17 12 The Sabbath or the Lord's Day—Which?
12 The Sabbath or the Lord’s Day—Which?
12. The Sabbath or the Lord’s Day—Which?
We wish to state, in the first place, that the position of the church of Christ is that there is no such thing as Sabbath observance taught in the New Testament; we have the first day of the week or Lord’s day, on which the disciples meet to eat the Lord’s Supper in memory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but this is nowhere called the Sabbath day or a Sabbath day. In the New Testament we are commanded: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or OF the sabbath days. " (Colossians 2:16). But we are commanded to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together— which assembling took place on the first day OF the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2)—but to exhort one another, and so much the more as we see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). But now for the proof of the above position:
1. David, in prophesying of the Christ, says: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalms 118:22-24).
Now look this Scripture squarely in the face. When David says, "This is the Lord’s doing," to what does "this" refer? Absolutely to the stone’s becoming "the head stone of the corner." It cannot refer to anything else. Very good. May I ask then to what the next "this" in verse 24 refers? It cannot refer to a thing beneath God’s skies except to what the first "this" refers—viz., to that rejected stone becoming "the headstone of the corner. " These two statements of David look forward to what is to be done at some time after David’s day. Nothing could be more unscriptural and absurd than to try to make the statement, "This is the day which the Lord hath made," look back to the Sabbath day God made for the children of Israel when he brought them out of Egyptian bondage, and the other statement, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner, " look forward from David’s day to the Christ. And we know the statement concerning the stone has direct reference to Christ. Peter, in preaching to those who put Christ to death, says: "By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. " (Acts 4:10-11). David was prophesying of the Christ and, therefore, of the day Christ was to make. This stone belongs to the New Testament of which Christ is Mediator, hence the day spoken of must belong to the same testament.
2. But it would be well for us now to learn when Christbecamethe headstone of the corner, that we may learn when he received the power or authority to make this day. He certainly is Mediator of the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15), and we ought not to be surprised if we find that he made a new day for that New Testament.
Christ, before he could receive authority from his Father to establish theNew Testament and, therefore, a new day, to come and live and die under the old law that it might be taken out of the way. Proof: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5). Hence, Christ was circumcised when he was eight days old (Luke 2:21) and his mother offered for her purification the turtle doves or pigeons, when the child was thirty-three days old (Luke 2:22-24). He observed the Passover (Matthew 26:17-18), the Sabbath days, and taught that none of it should pass away till all was fulfilled (Matthew 5:18)
After being thus born under the old Testament and living in obedience to it, he finished it (John 19:30, when he died on the cross and took it out of the way (Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 10; Hebrews 9). Christ, the night of his betrayal, said to his disciples, "Hitherto [until now] have ye asked nothing in my name," showing that during his personal ministry they did not pray in his name, for his testament was not yet established.
And after he rose from the dead, he declared that he had all authority and power: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," said he. (Matthew 28:18). Read Matthew 28:16-20; for the great commission as given by Matthew after our Lord arose from the dead and just before his ascension. If the Sabbath is now binding on us, Jesus must bind it as he has all the authority God has in heaven and on earth. But this he did not receive until after his resurrection. Now read Luke 24:44-53 and you find Jesus telling his apostles that he had to die and rise from the dead before "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (See verses 46 and 47). And Paul in Ephesians 1:19-21 declares that our Lord’s exaltation to God’s right hand where he now rules with all the authority God has in heaven and earth took place after he rose from the dead. "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but alsoin that which is to come.
Christ could not become the cornerstone till he was perfected."The third day, " which must refer to his resurrection, he himself declares as the day on which he was to be perfected. (Read Luke 13:32). "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Hebrews 5:9).
Thatthis day,the day of his beingperfectedas a Savior, was the first day of the week, goes without controversy: "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day, of the week. " (Mark 16:9). (See also Luke 24:16).
