The Lord’s Day/Sabbath: Worship, Rest and Liberation
Many of us look forward to the times when we can rest, relax, and forget about our work and our troubles. In Exodus 20:8–11, we see that God designated that the Israelites take time to do those things on a regular basis. It is a Sabbath (rest) that He commanded the Israelites to observe, where they would stop their labors and keep that time holy. In Revelation 1:10, John said that he heard Christ’s voice on the Lord’s Day. Many Christians designate that time weekly to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection and worship God. In Romans 14:4–6, Paul, writing to both Jews and Gentiles in the church in Rome, said that they were not to create division in the body of Christ by judging between the observance of special days, dietary practices, etc. So if Jews wanted to observe those things in accordance with Jewish law (e.g. Sabbath), they shouldn’t judge Gentiles who didn’t observe them. What was of most importance was that, whatever the observance, it worship God. I pray that we would put the worship of God first and foremost, above any disagreements over the day or practice of that observance. Amen
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8–11)
This is one of the ten commandments given by God to Moses. It appears in the Bible in both Exodus and Deuteronomy. The word Sabbath means stop or rest. Here in Exodus, the focus is on stopping labor/work, and resting from it just as God stopped in His creation of the world and rested. Not only were the Israelites commanded to stop working every 7 days and rest, but they were not to work anyone or any animal in their household. The commandment further informed them that God “blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” so this time of rest is not a time of idleness, but it is wedded to the active worship of God. Further, in Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the commandment reminds the Isrealites that they were once slaves in Egypt but God brought them out by His might and power. Therefore the Israelites were to give their servants rest, just as they were given rest and liberated from the oppression of their labor.
Just as the tabernacle and later the temple were specific places that were designated for the Israelites to worship God, the Sabbath was a specific time that was designated for the Isrealites to worship God.
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:4–6)
Paul was writing to the church in Rome, which consisted of both Jews and Gentiles. As such, Jews who still observed special days, Sabbath and dietary laws, may have had conflict with Gentiles who did not observe Jewish law. Paul’s admonition to the church was that, whether or not you observed the these things was not a primary importance to the Christian faith. Adhering to Jewish customs and practices were not to be things that qualified or disqualified you as a Christian and should not lead to disunity and judgment amongst Christians. Regardless of their backgrounds, Christians were to come together in unity in Christ, and not allow other things to cause division among them. They were servants of the Lord and only He had authority to judge His servants.
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, (Revelation 1:10)
John heard a loud voice at the beginning of his revelation. It was the voice of Christ and he heard It on what he called the Lord’s day. Early on, in the Christian church, the day on which the Lord was resurrected came to be called the Lord‘s day. It became a day of worship for the early Christians and a commemoration of Jesus resurrection and the hope that it engenders for His followers.
Conclusion
The throughline to these passages, is the worship of God. Whether you worship God on the Sabbath and cease from your work and labors, or you worship God on the Lord’s Day, it is important to the rhythms of our lives to designate time to worship Him. As Paul points out, it doesn’t profit us or the body of Christ to judge one practice against another. What God wants is for us to worship Him. He wants us to designate time to acknowledge who He is, what He has done, is doing and will do, and to give thanks to Him through our praise and our worship.
When the Day of the Lord comes, we will all enjoy a permanent Sabbath and every day will be the Lord’s Day. At that time we will find liberation from the pain and suffering of this world, we will have complete rest from the labors we now endure, and we will worship God continually into eternity. So, whether you observe Sabbath or the Lord’s Day, realize that these observances are but a foretaste of what’s to come…. the time is coming when we will experience eternal worship, rest and liberation!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
