· Dan Brown, former school teacher, author of several books of fiction...
· New York Times Best Seller sold 46 million copies in 40 languages...
· There are nearly 50 books debunking the “Da Vinci Code” book.
Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ June 4, 2006
“The Da Vinci Code Exposed”
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· Dan Brown, former school teacher, author of several books of fiction... |
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· New York Times Best Seller sold 46 million copies in 40 languages... |
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· There are nearly 50 books debunking the “Da Vinci Code” book. |
I. The Plot...
Secular author promoting a humanistic World-View.
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· Christianity has always been under attack. Secular Humanist propagating their world-view... it’s all about man |
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· A philosophy of there is no God, the Bible can’t be trusted, I’m boss, I’m in control of my life – I’m the captain of my soul, I won’t give an account to God – he don’t exist, let’s eat, drink and be marry, let’s party hard – OK to do drugs, or get drunk or party all weekend, if it feels good – then do it... there’s no moral absolutes there’s no right or wrong – don’t judge me, you have the right to do whatever you want, we all evolved from apes anyway – when this life is done, it over, there’s nothing beyond, I don’t care what you believe – just believe in anything you want and you’ll be OK, Let’s redefine marriage, let’s abort our babies, let’s kick God out of our “public” schools, let’s promote alternative lifestyles, Let’s remove any mention of God from our currency or the halls of our great institutions, After all, there is no God so we can do what we want... this my friends is a Godless worldview... prevalent in our culture today... |
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· Enter into this world-view a book called the Da Vinci Code... nearly 1/4 of U.S. population has purchased the book... |
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· I read parts of the book & have seen the movie – don’t waste your money – BORING, DULL – Joel Siegel’s from ABC said “a word of warning if thinking of seeing it – DON’T” – “boring” – “terrible ending” “they should charge a tuition rather than an admission!” It received Terrible reviews (except from the New York Times). |
The story is about a Harvard Professor named Langdon who receives an urgent call from the police for help. The Curator of an Art Museum has been found murdered with a mysterious encrypted message written in his blood... hence the search for the secret of the “Holy Grail” begins...
· Did Da Vinci really use his art to communicate secret knowledge?
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o Picture of the Last Supper - Notice the red circle around the Apostle John (suppose to be Mary) so where’s John? |
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o Notice Da Vinci’s painting of King David? This was his style – to portray the young in a feminine way. |
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o Notice the picture of the “Last Supper” the imaginary V for Vinci (shown in white) – secret, higher knowledge? |
· Is it true the Gospels don’t tell us the true story of Jesus?
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o Only 4 accepted and authenticated by the early church, other writings considered suspect. We have Complete story. |
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o Gospel – “Good News” a way of salvation has been opened to mankind through Jesus Christ |
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o All written by an Apostle or a very close associate – 4 Gospels confirmed by early church fathers (not at Nicea) |
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o (Book/Jesus/To) Mt – King – Jews || Mark – Servant – Romans || Luke – Man – Greeks || John – God – Church |
· Why do we only have 4 Gospels instead of 80 as Brown stated?
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o Only 4 were deemed worthy to be included: Authors must have walked/talked with Jesus or leading disciples. Could not contradict what other Apostles had written. Must have been widely accepted by the entire church from Jerusalem to Rome. They considered the earlier the document the more credible. They prayed and trusted the Holy Spirit to guide their decisions. They looked for authority of the writer, Internal evidence of unique nature and unanimity among the early churches. |
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o Essentially by the end of the first century all 27 NT books were generally accepted as God’s Word and attested to formally in 367AD |
· Was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene and had a baby?
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o He cites the Gospel of Philip – yet it’s not in there at all. Jesus was not married nor began a Holy Grill bloodline. |
· Did Jesus really designate Mary Magdalene to head His church?