Jesus had declared not merely to his friends, but also to his enemies, that he would let them kill him, but the third day he would rise again. This bold statement of Jesus haunted the enemy. So after he was dead and buried, a conference is called and here is what is said:
"Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch." (Matthew 27:62-66). In spite of all their efforts to keep the body in the sepulcher, the third day, the first day of the week, Jesus stepped forth the conqueror of death and to the consternation of all his enemies. Some have had the audacity to claim that Jesus arose on the Sabbath day—just before it ended. Carefully reading Luke 24:1; Luke 24:6-7; Luke 24:13; Luke 24:21, you find it forever settled that the third day was the first day of the week. "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. " And so did this joy begin in the evening of that day when Jesus first met his disheartened disciples. (See John 20:1; John 20:19-20 :’
on this day Christ was declared to be God’s Son with power: "And declared to be the Son of God with power,... by the resurrection from the dead." (Romans 1:4). on this day he came from the tomb with the keys of hell and of death in his hands: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Revelation 1:18). on this day he "brought life and immortality to light." (2 Timothy 1:10; And it was on this day that the living hope was given. (See 1 Peter 1:3). No wonder David declared, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. " May God pity the man that neglects this day for the old Jewish Sabbath that has been abolished. Such conduct is like the children of Israel worshiping the brazen serpent as an idol after it had served the purpose for which God had it made. (2 Kings 18:4).
The headstone or keystone. Just a thought about what such means. This stone was the stone that made all the others useless if it was left out. What would destroy every ray of hope if the enemy could take it from us? Is it not the resurrection of Jesus? Take his resurrection from us and all is gone. But give us his resurrection and all his claims are proven true. Our hope of seeing loved ones gone before is based on his resurrection. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). The absolute certainty of a judgment to come is based on his resurrection, (See Acts 17:30-31). But Jesus became this headstone or chief cornerstone when he rose from the dead.
This is the day the Lord hath made, and what took place on that day is the grounds or reason for the Lord making it the day for meeting and commemorating our Lord’s death and resurrection.
This day was fixed by Jehovah in type as the day of Christ’s triumph. The "sheaf of the first fruits" of the harvest was a type of Christ’s resurrection. This was brought on the first day of the week, or the morrow after the Sabbath, which is the first day of the week. (See Leviticus 23:10; Leviticus 11; 1 Corinthians 15:20 :
This was also the day set for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the apostles and the law of Christ to go forth from Jerusalem. By reading Leviticus 23:16; Leviticus 23:16 you will learn that Pentecost came on "the morrow" after the seventh Sabbath from the bringing of "the sheaf of the wave offering." The morrow after the seventh Sabbath, of course, is the first day of the week and the fiftieth day, which Pentecost means, making Pentecost come on the first day of the week. Notice that on this day, the first day of the week, the new meat offering was offered, which was a type of the new covenant. Let us now read Acts 2:1-4 : "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Thus we see Christ was not only declared to be God’s Son with power on this day, but the Holy Spirit came to guide the apostles into all truth on this day, and it is declared to be the beginning. (See Acts 11:15). No wonder then that David should say: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. "
Christ said that the Holy Spirit would bring to their memory what he had taught them (John 14:26) and guide them into all truth (John 16:13). One thing it brought to their memory or guided them into was teaching the members of the new covenant to assemble on the first day of the week to break bread in memory of Jesus: "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them." (Acts 20:7). Too, the Holy Spirit commanded them not to forsake this assembling, but to exhort one another, and so much the more as they saw the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25).
