My Christian reading and my spiritual thought life tends to run to the margins. I like to re-center at least once a year with a book like this. FYI I find it hilarious now that when I was in college Stott was a little too liberal for my taste. Ah how times change :-). Or well, how I change, I guess.

selected quotes:

The most striking feature of the teach Jesus is that he was constantly talking about himself... This self-centredeness of the teaching of Jesus immediately sets his apart from the other great religious teachers of the world. They were self-effacing. He was self-advancing. They pointed men away from themselves, saying, 'That is the truth, so far as I perceive it; follow that.' Jesus said, 'I am the truth; follow me.' -p 23

Christ's favorite name for him [The Holy Spirit] was the Comforter, the 'Paraclete'. It is a legal term, denoting a barrister, an advocate, a counsel for the defence. It would be the Holy Spirit's task to plead the cause of Jesus before the World, 'He will bear witness to me', said Jesus. p 25

Above all he was unselfish. Nothing is more striking that this. Although believing himself to be divine, he did not put on airs or stand on his dignity. He was never pompous. There was no touch self-importance about Jesus. He was humble. It is this paradox which is so baffling, this combination of the self-centredness of his teaching and the unself-centredness of his behaviour. In thought he put himself first; in deed last. p 43

If you want to live a life of easy-going self-indulgence, whatever you do, do not become a Christian. But if you want a life of self-discovery, deeply satisfying to the nature God has given you; if you want a life of adventure in which you have the privilege of serving him and your fellow men; if you want a life in which to express something of the overwhelming gratitude you are beginning to feel for him who died for you, then I would urge you to yield your life, without reserve and without delay, to your Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. - p119