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o Pure fantasy... we do not have time to expose Dan Brown and the Gnostic philosophy concerning woman and OT Baal worship (Judges 2:13 & Acts 19)... very interesting to see how the Devil just keeps repackaging his deception to new generations. |
· Is the legend of the “Holy Grail” actually the blood line of Christ?
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o The “Holy Grail” is a LEGEND of a cup used by Jesus at the last supper... this LEGEND appeared during the time of the Crusades 1100 - 1200AD... Dan Brown takes the idea from “Holy Blood, Holy Grail”, 1982 |
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WHY so much fuss about a novel? Quote from page 1,
"FACT: All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."
** Slide British Historian Teabing –
“The marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is part of the historical record.” - FALSE
“The Bible is a product of a man, my dear, not of God...” Page 231 - FALSE
FACTS + FICTION = FACTION
“We are all entitled to our opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts”
** Slide Margaret Mitchell - Associate Professor of NT at University of Chicago Divinity School
“It was a quick romp, largely fun to read, if rather predictable and preachy. This is a good airplane book, a novelistic thriller that presents a rummage sale of accurate historical nuggets alongside falsehoods and misleading statements.”
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· Most of what Brown says about Jesus, the Bible & history of the Church is simply false! |
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· Dan Brown tries to have it both ways – writing a novel of fiction while twisting the facts... why? |
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· He states, “Christianity was based on pagan religions”??? Is this attempt to undermine Christianity new? No way! |
II. The Problem...
Attempts to “Dethrone” God while “Deifying” man.
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· Our sworn enemy the Devil is out to strip God of His Authority, to tear Him down and exalt man...an age old strategy |
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· A false heretical teaching we see emerging in the NT addressed by Paul & others was Gnosticism. “Higher knowledge”, a mystical experience... to trust in your own attainments. A false system that collapses in the face of truth. |
“Gnosticism” – a special transcendent knowledge beyond Christian doctrine know only by elites. Sounds similar to the New Age movement today! (Gnostic Gospels were rejected as Canon... Mary, Philip, Judas, Thomas, etc. – Egypt 1945)
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· The “Gnostic” Gospels uniformly teach the “sacred feminine” –the pagan idea (ties in with Baal & Ashtoreth worship) that sex with a woman is the route to a relationship with God. In fact in the rejected Gospel of Thomas it states “a woman cannot be saved unless God first changes her into a man” (Thomas, 114) |
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· It’s very interesting so many “scholars” who have rejected, tore apart, ridiculed Mt, Mk, Luke & John as unreliable now applauds the false Gnostic Gospels - Humm. Many of these manuscripts dated 250 years after Christ written by people pretending to be Philip or Thomas, etc. |
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· By the way, NO Christian documents were ever part ofthe Dead Sea Scrolls (1947) All were Pre-Christ OT writings. |
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· To dethrone God & deify man! Whose behind ALL lies and deception we see in the world? |
Three Relentless Enemies:
1. 1. The World
1 John 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
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· “World” – an organized system headed by Satan that leaves God out and is at war with Him & His children |
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· You might want to circle the word “control”, magazines, television, movies, entertainment, sports, pleasures, Internet, music, fad’s, power, governments, United Nations, the organized world system is under control of a real Satan (adversary). |
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· I’ll let you in on a secret – YOU ARE IN an “Invisible War” –– the world system is your enemy |
2. 2. The Flesh
Romans 8:7-8 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Galatians 5:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
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· Our fallen sinful fleshly nature is battling you. Sinful mind is hostile to God... in conflict with my spirit |
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· The battle rages – man is exceedingly sinful... Our continued willful ignorance of God – depraved – (Rom 1:18-32) |
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· Romans 3 – None righteous... tongues practice deceit... no fear of God before their eyes |
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· The World system is filled with lost, unregenerate people doing the bidding of the “Evil One” |
3. 3. The Devil
Ephesians 6:11-12 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
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· The world system is controlled by Satan... He’s scheming, deceptive... operates in stealth to “steal, kill & destroy” |
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· “Devil” – slanderer; “serpent” – crafty; “dragon” – fear; “angel of light” – to win you over & “father of lies” deception |
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· Always remember Satan is a defeated foe – defeated at Calvary’s Cross & Christ’s victorious Resurrection! |
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· Don’t be surprised by a Da Vinci Code book/movie – behind it all is our relentless, scheming enemy the Devil. |
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· The Da Vinci book reflects lies, distorts the facts, innuendo’s, attempts to dethrone God & elevate man! Also $$$. |
Read the letter sent to RBC begins, “Dear RBC, I don’t know where else to turn...” and ends with, “Please help me! Please in God’s name, help me. I’m brokenhearted, confused, and still crying”...
