Matthew 16:24-27 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

When I was seven years old, I went to an auction in my home town. I had my entire life savings of fifty cents safely tucked in my front pocket. Every time the auctioneer held up an item, I shouted out, "fifty cents." Everyone laughed as each item quickly received a higher bid. Finally, just before the auction was about to end, the auctioneer held up a baseball glove. I shouted out, "fifty cents." The auctioneer immediately looked at me and said, "Sold." Everyone cheered and congratulated me as I jumped for joy around the room with my new baseball glove.

What does it cost to be able to participate in God’s Cycle of Music? In order to be able to participate in the Cycle, we need to have a personal relationship with the Composer? It is only possible to have a personal relationship with the Composer through faith in Christ Jesus and by God’s grace. It says in Romans 3:22-24, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. It also says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” A personal relationship with God is a free gift that we could never afford. The Composer knows that we only have fifty cents in our “spiritual pockets” but He wants to have a relationship with us if we will simply put our faith in Jesus and accept His gift of grace. If we will do this, He will look at what we have to offer, meet with our Agent, and immediately say to us, "Sold."

There are many costs involved in having a personal relationship with the Composer and being able to participate in God’s Cycle of Music. The most expensive cost occurred long before we were even born. The bible says that in order for God to have a relationship with sinners, which refers to every human being that has ever lived on the face of the earth, He had to offer His one and only Son to die on the cross. The bible says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It also says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus sacrificed His very own life for you and for me. 

Once we begin to have a personal relationship with the Composer, we are expected to dedicate our own lives unto Him for His honor and glory. This dedication implies that we are willing to participate in God's Cycle of Music in a way that is pleasing to Him. If we want to participate in God's Cycle of Music, we must be willing to accept the following costs: submit to the guidance from the Conductor in order to know where, when, and how to serve the Composer, have purity in our actions and in our thoughts, have compassion for the needs of others, study the bible, observe spiritual disciplines, and have a sincere desire to live our lives primarily for the Lord.

Serving the Composer could cost us everything that we will ever acquire in this world. Are you willing to accept these costs so that you can know God's purpose and meaning for your life? I can assure you that if you will offer your life unto the Composer, you will be happier than that little boy who jumped around the room with his new baseball glove after he heard the auctioneer say to him, "Sold."

Fritz Kreisler was one of the greatest violinists who have ever played the instrument. He was also a famous composer. He lived from 1875-1962. At the end of one of his concerts, a woman came up to him and said, "Sir, I'd give my life to play like that." Fritz Kreisler responded by saying, "Madam, I did." [2] Mr. Kreisler knew that he had to devote his entire life to the violin in order to accomplish the things that he wanted to achieve.

Johann Sebastian Bach, (1685-1750), was a person who spent his entire life composing music so that God could receive honor and glory. Soli Deo Gloria, "to the only God be glory," was Bach's motto throughout his entire lifetime. For this reason he wrote all of his compositions on staff paper that contained the watermark "Jesu, juva! Jesus, help! When he completed his compositions, he would sign his works; S.D.G. "Soli Deo Gloria" to the only God be glory.[3]  Today, if we want to hear all of Bach’s music that has been preserved, we will need to listen to 155 CD’s.[4]  We must also consider the possibility that Bach probably wrote much more music that has been lost over the years. Bach worked endlessly throughout his entire lifetime in order to write music so that God could receive honor and glory for the work that He was able to offer unto Him.

Johann Sebastian Bach and Fritz Kreisler both understood the sacrifices that they needed to make in order for each of them to accomplish their goals. Their dedication is almost too intense for me to comprehend. However, God expects this kind of commitment from everyone who intends to serve Him. Johann Sebastian Bach and Fritz Kreisler were willing to sacrifice everything that they had in life in order to accomplish their goals. Are we willing to dedicate our own lives unto the Composer for His honor and glory?

Johann Sebastian Bach committed his entire life for the purpose of Soli Deo Gloria. I have committed my own life for the purpose of Soli Deo Gloria as well so that God can receive honor and glory for everything that I am able to offer unto Him. This book has been dedicated unto Him so that He can use it for His own purposes. I have committed my family and my finances unto the Lord. Everything that I do today and in the future needs to be done exclusively for God's honor and glory. I understand that this requires a complete sacrifice of my own life unto Him. There is nothing that I can withhold. Jesus died on the cross for me because I am a sinner. He paid the penalty for my sins because He loved me. The Conductor made me aware of the Composer’s free gift of grace and how I could have a relationship with Him. This was the only way in which I could have ever been able to understand the purpose and the meaning for my life. Today I am completely dependant on the Holy Spirit for His guidance, in order to keep my commitment unto the Composer, because this would be impossible for me to sustain without Him.

Jesus left His throne in Heaven to die on the cross because He loved me. He would have made that sacrifice if I was the only person to ever live here on Earth. However, every believer can rejoice in the fact that Jesus has also made that payment for them as well. If Jesus was willing to do this, I believe that we need to be willing to commit our own lives unto the Composer.

At this time I would like to share a hymn with you that I found in a very old Baptist hymnal. The lyrics for this hymn were written in 1872. They must have been written by someone who truly desired to commit their life unto the Composer. His love for the Composer can be seen in every line that he wrote. He obviously understood his purpose and his meaning for living in this world.

 HAD I TEN THOUSAND THOUSAND TONGUES

O Lord, if in the book of life

My worthless name shall stand,

In fairest characters inscribed

By thine unerring hand, ----

Then I to thee in sweetest strains,

Will grateful anthems raise;

But life's too short, my powers too weak,

To utter half thy praise.

Had I ten thousand thousand tongues,

Not one should silent be;

Had I ten thousand thousand hearts,

I'd give them all to thee.[5]

 
Are you willing to dedicate your life and your talents unto the Composer for His honor and glory? The bible says that Jesus sacrificed His very own life for us. It says in Philippians 2:6-8, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Jesus had to leave His home in Heaven and humble Himself, by coming to Earth, so that He could take the form of a human being. For over thirty years He experienced life in some of the same ways in which we experience life each and every day. He also had to suffer and die on the cross so that the penalty for our sins could be paid in full. This was the "real" cost that was necessary so that, with just fifty cents in our “spiritual pockets,” our hope for a relationship with the Composer could be possible, and He could say to us, "Sold." If Jesus was willing to do this, I pray that you will be willing to offer Him anything that you have for His honor and glory.