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Stephen Colbert is known for asking his guests the question, “What happens when we die?” For his final week he switched roles and allowed his guest to ask him this question. Most of his guests seem to give rather unconvincing answers that involve things like disappearing into some ambiguous sort of spiritual realm or even complete annihilation. I was therefore very interested to hear Colbert’s answer since he was raised Catholic.
First, let me just say that Colbert is so right in asking this question. Unlike most Q&A in popular culture today, this question is literally the single most important question to ask. Knowing the answer to this question is what ultimately gives meaning to life. And I do mean “knowing” the answer because we absolutely can and should know the answer. So imagine how disappointing it was to hear Colbert start by saying “I don’t know” and then devolve into the typical nebulous spiritual dispersal into a higher power… blah blah blah.
Today on the feast of Pentecost, we see the apostles come out of hiding and boldly proclaim the gospel. What is it that gave them this courage? A day earlier they were hiding for fear of being killed. Of course we know that the Holy Spirit came upon them and gave them power. But I would also summarize by saying that they had such courage because they knew beyond any shadow of a doubt the answer to the question, “What happens when we die?”
On Good Friday, they all went and hid out of fear or even denied knowing Jesus. They were so afraid of death. So what changed? They encountered Jesus risen from the dead. For the first time they knew for sure what happens when we die, and the news is good. Incredible even. They’re no longer afraid of death because they know that when we die death is not the end. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we will be raised. And not just some strange intangible spiritual consciousness. Our actual bodies will be raised and glorified like Jesus and we will live forever. No wonder they weren’t scared anymore!
For most of the last 2000 years, a huge group of people called Christians have known that this is the answer. So why all of the sudden does it seem like a game of “wrong answers only” when Colbert and others ask this question? When your answer is some strange spiritual mumbo jumbo that makes no sense, the typical response is normally just “Well, that’s interesting.” You don’t have to agree and no one is asking you to agree. It’s just a opinion.
But when you proclaim the actual truth of what happens when we die, it demands a response. If Jesus is raised from the dead, and we will be as well, then you can’t just say, “That’s an interesting opinion.” Christians don’t offer one more opinion about what happens when we die. We know the truth of what happens and we proclaim it. When the apostles proclaimed the gospel it demanded a response. We read that people were “cut to the heart” and asked “What therefore must we do to be saved?” That’s one response. Others rejected the message, arrested the apostles, and ultimately killed them. That’s the other option.
When the apostles gave their answer to the question, it changed the world. Can I propose that every Christian needs to know the answer to the question and you absolutely have to be ready to share it. Not some weird nebulous mumbo jumbo designed not to offend anyone. I mean the actual truth of the resurrection of Jesus. “What happens when we die?” The apostles knew the answer and proclaimed it boldly on the first Pentecost. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s gift of wisdom, knowledge, and courage so that you too will go out and give your own convincing answer.