exhale Vault (exhalevault.com). There is a fee, but it guides you through documenting, organizing, and securing your stuff in one place. You can upload videos such as how to change the furnace filter, post letters to loved ones, list passwords, detail investments, share legal documents, and more. You can even grant access to certain items to certain people. This isn’t a commercial and I don’t get a commission, but it has been comforting to me and my wife to have everything in one place.
My dear friend, Ken McIntyre at the University says if you’re in your 20s and 30s, you need to focus on foundation and protection, legal and financial decisions that will matter. Those in their 30s and 40s are in a season of family and asset growth including kids, career growth, and often home ownership. If you’re in your 50s and 60s, it’s time to develop tax and other strategies to preserve wealth, while 70s and beyond is a season to update, finalize, and address healthcare documents.
I also have a list of local resources that can assist with estate planning, legal matters, CPA and finances, and Medicare issues. If you’d like a copy, simply e-mail kirk@collegefirst.org. This isn’t an endorsement, necessarily, but might be a good place to start.
So What?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die…spiritually and otherwise. This entire message…this entire series has been created to give you a moment to pause, to take inventory, to account for your life and how you are living it…how you are loving God and loving others.
I hope your funeral is decades away, but for some of you it may only be days. I challenge you—for your sake and the sake of your loved ones—to get ready.
Our days are numbered…and we don’t know how many we have left. Now is the time to live healthy, get right with God, and get our affairs in order for those left behind. Now is the time to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Now is the time to love our neighbor—and our loved ones—as ourself.
A message like this can be a downer, but it need not be depressing. Actually, planning for your death can be a tremendous blessing to your loved ones and even to you. As followers of Jesus, we have hope that we truly are going to a better place, but it begins with preparing today for tomorrow. Jesus said,
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:42-44)
Faith in Jesus does not promise escape from death. It promises something better, that death does not get the last word. Now go live like you’re dying…because you are! And remember, the best is yet to come!