PrintA Strange Funeral Request
On the 25th September, 2005, Don Adams died at age 82
"Don who?" I hear some of you say. Don was the comedian who played the role of the bumbling secret agent, Maxwell Smart, in that madcap, whacky comedy, "Get Smart". To be honest, Max is one of my heroes. He seems to bumble his way from one predicament to another yet always winning over the bad guys in the end.
Not too long before his death, a very aged Don Adams made one of his last public appearances at which he said,
"Actually, I plan to live to at least 100. However, if it doesn't work out that way I just want to say now that I don't want a big funeral. No flowers and eulogies or anything like that. I just want a few close friends to get together…..and try to bring me back to life!!"
So far as I am aware, there was no resurrection or resuscitation of Don Adams. (I'm sure it would have been reported in the news media!) Such a miracle has only happened once in the history of the world - to this point, at least. Some 2000 years ago just outside Jerusalem (and without a few friends gathered around) the lifeless body of Jesus of Nazareth suddenly pulsated with new life as He was raised from the dead.
Easter is about the defeat of death and the victory of life. God's eternal life is now available to all those who, by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, receive this greatest of all gifts.
I've been thinking lately about Don Adams' desire to be brought back to life. If I'm reading the Bible correctly and Jesus Christ is to be believed, Don will one day get his wish.
[Jesus said] Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment. (John 5:28-29)
Now I don't know much at all about Don Adams and whatever beliefs he may have had about such matters. So I'm not sure whether he will be delighted or distressed when his resurrection takes place.
One of Maxwell Smart's favourite sayings when referring to a near miss was, "Missed it by that much". I think it would be a tragedy if Don Adams (or any of us for that matter), having been granted his wish to be brought back to life, realised that he had ignored or refused God's offer of eternal life and "missed it by that much".
