Friends, today we will continue our discussion about the white stone that Jesus gives to all overcomers who confess Jesus as God and believe in their hearts that Jesus died for them on the cross and rose again. The white stone that Jesus gives his saints promises them mansions in the kingdom as a reward for giving Jesus a home in each saints heart. We learned this last week as we studied the greek definition of the white stone at Revelation 2:17. Pictured above we see Mary and Joseph trying to find a home where the Lord Jesus could be born. You see in Jesus' day, when people traveled, there were no Holiday Inns or Howard Johnsons. People would ask permission to stay overnight at a neighbor's home as they traveled across a country.
Pictured above we see that the owners of the inn refused to allow Mary and Joseph a room where our Lord Jesus could be born. As a result, Mary and Joseph had to borrow a manger as the birthplace for our Lord Jesus. Luke 2:7 says And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. I'd like to have been the man that let Jesus use my manger. Or even better, I'd like to be the man that owned the inn; I'd say here baby Jesus, take my comfortable room in this inn; I'll sleep in the barn.
Friends, let's all learn a lesson from the above picture. Remember that when strangers ask us to bless them, they represent Jesus and should be given our best bed, food, and clothes. Don't make the mistake that the keepers of the inn above did by putting Jesus in a barn manger instead of a nice soft bed in the inn. Instead, if we own an inn, we should all go sleep in the barn and let Jesus as a stranger sleep in the most comfortable bed of our inn. Jesus will appreciate our kindness and give us a white stone reward to present to Jesus in heaven, guaranteeing us all a mansion surrounded by a street of gold and walls of jasper, instead of a barn behind a motel.
I remember one time a lady gave Brother Bob a bag full of clothes and at first I was happy to receive the clothes. But when Brother Bob opened the bag, the clothes had holes in them and were worn out and old. I had to throw out the clothes. Friends, remember when you bless a stranger who represents Jesus, give the stranger new clothes, fresh food, and a clean comfortable room in your house or hotel.
Take some time to meditate on the words of Jesus at Matthew 25:34 that says Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me. After reading this bible verse, remember that whatever you do to strangers you do to Jesus.
Now let Brother Bob ask you a question as you read this bible study and see how the innkeepers pictured above rejected our Lord Jesus by throwing Him out of the inn. Since you have to accept Jesus into your hearts and homes to get a white stone admission ticket to receive a mansion of peace forevermore in the kingdom, does Jesus feel at home in your house?
If Jesus came to your house today, would you have to throw away all your nasty magazines or turn the TV channel to another channel? Friends, if Jesus doesn't feel at home in your house, don't expect a white stone. But if Jesus comes to your house and feels comfortable by kicking off his shoes as He puts his toes in the carpet, Jesus will promise and say to you; You can come to my kingdom soon that has many mansions, as Jesus gives you a white stone admission ticket to heaven as a token of His appreciation for your kindness as He leaves.
OK, you might say what is Brother Bob doing now with a picture above of people in a hotel asking for a room to stay in overnight? Notice that the husband and wife are giving the front desk hotel clerk a credit card that the husband signs, guaranteeing a room to stay in overnight. Friends, when we all get ready to check into our mansions in heaven, Jesus will give us all a white stone which is like a credit card that Jesus signs for us guaranteeing us eternal rest in our heavenly mansions.
And Jesus' white stone that is like a signed credit card will not run out or max out because Jesus owns all the cattle on a thousand hills and all the taters in them hills and all the gold. Jesus owns everything friend, and Jesus ain't gonna bankrupt. Jesus said at Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
OK, as you look at the above pictures of a trophy and a white stone, let's learn another greek definition of the white stone reward given to victorious saints. Revelation 2:17 says To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone; and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
In Jesus' day, the white stone was called a victory stone. Back in the old days, when they had contests for wrestling, throwing spears, or shooting bows and arrows, they didn't give out big tall trophies with names all over them; the winner or overcomer got a white rock with the name of the victor in the white rock. When an athlete won an ancient greek contest, he did not get 62 million dollars and a three year contract for an extra 200 million dollars over three years; The greek athlete just got a white stone with his name in it, guaranteeing that the champion would be admitted to a banquet with his own personal nameplate of honor where he would be fed at the public's expense.
Friends, the white stone that Jesus gives to overcoming saints is like the victory stone given to greek athletes, guaranteeing admission to the marriage supper banquet of the Lamb and the hidden manna. And Jesus will always provide our food and living water at this eternal glorious banquet. Revelation 7:17 promises For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Finally, as you look at the above picture, remember that as you receive your own personal white stone admission ticket to heaven for believing Jesus as your God, you will be happy to just be present as a doorkeeper at the marriage supper of the Lamb Jesus with your own personal nameplate of honor. We will all rejoice and tell Jesus Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand; I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Friend, since you will be the only one that knows your new name in your white stone and won't know the new names in any other saints' white stones, there will be no jealousy in heaven. When a saint gets to the marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus might call out the names of John, Peter, and James; Jesus may not mention Brother Bob's or any other saint's name reading this bible study at the marriage supper of the Lamb; But we'll all be so happy just to be sitting at Jesus' banquet table or standing as a doorkeeper at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
You won't be jealous of Brother Bob's seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb. And Brother Bob won't be jealous of your seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We'll all just be glad as saints to be present at the marriage supper of our Lord Jesus with our white stones with our own personal nameplates of honor. Brother Bob will shout all over heaven because of that little ole white stone that Jesus gave him.
Stay tuned because another blessed bible study about the white stone is soon to come. I pray in Jesus name these bible studies give all my friends peace and strength everywhere on this earth. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
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