A Very Special Day
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Just whose day is it anyway? Don't you believe the Lord's Day ought to be given back to the Lord?
Sunday should be more than another busy, pleasure filled weekend play day. It ought to be more than another excuse for sleeping late and lounging about the house. It must be seen as more than another opportunity to water the grass or wash the family car.
Sunday the first day of the week, is special. It is the Lord's Day a day for worship.
The apostle Paul tarried seven days in Troas until “the first day of the week,” when he met with the saints of that city in worship (Acts 20:6-7). John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” wrote, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10). And is it any wonder why? Our Lord arose from the dead on the first day of the week. The church was established on Day of Pentecost, the first day of the week. This day, the Lord's Day, is more than ordinary. It is special.
Justin Martyr, one of the recognized historians of the early church, wrote near the beginning of the second century, “On Sunday a meeting is held of all who live in the cities and villages ... They rise together and send up prayers.”
Early disciples faced terrible persecution in gathering together for worship on the Lord's Day, yet they assembled and worshiped in spite of their adversities.
According to John Fox, in his book Book of Martyrs , many early Christians were burnt alive, others were dragged by their feet through the streets naked until they expired; some were scalded to death, many were stoned, and a great number had their brains beaten out with clubs. Nero is said to have dressed Christians in shirts made stiff with wax, fixed them to axle trees and then set them on fire to light up his gardens at night.
And what of us? We have great difficulty convincing more modem saints, with no fear of physical oppression, to drive the new car down a four lane, paved highway to a comfortable, climate controlled building.
By the way, what will you be doing this Sunday?
Dalton Key - April, 2003 |
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