Come to Jesus and Die!

This post is recycled from 03/16/2006

I was flipping through the channels one day and I happened to catch a segment on the popular ABC Family Channel show "Whose Line is It Anyway?". This is a show where four comedians have to improvise funny scenarios at the suggestions of the audience and the host Drew Carey. The theme of the segment was "rejected state slogans." I about fell over my chair in laughter when the bald Canadian guy said "Come to Florida and die." Believe it or not, it actually took me a while to get that one. I think it came to me several days later that the comedian was actually making a reference to Florida being a state where people go to retire. (Side note-this is further proof that you don't have to be an exceptionally bright guy to be a theologian.)

It didn't take long for my overactive mind to make a spiritual application to the funny sketch. A simple thought came to me. "What if Christian evangelists started advertising our faith that way? Come to Jesus and die!" The idea may sound like a public relations nightmare for Christianity, but, strangely, I don't think Jesus would really mind. After all, it was He who said "He who desires to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake will find it." In another place he said "He who comes after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." In modern parlance, that would be akin to saying "Come follow me to the electric chair!" Doesn't sound too appealing at first glance. But then again, maybe self denial really isn't so bad. After all, isn't it one of the golden rules of happiness that unhappy people are generally selfish people? You don't have to be a spoiled, pampered brat to be selfish, all you have to do is live for the pleasures of this world and forget about the God who created you. Jesus challenges us all to die to our selfish desires and live for His desires. I don't know about you, but I'll gladly give my life for the one who loved me and gave Himself to die on the cross for me. Why live for earth when you can live for heaven?