Dane Lewis – River's Edge Community Church

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So far Dane Lewis has created 502 blog entries.

On Being (Even More) Human

On Being (Even More) Human

We are talking about what it means to be human; and since our topic is extremely complex, I thought it would be good to begin by gleaning some wisdom from an expert. Consider these words from Calvin (and one from Hobbes and, I guess, also from Bill Watterson); and unlike a comic strip, each quote here stands alone: Calvin: “You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don’t help.” Calvin: “Everybody seeks happiness! Not me, though! That’s the difference between me and the rest of the world. Happiness isn’t good enough for me! I demand euphoria!” Calvin: “Life is full of surprises, but never when you need one.” Hobbes: “So the secret to good self-esteem is to lower your expectations to the point where they’re already met?” Calvin: “In my opinion, we don’t devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.” Calvin: “God put

On Being Human

On Being Human

One of my favorite TV shows of all time (although now, sadly, it is showing signs of age) is “The Prisoner.” Patrick McGoohan is one of Britain’s top-secret agents who unexpectedly resigns. He slams his fist down on his boss’ desk, storms out of the building and goes home to pack in order to leave the country. As he is packing, he is abducted and taken to “The Village.” The Village looks almost like a resort where everyone seems free enough; but make no mistake, it is a prison, and his keepers want information. But who are his keepers? And whose side are they on? No one is willing to say. Interestingly, there are no names in The Village, only numbers. McGoohan is Number Six. The warden is Number Two. The show always begins with the same dialogue: Number 6: “Where am I?

Wrestling with God in Ecclesiastes

Wrestling with God in Ecclesiastes

This sermon is based on Ecclesiastes 1:1-11. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve been invited to a skirmish.

The Knowing and Being Gap

The Knowing and Being Gap

My favorite album as a kid was by the Royal Guardsman; and it featured at least eight absolutely incredible songs, songs I still cherish today like an old treasure. Sing along if you know them. There was “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (“He was the bravest of them all”); “The Battle of New Orleans” (“We took a little bacon and we took a little beans and we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans”); “Li’l Red Riding Hood” (“You’re everything a big bad wolf could want.”); “Snoopy and the Red Baron” (“In the nick of time, a hero arose, a funny-looking dog with a big black nose”); and the super classic, “Peanut Butter” (“Well there's a food goin’ round that's a sticky sticky goo -- Peanut, Peanut Butter -- Oh well, it tastes so good but it's so hard to chew -- Peanut, Peanut Butter -- All my

Wrestling with God Like Job

Wrestling with God Like Job

This sermon is based on Job 42:1-9. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve been invited to a skirmish.

A Portrait of a Man of Many Hats

A Portrait of a Man of Many Hats

Today, we want to draw a portrait of Kierkegaard. And so, let’s begin by thinking like an artist. Edward Hopper said: “If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” We are looking at the first chapter in Mark Tietjen’s excellent book, Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians (InterVarsity Press, 2016). Tietjin believes Kierkegaard has lots to say to the church today; but to hear what he (either Kierkegaard or Tietjen) has to say, we have to set Kierkegaard in the right context. So, who was Kierkegaard? As we will see, he was a man of many hats. So, let’s begin our portrait. Who was Kierkegaard? He was a philosopher. At least, that is how most people think of him. If you want to read something by Kierkegaard, you go to the philosophy section. If you want more specific help, find the sections marked, “existentialism,”

Wrestling with God

Wrestling with God

This sermon is based on Genesis 32:22-30. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve been invited to a skirmish.

What Is Faith?

What Is Faith?

How important are books? Let me count the ways or, at least, count the quotes. From C.S. Lewis: “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” From Mark Twain: “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” From Fran Lebowitz: “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” From Erasmus: “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” Let me just say it: I like Erasmus! And last, from Mortimer Adler: “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” Recently, I finished Mark Tietjen’s Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians (InterVarsity, Downers Grove, 2016). Let me be honest. I have

The Story of a Spiritual Screw-Up

The Story of a Spiritual Screw-Up

This sermon introduces our new series and is based on Genesis 32:22-30. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve

Some Queries about Some Theories

Some Queries about Some Theories

One Sunday, a few months ago, I was in our kitchen getting ready to go to church when I heard a pop and a shoosting sound upstairs. I thought that was weird, but houses make noise. But when the shoosting (shoosting is a very technical hydrology word) continued, I knew I had a problem. And as soon as I walked upstairs, that was confirmed. The water line to our master bathroom sink had popped and was shoosting water all over the bathroom by the Niagara full. It was a completely random occurrence, one that could have happened at any time (apparently, either whoever installed our water line didn’t secure the line properly or it just loosened up over time). Thankfully, I was able to shut off the line, dry most of the floor and still get to church on time. But (and this is the point), had I not gone

“Do you believe?”

