I AM (JOHN 18:5-6)

IN SHOCK

THE SOLDIERS FELL BACK

FELL DOWN

THE JEWISH SOLDIERS THOUGHT

BLASPHEMY

THE ROMAN SOLDIERS THOUGHT

LUNACY

THE ROOT WAS THE SAME

THE MAN HAD DECLARED HIMSELF

GOD

HAD DECLARED HIMSELF

I AM

AN ECHO OF LONG AGO

A BURNING BUSH

AND MOSES

I AM

BEFORE TIME BEGAN

I AM

AS LONG AS TIME RUNS

I AM

WHEN TIME SHALL CEASE

I AM

WHO DO YOU SEEK

JESUS OF NAZARETH

I AM

LET MY FRIENDS GO

YOU ARE LOOKING FOR I AM

I’VE ALREADY TOLD YOU

I AM HE

THEN THIS GREAT GOD

WHO LEAPED FROM HEAVEN

TO BE WITH MEN

TOOK THE FORM OF A COMMON CRIMINAL

AND WENT TO HIS DEATH

WHERE EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN AWAY

MOTHER

FRIENDS

DIGNITY

CLOTHES

LIFE

BUT BEFORE DEATH

WOULD COME THE WORST OF ALL

WHEN HE FELT HIS FATHER

HAD ABANDONED HIM

THE WORST LOSS OF ALL

HE DIED

AS ALL MEN DIE

PLEADING FOR GOD TO TAKE HIM

WHO DO YOU SEEK

JESUS OF NAZARETH

WHO DO WE SEEK

JESUS OF NAZARETH

THE GREAT

I AM

FRANK A VOLLMER

Based on a sermon idea of Pastor Moody

INVISIBLE HANDS (GENESIS 1)

AND GOD STOOD UP

BRUSHED HIS INVISIBLE HANDS

LOOKED AT THE CREATION HE HAD MADE

WITH HIS STILL INVISIBLE HANDS

FELT PRIDE

SMILED

 LIGHT BEGAN

SMILED AGAIN

CLAPPED HIS INVISIBLE HANDS

THUNDER ROLLED

COMETS FLEW THROUGH THE SKY

WATER SURGED

BUT HE CALMLY FIXED THEIR LIMITS

WITH SUN CAME LIFE

FLORA AND FAUNA

WITH LIFE CAME CONCERN

FOR LIVING THINGS

I NEED A GARDENER

A CARETAKER

FOR MY CREATION

HE MADE A MAN

TASKED HIM WITH THE JOB

FROM THE BEGINNING

WE WERE BAD GARDENERS

UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN

WITH A COSTLY GIFT

WE ATE THE FRUIT

ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE

WAY BEYOND OUR NEEDS

WITH SIN NIGHT BEGAN

TRYING TO CATCH THE RISING SUN

WE MARCHED EAST OUT OF THE GARDEN

BUT THE SUN WOULD NOT STAY

BUT SWEPT OVER US

AS IF TO SAY

YOU WANTED NIGHT

ONCE THERE WAS NO NIGHT

EVERY TIME THE SUN PASSES OVER

IT SEEMS TO SAY

IT’S NOT TO LATE TO TEND THE GARDEN

TO RESTORE THE BEAUTY OF MY WORLD

THEN GOD SMILED AGAIN

I’LL SEND MY SON TO HELP THE GARDENER

THE DARKNESS COULD NOT COMPREHEND THIS

AND FLED TO SHADOW LAND

IN MY GARDEN

 THIEVES CANNOT BREAK IN

OR MOTH CONSUME

IF THE GARDENER IS VIGILANT

FOR MY PART

 I HOLD THE WORLD

IN MY INVISIBLE HANDS

FRANK A VOLLMER

SOCIAL GOSPEL (JOHN 3:16)