This day is calledthe Lord’s day. (See Revelation 1:10). Adventists say that the Lord’s day in Revelation 1:10; is the Sabbath day. The word "Lord" here refers to Christ and not to Jehovah, as it often does in the old Testament Since Christ has come and suffered, perfected himself as a Savior, God has declared that we must confess Christ is Lord. (Php 2:5-11). All days are the Lord’s. But there is a day pre-eminently his, because it must be devoted to him. Then we have a supper pre-eminently called the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:30, All meals we eat in our homes are the Lord’s because they are gifts from him. But there is a supper we eat that is his in a greater sense. It is the Lord’s Supper because it must be eaten in his memory and to show forth his death till he comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Certain it is that this supper is a new supper instituted by Christ, made a part of the New Testament, and not the Passover supper of the old Testament. Just that certain, too, is it that the Lord’s day in Revelation 1:10; is the day Christ made for the New Testament and not the Jewish Sabbath. The Corinthians came together to eat this supper. as 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 11:33 clearly show. ’Tis true they had erred in adding a meal that God had given them to be eaten with thanksgiving in their dining rooms, but Paul rebuked them for this addition and encouraged them to continue to meet for the Lord’s Supper.
But we are reminded of the fact that Christ said he was Lord of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:28). Indeed, he was. To be Lord of a thing is to stand above it and hold the power to abolish it, if necessary. This Christ did for the Sabbath observance. Any unprejudiced reader can turn to Mark 2:23-28 and read it thought fully and see that Jesus there teaches that man himself is of more importance than the Sabbath, that the day was made for man’s good and can be set aside if the needs of man require it. We are sometimes asked: "If we are not to observe the Sabbath now, what must we observe?" This is an easy question: observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded. (Matthew 28:20 : Where has he commanded us to observe the Sabbath? It is sometimes argued that he observed it during his personal ministry. Indeed, he did. But he was also circumcised when he was eight days old, turtle doves were offered when he was thirty-three days old, and he observed the Passover—all these things done in his personal ministry. And well that they were, for that law he did not end till he died on the cross. Come this side of the cross, if you please, and find the Sabbath command, and we will observe it.
But our Adventist friends, still hoping to hold their Sabbath, contend that the Sabbath day is the only day spoken of as a day that God has made. But here they fly in the face of the fact that in Psalms 118:22-24 it declares another "day which the Lord hath made" —viz., the day Jesus arose from the dead and became the headstone of the corner.
The first day of the week was sanctified and set apart as the day to lay by in store as God has prospered us. Of course, it is true our Adventist friends try to make this a thing we do in our homes, and not while assembled together in one place. This laying by in store was to be done that no collections or gatherings be done when Paul got there. If it means they took it out of their purses and put the offerings for the Lord in another place in their homes, there would have still remained the need of gathering these gifts into one common fund after Paul got there. I call your attention to this to show the utter unreasonableness of their contention.
Let this mean what they claim—viz., that they just laid it by in their homes by putting it into a different place. Then I ask: Why did he command them to do this on the first day of the week? Why did he not say the second day or even the seventh day? That the first day of the week or Lord’s day was the day the early Christians met for worship and to commemorate our Lord’s death and resurrection goes without a doubt to those who believe the Bible.
"The stone [Christ] which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the clay [theday this stone became the headstone]which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. " So let the saints do, is my humble prayer.
THE EXACT TIME OF THE SABBATHS ENDING SET
Some of the Jews entertained the false idea that when the Sabbath was gone they would be left without law, left free to be dishonest in their dealings with their fellow man. Hence, they asked the question: "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?" (Amos 8:5). And here let me say that those people had the same erroneous idea that the Adventists now have. Meet an Adventist and tell him the covenant on tables of stone has been done away, and he will at once declare that people may lie, steal, and do almost anything mean. Talk with one now and see. But the prophet told them plainly when the Sabbath would be gone. Read the ninth verse of this chapter and see: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day. " Now when did this take place? Read Luke 23:44-45 : "And it was about the sixth hour [noon], and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened." How could God make things plainer? This is the only time the sun ever ceased to shine at noon. This was when the old Testament was nailed to the cross. This was when Christ declared, "It is finished." And to put it beyond the possibility of controversy turn to Colossians 2:14-17 and read: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross: and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." Will you not heed this command, and let no man judge and condemn you for not observing a Sabbath that has been removed? And will you not heed the admonition not to forsake your assembling on the first day of the week to commemorate our Lord’s death and the sepulcher made empty by our Lord’s resurrection? (Hebrews 10:25).