The Christian everywhere and always has worshipped on Sunday, with few exceptions. The Christians in Germany, France, Belgium, Africa, Canada, Spain, etc. All worship on Sunday, and they always have since the apostles’ time. When I was a boy, stores were closed on Sunday. It was a day not like the other six. Christians went to church twice on Sunday and were at prayer meeting in the mid-week.

The six-day sabbath has been replaced with “Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17 “Let no one judge you on Sabbath days.” The sabbath was included in the Mosaic Law. It was a day that was always to be a reminder of the God of creation. The Law also was a reminder to us that we are sinful and need a sacrifice.

The New Covenant is a different day with a new meaning. It speaks of God as “Savior.” Jesus arose on Sunday, the “first” day of the week. The angel said, “Jesus is risen.” Then the angel sent them to tell the disciples that He would meet them (Matthew 28:1-10). Before this event, Sunday was just like every other day, with no special significance. But now, all that has changed.

Luke 24 gives a rather detailed account of the fact that Jesus was seen risen from the dead. In the morning He appeared to the women, in the afternoon He appeared to the Emmaus disciples, in the evening He appeared to the ten disciples. Quite a day! But there is more. He appeared to the eleven eight days later, by going through a closed, locked door (again on a Sunday). John 20:19 reminds us that all of this had happened on the first day of the week. All except Thomas knew Jesus had risen from the dead. After eight days (Sunday), Jesus appeared again, and Thomas believed. Again, we see Sunday as a very special day.

On Sunday, He gave His great Commission (Mark 16:14-15). On Sunday (Pentecost) (Leviticus 23:16) He sent His Holy Spirit. This was the day the church was born, and the day three thousand people were saved. Sunday had become the New Covenant resurrection day. The day of Celebration of the Work of Christ. We are not under the Sabbath Law at all (Galatians 4:8-19).

“It was on the first day of the week that they were gathered together to break bread” (Acts 20:7). By the way, they had an evening service on Sunday, and it drew a large crowd, for Eutychus was sitting in the third-floor window and fell (Acts 20:7-12). The collection was to be taken on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-4).

The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel, forever (Exodus 31:12-18). It was a sign like the rainbow in Genesis 9, or like circumcision in Genesis 11. The Sabbath was a time of rest and celebration (Leviticus 23:33; Isaiah 58:13). Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (John 5). Jesus picked grain with His disciples on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-11). Jesus taught the ox should be pulled out of the ditch on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-5).

Nine of the Ten Commandments are moral commandments explaining the nature of God, and therefore repeated in the New Testament. God made the Commandments holy and set apart. The Sabbath was Holy and lifted above all other days in the week. It was unique because it was connected with God’s rest. It was a rest of satisfaction in having made everything “good.” God didn’t work again until man sinned, and man was in desperate need to be covered. He covered them with animal skins. He also established a sacrifice system to cover those who repent, with The Lamb’s blood. God was the God of the Creation Sabbath, which was to bring rest. However, as is argued in Hebrews 3 and 4, the true rest is a rest found in Jesus Christ. A rest from our own works. A rest from all our works for salvation (Galatians).

There is no Commandment in the New Testament to keep the Sabbath. The people of God are called to enter into the “rest” of salvation. The Christian is not to go back under the Sabbath teaching. If he does go back, Christ is no longer of benefit to him (Galatians 5:2; Colossians 2:11-16). The Sabbath day had passed away. It was a shadow, but we no longer live in shadows (Hebrews 8-10).

The Sabbath was a sign to Israel, pointing to God the Creator. The Lord’s Day is a sign to all Christians, pointing to God the redeemer (Savior). The one in whom we find our full satisfaction (rest).

Sunday was called the Lord’s Day by the apostle John (Revelation 1:10). This was written at least thirty years after Christ ascended to His Father. Therefore, it was a well-established title. John’s vision of the book of Revelation was given on the Lord’s Day.

We need to consider the slide the church is on. Clearly the worship on the Lord’s Day (Hebrews 10:25 – not “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching,”) is losing its important place. There is a day, and it’s the first day of the week, not the seventh. It is the Lord’s Day and my love for Him will determine what I do on this day.