Now What?
“9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” –Romans 13: 9-10
So we have established that in the Old Testament, the Sabbath was a day of rules to be abided by, and in the New Testament Jesus tells us the Sabbath is a day to glorify God through our actions and praise.
But what does that look like?
Well, if it makes you feel any better, the friends of Jesus didn’t know either. And they had a little trouble letting go of their “rule based Sabbath” themselves.
The Day after Jesus died, as in 24 hours after his last breath, Mary and Mary Magdalene didn’t go to his tomb. Why? Because it was the Sabbath.
“You mean to tell me that these two ladies did not visit the tomb where God himself was lying because it was the Sabbath?”
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
It had been ingrained in their minds that the Sabbath was a day of no moving, no breathing, no blinking. No visiting the tomb of Jesus.
It is not until Paul’s letters that we see a shift in thinking for early Christians. And all of Paul’s letters revolve around one thing when it comes to Sunday. Worship.
Worship through our actions:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1
Worship through our time:
“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.” Acts-20:7
Worship through our gratitude:
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:28-29
Paul was not about to sit in his house and lock the doors and binge watch Pretty Little Liars on the first day of the week. He makes sure to let us know that the first day of the week is a day to rest our souls by worshipping God and sharing the Good News with others.
And to top it off, God so conveniently ended his love letter to us with the book of Revelations, which just so happens to tell us exactly what worship should look like.
“8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[a]
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” –Revelations 4:8-11
It didn’t matter to the elders what day it was. They were in the presence of God! They laid down their crowns and glorified God.
Sunday is a celebration day. A day for worshiping God and laying down our crowns. A day to rest our hearts, minds and souls from the stress of the world and lean into God through our worship, praise and actions.
This is Sunday.