September 4, 2005

Cawson Street Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia 23860

Mural Worthey

 

Respect for the Lord’s Day

 

Introduction

 

   John wrote from Patmos, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.  What thou seest write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia.”  (Revelation 1:10-11.)

 

   To say that something belongs to the Lord is to indicate a special relationship to the Lord.  The word Lord’s is used only twice in the Bible—Rev. 1:10 and in 1 Corinthians 11:20, which speaks of the Lord’s Supper.  “When you come together in one place, you cannot eat the Lord’s Supper.”  The early church partook of the Supper on the first day of the week.  The Lord’s Day and Lord’s Supper belong together.  They have a special connection. It was on this day, the first day of the week, that our Lord arose from the dead. The Church was established on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  (Acts 2.)  This was always on the first day of the week because it occurred fifty days after the Passover.  The New Testament day of worship is the first day of the week for many good reasons.

 

   One author described what may have happened to old John in these words. “Perhaps this is how the scene unfolded: John rose early on the first day of the week as he had for the last sixty years.  By the time the sun rose, he was already seated on a rocky ledge, looking across the blue waters to the east.  Spray hit his face as the waves relentlessly pounded the rocks below, but his thoughts were across the sea, where his brethren were gathering for worship.  Tears came to his eyes as he envisioned the faces of those he loved.  He could see them praying, breaking bread, and singing.  There, on his lonely perch, he lifted up his own voice, old and cracked but filled with emotion: ‘He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.’  Suddenly, the earth seemed to sink away under his feet.  The horizon receded.  John’s soul seemed to be liberated from the shackles of time and space.  He was out of contact with the physical world around him.  He was ‘in the Spirit.’  He saw, but not with physical eyes.  He heard, but not with physical ears.  He was in direct, spiritual contact with his Savior.”  (Roper, 81, and Hendriksen, 70.)

 

   There ought to be something special about the Lord’s Day that is different and distinct from all the other days of the week.  Otherwise, these phrases, the Lord’s Day and the Lord’s Supper, have no meaning.  They belong to the Lord in a unique way.  I note with you that the Bible does not say, The Lord’s Hour, but rather the Lord’s Day.  It does not just say, The Lord’s Supper, as if that is all there is to the Lord’s Day.  It says, The Lord’s Day.

 

   I want to show how we have gradually over the years come to do many things that show disrespect for the Lord’s Day.  We generally do what others lead us to do, instead of setting the right standard ourselves.  That is, if the laws of the land show respect for the Lord’s Day, we think more highly of the day.  But if the customs of the country do not respect the Lord’s Day, then we generally do not.  If our companies where we work respect the Lord’s Day, we do.  But if they do not, then we do not set the standard for them.  There are several in this assembly who own or operate your own businesses, and you close the doors on the Lord’s Day.  You are to be commended.

 

Examples of Abuses

 

   But here are some things that are not so commendable.  Some use this day to sleep.  Others use the day to visit family and friends.  Let me see if I can describe what a typical Sunday is like to these who use the day to visit.  They sleep late, maybe until 10 or 11 AM.  Then, they have a late breakfast—there is a word for such a meal, Sunday brunch.  Brunch means breakfast and lunch in one meal.  Then after brunch, they go for family visits for the rest of the afternoon.  They could get up and attend worship, then after lunch go to visit for a few hours.  They would have plenty of time to worship and visit in the afternoon. Some use this day to travel.  If you travel on the Lord’s Day, it is most difficult to find a place to worship and be prepared to worship.  Others attend sporting events planned by schools or professional sports.  In our country, there is an obsession with sports.  It has become our god.  Different forms of entertainment are more important than worship.  One preacher told me that the attendance where he preaches is poor during the Spring, Summer and Fall due to families going to nearby lakes for fishing and relaxation on the weekends.  Christians will be found camping, hiking, fishing, skiing—doing almost anything on the Lord’s Day. Others work on the Lord’s Day to make double and triple pay. 

 

Examples of Reverence

 

   Respect for the Jewish Sabbath.  One of the Ten Commandments said, “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.”  (Exodus 20:8.)  Several reasons are given in Scripture for this rest day.  1) The Lord rested on the seventh day after creating the world in six days.  (Exodus 20:11.)  2) To remember that they were servants in Egypt, but God had set them free.  (Deut. 5:15.)  3) This physical day of rest served as a shadow of a more significant rest in Jesus Christ.  The Hebrew writer said that after the day of rest and the land of rest, “There remains a rest for the people of God.”  (Heb. 4:9.)  If Joshua had given them rest, then there would not have been another rest.  But the real rest is found in Jesus Christ and in heaven itself.

