REFORMATION (Matthew 22:34-46)

REFORMATION  (Matthew 22:34-46)

I’VE BEEN READING ABOUT THE REFORMATION

THE MORNING STARS THAT PRECEDED IT

LIKE HUS AND WYCLIFFE

ABOUT NOBLES WHO KEPT A HOUSE PRIEST

WHO AFTER DALLYING WITH THEIR MISTRESS

WOULD CONFESS

 BE RIGHT AGAIN

ABOUT HOW MANY MOVEMENTS

BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

CALLED FOR ITS RETURN

TO EARLY POVERTY

SO THAT CHURCH LIFE

MIGHT MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE  

PEOPLE’S LIFE

AND BE TAUGHT THEM IN A LANGUAGE

THEY COULD UNDERSTAND

BUT AFTER THE BREAK

ARE WE ANY BETTER

DO WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR

AS OURSELVES

IF HE IS DIFFERENT

IN FAITH

RACE

NATIONALITY

DO WE PREACH LOVE

 PRACTICE HATRED

IF CHRIST CAME

WOULD WE KILL HIM FOR BEING A JEW

AS WE KILLED SIX MILLION CHRISTS

AND THE CHURCH WAS SILENT

 MILLIONS OF AFRICANS

ARE DYING NOW

SO FEW CARE

WE’D RATHER INVADE A COUNTRY FOR OIL

BUT WHEN CHURCH AND STATE ARE JOINED

WE HAVE LUTHER BETRAYING THE PEASANTS

OR COUNSELING THE PRINCE

TO PRACTICE ADULTERY

QUIETLY

AND FINALLY

AGREEING TO DIVORCE

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BROKEN LANDSCAPE

OF THE CHURCH

EACH ONE LOOKING AT THE SHATTERED SHARD

OF THE MIRROR

SAYING

THEIRS IS THE TRUE REFLECTION

HOW MANY FACES HAS THE TRUTH

BUT ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING

WE’VE HAD DISSENSION

WE’VE HAD

PAUL VERSUS PETER

JEW VERSUS GENTILE

PURE VERSUS IMPURE FOOD

WOULD NOT A BETTER LITMUS TEST BE

NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE

BUT WHAT WE DO

DOES KNOWING THE HYPOSTATIC UNION

MAKE ONE HOLY

IS IT NOT BETTER

TO LIVE THE WORD

AND WHAT IS THAT WORD

WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

LOVE GOD

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

THE REST IS COMMENTARY

LUTHER A PLAYLET

LUTHER - ISAIAH 55, 1-13

WHEN I WAS A LAD

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY

WHEN I WAS A CHILD LIKE YOU

I HAD BEEN TAUGHT

I HAD BEEN TOTALLY TAUGHT

BY THE LEARNED PEOPLE OF THAT TIME

PRIESTS IN THE PULPIT

PARENTS IN THE HOME

TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL

BY THE TIME I WAS A YOUNG MAN

I HAD BEEN TAUGHT

THAT GOD HATED SIN

 THEREFORE GOD HATED ME

I WAS AFRAID OF GOD

I WAS TRAPPED LIKE AN ANIMAL

TRAPPED IN A ROOM WITH MOVABLE WALLS

TRAPPED IN A ROOM WHOSE WALLS HAD VOICES

ONE WALL CRIED OUT

CAN YOU BE FREE FROM SIN

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

                      (LIKE A MOAN)

(congregation join the choir)

ANOTHER

IS THERE A DAY OF JUDGMENT

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 

                                (LIKE A HISS)

(congregation join the choir)

ANOTHER

IS GOD INDIFFERENT TO SIN

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO    

                   (LIKE A MOAN)

(congregation join the choir)

ANOTHER

WILL YOU BE DAMMED FOR YOUR SINS

 YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS5      

                            (LIKE A HISS)

(congregation join the choir)

 OVER MY HEAD

LIKE THE SOUND OF THUNDER

WAS WHAT I WAS TOLD

WAS GOD'S VOICE

CRYING

VENGEANCE IS MINE

VENGEANCE IS MINE      

(BEATING ON TRASH CAN LID)

VENGEANCE IS MINE

VENGEANCE IS MINE      

(BEATING ON TRASH CAN LID)

THERE WAS NO ESCAPE

THE ROOM KEPT GETTING SMALLER

AND SMALLER

THE VOICES LOUDER AND LOUDER

THE THUNDER STRONGER AND STRONGER

TILL I CRIED OUT

GOD MY GOD

WHY DO YOU HAVE

SUCH AN ANGRY HATEFUL FACE     (LOUD BANG)

I FELL ON THE FLOOR

EXPECTING TO PLUNGE

INTO THE PIT OF HELL

AND NOTHING HAPPENED

THE EARTH DID NOT SWALLOW ME UP

RATHER IT PRESSED BACK

GOD'S LOVE PRESSED BACK

THEN I HEARD A SONG

 I HEARD IN THAT SONG

THE VOICES OF CHILDREN

THE VOICES OF CHILDREN

SINGING TO ME

TELLING ME WHY

THE EARTH HAD PRESSED BACK

SONG (TO BE SUNG SEVERAL TIMES)

(song to be supplied by frank vollmer)

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS

NOT LIKE YOURS

NOT LIKE YOURS

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS

I FORGIVE ALL SINS

I HAD MADE THE MISTAKE

OF TRYING TO CREATE GOD

IN MY IMAGE

I DID NOT REMEMBER

NOR HAD BEEN TAUGHT

THAT I WAS HIS CREATION

FRAIL AND IMPERFECT

BUT STILL LOVED BY HIM

AS A PARENT WILL ALWAYS LOVE A CHILD

NO MATTER HOW IMPERFECT

I HAVE LIVED MANY YEARS

SINCE THAT DAY

WHEN I FORGET THAT LESSON

THE WALL PRESS IN

WHEN I REMEMBER

THE WALLS RETREAT

NOT GONE COMPLETELY

FOR I AM NOT PERFECT

BUT THE SONG HELPS

WOULD YOU SING IT TO ME AGAIN

SONG                (TO BE SUNG SEVERAL TIMES)

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS

NOT LIKE YOURS

NOT LIKE YOURS

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS

I FORGIVE ALL SINS

Frank a vollmer

MOMENTO MORI

MOMENTO MORI

I’VE HAD A BRIEF VISIT WITH DEATH

HE STOPS BY OCCASIONALLY

TO REMIND ME OF MY PLACE

LIKE A FRIEND

WHO WALKS BESIDE THE EMPEROR

AT HIS CORONATION

WHISPERING IN HIS EAR

REMEMBER YOU MUST DIE

HE IS NOT VORACIOUS

IN HIS GATHERING OF SOULS

HE IS NOT LIKE SATAN

GOING ABOUT

SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR

HIS AIM

IS TO REMIND YOU

THAT ALL THINGS MUST END

HE IS NOT RSPONSIBLE

FOR THE WAY WE DIE

SOME WEAR OUT

SOME UNTIMELY RIPPED FROM LIFE’S FABRIC

HE COMES

AS A COMFORTER

THOUGH NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZED AS SUCH

HE PROMISES PEACE

AN END TO SUFFERING

 AN END TO THE MANY MISTAKES WE MAKE

BUT HIS MAIN TASK

IS TO REMIND US

WE LEAVE LIFE

EMPTY HANDED

FRANK A VOLLMER

.