 Good morning, good afternoon, good evening wherever you are. Welcome to our midweek prayer meeting and our key text for today comes from the Book of Revelation chapter 2 verse 17. It says, whoever has ears, let them hear what the spirit says to the churches, to the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manner. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, only known to the one who receives it. May God bless you. Good evening, I trust you well tonight and I trust the Lord has kept you in one piece. Our theme for tonight is the white stone and our key text has been read in Revelation chapter 2 verse 17. I will reread again so that I can get an emphasis. He that has a near, let him hear what the spirit said to the churches, to him that overcomes, will I give to eat of the hidden manner. I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it. Shall we pray? Dear Lord, we desire to learn what is it all about this white stone. Dear Lord, speak to us, fill us with your Holy Spirit and may your presence not leave us for we pray by faith in Jesus Christ Holy Name, amen. Okay, these words were said by Jesus to the church of Pagamos, but this evening we shall be putting them into our present day context. The Book of Revelation has numerous promises to those who overcome. For instance, if you read Revelation chapter 2 verse 11, those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death. If you read chapter 2 verse 26, overcomers will be given powers over nations. If you read 3 verse 5, overcomers will be clothed in white garments. Their names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life and their name will be confessed before the Father. If you read chapter 3 verse 21, those who will overcome will sit on the throne of the Father. These are wonderful promises and I pray to God that you and I get to experience these promises having overcome the world and its sinfulness. But in addition to these promises, there is this curious promise in Revelation chapter 2 verse 17, that those who overcome will be given an opportunity to eat some of the hidden manna and a white stone will be given to them with a new name written on the stone that no one else will be knowing it except Jesus and the one who receives the stone. Our focus this evening will be on the white stone. But wait a minute, wouldn't a golden stone with my name written on it be more precious? I thought if it were written on a nice diary notebook in calligraphy fonts and shining pages, maybe it would be more appealing. All what if Jesus came up with one big monument stone and wrote all the names of those who overcome. I thought it would make a nice scene at the center of the new Jerusalem but not the case. God has promised a white stone for each and every individual. What is the white stone all about? Well, the concept of the white stone of Revelation chapter 2 verse 17 has a very rich symbolic value. Tonight we shall look at three instances where the symbolism of the white stone was of enormous significance and consequences. The three instances are one, the white stone in the wilderness during the exodus of the children of Israel, the white stone in the ancient Jewry decisions that is ancient coat rooms and that the white stone in ancient travel treaties. But before we go for maybe one could be asking how could symbolism that was relevant during exodus to Canaan have any significance in our exodus to heaven in Canaan? How relevant would the meaning be that was there before the first advent of Christ, be before the second advent of Christ? Could this symbolic value that was of great significance in the first century have any significance in this last century if Bible prophecy is anything to go by? I submit to us the symbolism could be of even greater significance to us in these last days. No wonder Jesus prefer to put it in the book of reveration, a book which illustrates most of last days occurrences. Let us look at the ancient symbolism and we put it into context with our current present day and we start with the white stone in the wilderness during the exodus. The ancient rabbi used to have a legend or a story. They passed this story to their disciples and generations and they used to say that during the exodus when God rained man a bread from heaven for the children of Israel, he also provided something more. According to the story they say that God planted white stones in the wilderness and the Israelites would pick these stones as a token of all the good gifts from God. The rabbi said that when you are thinking of the white stone, you are thinking of all of God's precious gift. They said that by beholding the white stone, your mind would think of a God who is so good that he would bake bread from heaven and let it down in form of man so that you don't starve in the desert. They said that when you think of the white stone, you are thinking of a God who is so caring as to provide water from a rock and quench your thirst. That your mind on thinking of a white stone would think of a God who is so caring to cover you with a cloud during the day so that the sun does not catch you. That when you think of the white stone, you are thinking of a God who is leading you with a pillar of fire by the night to keep you warm and to protect you from predators in the desert. Every time an Israelite thought of the white stone, he thought of the precious abundance gifts of God. No wonder the Samist would say in Psalm 68 verse 19, blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. When the Samist further thought of the white stone, of all the providences of God, he penned the precious words that we read in Psalm 23, that the Lord is my shepherd, I will not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside steel waters. He restores my soul, he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yeah, do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? I'll fear no evil for you are with me. You are road and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my carp runs over. Jesus, while trying to restrate the love and the providences of God as depicted by the white stone, in