Are we getting it wrong?

This question hit me yesterday in regards to the Gospel.  I grew up in a solid Southern Baptist church, being taught that I must turn to Jesus in order to escape hell and get to heaven to live with him forever.  That message has been the crux of the Gospel preached in churches for decades in this country.  However, is this the message Jesus proclaimed?  Are we leaving something out? 

The more I read the Gospels and the more I read books about Jesus the more I think that we are leaving out a big part of the Gospel message, if not the main part.  One major part is eternal salvation, i.e. getting to be with Jesus forever.  But, I have come to realize that part of the message is more of a benefit of the Gospel rather than the main focus of the Gospel.  The apostle John in the first chapter of his Gospel said that Jesus (the Word) came that we might have life.  Was John merely talking about an eternal life that awaits us in the future after we die or Jesus comes back?  I don't think so.  I think the apostle was teaching that Jesus came to give us a new life on this earth in the here and now with the ultimate benefit of this new life being eternal life with him one day.  Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."  The ESV text note says this about verse 10, "Jesus calls his followers, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, but to a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with his people."  This is the message Jesus died for.  He died so that we might live, not just eternally up in the sky one day, but live a full, new life here on this earth.  He died so that we might live the life we were created and meant to live.  To preach the Gospel in the light of just heaven and hell is to cheapen the Gospel.  We are leaving out the best part.  Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven in John 3.  This concept of born again points to a new life here and now. 
When God led his people out of Egypt and slavery, he led them to the Promised Land.  This was the land he promised to give to Abraham's descendants.  This was a land flowing with milk and honey.  The Promised Land for us is heaven.  We aren't there yet.  We have to go through the wilderness of this earth in order to get there, but the best part about that journey is that God has set us free from slavery to sin so that we may live a new life as free men and women for his glory and kingdom.  The benefit of this new life is the Promised Land of eternal rest and life with Jesus Christ our Savior forever. 

I believe this is one of the reasons why people are rejecting Christianity in our society today.  Most people have no problem with Jesus; they have a problem with the church.  If we are the Body of Christ and they have no problem with Christ, then they should have no problem with us.  There is a disconnect somewhere and I believe it's found within the Gospel we are preaching.  We need to get back to the Gospel Jesus preached.  He preached a Gospel of freedom for the prisoners and a new life for those who would follow him.  He preached about heaven and hell, but only as a benefit for accepting his offer of a new life or rejecting it.  Luke 4:16-21 says this, "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.  And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.  And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.  He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  And he began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is has been fulfilled in your hearing.'"  This is the message Jesus came to proclaim, a message of freedom and life.  This new life does not promise to be worry-free, pain-free, or problem-free.  But, this new life does promise one who will take our worries, our pain, and our problems and give us a burden that is light and give us peace.  This is the message the world needs to hear.  This is the Jesus people need us to introduce them to.