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL
IS NOT AN APPENDAGE
TO CHRISTIANITY
BUT THE ESSENCE OF IT

WE LABOR OVER THE DIFFERENCES
BUT DO NOT REMEMBER
THE COMMON THREAD

THROUGH OUT THE TESTAMENTS
LOVE GOD
LOVE NEIGHBOR

WHEN CHRIST WAS TASKED
TO GIVE THE FINAL SACRIFICE

HE WENT
THOUGH HE WAS AFRAID

HE WENT
ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROPHETS
PROCLAIMING GOOD NEWS
TO ALL PEOPLE

NOT REGARDING
SOCIAL STATUS
INTELLIGENCE
WEALTH OR POVERTY
POWER OR IMPOTENCE

WE SHOULD REMEMBER ONLY
THAT CHRIST HAS DIED FOR ALL
THEREFORE EVERYMAN
HAS DIGNITY

IS ENTITLED TO ALL
THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE

TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR
WITHOUT HUNGER
WITHOUT THIRST FOR CLEAN WATER

TO SEE HIS CHILDREN THRIVE
SLEEP IN A WARM BED
HAVE A FUTURE

A MINISTER HAS RECENTLY SAID
THAT HE EXPECTS
TO SEE GANDHI IN HEAVEN

WHICH CREATED A FIRESTORM
AMONG THOSE CHRISTIANS
WHO SAY
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
THERE IS NO SALVATION


THEIR IDEA OF CHURCH
IS SO NARROW
THAT IT PUTS A LIE
TO JOHN 3:16

THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
HE SENT HIS SON 
TO DIE FOR IT

WHERE DID THESE
GATEKEEPERS OF THE KINGDOM
GET THE POWER
TO BUILD A FENCE
AROUND THOSE
WHOM CHRIST WOULD SAVE

GOD’S CHURCH
IS BIGGER THAN CREED

GOD’S CHURCH IS BUILT
ON THE SOCIAL GOSPEL

WE WILL BE JUDGED
BY OUR CONDUCT

WE WOULD DO BETTER
TO BUILD THE KINGDOM
THE WAY GOD WANTS
RATHER
THAN RESTRICT MEMBERSHIP


FRANK A VOLLMER

BRACELET (Matthew 25:33)

THERE IS A BRACELET GOING AROUND

DUE TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

WE FIND OURSELVES IN

THAT
SAYS

WHAT
WOULD JESUS CUT

I’M
NOT A BIG FAN OF SLOGANS

TOO
OFTEN THE SLOGAN REPLACES THINKING

BUT
I LIKE THIS ONE

IF
I IMAGINE A CONVERSATION WITH JESUS

ASKING
HIM

WHAT
WOULD YOU CUT

MY
MIND SAYS HIS ANSWER WOULD BE

CUT
THE BULLSHIT

LIVE
THE GOSPEL

THAT YOU PROCLAIM THAT YOU BELIEVE

AT JUDGMENT TIME

I’LL ASK ONE QUESTION

HOW
DID YOU TREAT YOUR NEIGHBOR

OR
WAS YOUR SERVICE SINGING LOUDLY

WITH
NO ACTION

OR
COMPASSION

ANSWER ME

SHOULD
YOU GO LEFT OR RIGHT

FRANK A VOLLMER

PERFECT (Matthew 19:21)

BE YOU PERFECT
AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
IS PERFECT

IF YOU WOULD BE PERFECT
SELL ALL YOU HAVE
AND GIVE TO THE POOR
COME FOLLOW ME

FAMILIAR QUOTES FROM THE BIBLE

BUT IT SEEMS TO PLACE THE BAR
TOO HIGH

THE THOUGHT IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY
IN WHOSE MILIEU
THE NEW TESTAMENT
WAS WRITTEN
WAS

IF SOMETHING
DID A TASK
FOR WHICH IT WAS MADE
IT WAS PERFECT

SO A WRENCH IS NOT PERFECT
FOR DRIVING NAILS

A CHAINSAW
FOR MEASURING WOOD

A KNIFE
FOR TURNING SCREWS

THOUGH I’M SURE
MOST PARENTS
HAVE DONE SO
THEY CAN’T FIND THEIR SCREWDRIVERS

WHAT ARE WE MADE FOR
WE ARISE FRESH FROM THE BAPTISMAL FONT
EXPECTED TO LIVE AS CHRISTIANS

TO FOLLOW THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS

LOVE GOD
LOVE NEIGHBOR

THE SUM OF THE COMMANDMENTS

AS WE APPROACH THE IDEAL
WE ARE PERFECT

AS WE LEAVE THE IDEAL
WE ARE BROKEN

CHRISTIANITY
IS MORE THAN
SUNDAY MORNING SHINY FACE
BUT 24/7 x 365

LIVING THE LIFE
WALKING THE WALK
JUDGING EVERYTHING
AGAINST THE IDEAL

FOR WHAT WAS I MADE

BE YOU PERFECT
AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT

BE WHAT I CREATED YOU
TO BE

FRANK A VOLLMER