The Christian Sabbath is the First Day of the Week

Below is part of a short article by Presbyterian pastor, Dr. Richard Bacon, on why Christians gather on the Lord's Day instead of Saturday.

"Here is a very probable list of Christophanies and other gatherings for worship and prayer between the resurrection and Pentecost.

Appearance Day To Whom Scripture

1st 1 (resurrection) To 10 disciples John 20:19f

2nd 8 (7 x 1) + 1 To 11 disciples John 20:26

3rd? 15 (7 x 2) + 1 To 7 disciples John 21:1-14

4th 22 (7 x 3) + 1 To 500 disciples 1 Cor. 15:6

5th 29 (7 x 4) + 1 To all the apostles 1 Cor. 15:7

6th 36 (7 x 1) + 1 To 11 disciples Matt. 28:16

40 Ascension Acts 1:2-9

7th 43 (7 x 6) + 1 120 disciples Acts 1:14-15

8th 50 (7 x 7) + 1 Pentecost Acts 2:1ff

If these recorded appearances of Christ and other gatherings for worship did, in fact, occur on the first day of the week in every instance (as they surely did in the first two and in the eighth), then we have a very strong recurring apostolic example, as well as Christological example of the resurrected (on the first day of the week) Christ. This would go a long way toward explaining why 25 years later the disciples of Christ were still meeting on the first day of the week -- as indicated by Acts 20:6-7 and 1 Cor. 16:1-2. So much by way of approved example.

As far as good and necessary consequence, one should note that Christ entered into his glory on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1 cp. v. 26). So James thus even refers to him as the Lord of glory (Jas. 2:1). Thus, Scripture associates the Lord's glory with his resurrection and the resurrection took place on the first day of the week. The implication is clear that the Lord has a special propriety in the first day of the week as the day on which he entered into his glory.

Also, just as the seventh-day Sabbath commemorated the first creation (Exodus 20:11), so the first-day (actually I would even go so far as to call it eighth-day) Sabbath commemorates the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17 cp. Heb. 8:13).

Finally, what do we learn from 1 Cor. 16:1-4? First, the collection for the saints was part of the work of the Lord. Paul "gave order" to the churches in Galatia and to the Corinthian church to practice this collection ("gave order" is aorist tense of "diatassoo" -- make a precise arrangement or prescribe, direct, command, charge, ordain, etc.). Second, the collection was to be accumulated over a period of time by laying aside regular personal contributions bit by bit on the first day of the week. It is indisputable that Paul enjoined (commanded, prescribed) that these contributions were to be made on no other day but on the first day of the week. Note, Paul does not say to lay these contributions aside on any day of the week other than the Sabbath, but specifically denotes one day and one day only for the laying aside of these contributions -- the very day on which the Lord rose from the dead and entered into his glory and the very day on which at least many of his post-resurrection appearances were made to his gathered disciples."

HT: First Presbyterian Church of Rowlett