Christianity Quote by Michael Yaconelli
““The religious leaders of the day had written the script for the Messiah. When Jesus announced he was the Messiah, the Pharisees and others screamed at him, "There is no Jesus in the Messiah script. Messiahs do not hang out with losers. Our Messiah does not break all the rules, Our Messiah does not question our leadership or threaten our religion or act so irresponsibly. Our Messiah does not disregard his reputation, befriend riffraff, or frequent the haunts of questionable people." Jesus' reply? "This Messiah does"! Do you see why Christianity is called "good news"? Christianity proclaims that it is an equal-opportunity faith, open to all, in spite of the abundance of playwrights in the church who are more than anxious to announce, "There is no place for you in Christianity if you [wear an earring/have a tattoo/drink wine/have too many questions/look weird/smoke/dance/haven't been filled with the Spirit/aren't baptized/swear/have pink hair/are in the wrong ethnic group/have a nose ring/have had an abortion/are gay or lesbian/are too conservative or too liberal].””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gospel of Matthew, New Testament, 1st century AD
The quote argues that Jesus redefined messiahship by embracing those marginalized and breaking societal expectations, showing Christianity as inclusive.
In simple terms: Jesus welcomed all, even those rejected by religious leaders.
Embrace inclusivity and challenge exclusive norms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- church leadership
- personal faith
- community building
- interfaith dialogue
- social activism
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you practice inclusivity without compromising core beliefs?
- What limits exist for openness in religious communities?
The message may overlook the complexities of doctrinal boundaries and individual convictions.