T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE L ORD ’ S D AY

I NTRODUCTION In its worship, as in all other matters the church must be governed by divine authority. We must worship according to truth if we would worship acceptably. Must have a “ thus saith the Lord ” for every practice. “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” {1 Thessalonians 5:21}

I NTRODUCTION The observance of the Lord’s Day as a day of worship and service to the Lord is of New Testament origin. Under Old Testament days the people of God observed the Sabbath Day. The Lord’s Day is NOT the Christian’s Sabbath—two different laws —two different days.

T HE S ABBATH Why was it Observed : – Because of Israel’s deliverance from bondage. “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” {Deuteronomy 5:15}

T HE S ABBATH Why was it Observed : – Given after Jehovah’s deliverance of Israel. – Only during Mosaic Dispensation not during Patriarchy. “The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive.” {Deuteronomy 5:3}

T HE S ABBATH By whom Observed : – It was a sign between God and Israel. “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.” {Exodus 31:13,14}

T HE S ABBATH By whom Observed : – It was a sign between God and Israel. “Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.” {Exodus 31:15,16}

T HE S ABBATH By whom Observed : – Not a sign between God and all nations, special sign for the God and Jews. “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.” {Exodus 31:17}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – Some contend a “ perpetual covenant.” No more than animal sacrifice and burning of incense. “And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.” {Exodus 30:8}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – Some contend a “ perpetual covenant.” No more than animal sacrifice and burning of incense. “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.” {Numbers 28:2}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – The Sabbath a perpetual “ sign ” between God and Israel as His chosen people. – Israel ended— Sabbath ended! – End of Israel as a nation. “…The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore... The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Surely I will never forget any of their works.” {Amos 8:2,7}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – The Sabbath a perpetual “ sign ” between God and Israel as His chosen people. – Israel ended— Sabbath ended! – End of Israel as a nation. “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.” {Luke 23:44,45} “…It is finished.” {John 19:30}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – The end of the Sabbath prophesied. “I will also cause all her mirth to cease, Her feast days, Her New Moons, Her Sabbaths - All her appointed feasts.” {Hosea 2:11}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – The end of the Sabbath prophesied. – Fulfillment… “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” {Colossians 2:13,14}

T HE S ABBATH The Sabbath ended : – The end of the Sabbath prophesied. – Fulfillment… “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” {Colossians 2:15-17}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” {Jeremiah 31:31}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.” {Hebrews 8:6,7}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.” {Hebrews 8:8,9}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” {Romans 7:4}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.” {Romans 7:5,6}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “Unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.” {2 Corinthians 3:13,14}

T HE S ABBATH The Covenant with Israel, including 10 Commandments, has been annulled. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.‘ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.” {Matthew 5:21,22}

T HE S ABBATH Those justifying themselves in Sabbath keeping or anything else under that law— severed from Christ! “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law ; you have fallen from grace.” {Galatians 5:4}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Jesus was raised on the first day of the week – “First day,” “same day,” or “third day.” “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.” {Mark 16:9}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Jesus was raised on the first day of the week – “First day,” “same day,” or “third day.” “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.” {Luke 24:1}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Jesus was raised on the first day of the week – “First day,” “same day,” or “third day.” “And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.” {Luke 24:20,21}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Jesus met with the disciples on the first day of the week. “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” {John 20:1} “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled…” {John 20:19}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Church established on Pentecost —always on the first day! “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” {Acts 2:1} “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath ; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.” {Leviticus 23:15,16}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Holy Spirit came on the first day of the week. “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” {Acts 2:2-4}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Gospel was first preached on the first day of the week. “Men of Israel, hear these words : Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” {Acts 2:22,23}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its significance : – Called the Lord’s Day. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.” {Revelation 1:10}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its observance : – New Testament Church assembled for worship. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” {Acts 20:7}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its observance : – New Testament Church assembled for worship. “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” {1 Corinthians 16:2}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its observance : – Breaking of bread— Lord’s Supper. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” {Acts 20:7}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its observance : – Not to be forsaken. – Every First Day —Just like EVERY Sabbath to be observed. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some...” {Hebrews 10:24,25}

T HE L ORD ’ S D AY Its observance : – This day should be one of reverence and our attitude should be one of respect and piety! “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” {John 4:24}