Matthew chapter 10 verse 29 to 31, he said these words are not too sparrow sword for fathering, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father noticing, but the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear you not therefore. You are of more precious value than many sparrows. If God provides for the sparrows, if he cares for them, what makes you not believe that he can care for you? The white stone, if the story of the rabbi is anything to go by, reminds us of a God who cares for you and for me so much and cares for us as an individual. You notice the white stone is given to each and every individual. The white stone speaks to us of a God who is willing to load as daily with his blessings and providences. You are on his mind even more than the sparrows are on his mind. He knows every troubling need that you have and is willing, capable and ready to provide for you. Why then should you be discouraged? The symbol of God's providences for your life is a white stone with your name written on it and it is in the safe custody of Jesus Christ. Should you not then trust Jesus for your daily needs? When you think of the white stone, we can, when we think of the white stone, we can with chia fuhats sing with a song written by William Paul, which says, just when I need him, Jesus is near. Ready to help me, ready to cheer. Just when I need him, Jesus is true. Never forsaking all the way through. Just when I need him, Jesus is strong. Bearing my burdens all the day long. Just when I need him, he is my all. Answering when upon him I call. Tenderly watching lest I should fall. Just when I need him most. The white stone speaks of a God ready to meet all our needs. It speaks of a loving benefactor that we have in Jesus, that we have in our Lord. I would like us to look at the second symbolic value of the white stone and this is the white stone in ancient jury decisions or ancient courtrooms. In ancient judgment halls, the lead judge would come into the judgment hall with two stones, a black stone and a white stone on his hand. If the person was condemned, the judge would drop on the ground a black stone. The black stone indicated condemnation, guilt, imprisonment, a fine or even dead sentence. If the judge dropped a white stone, it indicated that the person had been freed and delivered. It meant either the person was innocent or it as well meant that the person was guilty of the offenses but the judge had extended person of pardon, mercy, grace to the accused person. It meant that the person would be let free again. By Jesus promising a white stone, it signifies his readiness to extend mercy, grace and forgiveness to all those who overcome. The white stone given to us will be an eternal reminder that we did not deserve to be saved, but God graciously decided to write pardon next to our names. Jesus meant to tell us that an imperfect and sinner like me still has a chance before the judgment drawn. Jesus meant to assure us that whenever the devil seeks to lead us to despair, when he reminds us of the guilt within, God has regarded our case and has decided to acquit us and our fate is not condemnation and death but the reverence and freedom. Friends, the white stone says that there is no sin too bad for God to pardon. Allow me to illustrate this in a little dramatic way. I invite you to visualize the judgment room of God. Present in the room is God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, thousands upon thousands of angels and we can see this seen clearly in January 7, verse 9 to 10. Then there is this recording angel in the form of a prosecutor who reads out your name in the judgment. I would invite you to visualize when your name is read, then follows charges against you. Then the angel proceeds further to read the corresponding punishment for your sin. The angel quotes the words of Romans 6, verse 23 that the wages of sin is death. But wait a minute, good angel. The verse continues to say but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord. After my name is read in the judgment, after my guilt imperfections are read in the judgment, after my suitable fate is read in the judgment, Jesus steps forward and because I am in Christ and with Christ and because of Christ, drops a white stone, immediately the angel holding the book of records of sin puts a dash next to my name and in bright letters that glow he writes, pardon. Masi is written next to my name. Grace is written next to my name. Freedom from sin and guilt and condemnation is written next to my name. This is a symbolic message of the white stone that Jesus wanted us to learn and he promised a white stone to all the overcomers. There is hope of forgiveness for all of us. When Paul understood that Jesus had a white stone, he wrote the words in Romans 8, verse 1 that there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. The white stone confirms the word in 1 John 1, verse 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Jesus speaking through the white stone he speaks the words of Romans 8, verse 12 for I will be merciful to the unrighteousness and their sins and inequities will I remember no more. The white stone tells us that we have a high priest whom when our names come into judgment he stands before the wrath of God he stands before the demands of sin shielding us in us with his blood. When covered with his blood whiter than the snow fullness of his love then we shall know our life of scarlet, our sin and war will be made whiter than the snow. This is a promise of the white stone. Friend there is a white stone and Jesus awaits for you to respond to his invitation to confess your sins and he will in turn drop a white stone in your name drop a white stone with your name written on it and this will signify that your guilt is normal that the judgment has been overturned and mercy has been written next to your name. What a nice message to listen this evening that Jesus has a white stone signifying pardon, signifying personal mercy signifying his grace to us who are sinners but allow us to look at the third symbolic value of the white stone and this is white stone in ancient travel treatise. When travelers were traveling in ancient times they often went on journeys that lasted for days if not weeks. Whenever they could travel there used to be no hotels where they could lodge in the nightfall. Often they depended on the hospitality of the people along the way where they pass through. People often welcomed them into their homes. No wonder in the fourth commandment God was keen to remind that even the stranger in your house should not do any work on sabad because being a stranger in somebody's house was a normal occurrence in those days. When the stranger would be welcomed he would be provided with a meal and a place to sleep. If during the traveler developed a rapport with the host if they developed a relationship from their interactions and a friendship bond was developed the host would often take a white stone. He would split the stone into two and on one half of the stone he would write his name and on the other half he would write the name of the visiting stranger. The host would tell this stranger or this guest these words if you or any of your children comes to this land if you travel here again even if I die bring your half with my name written on it my children and grandchildren and their generations will always retain the half with your name written on it. Should you ever present to them the half that has my name written on it they will always welcome you here over and over again because this white stone is a symbol of our friendship it is a symbol of our loyalty and oneness the white stone sealed covenants made during travels and their symbolic significance was respected by generations and generations. When Jesus promised a white stone with our names written on it it meant that when we were in this world in this pilgrimage journey for heaven when we agreed to take the name of Jesus with us we children of weakness and of war he took it on himself to take our name with him also he wrote it on a white stone and put it somewhere in his pocket as a symbol of our loyalty a symbol of our oneness with Christ and throughout the ages to come the stone will keep our oneness with him confirmed and when all is said and done when we all get to heaven Jesus will stretch his arm and hand each one of us his stone with his individual names written on it this will tell us that throughout the ages when he had our names throughout the ages that he had our names on his heart that he remembered as always no matter how long they stay on this world the white stone is a symbol of God's love care and concern as pilgrims who like the ancient men and women of faith who appreciate and acknowledge that we look forward for a city with foundations whose maker and builder is God we who admit that we are foreigners and strangers on earth by thinking about the promise of the white stone of Ravishon chapter 2 verse 17 it should bring to our mind the intimacy that we have with God it should tell us that we are not on our own in this journey if the night falls along the way he will provide us a shelter in the night of storm he will not only provide a shelter under his wings but he will supply a meal in the night that we may not go hungry because he makes us to lie down in green pastures beside the steel waters but the white stone tells us that there is a place in God's heart only for you that there is a place in God's heart only for me yes, he has millions and millions of angels who worship him in heaven beside the 24 elders and other heavenly beings yes, he has about 8 billion people on this planet who are all under his care yes, he has billions and billions of fauna or under his watch and care he sees every spiral fall he sees every leaf wither yes, he has millions and millions that have accepted Christ and will be saved but when God looks at you he looks at you as if nothing and nobody else were in existence when he thinks of you he narrows the focus to you alone he knows your name he knows your DNA he knows where you live he knows what troubles your mind there is a love in his heart only for you there is a place in his heart that nobody else can ever feel apart from you because like an ancient traveler you have developed a relationship and loyalty with him but somebody is thinking how probably can that be true how can God even think of me I make mistakes I make mistakes don't you think if God were to know me with such intimacy he would long have destroyed me because of how I am imperfect Masharia how true and practical could it be for God to love me alone amid its thousands of way better Christians than me is this not just another good and fantastic thought to meditate upon and keep our minds motivated in a real sense it is an ideal scenario think of this illustration imagine you are the fourth born and your three elder siblings are sisters imagine these sisters have all been married for several years now but none has any child imagine how in vain they have tried every option available to get kids in vain now imagine you got married and in just a couple of years God bless you with six children God bless you with six children healthy and in good and in good gender balance and spacing just a perfect family now imagine that you have this last born he is a son you have this last born son who is always on the wrong side of discipline this child always has problems with teachers and every time you have cases to solve you have tried all you could to rectify your son mama you have shared this as a prayer request but nothing seems to change you have written his name on prayer ticket and dropped it in the prayer boxes but you don't understand why your child is not changing your child is becoming rebellious day by day imagine in one evening in his custom of rebellion he sneaks out of the home and accidentally well out there Aviko ran over him and he was pronounced dead you are devastated with grief you feel like your world is falling apart now imagine if I visited you and in an attempt to comfort you I told you the following words don't cry mama remember all your other sisters still have no child and you have five remaining I mean you are still more blessed or if