The DaVinci Code

I have a confession to make. And it's not just that it's been too long since I wrote on this blog last.

I went to see The Da Vinci Code today. I had some mixed reasons. First, I thought it was pretty cool that I would see a movie before anybody in America did. Very rarely do I get to see an American film before it's been out in the US. More importantly, though, I wanted to see the movie "everyone" has been talking about. Just this week, we worked alongside a team of students from Colorado who passed out invitations to learn the truth behind the story of Jesus. I wanted to see the movie so I'd know what to talk about.

Here are my reactions:

First, the cinema world doesn't have much to fear. It wasn't that good a movie. I don't usually agree with the movie snobs at the Cannes film festival, who generally panned the movie at its debut this week. This time I do. It's not that is was a bad movie, it just wasn't that good. The big stars were a little disappointing and some of the scenes went beyond cheesy. So, don't worry Oscar competition, this one's not a threat.

More importantly, though, the Kingdom of God has nothing to fear. This has nothing to do with the quality of the movie or the subject matter of the novel. Yes, the movie version makes the number one supporter of the theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene (Teabing) look like a raving lunatic. It's just that God is much bigger than Dan Brown, Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, and all these folks put together. The Da Vinci Code is not the end of the world. It's just another pothole in a long road of attacks on Jesus.

The greater "threat" today is the movement to prove this movie wrong by using the same logic Robert Langdon (the main character) uses. Logical proofs don't change lives. Jesus changes lives. My friends and neighbors who see this movie might just believe some of it. I guess to someone who doesn't have a new heart, it's pretty persuasive. But sermons on the historical truths behind the Council of Nicea aren't going to change lives.

Jesus will.

That's why I'll be telling my story of how Jesus made a difference for me. How he redeemed me from a life of darkness. How I'm different now because of Him. I may never convince someone that the "gospels" of Philip, Judas, and Mary Magdalene are false (they already believe it's the Catholic church who has convinced me of that). What I can tell them is that neither Philip, Judas, nor Mary Magdalene has ever turned anyone's heart of stone into a new living heart.

So, let's don't spend the next few months debunking all the pieces of the Da Vinci myth. Let's see this for what it is: another attempt by God's enemy to discredit the community of God's people. And let's see it for what God can make it: an opportunity to share our story of who Jesus really is: the Word who became flesh and walked among us -- teaching, healing, loving, and finally dying for us, then defeating everything we fear so that we can spend forever worshiping Him. Now that's a story worth hearing.