Heresies rise when the teachings of Christ are wearisome. Malachi reflects the state of false teachers today. In Malachi 1:12, he prophesied, “But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.'” Is that not what many are saying now about the Lord’s Supper? Have they not profaned “the table of the Lord” (1 Cor 10:21)? In Malachi 1:13, he reported,
“You also say, ‘”Oh, what a weariness!” And you sneer at it,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?’ Says the LORD.”
Why are so many professing Christians wearisome of New Testament worship? Why do they degrade the Lord’s Day and the Lord’s Supper? Why do they sneer at acceptable worship? This is “Because you have not kept My ways, But have shown partiality in the law” (2:9).
This all comes back to a lack of love for God since those who love God will keep the commands of Christ (John 14:21–24; 1 John 5:3). The Spirit of Christ instructs in Hebrews 10:25, “not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” See what Christ’s words from the Apostles and prophets say about the Lord’s Day.
Among the Churches on the Lord’s Day
What was the Spirit of Christ revealing through John when he said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Rev 1:10)? What is the Lord’s Day? This Lord’s Day is not the Day of the Lord’s coming evidently or the book of Revelation would have been too late and it would not have been written. On this “Lord’s Day,” John heard a loud voice behind him like a trumpet, and it was the voice of Christ telling John to write a book and send it to seven churches of Asia (Rev 1:11). When John turned around, he saw the One who looked like the son of man in the midst of seven lamp stands. This son of man is clearly Christ from the rest of the description in Revelation 1.
What is significant is that Christ is in the midst of the seven lamp stands, which are the 7 churches of Asia (Rev 1:20). Christ was in the midst of the churches on the Lord’s Day. “In the midst” is from 2 Greek words en meso, which is also found in Matthew 18:20, where Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Clearly, John has presented that Christ was in the midst of the churches on the Lord’s Day. The Lord’s Day is the Day of the assembly, and importance is seen the exhortation to not forsake the assembly in Hebrews 10:25.
Add to this information about the Lord’s Day that the Greek word for “Lord” in Revelation 1:10 for “the Lord’s Day” here is kuriakos, which is found only one other place in 1 Corinthians 11:20 referring to “the Lord’s Supper,” which again was only when the Christians were gathered together did they partake of this memorial meal of death of Christ in partaking of bread in remembrance of Christ’s body and fruit of the grapevine in remembrance of Christ’s blood. Apparently the Lord’s Day is the day of the Assembly in which the Lord’s Supper was partaken. First Corinthians 5:4 also refers to the gathering of the disciples as being in Christ’s name. The Lord’s Day was certainly a specific day. A day known by all Christians especially those of whom Christ writes to in Asia Minor. The command for the assembly and the Lord’s Supper clearly include the Lord’s Day. Which day is this day of the Lord’s Supper and assembling?
The First Day of the Week
What is “the first day of the week”? It is “when the disciples have been assembling to break bread” (Acts 20:7a). Acts 20:7 defines the Lord’s Day. The first day of the week was the day of assembling for the disciples to break bread. This breaking of bread was the Lord’s Supper as 1 Corinthians 11:33 says this is when Christians came together to eat the Lord’s Supper in the assembly excluding common meals (1 Cor 11:21–22). In 1 Corinthians 10:16, Paul referred to the Lord’s Supper as “The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” Paul, Luke, their associates, and all the disciples knew that the Lord’s Day was first day of the week and so they kept this day with assembly. The day of Jesus’s resurrection.
The Day that Christ Rose from the Dead
This is the Lord’s Day for which John wrote. Christ rose on this day (Matt 28:1; John 20:19). Jesus blessed the bread for the Lord’s Supper on this day (Luke 24:30, 35). The Church was established on this day (Acts 2:1; cf. Lev 23:15–16). The collections of churches were on this day (1 Cor 16:1). The day of Jesus’s resurrection is repeatedly specified as the “third day,” which is the Lord’s Day (Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:64; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor 15:4).
Conclusion
The Lord’s Day is the first day of the week for the assembly in Christ’s name. This is the Day of the assembly to partake of the Lord’s Supper, and on this day, Christ is in the midst of His churches. Should Christians assemble on the Lord’s Day? If they love Him, they will (John 14:21, 23; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6). Christ’s Spirit said in Hebrews 10:24–25,
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting the assembly, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
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