The Lord's Day Worship (Sunday) Origins

By Robert Clanton
robert4211@tx.rr.com

 

Jeremiah the fourth chapter tells us how the earth was plunged back into darkness and being void and without form again after the sin of Adam and Eve. Jer.4: 22 For my people [the Jews to whom he gave the Sabbath] is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.  In Christ, Paul writes, " 2Cor.5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.".  And Isa.65, Isaiah preaches to us that when the new creation comes the old should not be remembered or called to mind anymore as he says, Isaiah 65: "17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.  This is spiritual Jerusalem, the Church.  Earthly Jerusalem and the Israel after the flesh became the Harlot that rejected the Lord and crucified him in the city spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. Rev.11:8

 

And Isa.65, Isaiah warns us that when the new creation comes the old should not be remembered or called to mind anymore as he says,  Isaiah 65: "17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."  Therefore, we should observe the new day when Christ finished his redemptive work on earth and rested in the heavens.  So New is this NEW Creation that at Christ's coming the keeping of time is changed from BC to AD, the "year of our Lord" .  All History before Christ is of a completely different age and creation called, "B.C." and all that happens in history after Christ's coming is of the new creation called "The Year of Our Lord" (A.D. )

 

The Lord's Day foretold in scripture 

 

The Psalmist writes of a day that Christ is resurrected as the Lord's day that shall be established of celebration to be glad in it and rejoicing in it.  Because it is The Lord's doing and shall be marvelllous in our eyes, where the gates righteousness will be open and all will go in and praise.

 

Psalm 118: 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: 20This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.  24THIS is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Thus the day of Christ resurrection is properly called, “the Lord’s Day” .

 

The stone which the builders refused is Christ. The culmination of the refusing is the death by crucifixion of Christ by the Jews.  But Christ is declared to be the chief cornerstone on the day of his Resurrection, a day which the Lord commands us to “rejoice and be glad in IT.”  Because it is a marvellous work “in our eyes”.  Christ is exalted above all creation.  On the day which this great labor of the second creation is completed it is commanded to be a day of rejoicing by the brethren of the church.  The church rightly called the day of Christ’s resurrection “the Lord’s day” because it is the day, which the Lord himself has made to declare himself as Lord. of all things.  In Romans 1 Paul speaks of the gospel, “3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”  When we worship and rejoice and marvel at the resurrection of Christ “upon the first day of the week” , That is the day “the Lord himself” has made for us, we openly declare and witness the resurrection of Christ.  Again in Ps.2: The scripture says, 7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”  The Lord’s day was commanded by God to be a day of rejoicing and worship in which we believers declare Christ is the Lord.

 

When the Lord himself, has made this day, a day of rejoicing and commands us both to "rejoice and be glad in it" . 

 

Mt.9: 15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they mourn.” When the Sabbath came at our Lord’s crucifixion, the disciples mourned.  But what a difference a day makes. Upon the first day of the week, The Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in his wings (Mal.4:2-3 )

 

A new exodus is proclaimed not from an earthly kingdom but from the kingdom of sin and darkness.  The Passover lamb, has accomplished the new exodus far more exceedingly greater than the Israelite from physical slavery but all mankind from the slavery of sin, darkness and death.

 

1Peter 1: 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

 

Therefore, we should observe the new day when Christ finished his redemptive work on earth and rested in the heavens as commanded in the scripture.

 

The Lord connected the creation rest in Genesis 1-2 with the Israel exodus from Egypt a redemption of physical slavery.  Yet, they were still enslaved to sin and death. But in this place, the Lord’s rest is connected to a far greater work than redeeming from physical slavery! When the Lord rested from his works in the second creation, the redemption work of all mankind is completed. 

 

Psalm 2: 7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (the Lord’s day, his resurrection)  8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

 

Paul in Acts 13: quotes from Psalm. 2, Acts 13: 32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”

 

The declaration of Jesus as Lord, as “The Son of God” is done on “this day” when the God raised up Jesus again from the dead”.  Now what do we see? God is giving Christ the Gentiles (heathen) from the uttermost parts of the earth as an inheritance as promised in Ps.2. 

 

Psalm 118: 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: 20This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

 

The Psalm opens the verses of our Lord’s death and resurrection, asking God to open the gate of righteousness.  This is the righteousness of faith by which our belief in the Lord gives all men the righteousness to those that believe.  The Lord is that gate (verse 20) And the righteous enter in and will praise him because he “has become my salvation” . But first the Stone must be rejected and declared the chief corner stone.

 

22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.  24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD, (his church) 27God is the LORD, which hath shewed us LIGHT (Mt.4:16, John 1:5-10), bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

 

Together from every nation all of the peoples gather on the Lord’s day and declare the remaining verse of scripture from Psalm 118 concerning Christ, “28Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

 

How strange it is, that some will keep the Sabbath which is a reminder of the first creation now in darkness, void and without form and the day of the redemption of physical Israel from slavery (Deut.5:15) but will refuse to worship on the Lord's day which is the celebration of their redemption of all mankind from darkness, sin and death and the new creation of us in Christ.  Every Christian must be a witness to Christ's resurrection, he does so by declaring the stone which the builders rejected, the chief corner stone.  The Sabbath day of the Old creation connected Israel with the declaration of the Creator of the Old Creation, by observing the day of the resurrection of Christ, Christians are declaring Christ as the Creator new creation in Christ, to whom every knee must bow and every tongue confess, Phil.2:10-11.

 

The day of Christ's resurrection became a memorial observed weekly as disciples of Christ would gather to celebrate Christ's resurrection. Because, it was the day that Jesus Christ was declared to be "Lord"  and the Son of God. Rom.1: 1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  The resurrection of Christ is first and primary, the golden center and core of the gospel, of which all other facets of the gospel are built around and founded on it.

 

The truths of transition Sabbath to Sunday

 

1) None of the Old Testament Prophets commanded Gentile nations to keep the Sabbath, Holy   days or meat restrictions. 

 

2)  A Gentile was only commanded to observe these laws when after he had been circumcised of the flesh and had taken the vow to keep all laws of Moses.  The Jewish Christians continued to observe the Jewish Law and also celebrated the Lord's Day and the Lord's Supper, "upon the first day of the week" . But, they were commanded not to "trouble" or "subvert" the faith of the uncircumcised Gentiles with circumcision or the law of Moses. 

 

3) When the Sect of Pharisees attempted to enforce circumcision and the law of Moses (Acts15:5) upon the Gentile believers, the unanimous consent of the Apostles and Elders is absolutely, No. This is further detailed by written decree of the Apostles (Acts 16:4) handed to the Churches.

 

4) The fellowship and communion of the saints in Christ upon the first day of the week originated in the celebration of Christ's resurrection and becoming the chief cornerstone, which the builder's rejected, Ps.118.  They celebrated the Lord's Supper together, where they became "witnesses" to the resurrection of Christ.

 

5) In time, the celebration of the Lord's Supper upon "the Lord's Day" or "upon the first day of the week" was made a rest for the Gentile Christians as Sabbath was for the Jews.  It had nothing to do with paganism but everything to do with being witnesses to the resurrection of Christ upon the Lord's own day of his resurrection.