Why is Sunday a special day for Christians?

The greatest event in human history occurred
on Sunday. Jesus rose from the grave on the
first day of the week, which is the New
Testament term for Sunday 1. “Now when He
rose early on the first day of the week, He
appeared first to Mary Magdalene” (Mark
16:9).
Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday!
Later that day He appeared to Cleopas and
another disciple when He joined them as they
were walking to the village of Emmaus. At
first they were prevented from recognizing
Him as He explained Scriptures that had
predicted the death and resurrection of
Christ. “Then they drew near to the village
where they were going, and He indicated that
He would have gone farther. But they
constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it
is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’
And He went in to stay with them. Now it
came to pass, as He sat at the table with
them, that He took bread, blessed and broke
it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were
opened and they knew Him; and He vanished
from their sight” (Luke 24:28-31). When He
broke bread, Jesus allowed them to recognize
Him.
Although it was late, they immediately
returned to Jerusalem “and found the eleven
and those who were with them gathered
together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed,
and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told
about the things that had happened on the
road, and how He was known to them in the
breaking of bread” (Luke 24:33-35).
Jesus breaking bread with the disciples is
reminiscent of the institution of the Lord’s
supper and anticipates its later observance
by Christians on the first day of the week.
While they were together, Jesus appeared
among them: “Then, the same day at evening,
being the first day of the week, when the
doors were shut where the disciples were
assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood in the midst, and said to them,
‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19).
“After eight days,” which would be the next
Sunday (since the starting day was also
counted), Jesus stood in their midst again
while they were assembled (John 20:26).
Thus the Holy Spirit specifically states that
Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of
the week, and also that Jesus appeared to
the disciples when they were assembled on
the first day of the week.
Except for the creation of light (Genesis
1:3-5), during four thousand years of Biblical
history, the first day of the week is never
mentioned. But the Holy Spirit emphasizes
that Jesus rose on the first day of the week
(Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1;
John 20:1, 19) 2 .
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus,
and the testimony of those who experienced
these events, form the foundation of the
Christian faith. Paul wrote: “For I delivered to
you first of all that which I also received: that
Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that
He rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas,
then by the twelve. After that He was seen by
over five hundred brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remain to the present, but
some have fallen asleep. After that He was
seen by James, then by all the apostles.
Then last of all He was seen by me also, as
by one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians
15:3-8).
Sunday is a special day for Christians
because of memorable events on that day!
The Holy Spirit came on Sunday!
Sunday was the day on which the Holy Spirit
came upon the apostles (Acts 1:8) and the
church was established (Acts 2:47). These
events occurred on Pentecost after Jesus
returned to His Father (Acts 2:1). Pentecost
was celebrated on the day after the seventh
sabbath after the Passover (Leviticus 23:15,
16), thus on a Sunday.
The first Christians assembled on Sunday.
In the New Testament, Christians came
together on the first day of the week to
remember Jesus, as He had asked them to
do, by dividing a loaf among themselves and
drinking from the cup. This was referred to
as “breaking bread.”
“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).
This passage informs us when New
Testament Christians assembled (on Sunday)
and why they assembled (to partake of the
Lord’s supper).
With regard to how the Lord’s supper should
be observed, Paul refers to its institution by
Jesus (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24;
Luke 22:19-20). “For I received from the Lord
that which I also delivered to you: that the
Lord Jesus on the same night in which He
was betrayed took bread; and when He had
given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat;
this is My body which is broken for you; do
this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same
manner He also took the cup after supper,
saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My
blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat
this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians
11:23-26).
The first Christians “continued steadfastly in
the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts
2:42). Christians today do likewise 3 .
The first day of the week is the Lord’s day.
In Revelation 1:10 John says: “I was in the
spirit on the Lord’s Day4 .” An unusual
grammatical form is used here. The only
other place in the New Testament where the
possessive form of “Lord” is used is in
1 Corinthians 11:20 in connection with “the
Lord’s supper” which was observed on the
first day of the week.
This distinctive expression “the Lord’s day” is
found in early church history as a designation
for the first day of the week and is presently
the common name for Sunday in Greece.
The Didache , for example, written between 70
and 120 AD, states in section 14:1: “But
having assembled on ‘the Lord’s day’ 5, [the
day] of the Lord, you must break bread and
give thanks” (Translated from Greek by RD).
Many people view Sunday as their day, a day
on which they can do whatever they like! But
for Christians, the first day of the week is the
Lord’s day, a day of assembly with other
Christians to remember and worship their
Lord!
