the purse

THE PURSE

THE WORD CALENDAR
COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD CALENDS

WHICH MEANS THE FIRST OF THE MONTH

SO A CALENDAR
IS A DEVICE
THAT HELPS PEOPLE
FIND THE FIRST OF THE MONTH

THE WORD CALENDS
ALSO MEANS
THE COIN PURSE OF THE MONEY LENDER

WHO WOULD COME BY
ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH
WITH HIS PURSE OPEN
TO RECEIVE THE PAYMENTS DUE HIM

DURING THIS WINTER
WITH ITS MANY DISASTERS
SOME FELT THAT GOD WAS COMING  
TO COLLECT HIS DEBT

THAT HE WOULD COME
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

LIKE A MONEY LENDER
DEMANDING PAYMENT

BECAUSE WE WERE IMPOVERISHED
WE COULDN'T PAY

WE WOULD BE PUNISHED
FOR OUR SINS

NOT A NEW IDEA

OUR FOUNDER
MARTIN LUTHER
LABORED MUCH OF HIS LIFE
UNDER THE IDEA
THAT TRY AS HE MIGHT
HE COULD NOT PLEASE GOD


 AS A RESULT
AN ANGRY
MEAN SPIRITED GOD
WOULD PUNISH HIM

BUT
HAVEN BEEN FORGIVEN OUR DEBT
HAVEN BEEN GIVEN SUCH A GIFT
WE FEEL UNWORTHY

WE CANNOT MEASURE UP TO THE MARK
WE CANNOT FILL THE MONEY LENDER'S
PURSE

UNWORTHY OF THE GIFT OF REBIRTH
WE FEEL THAT WE WILL BE CRUSHED
BY ITS WEIGHT
BY ITS OBLIGATIONS

BUT JESUS SAYS
MY FATHER SO LOVED THE WORLD

HE SENT ME

HE SENT ME
TO SAVE IT

 ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME
BELIEVES IN THE FATHER
AND WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE

BUT THE GIFT IS TOO GREAT

TOO GREAT FOR US

TOO GREAT FOR US
WHO ARE TOO SMALL

HOW CAN WE EVER REPAY YOU

BELIEVE IN ME
IS ALL I ASK

BELIEVE
AND LET YOUR LIFE FLOW
FROM THAT BELIEF

BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE SHALL STUMBLE
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE WEAK
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE UNWORTHY
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE SINNERS
I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU

SO WHEN THE TEMPTER COMES

AS COME HE WILL
TO MAKE YOU DOUBT
YOUR BELIEFS

TO MAKE YOU FEEL
UNLOVED AND UNWANTED BY GOD

TELL THE TEMPTER
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

TELL THE TEMPTER
MY DEBT HAS BEEN PAID

MY DEBT HAS BEEN PAID BY JESUS

WHO DID NOT PAY
THE GREAT PRICE HE PAID

SO THAT LATER HE COULD DESTROY ME
AS YOU ARE TRYING TO DESTROY ME

TELL THE TEMPTER

WHEN HE COMES
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

TELL THE TEMPTER
MONEY LENDER
TELL HIM

CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID


CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID IN FULL

CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID IN FULL BY JESUS


FRANK A VOLLMER