THE DAY I BURIED MYSELF

He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world for My sake will keep it to life eternal. John 12:25

A paradox of the Christian faith is that if you hold on to your life you lose it, but if you yield it up to God (dying to self) you will gain eternal life. Our Lord tells two similar parables that capture the essence of this decision: the parable of the hidden treasure, and the pearl of great price (Matt.13:44 and 13:45-46). In each case a man finds a treasure of immense value and gives everything he has to get it. This is the value of the kingdom of heaven. There simply isn't anything more valuable than life in Christ. When I was starting a church in New Albany, Indiana in 1978, I received a phone call from a man named Russell Simpson. He was receiving my mail since he and I had the same name. I went over to meet him and his wife Rosa. They were fine Christian people who I often visited.  When he died his wife Rosa asked me to do the funeral. It was my first funeral. I recounted to the family how Russell and I met and how ironic to me to be burying my name sake, but in reality I had buried Russell Simpson 7 years earlier at The Ohio State University when in my dorm room I saw the inestimable value of Jesus Christ and gave my life to the Savior. Russell has done this, I have done this and everyone who wishes to gain eternal life must do it.       

Russ Simpson