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Dane Lewis

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So far Dane Lewis has created 185 blog entries.

Following Jesus into Justice

This sermon is based on Mark 10:35-37, 41-45. SERIES OVERVIEW: There are certain things you just don’t do. For instance, you should never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river. That’s really good advice. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus presents a compelling and comprehensive vision of the kingdom of God, but oftentimes we ignore that and embrace a much easier and more convenient truncated version. But there are certain things you just don’t do. If you would never go out on a big date without first brushing your teeth, then why would you claim Jesus and not live out all of his kingdom essentials? So, what are these essentials and how should we put them into practice today? Those are the questions we want to address in this seven-part series we have entitled, “Kingdom Essentials.” If you would never go to a gala ball barefoot, then my guess

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Getting a Handle on the Law

This sermon concludes our series, "Getting a Handle on the Messiah," and is based on Matthew 5:17-20. SERIES OVERVIEW: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, not because I was consumed with justice or anything like that, I just liked saying, “I object.” And I thought it would be great fun getting paid for objecting to everything people said. Lots of people object to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They object to the use of Old Testament prophecies that may or may not refer to Jesus (like the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53) and the use of verses that seem to be taken out of context (“Out of Egypt I called my son” comes to mind) and references in the New Testament that seem to be forced (take your pick here!). As a result, people object strenuously to the claim that Jesus is the

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Getting a Handle on the Spirit

This sermon is based on Luke 4:14-21. SERIES OVERVIEW: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, not because I was consumed with justice or anything like that, I just liked saying, “I object.” And I thought it would be great fun getting paid for objecting to everything people said. Lots of people object to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They object to the use of Old Testament prophecies that may or may not refer to Jesus (like the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53) and the use of verses that seem to be taken out of context (“Out of Egypt I called my son” comes to mind) and references in the New Testament that seem to be forced (take your pick here!). As a result, people object strenuously to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. But, I object! We’re missing a key piece of

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Getting a Handle on the Word of God

This sermon is based on John 1:1-5. SERIES OVERVIEW: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, not because I was consumed with justice or anything like that, I just liked saying, “I object.” And I thought it would be great fun getting paid for objecting to everything people said. Lots of people object to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They object to the use of Old Testament prophecies that may or may not refer to Jesus (like the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53) and the use of verses that seem to be taken out of context (“Out of Egypt I called my son” comes to mind) and references in the New Testament that seem to be forced (take your pick here!). As a result, people object strenuously to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. But, I object! We’re missing a key piece of

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Getting a Handle on Wisdom

This sermon is based on Luke 2:42-52. SERIES OVERVIEW: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, not because I was consumed with justice or anything like that, I just liked saying, “I object.” And I thought it would be great fun getting paid for objecting to everything people said. Lots of people object to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They object to the use of Old Testament prophecies that may or may not refer to Jesus (like the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53) and the use of verses that seem to be taken out of context (“Out of Egypt I called my son” comes to mind) and references in the New Testament that seem to be forced (take your pick here!). As a result, people object strenuously to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. But, I object! We’re missing a key piece of

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Getting a Handle on the Temple

This sermon is based on John 1:14. SERIES OVERVIEW: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, not because I was consumed with justice or anything like that, I just liked saying, “I object.” And I thought it would be great fun getting paid for objecting to everything people said. Lots of people object to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. They object to the use of Old Testament prophecies that may or may not refer to Jesus (like the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53) and the use of verses that seem to be taken out of context (“Out of Egypt I called my son” comes to mind) and references in the New Testament that seem to be forced (take your pick here!). As a result, people object strenuously to the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. But, I object! We’re missing a key piece of

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A Community of World Subversion

This sermon is based on Philippians 2:5-11. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about what

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A Community of Gratitude

This sermon is based on Colossians 3:12-17. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about what

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A Community of Wisdom

This sermon is based on 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about

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A Community of Mission

This sermon is based on 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about

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A Community of Generosity

This sermon is based on 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about

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A Community of Family

This sermon is based on 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said: “It’s not about

