"New Name" (4-4-21)

Overview

A New Name: An Easter Promise of Heaven

The women who walked slowly toward Jesus' tomb that first Easter morning soon found themselves running—their feet carrying them into a new reality, one in which the crucified Christ was alive and the gates of heaven stood open to all who believe. Easter is the perfect day to lift our eyes toward heaven, and one of the richest images of what awaits us is found in Revelation 2:17: "To everyone who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it."

Each piece of this promise opens up the gospel. The "conqueror," as 1 John 5:5 plainly tells us, is "the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." The "hidden manna" recalls the heavenly bread God gave Israel and points to Jesus, the Bread of Life, who gives eternal life to those who trust Him. The "white stone" draws on the practice of ancient Greek courts, where a dark stone signified guilty and a white stone signified innocent. Christ Himself hands the believer the verdict: not guilty—because He bore our punishment on the cross and the debt has been paid in full.

What, then, of the "new name"? Scripture interprets Scripture. Four times God renames someone—Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, and Simon to Peter—and in every case the new name marks a new reality, a new existence. The person is no longer who they were. We see this same pattern in baptism: when a child is baptized in the name of Jesus (as commanded in Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:48), God claims that child as His own, washes them in the promises of the cross and empty tomb, and gives them a new name—baptized child of God. The new name in Revelation is not so much a label we'll wear in heaven as it is the promise of the new reality of heaven itself, known fully only by those who experience it. We will recognize one another there, just as Moses and Elijah were recognizable at the Transfiguration, but no words can capture the grandeur of what God has prepared.

Beloved, hear the Easter word for you: because the tomb is empty and the sacrifice has been accepted, Christ holds out to every believer the hidden manna of eternal life, the white stone of acquittal, and a new name—a new existence in the beauty of heaven. Like the women on Easter morning, may your feet run with joy toward the One who has prepared it all.

Transcript

Would you open your Bible, please, with me, to Revelation chapter 2 for our study on this great day, 2s

Revelation the second chapter. 11s

The sound of feet, were they moving rather slowly along the path, one foot after another 17s

perhaps just shuffling slowly. After all, it was early in the morning and after all, 29s

the events that had recently occurred were terrible. The women traveled along, putting one foot in front 41s

of the other as they traveled to do what they needed to do, 52s

anoint the body of Jesus at the tomb. But as they went along, putting one foot in front of the other, 58s

they came to an angel and the angel had some startling, fantastic news. The angel said that 69s

Jesus was not there that Jesus was not dead but that He was alive. And the women began to run. 79s

They put their feet one in front of the other as quickly as they could and as they ran, 91s

the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ met them and they fell down at His feet and took hold of His feet 98s

and worshiped Him. And at that moment, at that moment was the dawn of a new reality. 108s

Oh, Easter Day is such a wonderful, wonderful day, isn't it? It is a day of celebration. 125s

We celebrate that the tomb is empty, that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted, 132s

that God is true to His promises, that the gates of heaven are open to all believers in the Lord 140s

Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Easter Day is such a great, great day, and Easter Day. 148s

Easter Day is the perfect day to talk about heaven. Heaven. 159s

And so we're going to turn to Revelation the second chapter today. 172s

Did you know that the Bible tells us that in heaven, we have a new name? 178s

Look at me, please. At Revelation the second chapter. The image we hear in verse 17 is so, so very rich. 193s

Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches, 202s

to everyone who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna. Now of course, this is Jesus' message. 210s

So what does it mean when it says to everyone who conquers? Well, let's let scripture 218s

interpret scripture. And if you turn back to first John the fifth chapter, the scripture says, 225s

who is it that conquers the world? But the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 232s

So you can easily, easily paraphrase this verse as saying, let anyone who has an ear listen to 242s

what the Spirit is saying to the churches, to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 249s

So the conqueror is the one who believes in Jesus. And then it says, 257s

I will give some of the hidden manna. Remember, manna was that heavenly food that God fed his people. 264s

Jesus said that he's the bread of life. So the heavenly food for us is life eternal. 276s

Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches, to everyone who conquers or who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, 289s

I will give some of the hidden manna or eternal life. The imagery continues. And I will give a white stone. 297s

In the ancient Greek courts, the dark stone meant guilty and the white stone meant innocent. 311s

So here's the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, the bread of life. 321s

Giving to all those atrust in Him as Savior and Lord the white stone. It is that stone 328s

that we are not guilty, that He has borne our punishment for our sin on the cross, that the debt has been paid. 336s

And the judgment given, not guilty through the blood of Jesus Christ. And then we hear it. 344s

And on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it. 357s

So this stone of a quittle, this stone of innocence, that is given to the believer from the Lord Jesus Christ, this incredible, incredible imagery. 382s

On it is a new name. But the only one who knows the word of Jesus Christ is the name of Jesus Christ. 396s

One that knows the name is the one that receives that stone. Does this mean then that in heaven? 400s

We will have a new name that's known only to us. 416s

Actors, actors quite often change their names. Don't they? 428s

They change it to something that maybe has a little bit more ring to it than their given name. I think, for example, 433s

Archibald Leach. Archibald Leach. Well, we know him by the new name that he took, the legendary actor, Kerry Grant. 442s

Kerry Grant has more of a ring to it, doesn't it, than Archibald Leach? Or about this one? Eric Bishop. Eric Bishop. 455s

We know him by his new name, the actor Jimmy Fox or Karen Johnson. 465s

Karen Johnson. Well, we know her by her new name. We'll be Goldberg. Quite often actors take on new names, but we know them by their new name. 474s

But here, the Bible seems to be saying that in heaven we're going to receive a new name, but nobody's going to know the new name, except us. 489s

