Remember the Sabbath

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Exodus 20:8

Our Father in heaven calls his people to "remember the Sabbath day" and "to keep it holy," (Ex. 20:8). In God’s wisdom, he teaches us to set aside unto him one whole day each week as a time where we refrain from all worldly employment, commerce, recreations, chore lists, etc. It is a time when we do not work ourselves, nor do we require work of others—regardless of their willingness to do it. Instead of these normal daily activities which we are free to engage in the other six days of the week, the Lord calls his people to obediently honor his name by engaging in public and private worship, by times of prayer and meditation upon Scripture, by fellowship among the saints, and by acts of mercy toward those in need.

From the beginning of the world until the resurrection of Christ, this holy Sabbath to the Lord was observed on the last day of the week in anticipation of Christ’s future coming. However, since the resurrection of Christ, the Sabbath is now observed on the first day of the week as we joyfully remember that Christ has come and has won salvation for his people as their mighty champion (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2). Some people have a hard time understanding how the proper day of Sabbath observance could change. However, this change is not unlike other Christ-centered changes which we see take place in the Bible as God’s eternal plan of redemption has unfolded. Just as the covenant sign of circumcision continues today but has become properly applied through baptism, and just as the covenant meal of Passover continues today but is now properly remembered through the Lord’s Supper, so the day on which God’s people keep the Sabbath has also been modified in order to properly reflect its relationship to Jesus Christ. Jesus has always been the defining center in which all of these things find their true meaning.

In Revelation 1:10 the Apostle John calls the Christian Sabbath by the helpful title, “the Lord’s Day”. This is not only because it is the day on which Jesus rose from the grave, but also because it is the day on which the people of the Lord are called to show their love to God by devoting themselves to his glory in an even more special way than they do on the other days of the week. The Lord’s Day should be the one weekly commitment that all other aspects of our lives must bend the knee to. Why? Because remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy is one of the most clear ways in all of Scripture that our God has told his people he is to be honored and worshiped by them.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
I John 5:3