The greatest event in human history occurred on Sunday. Jesus rose from the grave
1on the first day of the week, which is the New Testament term for Sunday . “Now
when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary
Magdalene” (Mark 16:9).
Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday!
Later that day He appeared to Cleopas and another disciple when He joined them as
they were walking to the village of Emmaus. At first they were prevented from
recognizing Him as He explained Scriptures that had predicted the death and
resurrection of Christ. “Then they drew near to the village where they were going,
and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying,
‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’ And He went in to
stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took
bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and
they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:28-31). When He broke
bread, Jesus allowed them to recognize Him.
Although it was late, they immediately returned to Jerusalem “and found the eleven
and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed,
and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told about the things that had happened on
the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread” (Luke 24:33-35).
Jesus breaking bread with the disciples is reminiscent of the institution of the Lord’s
supper and anticipates its later observance by Christians on the first day of the week.
While they were together, Jesus appeared among them: “Then, the same day at
evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the
disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and
said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19).
“After eight days,” which would be the next Sunday (since the starting day was also
counted), Jesus stood in their midst again while they were assembled (John 20:26).
Thus the Holy Spirit specifically states that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day
of the week, and also that Jesus appeared to the disciples when they were
assembled on the first day of the week.
Except for the creation of light (Genesis 1:3-5), during four thousand years of Biblical
history, the first day of the week is never mentioned. But the Holy Spirit emphasizes
that Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1;
2John 20:1, 19) .
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and the testimony of those who
experienced these events, form the foundation of the Christian faith. Paul wrote: “For
I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater
part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by
James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one
born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-.
Sunday is a special day for Christians because of memorable events on that day!
The Holy Spirit came on Sunday!
Sunday was the day on which the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles (Acts 1: and
the church was established (Acts 2:47). These events occurred on Pentecost after
Jesus returned to His Father (Acts 2:1). Pentecost was celebrated on the day after the
seventh sabbath after the Passover (Leviticus 23:15, 16), thus on a Sunday.
The first Christians assembled on Sunday.
In the New Testament, Christians came together on the first day of the week to
remember Jesus, as He had asked them to do, by dividing a loaf among themselves
and drinking from the cup. This was referred to as “breaking bread.”
“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).
This passage informs us when New Testament Christians assembled (on Sunday) and
why they assembled (to partake of the Lord’s supper).
With regard to how the Lord’s supper should be observed, Paul refers to its institution
by Jesus (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20). “For I received from the
Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which
He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,
‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In
the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new
covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He
comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
The first Christians “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in
3the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Christians today do likewise .
The first day of the week is the Lord’s day.
4In Revelation 1:10 John says: “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day .” An unusual
grammatical form is used here. The only other place in the New Testament where the
possessive form of “Lord” is used is in 1 Corinthians 11:20 in connection with “the
Lord’s supper” which was observed on the first day of the week.
This distinctive expression “the Lord’s day” is found in early church history as a
designation for the first day of the week and is presently the common name for
Sunday in Greece.
The Didache, for example, written between 70 and 120 AD, states in section 14:1: “But
5having assembled on ‘the Lord’s day’ , [the day] of the Lord, you must break bread
and give thanks” (Translated from Greek by RD).
Many people view Sunday as their day, a day on which they can do whatever they
like! But for Christians, the first day of the week is the Lord’s day, a day of assembly
with other Christians to remember and worship their Lord!
The Christian assembly may not be neglected.
Because Jesus asked them to do so, Christians come together on the first day of each
week to encourage one another and to celebrate His resurrection. This is not to be
neglected. “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, but
exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day
approaching” (Hebrews 10:24, 25).
On Sunday a collection was held.
That a Christian was to give “as he may prosper” on the first day of the week
confirms that the regular Christian assembly was on Sunday. “Now concerning the
collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you
must do also: 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
16:1, 2).
This was not just a local arrangement because Paul gave the same orders to other
6churches .
This was not done at home as some claim, because then there would be no collection
at all and why would it need to be on Sunday? Also, there would then be collections
when Paul came, which he wanted to avoid.
7On the first day of the week a collection was taken .
Sunday is not a sabbath.
For Christians Sunday is a special day of worship. They assemble to break bread on
that day, but the first day of the week is never called a sabbath in the Scriptures.
Jews who became Christians were allowed to continue observing the sabbath (see
Romans 14:5, 6). There is nothing wrong with resting on Saturday! But sabbath
observance was never a requirement for Christians.
When certain Jewish Christians insisted that Christians had to keep the law of Moses,
this was rejected by the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28, 29).
Paul specifically states that one is not to be judged with regard to sabbath-keeping:
“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
8Christ” (Colossians 2:16, 17) .
Let us worship according to the New Covenant.
Much New Testament instruction is given by prescriptive example rather than by legal
definition. A prescriptive example is a normative example, one that is intended to be
followed.
How we are to worship under the New Covenant is made known partially by
commandment and partially by examples.
Observance of the Lord’s supper, for instance, is commanded by Christ: “Do this in
remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). “This” in the command is defined by example.
In telling the Christians at Corinth how to observe the Lord’s supper, Paul simply cites
the example (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
When Christians are to assemble to partake of the supper is also defined by example.
The foundation is laid by the many references to the first day of the week in
connection with the resurrection of Jesus, including an example of breaking bread. It is
specifically stated that Christians assembled on the first day of the week to break
bread at Troas (Acts 20:7), and that Sunday is the day of assembly is further
substantiated by a command that Christians are to give on the first day of the week
(1 Corinthians 16:1, 2). This normative example of the New Covenant was also
9followed in early Church history .
Why is Biblical instruction regarding Sunday often ignored or misapplied?
Although most people in Christendom assemble on Sunday, very few observe the
Lord’s supper each week and in the manner prescribed. What is required to
understand and correctly apply Biblical teaching?
Examples are powerful. That is why much use is made of examples as an instructional
device, in both the Old and the New Testaments.