There is a lot of misunderstanding around the Christian life. For some reason, some insist that being a Christian (at least a “good” Christian) means that we will have good health, lots of stuff, and a favored position. So this version of Christianity goes: Jesus wants you healthy, wealthy, and happy – and if we are doing “it” right, we should experience all three.
This picture works sort-of, and some-times, and in the lives of some people. Examples will be shared of people who are on a “biblical diet” who are not sick; Christians who increased their tithe and then saw their business boom; and people who shared the Gospel and their entire network trusted Jesus and celebrated.
This is, some would argue, the triumphant Christian life.
But there is something that doesn’t seem right about this assessment. The physically healthy Christian eventually gets sick and dies. The world is full of godly believers in Jesus Christ who live below the poverty line or have “less” than their non-Christian neighbor. And even the celebrated evangelist finds their message rejected in some audiences … sometimes with people even “shooting” the messenger.
How do we square these realities? Doesn’t Jesus “always lead us in triumphal procession in Christ?” If I am doing the Christian life right, why can’t I expect to be healthy, wealthy, and happy?
Well, if you have ever had any questions like this … come to Wildwood Community Church on Sunday, January 29. I will be preaching in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services in part 1 of a series entitled “Mission: Brief.” We need to accurately understand the mission Jesus is taking us on as we follow Him. In fact, He IS leading us in triumphal procession (as we will see this week in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17)… but the parade may be a bit different than you have been led to believe: in the most important ways, it is way better, just maybe with a few more bumps in the road than we previously knew.
After all, what should we expect when we follow a crucified King? A resurrection – YES … but not before carrying our cross up a meaningful hill. See you Sunday … and bring friends!