Text: Acts 20:7
The world is filled with a multitude of churches engaged in various practices. With all of the diversity of practices, there is one thing that professing Christians generally agree on – the church assembles on Sunday. Some meet other days (ex: Seventh Day Adventists), but these are the exceptions. Why is this the prevailing practice? Let us consider what the Bible teaches.
The History of the Sabbath Day
- God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3) – not because He needed rest; this was an example
- This was the basis for the Sabbath law in the Law of Moses (Exodus 20:8-11)
- This was to continue throughout their generations (Exodus 31:13, 16)
- Severe punishment for those who violated the Sabbath law (Exodus 31:14-15; Numbers 15:32-36)
- Not always faithfully kept during the OT (Ezekiel 20:12-13; Nehemiah 13:15-18)
- Still practiced by the Jews during the first century (Acts 15:21) – even to an extreme (John 5:8-18)
The Change to the First Day of the Week
- Jesus was raised from the dead on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1-6)
- The church was established on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1) – Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) occurred on the first day of the week, fifty days after the Passover (Leviticus 23:15-16); all males were to appear before the Lord (Deuteronomy 16:16)
- Christians assembled on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2)
- However, this is not the “Christian Sabbath” – not Biblical language
Does It Matter?
- Our practices need to be established by Scripture, not common practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 7:21-23) – if we assemble on the first day of the week, it cannot be simply because the majority does so
- We can only know God’s will by His revelation (Deuteronomy 29:29; Jeremiah 10:23; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13)
- It is presumptuous to assume God will be pleased with something without Him revealing it (Matthew 7:21-23)
- We must strive to do all in the name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17) – by His authority
- The old law (including the Sabbath) was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14) – with Jesus came a new LAW and a new COVENANT (Hebrews 7:11-12; 8:6)
- We can meet ANY day, but SUNDAY is emphasized and special – NT limits giving and the Lord’s Supper to Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 20:7), but there are no such limits on other activities
Conclusion
- Why do we meet on Sunday? – not about personal preference, convenience, human tradition, etc.
- This is the day that Christians meet to worship the Lord as has been done since the first century
- Let us recognize the importance of this and not allow the things of this world to interfere with it