The Christian assembly may not be neglected.
Because Jesus asked them to do so,
Christians come together on the first day of
each week to encourage one another and to
celebrate His resurrection. This is not to be
neglected. “And let us consider one another
in order to stir up love and good works, not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but
exhorting one another, and so much the more
as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews
10:24, 25).
On Sunday a collection was held.
That a Christian was to give “as he may
prosper” on the first day of the week
confirms that the regular Christian assembly
was on Sunday. “Now concerning the
collection for the saints, as I have given
orders to the churches of Galatia, so you
must do also: 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” (1 Corinthians 16:1,
2).
This was not just a local arrangement
because Paul gave the same orders to other
churches 6 .
This was not done at home as some claim,
because then there would be no collection at
all and why would it need to be on Sunday?
Also, there would then be collections when
Paul came, which he wanted to avoid.
On the first day of the week a collection was
taken 7.
Sunday is not a sabbath.
For Christians Sunday is a special day of
worship. They assemble to break bread on
that day, but the first day of the week is
never called a sabbath in the Scriptures.
Jews who became Christians were allowed to
continue observing the sabbath (see Romans
14:5, 6). There is nothing wrong with resting
on Saturday! But sabbath observance was
never a requirement for Christians.
When certain Jewish Christians insisted that
Christians had to keep the law of Moses, this
was rejected by the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28,
29).
Paul specifically states that one is not to be
judged with regard to sabbath-keeping: “So
let no one judge you in food or in drink, or
regarding a festival or a new moon or
sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to
come, but the substance is of
Christ” (Colossians 2:16, 17) 8 .
Let us worship according to the New Covenant.
Much New Testament instruction is given by
prescriptive example rather than by legal
definition. A prescriptive example is a
normative example, one that is intended to be
followed.
How we are to worship under the New
Covenant is made known partially by
commandment and partially by examples.
Observance of the Lord’s supper, for
instance, is commanded by Christ: “Do this in
remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). “This” in
the command is defined by example.
In telling the Christians at Corinth how to
observe the Lord’s supper, Paul simply cites
the example (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
When Christians are to assemble to partake
of the supper is also defined by example. The
foundation is laid by the many references to
the first day of the week in connection with
the resurrection of Jesus, including an
example of breaking bread. It is specifically
stated that Christians assembled on the first
day of the week to break bread at Troas
(Acts 20:7), and that Sunday is the day of
assembly is further substantiated by a
command that Christians are to give on the
first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2).
This normative example of the New Covenant
was also followed in early Church history9 .
Why is Biblical instruction regarding Sunday
often ignored or misapplied?
Although most people in Christendom
assemble on Sunday, very few observe the
Lord’s supper each week and in the manner
prescribed. What is required to understand
and correctly apply Biblical teaching?
Examples are powerful. That is why much
use is made of examples as an instructional
device, in both the Old and the New
Testaments.
Although the Law of Moses contains more
direct commands than the New Covenant,
most Old Testament teaching is also by
example. Jesus asked the Jews, “Have you
not read what David did?” (Matthew 12:3)
and He expected that they would understand
certain principles inherent in the example.
The historic, poetic and prophetic writings in
the Old Testament teach mainly by example.
Parables are also examples. Jesus taught in
parables for two reasons: so His followers
could understand certain truths, but also so
those who had a wrong attitude to God would
not understand His teaching! (Matthew 13:10,
11).
Spiritual insight is required to understand
spiritual instruction: “These things we also
speak, not in words which man’s wisdom
teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches,
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But
the natural man does not receive the things
of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him; nor can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:13,
14).
Most people in Christendom ignore or
misapply Biblical instruction because they
follow the doctrine of their denomination
rather than the word of God. Referring to
such worshippers, God says: “These people
draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor
Me with their lips, but their heart is far from
Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as
doctrines the commandments of
men” (Matthew 15:8, 9).
Someone with spiritual discernment will
worship the Lord according to His word that
provides guidance both by command and by
prescriptive example.
On Sunday Christians celebrate Christ’s
resurrection.
For us, Sunday is a very special day, the
Lord’s day. On that day Jesus rose from the
grave (Mark 16:9), He was recognized when
He broke bread with two disciples (Luke
24:30, 31) and He revealed Himself to His
disciples while they were assembled (John
20:19, 26). On Sunday the Holy Spirit came
and the church was established. For two
thousand years Christians have assembled
on the first day of the week to break bread
and to joyously commemorate the
resurrection of Christ. Amen.