Thought for Today
Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?
Isaiah 32:6 For fools speak folly, and their minds plot iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
Acts 9:23 After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him;
Something recently reminded me of the Dan Brown book, The Da Vinci Code. The book was a 2006 mystery thriller and was made into a hit movie. I read the book some years ago and it has been on my mind this Lent. As I recall, I enjoyed the book as a fictional thriller; but, I found the book to be based on a 2000+ year old conspiracy theory about the events surrounding the Empty Tomb of Easter Morning.
Call me a cynic, but the idea that the worldwide Christendom of today is based on a conspiracy to defraud the followers of Jesus seems ludicrous to me. From what I remember, the conspiracy involved disciples, merchants, ship owners, the entire Roman Catholic church and numerous other plotters and conspirers. To add to the improbability for me, the conspiracy was kept secret from the Crucifixion until 2006.
Had Jesus actually survived the scourging and the time on the Cross, had Jesus endured the exposure to the elements, the dehydration, the loss of blood, the spear thrust and then been somehow stealthily removed from the sealed and guarded tomb, nursed back to health . . . Improbability stacked atop implausibility. As I say, an enjoyable read as a fictional thriller; but, risible as a possible conspiracy.
We do know that there were doubters at the time and there were conspirators. “Matthew 28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, ‘You must say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.'” Had I been one of those Roman guards of the tomb, I would have gladly made that report even without the bribe.
The ideas of angels rolling away the stone and of Resurrection seem to defy the laws of physics and of nature. Then and now, Crucifixion and Resurrection defy all logic, “1 Corinthians 1:22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Which is easier to believe, that disciples stole Jesus’ body or that the Son of God actually died on a Roman cross? For some, the idea behind The Da Vinci Code, a 2000+ year secret conspiracy, is easier to accept than the idea that Christ offered up his life on a Roman cross for all of us.
Christians have faith. “Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” We believe Paul’s declaration, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—"
In a few weeks we will celebrate that Empty Tomb, the Easter Morning of Resurrection. We believe there was the conspiracy of the priests and Roman guards, the mongering of a concocted story to explain away the miracle of that Empty Tomb. We may enjoy the fictional account in The Da Vinci Code; but, we have faith in our Risen Lord, faith in the one of whom God said, “Matthew 17:5 This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
The Lent, this Easter season, be assured of the hope of the gospel message, be convinced of the Empty Tomb. I’m humming the hymn Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee right now and hearing those words, “Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver in immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.” Let the love of our Creator God fill your heart with the light of day, with the Light of the World.
Stay safe, have faith, trust God,
Pastor Ray