Selwyn is right to emphasise that ‘glory goes not to the ones who are saved but to the one who saves’. Later, in today’s study he writes: “People who don’t know Christ often wonder why we make so much of Jesus. If only they could know the joy of abundant living, of sins forgiven, … ”
The most important aspect of Jesus is that He is God, because if He was not – then He could have never saved us — sometimes, we can lose sight of the fact that Jesus was/is both fully God and fully man.
The verses from Luke 10:1-10 (NLT) are worth repeating here – it gives, all of ‘us’ sinners – those He calls by name, reassurance of eternal life:
‘Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. [Notice: Jesus calls us by name; and we, respond to His call.] “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”’
The last sentence is just too beautiful – almost, impossible to believe – what do you think?