WHY DO WE WORSHIP ON SUNDAY?

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ meets on the first day of the week (Sunday) for regular worship. At that time, the members of the church eat the Lord’s supper. This is done in memory of the death of Jesus Christ for our sins. Teaching and exhorting from the Word of God is done. Prayers and songs of praise are offered up to God. A contribution it taken for the poor and for the preaching of the gospel. The Lord’s church meets on Sunday because some very important events happened on that day.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, arose from the dead on he first day of the week: “Now when He arose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons” (Mark 16:9; see also Matthew 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20: 1-10). The resurrection of Christ is very important to Christians. It proves beyond all doubt that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God. It also gives us the assurance that we too will be raised to life again (see I Corinthians 15).

The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles upon the first day of the week: “When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly here came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4). “Pentecost” actually means “fifty days.” Pentecost was a special feast of the Jews which was to be observed fifty days after their Passover feast. It is also called “the feast of harvest” or “firstfruits.” Sometimes it is called “the feast of weeks” because it was seven weeks after Passover. “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:15,16; see also Exodus 23:14-19). Since the Sabbath was Saturday, the seventh day of the week, the day after the Sabbath would be Sunday, the first day of the week (Exodus 20:9,10).

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ began on this Pentecost day when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles. On that day, they preached the gospel. Men heard, believed, repented, and were baptized for the remission of sins. They were added by the Lord to His church, which is the church of Christ (Acts 2:36-47). Thus, the church had its beginning on Sunday, the first day of the week.

The early church met on the first day of the week to remember Jesus Christ by eating the Lord’s supper” “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight”(Acts 20: 7). Paul was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem (Acts 20:16). But in spite of that, when he came to Troas, he stayed seven days (Acts 20:6). Without doubt, he was waiting for the first day of the week so he could worship with the church.

Some perverted translation of the Bible, such as the so-called “Good News Bible” and the “New English Bible,” mistranslated this passage. They make the breaking of bread, which is the Lord’s supper, to be a fellowship meal. They put “Saturday evening” instead of the first day of the week. This is misleading, dishonest, and wrong! The Greek words here for “the first day of the week” are the same as in Luke 24:1, where it is correctly translate “the first day of the week.” Those who really want to follow God’s Word will not use perverted translations such as the Good News Version and the New English Version

Not only did the early Christians meet on the first day of the week for the Lord’s supper, but they also engaged in the other acts of worship. It is on this day that Christians are commanded to give for the work of the Lord: “On the first day of the week, let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (I Corinthians 16:2). Christians must exhort one another not to forsake the assembly on the first day of the week (Hebrews 10:25).

Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He also commanded them to teach the ones baptized “to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Now, when one sees the early churches observing the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week, it follows that the apostles taught them to observe it on that day. We must follow the New Testament pattern in order to be the true church today.