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· Faith for some can be shaken to the core... what can we do? The best defense is a good offense! |
III. The Proof...
Identify Counterfeit by knowing Truth.
1 John 2:21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
John 8:31-32 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
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· No lie comes from the truth. There is a systematic attempt by the enemy to destroy God’s Word & distort the truth. |
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· Jesus said if you hold to His Word (truth) you will be set free. (See John 7:16-17) |
A young Chinese who wanted to learn about jade went to study with a talented old teacher. This gentleman put a piece of the stone into the boy’s hands and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour, he took back the stone and sent the boy home.
The procedure was repeated for weeks. The boy became frustrated—when would he be told about jade? But he was too polite to interrupt his respected teacher. Then one day when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instantly, “That’s not jade!” (Identify Counterfeit by knowing Real Thing (TRUTH) —Jean Mercier
Be Assured of...
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ü The Authority of God’s Word! |
2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
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· Inspiration – God breathed out truth... God superintended, yet used human authors, It’s Inerrant (w/o error) in original manuscripts, plenary (every word), verbally (very words) – The inspired Word of God! |
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· The Bible claims authority for itself... “Thus says the Lord”, “God spoke through the prophet” |
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· The Bible is self-attesting – it cannot be “proved” to be God’s Word by appeal to any higher authority (science, man, etc) comparing scripture with scripture, rightly dividing the Word of God. |
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· Therefore to disbelieve/disobey any Word of Scripture is to disbelieve/disobey God Himself. God does not lie! |
Titus 1:2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
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· Each book proves its own worth by passing the tests for canonicity. 39 OT, 27 NT – 1400 years, some 40 authors |
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· More than 5000 manuscripts of the NT exists today – making it the best attested document of ancient writings. |
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· The Council of Nicea had nothing to do with what books to accept or reject... Stand on the Authority of God’s Word! |
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
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· If you strip away the authority of God’s Word you have nothing... tells of sin, righteousness, salvation, heaven, hell – God’s Word produces Salvation! (Acts 2:37-41) |
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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ü The Divinity of Jesus Christ! |
John 1:1-3, 14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made... 14 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.
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· In AD 312 the council of Nicea consisting of 300 Bishops from many churches met to answer the question “Was Jesus truly God in the flesh”... a leader of the church in North Africa named Arius was teaching Jesus was not Divine (Gnostic), hence a meeting was held to discuss the evidence... (there are extensive documentation on this council meeting) and after everything was examined, the vote was 298 to 2 that Jesus was truly God in the flesh! |
John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
Matthew 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
· In fact they wrote the Creed of Nicea, quote, “We believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible; and in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father; God from God, Light from Light, Very God from Very God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made…
JESUS IS TRULY GOD!
John 10:30-33 30 I and the Father are one." 31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."
John 20:28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Lord “Kurios” – In the Greek translation of the O.T. (Septuagint) that Jesus & Apostles had – the word for Yahweh is “Kurios”!
· Apparently some of John’s readers were being led astray by Gnosticism (sounds like today)...
Read: 1 John 4:1-6 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
I hope we all learned spiritual truth this morning... AMEN!
We’re passing out a 32 page booklet “The Da Vinci Code – Separating FACT from Fiction” to each family this morning.
Let’s Pray