Now, today is a perfect day to talk about heaven. I don't want to get too much into the administrative 502s

weeds in terms of heaven, but exactly how is it going to work? Because we're going to know each other in heaven. 508s

You're going to know me and I'm going to know you. We're going to recognize each other. You're going to look like you. 520s

And I'm going to look like me. But as we recognize each other, we won't know each other's new name. 525s

Why we see in the transfiguration, where Jesus before he went to the cross and was raised from the dead, 537s

he showed his post Easter glory to his disciples. And there was Moses and Elijah on the Mount. They were recognizable. 544s

So we're going to recognize each other. We're going to know each other, but we just won't know each other's new name. 553s

How does that work? It's almost like all of us are going to be wearing those stick-on badges. 560s

It's a hello. My name is, but then it's going to be blank on all of us. 568s

So again, not to get too far into the administrative weeds here with regard to how this is going to work. 574s

But the question comes to mind. Doesn't it? How is this going to work? Does this mean 580s

that when we get to heaven? You're going to have a new name and so will I. 585s

And the thing is, we just won't know each other's new name. 596s

What's the principle? What's the principle when, especially you come to, 607s

these more difficult verses to interpret what's the principle? You let scripture interpret scripture. 614s

So here's the question. Do we see in the Bible any place where God changes the name of someone? 626s

Yes, we do. In fact, we see it four times. God changes Abram to Abraham. 639s

Sarah, to Sarah Jacob to Israel. Simon to Peter. Now you may be thinking I'm missing one, right? 650s

How about soul to poll? Well, actually, souls the Hebrew name and poll is the Roman name. 663s

So God didn't change that. No, there are four examples in scripture. We're God changes the name. 671s

Here's the point. Each of those four times, we're God changes the name. What is being communicated? 678s

Is that person is no longer who they were? There was a new existence, a new reality for them. 688s

So Abraham and Sarah, the parents of what will become a huge, huge nation. 706s

Jacob, that has wrestled with God. Now a new existence and God says you will be called Israel. 718s

Simon who says, you were the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Jesus says your names Peter now. 730s

His Peter means rock, and on the very confession you've made, that's the foundation of the church. 736s

That's that confession that Peter would live. That's the very confession upon which the church rests upon that Jesus Christ 746s

is the Son of the living God in each of those situations. When God changed the name, 755s

it was a new existence, a new reality. The person was not as they were before a new reality. 766s

I'm reminded of growing up, shepherd of the valley, Lutheran church, canogapark, California. 789s

It's interesting, it's I reflect growing up there and going to worship there. 798s

Some memories that come back, you know what are the dominant memories that come back are witnessing of baptism. 806s

In a particular, there was always a question that was asked that I just really found interesting. 814s

Just before the baptism, the pastor would turn to the parents and would say, 823s

and with what name shall this child be baptized? 829s

No, it's not as if the pastor didn't know who he was about ready to baptize. He certainly knew the name of the child. 836s

There was something formal in asking that. There was something almost elegant in asking that question. 846s

For in turning to the parents and saying, 856s

what name will this child be baptized with? 861s

Why it brings up all of the imagery and the beauty of the parents, 868s

pondering and praying over what they should name their child, 874s

with what name and the name given. 880s

But then is the baptism begins. That child is baptized in the name of Jesus. 889s

That child who the parents had prayed for over the name and given of the name, 901s

now that child is baptized in the name of Jesus. 907s

We hear that. For example, in Acts 2, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ 913s

so that your sins may be forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 925s

In Acts 10, so we ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 933s

Is when one is baptized, baptized in the name of Jesus. 942s

One enters into a new reality, a new reality. 951s

God claims that child as his own, God washes that child in the promises one to the cross and the empty 960s

God puts his grasp upon that child and says, I'm never, ever letting you go. It's the last 969s

judgment in miniature and one is baptized into the name of the one who took all of the sin 977s

associated with all of our names. 990s

And having been baptized in the name of Jesus, we bear the new reality, the new name, 999s

that which we are called, 1014s

baptized child of God. 1019s

When God changed the names of those four, it highlighted the new reality. 1027s

When we are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, a new reality is born. 1036s

Look again with me, please, at our text. Verse 17, 1054s

let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches, 1061s

to everyone who conquers who believes in the Lord Jesus, 1070s

I will give some of the hidden man a eternal life. 1075s

I will give a white stone that symbol that you are not guilty. 1081s

Because Jesus has paid the debt and on the white stone is written a new name. 1090s

That's not a new name in terms of we're going to be called something different in heaven. 1108s

That's the new name in terms of the new reality, the new existence of heaven itself. 1118s

I will give a white stone and on the white stone is written a new name 1138s

that no one knows except the one who receives it. 1144s

You see it is only those. 1154s

It is only those experiencing the reality and the beauty of paradise itself that understands it. 1157s

For there is no amount of words that can be used to describe its grandeur and its beauty. 1166s

One only has to experience it. 1177s

That experience it can't be put in words for us. 1181s

But when one moves into the reality of heaven itself, 1187s

why it is only the one that has moved into that reality that truly understands the richness and glory and wonder and beauty of heaven itself. 1191s

Beloved with Easter joy, 1219s

hear the word of the Lord for you today. 1224s

Because Easter day, Easter day is the perfect day to talk about heaven. 1230s

It's the perfect day to talk about what lies ahead. 1242s

It's like the parent that comes to the child and says, 1255s

I have something so special for you 1261s

and God comes to us and puts it as succinctly as it can be put. 1269s

I will give you a new name, a new existence, a new reality of heaven, heaven, 1283s

and our feet will run into its beauty. 1308s