I came and told you comfort you mama don't worry in fact be glad that the one who died was always in trouble and never understood much in school be glad you no longer have any trouble you can raise good man and kids and to a future of prosperity and happiness this would be the highest hate of insensitivity the reason it would be insensitive is this there is a place in your heart only for the last born no other of the remaining kids can never make up for the lost last born even if the last born was ill mannered and always kept you solving cases there was a place in your heart and a faith that you had only for him the number of the remaining kids in comparison with your sisters can never be a reason to erase the last born from your heart whenever you shall always introduce yourself I can imagine you saying I am a mother of six children although one of them unfortunately passed on there will be a place in your heart only for the last born that nobody else not even an additional child can ever feel in first John chapter 3 verse 1 it is says see what love the father has given us that we should be called children of God and that is that we the reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him God is our father and there is no doubt about it you see God is more attached to us as his children than any parent can ever be attached to his children the bible says in Isaiah chapter 49 verse 15 to 17 can a mother forget the baby of her breast and have no compassion of the child though she may forget I will not forget you see I have engraved you in the palms of my hands your walls are ever performing our names are engraved on a white stone and we ourselves are engraved on the palms of his hands this being the case and God being a loving father more than any parent can ever be there is a place in his heart only for you God loves you like the mother loves all the children including the rebellious one the last born there is a place in God's heart only for you no matter how often you fall God still loves you God still loves you no wonder he will always allow you to attend revival meetings no wonder he will always allow you to attend such evening vespaces because he longs that you may get an opportunity to know him that he may get an opportunity to become a good child just like the five children of the mother should you ever be lost eternally there will remain a place in God's heart that nobody else can ever feel if you are lost there will be a house in eternity that nobody else will ever occupy since Jesus is making a mansion for each one of us in Samari the hoistone represents God's providences of all good things for his children this is the symbol of the hoistone during the exodus the hoistone represents God's mercy and pardon for all his children this is the symbol of the hoistone in the judgment room the hoistone represents a personal love care and concern that God has just for you this is represented by the treaties that travelers could make with their hosts as they traveled in their journeys in ancient days the hoistone assures us that God is willing to offer pardon and mercy in exceeding measures only for you he is willing to provide for you everything that you need for your daily survival where you are in this strange land where you are bound for heaven he is willing to let you experience his love only for you the hoistone is not written in general members or general names like a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Nairobi Central no, there is no one stone written all the names of all the sins that will be saved no, the hoistone is written just to your name your name let us to corporate love no communal relationship he just loves each and every individual personally dear friend listening this evening God desires to have a one on one intimacy with you he doesn't want to know you as just a member of the Adventist world church he doesn't want to know you as just a statistics in the church record he want to love you to express his love for you just to you he is waiting with a longing desire for the manifestation of himself in you and in me when the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in you and perfectly reproduced in me then he shall come to claim you as his own to claim me as his own a paraphrase from the spirit of prophecy then he shall hand up to each one of us our individual white stones an eternal symbol of all his gross love for you and his gross love for me will you say with me this evening Jesus I now understand how individualize your love is for me I now understand beyond any shadow of doubt that there is a place in your heart only for me that there is providence that you put in place only for me that there is pardon that you have only for me that there is a relationship that you desire to have only with me help me to have this reality in my heart shall we pray eternal loving father in heaven we appreciate so much that you promise those who overcome you will give them a white stone all your providences to your children a white stone a symbol of all the pardon and mercy and grace that you extend to your children that though we are guilt of sin your blood can always wash us and cleanse us and give us an opportunity and Jesus you can drop a white stone in the judgment room of God and pardon is granted unto us we appreciate that there is a white stone there is a memorial of the relationship of loyalty that you have established with us help us to grasp this reality help us to embrace this truth help us never forget that you have a white stone and our names are written on it and one day you shall hand to each one of us his and her own white stone and then henceforth we shall dwell with you eternally thanking you for everything that you did to us when we were on this world hear our prayer this evening and bless everybody who has listened to this message evening and keep us in one faith keep us in one hope the hope of soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ as we pray by faith in Jesus Christ holy name amen thank you very much may God bless you and Jesus has a white stone with your name only written on it thank you