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In his book, Messy Spirituality, the late Michael Yocanelli states: “According to the New Testament, Jesus is attracted to the unattracted. He prefers the lost ones over the found ones, the losers over the winners, the broken instead of the whole, the messy instead of the unmessy, and the crippled instead of the noncrippled.” There are those who would hear these words from Yocanelli and would become very offended; offended because Yocanelli’s depiction of Jesus can create a certain level of discomfort. The discomfort arises because there are persons who have spent many years on this Christian journey trying to be “right.” We’ve tried to live right, talk right, and act right. We’ve tried to live a righteous life in an attempt to guarantee a fruitful and productive relationship with God. In doing so we believe that our behavior and actions will secure us a place in heaven.
Honestly, who wants to accept that Jesus has an affinity for people we are so desperately trying to avoid? But according to Yocanelli the people we try to avoid are the people that Jesus has a tendency to gravitate toward, and for many this is scandalous! Why would Jesus associate with those on the underside of humanity? Why would Jesus socialize with those who are most ostracized? Why would Jesus develop friendships with those who are considered undesirable? The answer can be found in Matthew 9:12. In that verse Jesus declares: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” It is as if Jesus is saying, “Those who don’t think they need healing don’t need me, but those who are acutely aware of their woundedness need the healing I possess.”
The truth of the matter is that Jesus’ propensity to relate to the lost and the left-out can only be offensive and scandalous to the one who feels that they have it all together. But if you are like me, then you are extremely aware of your flaws and your shortcomings. It is this recognition that also helps you to realize that you are in need of healing; the kind of healing that Jesus offers. In other words, Jesus’ scandalous behavior is what makes your wholeness possible. Thank God!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Mike
Rykiel
/ February 24, 2010I am thanking..
I am also clearly caught up in reading each of these posts and leaving you comments just for its sake. And the signature is a good look – it brought veracity to these
Nissi
/ June 30, 2010Thank God
is the understatement of a lifetime.
Who but He(God),
would provide for “them”(the lost).
As “they”(the found) may so quaintly express it .
God’s birdseye view of our lives has been our saving grace.
Lately, in Bible Study, we’ve been discussing Peter.
Maybe, Gods hands shaped the entire situation.
Maybe, just maybe, Peter was not the warrior that he desired to be,
but the Shepard that God created him to be.
Thus, his denial of Jesus
and Jesus’ command
to feed His sheep.
Idk it’s just a thought.
Rob
/ July 11, 2010I would like to take the time out to thankyou for your inspiring words, I read Messy Spirtuality by M ichaely Yaconelli and was very move by his strong beleif and Christian journey.
I also want to thankyou for the discipleship trainings that I have participated along with the books that you have receommended for reading. Before starting on ” If The Chruch Were Christian” by Philip Gulley I was reading John Shelby Spong ” Jesus For The Non- Religious” and discovered the simalarities in each author writing. John Shelby Spong book to me provide a very good wait for us so call Christian to rethink what we have been taught and seperate the mthys from reality of Jesus theaching.
This is a reqeust for you to consider. After reading “If The Church Were Christian” and hereing the comments of those who participated in the discipleship training in my spirt I feel that the only way that we can be PUSH into deconstruction of our pass theaching and open the door for reconstruction is through a discipleship training on Jesus For The Non-Religious.
Peace
I AM THE BELOVE OF GOD, GOD SPIRT REST UPON ME AND IN ME GOD FIND FAVOR
Arva Q. Blackwood
/ July 12, 2010I thank you so much for this. It gives clarity to the practice of our own individual Christian walk and the people we will encounter as we share our testimonies with them. This also helps us to realise that those who fight for peace, without ever lifting a weapon, are more of a threat to the enemy than an invading army. Love, wisdom & power are the examples that Jesus gave us, and His disciples, to not fear but to walk in righteousness. When you think about, adults are nothing more than oversized preschoolers watching what other people do as opposed to doing what they say. The answer to the question “Who needs Jesus?” Big kids & little kids, for Jesus watches over them all.
Charles Powell
/ July 17, 2010Pastor:
After reading this reflection, I reflected on my paper on “Messy Spirituality” following the Discipleship Training on the book and remembered that each time I referenced Jesus and how thank ful I was/am for His love, kindness, grace, mercy and caring, you inserted “& God.” I did not necessarily get the connection right away, but clearly over the last year (through your teaching/preaching and Bible Studies) I got it..get it.
I thank God each day for His Son..Our Brother Jesus..the living manifestation of all that God has done and continues to do for each of His Beloved Children. Thank you for consistently reminding us of the role Jesus plays in directing us to the Father with the same focus and in the same way He always directed Himself. How wonderful and empowering for us disciples to know that God has given us in Jesus such a wonderful living Guide and Example of His love for all creation.
So when I think of Jesus, I thank God that I instantly see..feel..hear the Father who by lovng Grace continues to deal with our messiness by all means necessary.
I am the Son of the Most High God.
Your Brother Charles