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A Community of the Cross

This sermon is based on Philippians 2:5-11 and introduces this series. SERIES OVERVIEW: There’s a lot of talk out there about what the purpose of the church truly is. Some say mission. Some say worship. Some say justice. Some say teaching. Some say this and some say that. But enough talk. Let’s listen. Years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” And there it is: The purpose of the church is to form people into little Christs. But how does that happen? It begins in community, and it begins with the cross. Here’s the hope of the church, even if it wasn’t said by a theologian. Dr. Seuss said:

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Love for the Soul

This sermon is based on Revelation 21:1-4 and concludes this series. SERIES OVERVIEW: Goethe said it better than any of the other poets: “Everyone should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of their life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” Here’s my question for you: If this is true, how are you feeding your soul’s need to touch transcendence? And how are we as a church inspiring you to seek God by seeing beauty? See, God has placed beauty in our souls so that we would find him not only in worship and in nature, but in some rather unexpected places as well, in art, in music, in wonder and in moments that take our breath away. True, all truth is God’s truth, but there’s something even

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Art for the Soul

This sermon is based on Ephesians 2:8-10. SERIES OVERVIEW: Goethe said it better than any of the other poets: “Everyone should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of their life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” Here’s my question for you: If this is true, how are you feeding your soul’s need to touch transcendence? And how are we as a church inspiring you to seek God by seeing beauty? See, God has placed beauty in our souls so that we would find him not only in worship and in nature, but in some rather unexpected places as well, in art, in music, in wonder and in moments that take our breath away. True, all truth is God’s truth, but there’s something even more wonderful than that:

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Glory for the Soul

This sermon is based on Psalm 19:1-4, 7-8, 10, 14. SERIES OVERVIEW: Goethe said it better than any of the other poets: “Everyone should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of their life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” Here’s my question for you: If this is true, how are you feeding your soul’s need to touch transcendence? And how are we as a church inspiring you to seek God by seeing beauty? See, God has placed beauty in our souls so that we would find him not only in worship and in nature, but in some rather unexpected places as well, in art, in music, in wonder and in moments that take our breath away. True, all truth is God’s truth, but there’s something even more

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Beauty for the Soul

This sermon is based on Exodus 35:30-35. SERIES OVERVIEW: Goethe said it better than any of the other poets: “Everyone should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of their life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” Here’s my question for you: If this is true, how are you feeding your soul’s need to touch transcendence? And how are we as a church inspiring you to seek God by seeing beauty? See, God has placed beauty in our souls so that we would find him not only in worship and in nature, but in some rather unexpected places as well, in art, in music, in wonder and in moments that take our breath away. True, all truth is God’s truth, but there’s something even more wonderful than that:

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Reading Backwards

This sermon is based on Revelation 22:1-3 and concludes this series on Moses and the Ex. SERIES OVERVIEW: The Exodus contains the stuff Hollywood moguls can only dream of (see DeMille’s The Ten Commandments; no, literally, see DeMille’s The Ten Commandments). You have a strong leading man who comes from nowhere to rescue his people and become the greatest leader of his people. Plus, he’s not squeaky clean (he did murder someone, but don’t we all have a few skeletons in our closets). You have a great villain who seems invincible (but he can’t grow hair). You have a desperate situation with pain and misery. You have strong women who save the day (Yeah, women!). You have miracles; and just like in all great movies, the villain arises from his defeat for one last deadly encounter (but this time, it’s personal!). And I haven’t even mentioned the plagues (sure, Ebola

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Moses and the Sea

This sermon is based on Exodus 14:10-18. SERIES OVERVIEW: The Exodus contains the stuff Hollywood moguls can only dream of (see DeMille’s The Ten Commandments; no, literally, see DeMille’s The Ten Commandments). You have a strong leading man who comes from nowhere to rescue his people and become the greatest leader of his people. Plus, he’s not squeaky clean (he did murder someone, but don’t we all have a few skeletons in our closets). You have a great villain who seems invincible (but he can’t grow hair). You have a desperate situation with pain and misery. You have strong women who save the day (Yeah, women!). You have miracles; and just like in all great movies, the villain arises from his defeat for one last deadly encounter (but this time, it’s personal!). And I haven’t even mentioned the plagues (sure, Ebola or the Black Death are bad, but how about

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