The Da Vinci Quest: Talking About the Real Truth

Excerpt From: The Da Vinci Quest
3-Part Sermon Series


By: Josh McDowell © 2006

Josh McDowell’s 3-part sermon series titled “The Da Vinci Quest” was
developed to compliment a collection of Da Vinci equipping resources
released in March 2006.

For more information, visit josh.davinciquest.org.

(Read slowly and dramatically.)

(Pronunciation guide: Louvre=loove; Jacques=zhahks; Sauničre=sown-YAIR;
Caravaggio=care-uh-VAH-jio.)

Louvre Museum. Paris. 10:46 pm.

“Renowned curator Jacques Sauničre staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum’s Grand Gallery. He lunged for the nearest painting he could see, a Caravaggio. Grabbing the gilded frame, the seventy-six-year-old man heaved the masterpiece toward himself until it tore from the wall and Sauničre collapsed backward in a heap beneath the canvas.

“As he had anticipated, a thundering iron gate fell near by, barricading the entrance to the suite. The parquet floor shook. Far off, an alarm began to ring.

“The curator lay a moment, gasping for breath, taking stock. I am still alive.”

You might recognize those opening lines from author Dan Brown’s bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code.

“Minutes later, elderly curator Jacques Sauničre is dead, murdered by a massive albino monk in the Grand Gallery of one of the world’s most renowned art museums, the Louvre.”

Without giving away the plot, The Da Vinci Code revolves around three main characters:

Robert Langdon, middle-aged American professor, a Harvard expert in ancient religious symbols and their meanings.

Sophie Neveu (noo-VOH), young French codebreaker who works for the French equivalent the FBI.

Langdon and Neveu are mysteriously brought together to solve the murder of the late curator. As the plot thickens, they seek the help of Sir Leigh Teabing, wealthy Royal Historian of England, who for his whole life has sought to unearth a priceless ancient relic.

The murder inquiry quickly becomes a quest to expose a shocking ancient conspiracy—the greatest cover-up in human history—that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene… fathered a child… left a line of descendants still alive in Europe… and that our traditional, biblical picture of Jesus is wildly amiss from the real truth.

For us as Christians, The Da Vinci Code should spark questions… discussion… concern… but for many of us, I hope it also gives a measure of excitement at the opportunities it creates for spiritual conversation, speaking the real truth about Jesus in a fresh way.

We might disagree about whether to read The Da Vinci Code. Many regard the book as a captivating novel, nothing more and nothing less. Others are angered at what they call “a sackful of lies, an insult to the Christian faith.”

We might find it objectionable to see the movie. We might be reluctant to give support to the author, Dan Brown, or vote with our dollars that Hollywood should make more movies in the vein of The Da Vinci Code.

We might even be concerned that a sermon series about The Da Vinci Code needlessly exposes us to untruth. We fear that the book will sow dangerous doubt and confusion even in our own hearts.

But we can’t ignore this highly significant book and movie. There’s a way we can respond to it—by using it to engage others in spiritual conversation.

Let’s pray. God, help us understand the phenomenon