The Visitor

Philippians 2:1-11
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.                                                                                                                  

The Mind of Christ Is a Selfless Mind

John 13:34-35
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.                 

Philippians 4:13 
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.  

The Mind of Christ Is a Serving Mind

Philippians 2:7 
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

I Corinthians 9:19 
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 

The Mind of Christ is a Sacrificial Mind

Philippians 2:7b-8 
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The Visitor: “To Whom Did He Come” 
John 1:10-14

It’s easy to reject someone you don’t recognize.

John 1:10-11
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

Luke 2:1-5 
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

John 3:6-7 
6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 

Children of God possess the gifts of regeneration and authorization.

John 1:12-13 
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Slide:

John 1:14

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Slide:

John 14:23-27

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

12/13/15  The Visitor: “Why He Came”  Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15-16

He came to wreck the work of Satan

Hebrews 2:14-17 
14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.

1 John 3:8b 
But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

He came to reveal man to himself

Hebrews 2:18
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Hebrews 4:15-16 
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

He came to reveal God to Man

1 John 1:1-4 
1We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

He came to redeem man for God

Hebrews 2:9b-10 
9b Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

1 Corinthians 6:20 
For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

The Visitor: From Where He Came
John 1:1-5,14

Genesis 1:1-5
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

John 1:1-5 

Jesus came from heaven because He is God

John 1:14 
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
—Charles Wesley

Jesus came from heaven as a gift from God

John 20:30-31 
30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

John 3:18-21 
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

John 1:3-5 
3 God created everything through him,  and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,  and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,  and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 3:16 
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.