 

   The Jewish rabbis asked why God needed to rest on the seventh day.  God surely does not tire as we do.  But we are made in the image of God, spiritually.  There may be a connection between God’s rest and ours.  Lettie Cowman’s book, Springs in the Valley, tells the story of a traveler in the jungles of Africa.  He hired men to carry heavy loads for him.  The first day they marched rapidly and went a far distance.  The traveler has high hopes that he would be able to make good time the second day.  But the hired men refused to move.  For some strange reason they just sat and rested.  When asked why they would not go on, they replied that they had gone too fast the first day and they needed time for their souls to catch up with their bodies. Then Mrs. Cowman concluded: This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us what that first day of marching did for those poor jungle tribesmen.  The difference is that they knew what they needed to restore life’s balance.  Too often we do not.  (“Why Would A God Need to Rest on the Seventh Day?” Rabbi Dr. Michael Samuel, online under Sabbath.)  We need to be refreshed spiritually.  Worship brings revitalization to man’s spirit which is in the likeness of God.

 

   But even though this Sabbath rest of the Jews was a shadow (Col. 2:16-17), yet they had a great respect for this day.  God had commanded them to keep it holy.  That is, they were to set it aside and treat it differently than the other work days.  Sunday is not the Christian Sabbath, but our rest in the Lord is our Sabbath.  If we disregard the Lord’s Day, we will also show a lack of respect for our spiritual rest in the Lord.  (Matt. 11:28-30.)

   We often belittle the rules that the Jewish rabbis made to restrict their fellow Jews on the Sabbath.  Jesus criticized them for adding to the commandment of God.  They were wrong for placing so much importance to this one day, but we should not criticize them for their overall reverence for the holy things of God.  The Lord did say, Keep it holy.  They tried to do just that.

 

   In addition to the Torah, or the Law of Moses, the rabbis had written customs and traditions concerning many aspects of the Law.  These traditions became just as binding as the Law.  These writings were called the Mishnah and the Gemara.  In the Mishnah, there were 39 classes of prohibited actions in regard to the Sabbath.  But we should acknowledge the effort the Jewish teachers to help the Jews to honor God on this day.  They had restrictions about travel.  They established how far one could travel; it was called a Sabbath’s Day journey.  (Acts 1:12.)  The exact distance a person could travel on the Sabbath was not given in the Law.  They were only told to stay inside and not go out and look for manna on the Sabbath.  (Exodus 16:29.)

 

   In addition to travel, there were many restrictions made in regard to what constituted work on the Sabbath.  Jesus often conflicted with the rabbis over these rules that they had made.  Their rules got in the way of normal human compassion, for both man and beasts.  They criticized Jesus for making someone whole on the Sabbath Day.  They believed that he had violated the fourth commandment.  Mercy and compassion come before rules in the heart of God.  But disrespect for things that are holy does not!  We should learn the difference.

 

   We should put aside anything, family visitations, school activities, work, or sleep, that hinders us from the Christian assembly.  The Bible still reads, “Not forsaking the assembly of yourselves together as the manner of some is. . . .”  (Heb. 10:25.)  Note the phrase, as the manner of some is.  It was the custom of some in the first century to forsake the assembly and the sad commentary is that such practice has continued to this day.  You are not faithful in showing reverence for things that belong to the Lord if you do so.  I would urge you to respect the Lord’s Day, the whole day.  Attend worship in the morning and in the evening.

 

 

 

As the Manner of Some Is

 

   The inspired writer does not give any of the reasons why some in the first century forsook the Christian gathering.  One writer suggested the following: 1) Some may have been deterred by the fear of persecution, as those who were thus assembled would be more exposed to danger than others.  2) Some may have neglected the duty because they felt no interest in it—as professing Christians now sometimes do.  3) Others may have had doubts about the necessity and propriety of this duty.  4) Some may have been dissatisfied with those in leadership—their elders, preachers, teachers, etc.  Whatever their reasons were then or now, Christians ought to assemble together for mutual edification and worship of God.  There is no good reason to neglect it, even if persecution came against them or us.

 

The Lord’s Day and the Lord

 

   We will not respect the Lord’s Day, unless we accept and believe the Gospel of Christ.  If we understand the Kingdom of God and what it is about, then we will begin to respect the Lord’s Day.  This is a part of our overall work and existence in the Kingdom.  We will not respect the Lord’s Day unless we respect and have a great faith in the Lord.

 

   “Have faith in God.”  (Mark 11:22.)   “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  (Heb. 11:6.)

 

   Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”  (John 14:15.)

 

The Lord’s Day and You

 

   Jesus made it clear why God commanded his people to observe the Sabbath Day.  It was not to bind unnecessary rules upon them.  It was for their benefit.  Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”  (Mark 2:27.)  Again, the Lord’s Day is not the Christian Sabbath.  But the Lord’s Day was made for our spiritual renewal.  It is for our good.

 

   There are no commands concerning how many times a day we assemble.  But the day belongs to the Lord.  For a moment, compare the hours we spent in worship with the hours in school.  To graduate from the first grade in school, how many hours will it take you?  At 6 hours per day, five days a week, forty weeks in a school year, the total number of hours is 1200.  If you worship only one hour per week, you spend 52 hours per year in worship.  How many years would it take you to equal 1200 hours to graduate from the first grade?  It would take you 23 years!  In forty years, you would just be graduating from the second grade and in sixty years, the third grade.  If you attend all three services, it will take you nearly 8 years to graduate from the first grade spiritually.

 

   No wonder that the Bible says, Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. . . .”  (Heb. 10:25.)