The Lord's Day

John 20: 19-31

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 59:
Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
Answer 59:
From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath.

There are those within the Christian community who propose that given the freedom of Christ, no one day should be specially set aside and honored above the others. Some in this camp sincerely believe that any weekly bible study is sufficient for a minimal Christian observance. Therefore they are free to work or relax on the Lord's Day as their emotions dictate. Other Christians would envy the Jewish authorities of Jesus' time by severe regulation of the Lord's Day in a burst of piety reminiscent of the orthodox Jews who wear their prayer shawls and accouterments as a visible sign of their devotion and their own worthiness to be proclaimed God's people.

I can well remember stories of early Presbyterians in this country who went overboard in their sabbath observance. I heard of an elder who would shut the electric power off at midnight Saturday and turn it back on twenty-four hours later, so that no man had worked for him during the Sabbath. In our home, entertainments and games were limited so that we might enjoy a holy rest in preparation for the coming week. Other churches in the area would gather again in the evening for a second service to hallow the one day above the six.

One Christian sect went so far as to strictly observe Saturday as their day of rest because they could not see the reason for transferring the seventh day to the first. Still others believe that they have the freedom to choose any day for their day of rest. The key question before us today is which day is the proper Day for the whole Christian Church to rally around and support as a day apart. We will certainly go slightly beyond this elemental study which is none to difficult to comprehend.

J. Douma in his commentary on The Ten Commandments follows many themes and questions about the use and abuse of the Sabbath which are intriguing. But, all of the discussions and observations of church history sometimes miss the essential purpose of the Lord's Day. And it is for this reason that I have by passed many arguments and discussions that might really be enjoyed and keep Christian scholars busy for years on end. Let us look at our text today as I would show you the proper use and focus of our Lord's own Day.

Truly we are called to a spiritual rest where we put away the cares and concerns of the world to open our hearts and minds to being filled by the Eternal One who created just such a day for the purpose set forth by John in the twentieth chapter. We see reported here in these few verses, the events of two Sundays. Look at verse nine, it is the first day of the week. Again in verse twenty-six, it is one week later and the same thing happens. Christ appears in the midst of His people. And in the process of appearing, He fills them with His Spirit and speaks to their lack of faith as well as encouraging them in their duty to serve Himself. Isn't this the whole purpose of the Lord's Day? To come to a place where the Lord's people gather to pray and worship our Triune God? And what happens, there in their midst is the Lord Himself.

I well remember reading about the beginning of a revival. On a Lord's Day, the pastor and congregation reported that the Holy Spirit made Himself known by coming down and filling their hearts. This is our purpose today and every Lord's Day here at Christ Covenant Reformed. We gather much in the manner of the first century church. While our language, and tunes may differ and we may be a little more formal, our purpose is the same.

And I do know that we have known the Spirit and our Lord Jesus Christ through the bread and fruit of the vine as well as in the hearing of His precious word. Twice in ten years I have come to communion with physical aches and pains and gone away relived. Now I will not claim a complete healing, because my bones and joints are aging and I know that I must feel the physical decline year by year. However, in spite of a muscle problem diagnosed by the doctor as permanent, I was touched and in both cases for three days the pain was relived and even though it came back, it was much more bearable. So it has been with attitudes, beliefs and behavior. Our very essence as human beings can, have been and will be challenged and changed forever by reading and hearing God's Holy Word.

Certainly we may envy the New Covenant community in that they really truly saw Jesus in their midst and He was specifically able to deal with them in a way that we cannot realize today. But in the two weeks recorded here, Jesus does honor their meeting on the first day of the week by His presence. He calls them, much as we do using His words to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that salvation may come. We also see that He gives them the Holy Spirit, another part of the Trinity just like Himself. We also see that just as we do week by week and year by year, sins are forgiven.

How many protestant churches have you attended where worship is opened every single Lord's Day by a call to repent and confess your sins? This we must do because the Lord has shown us how and has given His church the authority to proclaim forgiveness. Sometimes I think some of you resent that call to confession, and if that word is too strong, perhaps it makes you uncomfortable because there are things in your life that you want to keep on doing!

We see in these few short verses that Thomas was absent the first week and that he doubted what he had been told: Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it. Ever since he has been known as the doubting Thomas. Now I ask you why did Jesus have these marks even upon His resurrection body? Was it not to show the disciples and through their reports that His death and indeed His resurrection were real. If you were Thomas and saw the wounds and then realized that those wounds were accepted for the very purpose of covering your sin, how could you hold back and not confess your need for the Atonement in His blood for your benefit. My Lord and my God! Thomas exclaims as his belief is solidified.

Two Lord's Days in the life of the church, that is what we see here in the Gospel of John. And in those two Lord's Days we see the purpose of gathering week by week. Our purpose is to meet the Lord. Certainly, if a close relative asked you to meet in another town, you would gladly go without complaining. You would have to agree on the time and the place and you would have to make preparations for the journey.

Years ago, as this country was being settled, there was a distinct lack of brides in the west and a certain lack after the civil war of grooms in the east. So a small industry grew up of professional matchmaking. Prospective brides would choose their best suitor by mail and in an act of faith not comprehended by the current generation, they would set out to meet their beloved! Of course, once they arrived, their might be a way out of the arrangement, but not at great cost and emotional turmoil.

In a similar but greater method, the Lord God of the universe has set aside one day in sever for every generation since the beginning of the world. And the purpose of that day is to meet Him. To those who are called specifically by His Spirit, the weekly gathering is one of joy and celebration. Truly those who are part of the Bride of Christ sense the eternal nature of their destiny. On this day, the elect of every age, may have a taste of eternity, knowing what the relationship in heaven will be like.

Many of the commentators on the Lord's Day would rather have every day the same, not wanting to wait for eternity to break loose within the created order. However, because of our sinfulness and our sinful nature, one day in seven has been set aside as a taste of the future, as a day of preparation, sanctification and growing in grace. May we like the early disciples use this day to prepare ourselves by prayer and supplication to meet the Lord. And when we truly hear His voice, my we believe and have life in His Name.

Amen.

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