An Important Reminder and An Illustration of Christ's Sacrificial Love

"... when the memory of John Newton was nearly gone, and he was an old man, that great saint of God couldn't preach anymore. He'd forgotten so many things that he couldn't carry on a conversation. But he said this, he said it seems as though there are only two things I can remember, one is that I am a great sinner, and the second is, that Jesus Christ is a greater Savior. That's the issue. That's what Jesus wanted the Pharisees to see, that's what He wants you to see. You were so great a sinner you couldn't atone for your sin, He did it for you. I read this week about a child, who was bitten by a poisonous snake, and the mother was there when the child was bitten and the mother was just struck with love for the child and so she placed her lips over the wound to suck the poison out. She succeeded in doing it and saved the child's life. But she had a little cut on her lip, the poison went into her and she died. So it is with Jesus Christ, who drained out of us as it were the poison of the serpent, and in so doing died in our place. We are great sinners, but He is a great Savior..." (John MacArthur, "Who is an Adulterer? Part 1").