The DaVinci Code Part III - The Sermon

Well, I preached on the DaVinci Code this morning. It was quite interesting. Maybe the most interesting thing about the message was when I asked how many people from the congregation had read the book. Three hands went up. Just three. When I asked who had seen the movie, just one hand went up (beside Joanie and me). Maybe believers are just not interested in this kind of thing. And I began to wonder, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
The church always struggles with the same thing that Jesus found problematic. It is this. If you are going to be the servant of God and live your life for him, there are some places and things you ought to avoid. If you are to live a holy life, as the scriptures implore you to do, you must be willing to live above reproach. At the same time, Jesus has given us a command to go into all the world and an example of engaging sinners with the gospel truth even in social settings for which Jesus' participation was roundly criticized. So, which are we to do? Are we to live apart from sin or in the midst of sin and sinners? Should we be above reproach or in the middle of those who are most reproachable?

Jesus didn't have much time for the Pharisees as a leadership group. They lived apart from anything that was, according to the Law, tainted. However, their "holier than thou" attitude tainted everything they said or did. They could not understand how Jesus could put himself in the homes and places where sinners dwelt and where sin prevailed. The church holes itself up in ivory towers and brick buildings to develop believers who will go out to confront the world with the powerful word of Christ. However, we spend so much time preparing and running the training school that we rarely go out into the fields, white with harvest. There must be a balance between maintaining holiness and reaching out to those in sin. How we accomplish that is called mission, vision, outreach, and the priesthood of all believers. When we fail to maintain that balance we are called hypocritical, false prophets, and shams. Ministry is a dangerous place to live. But it is the only sure place that God has given to his children. Be holy and find some sinners to love!