The Christ Code

- Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code

- The search for the Holy Grail is generally considered to be the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper and the one used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch his blood as he hung on the cross, said to possess miraculous powers.

- Tom Hanks as religious symbology expert Robert

Langdon

- Begins with a murder in the Louvre Paris

- Who & Why of this movie

- The Church covering up a secret & rewrote biblical

history

- Jesus was not the son of God but made the Son of God

by the Council of Nicea in 325

- Jesus & Mary Magdalene had a child

- Clues in Da Vinci’s work that

supposedly lead to the present

- 100,000 books sold are considered a best seller

- Was number 1 hardback bestseller for 03-04, Number 2 bestseller for 05 and now in 06 it is number 1 - paperback bestseller

- Now close to 50 million in print

- Fox News – over 50% of Americans are planing to see

the movie

Opening Weekend

- Opened on 1/3 of theater screens

- Resulting in 78% of ticket sales

Spin-Offs

- TV Specials, documentaries, board games, video games,

jewelry, travel guides, tours, a Da Vinci diet

Counter Books

• Da Vinci Code Decoded,

• The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code,

• Secrets of the Code,

• Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code,

• Breaking the Da Vinci Code,

• Exploring the Da Vinci Code,

• Cracking Da Vinci’s Code

Stop For a Moment

- Jesus did have a love child.

- Love children, actually.

- It’s not the child, or children that Dan Brown talks

about.

- His love child is sitting right here, at the end of

the first row.

- And he’s halfway to the back, slouching in the seat.

- Two others are married to each other, exhausted from

raising children of their own.

- You are the child of Jesus if you have received him

as your savior

1. The Christ Code

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- Christ moved people through stages of growth

- First stage is the "come unto me" Mt. 11:28-30

- Second stage "follow me" (Most often used as a

surrender of something) Lk 9:23

- Third stage "abide in me" Jn 15:4

Speaks more than just salvation

2. Instructions for the Code

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- The only way to continue and bear fruit is to maintain vital spiritual connection with Christ

- Abide - 11x

- Remain,

- Continue (stay in me)

- Live in me

- Make your home in me

- Earlier the promise of the HS to abide forever – Jn 14:16

a. Abide in Christ - v. 4-6

- To be connected

A missionary in Africa had a small generator to supply current for his church and small rectory. Visitors from an outlying mission noticed the electric light hanging from the ceiling of his living room. They watched wide-eyed as he turned the little switch and the light went on.

One of the visitors asked if he could have one of the bulbs. The missionary, thinking he wanted it for a sort of trinket, gave him an extra bulb. On his next visit to the outlying mission, the missionary stopped at the hut of the man who had asked for the bulb. Imagine his surprise when he saw the bulb hanging from an ordinary string. He had to explain that one had to have electricity and a wire to bring the current to the bulb.

b. Abide in His Word - v. 7

- Be connected to him through His word

- Splendor & power of the Word

- Example - Ps 19:7-11, or Ps 119

- Suggestion - Meditate on one verse a day of Ps 119 - twice a year

c. Abide In His Love - v. 9-10

- Stranger never experience intimacy

- When we are loved there is care, provision, and companionship

3. Cracking the Code

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• Allow Pruning -v.2

• Focus on Christ -v.5b

• Prayerfulness -v .7

• Obedience -v.9

4. Secrets of the Code

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• Fruitful - Prosperity, Wealth - v.5

• Love- v.9

• Joy - v. 11

- v7 More than needs will be given

- Key to the Secrets of the Code is

– ABIDE –

- Is it not time to start abiding and stop whining?

Conclusion

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“The Great Vine”

In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine which is over 230 years old. This grapevine has one root. The trunk is at least 12 feet thick, and some of the branches are 120 feet long. Despite its age the vine produces over 700 lb of grapes each year. Although some of the smaller branches are 120 feet from the main stem, they still bear the sweet and delicious fruit because they are connected to the vine. Life flows from that single root and through out the vine bringing nourishment and strength to each of the branches.