Elvis may have left the building, but his signature still lingers. If you want the autograph of the famed King of Rock and Roll--on a scrap of paper--it will cost you $937.1 John Lennon's autograph was worth $1,075 in 2000. Today, it is valued at $9,210. That may seem pricey, but it is pawn shop pocket change compared to what you have to pay to purchase an autograph of William Shakespeare. There are only six known to exist in the entire world. Experts believe his signature would bring about $3,000,000.2
The right signature can be worth big bucks. Hmmm . . . so how valuable does that make Jesus' autograph? You cannot get it now, but one day you will have it.
When the Lord addressed the church of Philadelphia, he talked about his signature:
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:11-12 ESV
Commenting on this passage, Simon J. Kistemaker writes,
Believers in the city of Antioch were the first to receive the name Christian, that is, follower of Christ (Acts 11:26). To the world this was a name of derision (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). But entering the new Jerusalem, the Christian received Christ's new name. We are not told what this name is, but we are able to say that it pertains to the completion of Christ's redemptive work. This new name will no longer be mocked but will be honored and revered.3
Look closely at the verse. Jesus will write on the one who overcomes (1) the name of my God, (2) the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, (3) and his own new name.
What is God telling us? The Lord wants us to know that we are his, and that nothing can change that.
In Toy Story 2, there is a poignant scene when Woody looks down at the bottom of his shoe and finds the name, "Andy." At that moment, Woody remembers how much he is loved. With infinitely greater meaning, Jesus writes his name on us. His new name, an eternal reminder of God's love and the price he paid to make us his own.
So you can't get Shakespeare's autograph? Big deal! What you've got coming is worth so much more. The triple signature will distinguish you as one belonging to God, it will showcase your heavenly citizenship, and declare in a very special way your relationship to Christ.4
I'm not sure how you are feeling today, but if you want a big lift, just stop for a moment and think about what's to come . . .
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1 "So, How Much Is An Elvis Autograph Worth?" www.elvisblog.net Accessed February 22, 2012. 2 The 10 Most Valuable Author Signatures Of All Time, in www.accreditedcollegesonline.org, Accessed February 22, 2012. 3 Simon J. Kistemaker, Revelation. Page 165. 4 Robert H. Mounce, The Book Of Revelation. Page 105.