A Sacrifice of Praise to God

John 15:13-15 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

At a previous church that my family attended, during (VBS) Vacation Bible School, one lady asked: When you think of Jesus, what comes to your mind? Someone said “Lord”, someone said Savior, she said “brother” and someone said “friend” (from the passage above). There is even an old beloved Christian hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 based upon this same passage. Bottom line: The children of God possess a special place in God’s heart. I read lately that those who know the Savior are invited to join together in praising Him. As Christians, we not only “know” Him as Savior, He calls us His friends. He identifies His friends by their obedience to His loving commands: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”  He proves His friendship through His own sacrifice: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” How could we ever repay Him? We cannot.

Hebrews 13:15 “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

We can, however, praise Him for all that He is to us and has done for us, all He is doing for us and all that He is going to do for us in the future. We have the privilege of declaring “proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your  wondrous deeds” - Psalm 26:7. We have the privilege of speaking of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works - Psalm 145:5.

Praise be to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Brian