Saturday December 13, 2014

Read Acts 20:7-12

We’ve been studying the Lord’s Day, rather ironically, each week on the traditional Sabbath. As we continue this study, it’s fascinating to see what happened on the Lord’s Day in the New Testament. What follows is a compendium of events that occurred on the Lord’s Day.

Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week after the Sabbath (John 20:1). He was the first fruits (Mt.27:53). The resurrection is the capstone of our faith and the proving of the new covenant. He was raised for our justification. Jesus also appeared to ten of His disciples on that first day of the week (John 20:19). After this Jesus waited one week, and on the next Lord’s Day (ie the first day of the week) appeared to the eleven disciples (John 20:26).

The promised coming of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the first day of the week, the day of Pentecost which by law was set on the first day of the week (Lev. 23:16). Also on this very day, the first gospel sermon was preached by an apostle on the death and resurrection of Jesus was by Peter (Acts 2:14).

On that first day of the week the three thousand converts were made one people under the New Testament covenant, effectively separating from Judaism (Acts 2:41). At the giving of the law to Moses (traditionally said to be on this same day but many years earlier) 3,000 were slain but at Pentecost God reversed it and instead 3,000 were given eternal life. The law kills but the new covenant gives life. On that same first Lord’s Day, the rite of Christian baptism into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was administered for the first time (Acts 2:41).

At Troas Paul preached to the assembled Christians on the first day of the week We are told that they gathered together to break bread—a reference to the Lord’s Supper. No mention is made of the Sabbath here.

Paul instructed the Christians at Corinth to make contributions on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). It’s interesting that Paul would make this concession if the church met on the Sabbath. Offerings are a part of worship itself and since it took place on the first day of the week, wouldn't it make sense that their worship also took place on the same day?

The reality is that there is no mention of the Christian church worshipping on the Sabbath. The references to Paul and his travelling buddies entering synagogues on the Sabbath is not a reference to churches meeting but rather shows that Paul went to these places to evangelise, to preach Christ and to make disciples. At no point can we say that these were early Christian churches. They were Jewish synagogues! Both history and the New Testament would suggest that the church met from an early age on the Lord’s Day in commemoration of the rising of Christ Jesus on the first day of the week.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible reading and notes spend  time praying.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

à Ask the Lord to bring a commitment to corporate worship across your city/town, region, state and nation. Pray that other things during this day will take a back seat and be given lesser priority than meeting with the Lord. 

à Pray that more and more believers would put God first in their lives in everything including work, finances, study, relationships and so on.

 Walk Moment:

Giving God just 1 hour each Lord’s Day is neither glorifying to God nor edifying to His people. Why not give Him the entire day and use it to grow in your walk with Him and to bless your brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

 Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to understand the theology behind ‘worshipping’ on the Lord’s Day?

2. If someone in your church refuses to make Church a priority, how can you encourage and bless them?

3. Some have argued that calling for commitment to church amounts to legalism. How would you counter this?

The world knows that Christmas is a time of year that the church celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. While they may not understand or agree, they generally know what’s happening. A lot of people actually have 2 days in the year in which they are amenable to church attendance - Easter and Christmas.

As a church, we need to be sure that we are doing two things. Firstly, we need to be inviting people to church. Secondly we need to be welcoming them into church and connecting with them. If people make connections in the church they are far more likely to return. If they are treated like strangers or passers-by they will probably never return again. Christmas and Easter are the days that can make a huge difference to your church. Are you ready to reap it?