The Da Vinci Code: Who Is Jesus, Really? Series

Who Is Jesus, Really?

Breaking The Da Vinci Code -1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1-4,14

Prayer…

In 2003 Dan Brown wrote a Novel called, ‘The Da Vinci Code…’ SINCE – that time it has sold over 40 million copies (it’s the best selling adult novel of all time), it is estimated that over 60 million people have read the book… (I bought a paperback copy at Sams about 2 months ago for $6 and 3 people have read that one copy). The Movie starring Tom Hanks and Directed by Ron Howard opened 5 weeks ago and as of this weekend has made over 200 million domestic and almost 500 million overseas.

Now – I must admit that aside from the attacks on my faith, I really enjoyed reading the book… It’s was a good read, a thriller, a page turner, I had a hard time putting it down… IN FACT - I blew through the 489 pages of this paperback in about 3 days. AND - last Saturday I went over to Waterford Lakes (armed with Chocolate covered almonds, popcorn and a medium Mr Pibb) and saw the movie… AND DESPITE – being pretty much blasted by all the critiques, I thought it was a pretty good movie.

THOUGH – I did find it troubling at times watching my faith and my Savior get attacked, blasted and slandered - wondering what those seated around me were thinking.

• Were they buying the movie’s premise?

• Were the seeking some kind of answer to life

OR – like me were they just watching what they knew was simply the product of a Hollywood’s performance and one man’s imagination.

NOW - as e begin our study – I want to do 3 things. FIRST – give you the theme verse for this 3 week study of the DVC… SECOND – state what it is that I hope to accomplish in our time together and THIRD – answers a few preliminary questions…

OKAY – here’s the verse. It’d be cool if you’d memorize it…

...In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… - 1 Peter 3:15

AND MY GOAL – these next few weeks; is to ignite and fan into a flame; both your faith and your hope so that you will be about to do just that… GIVE – everyone who asks you (beginning with yourself), the REASONS why you believe and have such a great, powerful and living hope!

NOW – for the preliminary questions that I think we need to answer before we can launch out into this study…

QUESTION # 1 – what is the book about?

The book opens with the murder of the curator of the Lourve by an albino monk named Silas. The curator is the Grand Master of a secret society known as the Priory of Sion, before he dies he leaves clues on his body and on some of Leonardo’s Da Vinci paintings.

Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor and expert in symbolism is called in by the French police to interpret the strange symbol left on the body of the victim. He’s joined by a young cryptologist named Sophie, who warns Robert that he is the prime suspect in the murder.

The 2 of them quickly realize that the victim (who is also Sophie’s grandfather) has left clues for them to follow, and as they figure out the coded instructions, they find out that the crime is linked to the search for the Holy Grail. They manage to escape the Lourve and the heavily guarded crime scene and they then go to the house of English scholar who is leaving in France, his name Sir Leigh Teabing…

Teabing with great Enthusiasm tells Langdon and Sophie a lot of stuff… Most of which really ticks me off… The main point of Teabing’s instruction is that the Holy Grail is not a cup but rather it’s a person. He even tells them that he has a picture of that person and he leads them to a room where a copy of LDV Last Supper Is Hanging.

Teabing tells them that the person sitting to the right of Jesus is not the apostle John but rather Mary of Mandela and that she was married to Jesus and they had a daughter named Sarah. According to Teabing Jesus was a mortal man and not the Son of God and Teabing also claims that Jesus intended Mary Magdalene to lead the church but “Peter had a problem with that,” thus she was declared a prostitute and cut out of the role of leadership. The she and her daughter went to live in France. According to Teabing the Catholic Church beginning with Emperor Constantine at the Council of Nicaea… has covered up this secret for centuries.