“Do you believe?”

This Resurrection Sunday sermon is based on John 11:17-26 and concludes this series. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions

What Rome Meant in the Atonement

What Rome Meant in the Atonement

There are many impossible things to ponder during Holy Week (questions that remain a mystery; answers that exceed our capacity to understand), but for me one question rises above all others: Why did God choose the cross? I believe that the cross is at the center of our salvation. I also believe that it didn’t just work out that way; rather, God chose, even before the foundations of the earth, that he would redeem fallen humanity by dying for it on the cross. There are all sorts of impossible things in those last three sentences to ponder, but the one that makes no sense to me whatsoever is why would God choose the cross as his instrument of salvation. After all, there are thousands of ways to die; why choose one of the most painful, the most agonizing, the most horrific? Even if we focused only on the 3 most

“Who is it you want?”

“Who is it you want?”

This sermon is based on John 18:1-13. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

Repeating Repentance

Repeating Repentance

In Galaxy Quest (think the original Star Trek movies with better actors and a better plot), it was the Omega 13 Device, a device that, when activated, went back in time 13 seconds, enabling you to correct one mistake. In Sherman and Mr. Peabody, it was the Way-Back Machine (travel through time to make things right). In note taking, it is the eraser. But it is in golf that we are given a proper name for these U-turns. We call them, mulligans. Interestingly, there are two stories for the origin of this term, both equally dubious. The first revolves around a Canadian golfer in the 1920’s, aptly named David Bernard Mulligan. Apparently, Mulligan had a very jarring trip to his country club and was so rattled by the experience that when he hit his first shot, it went way out of bounds. Without asking, Mulligan re-teed another ball and hit

“Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?”

“Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?”

This sermon is based on John 14:1-9. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

An Atonement Worth Mentioning

An Atonement Worth Mentioning

The other day, our son and daughter dropped by with their new rescue dog, Layla. Now, Layla is adorable, but she is not so sure about other dogs. When Ragna comes close, she growls and shows her teeth and acts like she is going to take a chunk out of Ragna’s ear. Now, Ragna responds like a gentleman. He backs off and finds a safe spot where he can be alone. He also acts out his anxiety by chewing on things. This time, he found a bag of Scrabble tiles and tossed them on the couch. But he only chewed on three of them. He chewed on the “R.” He chewed on the “Q.” And he chewed on the “L.” We figured he was trying to send a message; we are not just sure what it means. It could stand fo,r “Layla, Quit! Ragna.” Or it could be, “Layla quarrels

“You do not want to leave too, do you?”

“You do not want to leave too, do you?”

This sermon is based on John 6:60-69. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

One Final Dunk

One Final Dunk

Last Sunday, an anonymous person, let’s call him Paul, stopped and asked me about last week’s blog, particularly the question regarding private baptisms. As you recall, I said private baptisms are not allowed. Paul countered that Philip’s baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 was a private baptism and that my answer was mistaken. In times like these, I have several options. I can excommunicate Paul and send his membership to a church in the Northern North Alaskan Presbytery (that’s where all inappropriate question mongers go). Or I can demand that Paul read our Book of Church Order five times while standing on his head (chapter 56:2 says it clearly: “Baptism is not to be privately administered, but in the presence of the congregation under the supervision of the session”). Or I can quote from The Blues Brothers where Jake tries to explain to the “Mystery Woman” why he

“Do you realize what I have done for you?”

“Do you realize what I have done for you?”

This sermon is based on John 13:12-17. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Questions, questions and more questions; all of a trivial variety (since you did so well last time). On average, what is the thing that Americans do 22 times in a day? What is the real name of the Cookie Monster? What animals have fingerprints other than humans? Who sang about being an “eggman” and a “walrus”? Where were fortune cookies invented? What is the name of the vehicle that Scooby-Doo and his friends travel in? Which Italian town is the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? In our last two posts we’ve been dealing with some dangling questions that need to be answered before we bring this series to a close. So far, we have asked (and answered) the following five questions: Does baptism save? Is baptism necessary for salvation? What is accomplished in a baptism? Is the efficacy of baptism tied to that specific moment? Should we allow rebaptisms?