A White Stone

 "I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." Revelation: 2:17c

Jesus, speaking to St. John, and to his people in the early church at Pergamum which was a community along the imperial mail rout in Asia-Minor, gives them, and to Christians in all ages, a word of encouragement after speaking correction to them.

Our Lord tells them that they will receive a "white stone", with their new name upon it. Why would being the recipients of such a gift be an encouragement to them and us?

These early Christians would have understood what Jesus was telling them and have been grateful for it.

  Acquittal

In the court systems of that day, after trying one accused of a crime, and after all the evidence was presented and brought forward and testimonies given, a panel of judges would deliberate then render their vertices publicly.

The accused would stand before all and the assembled judges who then would show their verdict by dropping a stone into a conduit that would drop down into a slot that was visible to all in the court.

A black stone for guilty, and a white stone for innocent. If, there was two black and one white the person was condemned and sentenced. If, two white then the accused was publicly declared innocent, justified, not guilty and set free. Once declared innocent, justified, a person could never be tried again. 

Christians Innocent

Jesus is telling these early Christians, and those Christians who were to come through the ages, that they are acquitted of sin , and will not be condemned. Jesus is declaring us before all, that we are free, all through his grace, in spite of the mountain of evidence against us all, he the great Judge finds us not guilty, and once he declares us so, we can never be tried again, set free. 

This would have been a comfort and encouragement to know that the Lord has acquitted them and us.

St. Paul wrote of this acquittal, this justification, that we can experience this in Jesus:

"(He) forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross" Col:2:13-14

Once having been acquitted we can no longer be tried ever again, even though it is quite obvious that we all are guilty, yet:  

"Having been declared righteous, then, by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Rom: 5:1 (Young's Literal Translation)

 "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Rom: 4:8

We are now ,set free, all by his grace, and the work of salvation that Jesus secured for us. We can never be condemned or accused again; the Great Judge has rendered his verdict.... not guilty!

 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Eph:2:8 

An Invitation

Another purpose for a white stone in the ancient world, was, that white stones were used to invite persons to important events. Often these white stone invitations would have been sent by a special messenger with   the recipient's name written or inscribed upon them.

 Those invited would need to bring these invitations along to be admitted to the gathering. White Stones were used to extend an offer to be a part of a wedding feast.

It was considered a great honor to have received such an invitation and be found in possession of one. The only thing that could keep one out was by absolute refusal to receive it, even though a person's name was already inscribed upon it or to cast it away. In that culture it was considered a great social insult to turn down a personalized an invitation.

Gospel Invitation

The Gospel in just such an invitation, through the proclamation of the message about Jesus Christ we are all personally invited to the wedding super. We are offered free access to the greatest, most prestigious event in time and eternity. God has sent this  personalized invitation to us through His Son Jesus Christ. It should be great honor to be received.

"but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things" Heb:1:2a-b

Jesus used the wedding supper in his teaching, that an invitation is offered and He commissioned messengers to invite the guest. Unfortunately, that there will be some, who having received this special invitation offered out of love will, will refuse to attend even though it is already theirs’. 
 

"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come." Matt: 22:8

They did not esteem the invitation as they should have, or did not care that it was extended to them. But some did and will receive it.

"Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find . So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.. " Matt: 22:9-10

Through the message about Jesus our great God offers this personalized invitation to any and to all; that they, having been declared not guilty, are now invited to come into an eternal relationship with Him for all eternity nothing can keep us out but our own unwillingness to receive it. This would have been great encouragement to those Christian in Pergamum and to us today, there is nothing to keep us out.

Benediction: May we each and all live out that innocents which we all have been declared to be as we walk to the great wedding supper of our Lord, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma