The Day of the Lord (1 of 2)

INTRO:

1. In the NT is associated with both the assembling of Christians and with Christ. Specifically, the “Lord’s day” the day of the Resurrection.

2. The early Christians used 4 terms to refer to the same day of the week. (Ferguson)

3. “The first day of the week” - The Jewish designation. The Sabbath had defined the week for Jews since the giving of the Law on Mt Sinai.

4. “The Eighth day” more popular among Hellenistic Jewish-Christian communities.

5. “Day of the Sun” (Sunday) The pagan’s designation from naming the days of the week. The terminology is used in 2nd century writings.

6. “The Lord’s day” - distinctly Christian name for the day. Used only in Revelation 1:10. Became prevalent in Christian writings outside the NT.

7. NOTE:

   1. The Jews began their day at sunset, so the first day began at Sunset.

   2. Romans began their day at midnight, so the first day began at midnight.

   3. The Greeks generally started their day at sunrise.

   4. Occasionally interpretation of scripture is confusing because of the different times of the beginning of the day.

   5. The important issue for us is that all four “names” record that Christians met on the day of the Lord’s resurrection.

NT References

1. Acts 20:7: “And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, ” It seems that it became the norm for Christians to assemble on the first day of the week to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Paul was in town for a week, waiting to share in the LS with the Christians in Troas.

2. 1 Corinthians 16:1,2: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.”Here we see the same day mentioned as a time for Christians to act together.

3. Note the commonality:

   1. The common day implies a corporate action.

   2. Consistent with the historical Jewish practice of a weekly collection of alms for the poor

   3. The word “collection” (logiea) refers to public collections (Ferguson)

   4. Reference in 2 Corinthians 8:6 “to complete” would not make sense if the collection was private, rather than a group collection

   5. The church was to select individual to accompany the collection to Jerusalem emphasizing this was an organized church activity.

4. Revelation 1:10: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet” This is the day the Lord is represented as being present among the lampstands that symbolize the churches (Revelation 1:13,20)
   NOTE: The NT is silent about Christians assembling on the Sabbath day.
   It is reasonable to think that many Jews who became Christians continued to observe the Sabbath day (Acts 21:20-21). Paul and other Jewish Christians attended the synagogue and used the opportunity it presented to preach Jesus (Acts 13:14-16; 17:1-2, 10; 18:4)
    

Doctrinal considerations

1. Just as the Sabbath day had doctrinal significance to the Jews, so too does the first day have significance to the Christian.

2. The Sabbath had a special religious significance to the Jews:

   1. Exodus from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:12-15).

   2. Creation - 7^th day – Day of rest – Delivered from Egyptian bondage

   3. This was given to Jews alone (Psalm 147:19-20 for the law as a whole) “He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye Jehovah”

   4. Christians have a different day of deliverance.

Doctrinal Significance of the Lord’s Day

1. Resurrection – The first day of the week is the day the Lord was resurrected and when He met with His disciples. It is the Christians’ day of deliverance from death and sin. (Romans 5:10, 17, 21; 8:11)

2. Jesus with apostles – The first day is the day when the Christians were especially conscious of Jesus in their midst. (Luke 24:31-35)

3. Pentecost – The day of Pentecost (Acts 2) was also on the first day of the week. This would add to the significance of meeting on that day which was the ‘birthday’ of the church and the celebration of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church.

4. 2^nd Coming – Because of the resurrection, the first day is also connected with the second coming of Christ; the resurrected Lord is coming back again in glory (Acts 1:11) 1 Corinthians 11:26: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come.

5. Lord's – The term “Lord’s” (kuriakos) is used only twice in the NT

   1. Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:20)

   2. “Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10).

   3. They are tied together by the resurrection and belong together.

Sermon outline adapted from Scott P. Wiley