AIN’T NOBODY GONNA STOP ME
I AIN’T EVER GONNA STOP
Johann Tetzel, salty like a pretzel.
fat, doughy face like he ate Hansel and Gretel.
big in the middle, little in the brain.
if you were drowning, he would send rain.
if you were burning, he would send a spark.
if you were lost, he would send the dark.
but if you got a coin, even if it’s copper,
he can getcha outta hell, prompt and proper.
AIN’T NOBODY…
look---Tetzel is a sinner and i don’t pretend i’m different,
but his preaching on indulgences is the work of the serpent.
when Jesus said “repent” he meant to spend your breath from life to death
in the struggle---to turn from sin again and again until we’re rolling in
our graves---only Jesus saves, here I raise my ebenezer.
I give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and I give to the Pope what is his,
but that don’t include my soul, which was never his to save in the first place.
if Leo X was here, I’d say “look at this disgrace---don’t you turn away”
but I can only pray: how long, O Lord, will you hide your face?
how long, O Lord, will you hide your face?
HOW LONG O LORD?
HOW LONG WILL YOU HIDE YOUR FACE FROM ME?
I don’t know how we got here, where the church sells salvation.
forget the penitent and the patient, forget your sense of indignation.
the church will set you free from a place you can’t see.
get out of jail for a fee, pass go, then pass the peace with me.
who can offer assurance outside of Jesus?
our savior bled, our papacy bleeds us.
how can one man interpret Scripture?
how can one man see an infinite picture?
we are just broken clay pitchers, belly itchers,
lowly creatures with distorted features.
a truly contrite soul doesn’t need paper to know it’s saved.
30 silver pieces for your own personal Jesus.
HOW LONG O LORD?...
credits
from HERE I STAND: a Lutheran mixtape,
released April 29, 2017
Written, performed, and produced by Andy Pokel, with:
Dane Christensen, bass
Daniel Greco, vocals
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