GETTING THE MESSAGE/The Lord’s Day
In Revelation 1:10, the apostle John says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” In the Spirit means under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was in John in a special way; to give him the Lord’s prophetic word, which we have in the book of Revelation.
This special visitation of the Spirit came on the Lord’s Day. The Lord’s Day is the day the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the first day of the week. The Christian church observes the 4th commandment, to honor the Sabbath day, on the 1st day of the week because it represents the day of salvation.
Psalm 118 says, “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The “day the Lord has made,” is a prophetic reference to the day of salvation Christ has accomplished by his death and resurrection. We commemorate that day when we gather together on the Lord’s Day to worship God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 1:5, John tells us that Christ has “freed us from our sins by his blood.” After this in verse 7, John speaks of the Lord returning in glory and judgment. Because we are freed from our sins, we are to long for Christ’s appearing in glory. This is called the Day of the Lord.
The Lord’s Day and the coming Day of the Lord in glory are inseparably connected. Paul said about the Lord’s Supper: “As often as you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” The Apostle’s emphasized that longing for the Lord’s coming, the Day of the Lord, was an essential element of our faith.
Paul told the Corinthian Church he was thankful for their riches in Christ as they “wait for his day.” Paul told the Philippian Church, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” And there are other examples of this we see in their writings.
We don’t tend to long for Christ’s appearing as we should and part of that is how we view the Lord’s Day. Sunday isn’t just about going to church. It is worshipping in view of Christ’s salvation and anticipating his coming in glory.
Richard Sibbes said: “Since there is such a day as the Lord’s coming, let us make much of the day the Lord has left us. What is that day? It is the Lord’s Day. He appointed that day for his honor and glory. We become more acquainted with Christ on this day because the Spirit especially blesses Christ to us in worship. Do you want to hear, ‘Come ye blessed by my Father into the kingdom prepared for you?’ Then worship on the Lord’s Day longing for Christ’s appearing.”
A solemn reason for anticipating the Lord’s coming is that he will come in judgment. There is an allusion to this in Revelation 1:10-11. After he hears a loud voice like a trumpet, John is directed to write down what he will see. The trumpet emphasizes the authority of the Lord’s word.
The law was given to Moses with a trumpet blast. In Jeremiah 6, the Lord tells a rebellious Israel that he sent prophets for them to “listen to the sound of the trumpet,” but they wouldn’t listen. The prophets warned them to listen and apply the word of God, but they did not. The word of Christ that John was to write down is to go to the churches (verse 11).
This word is for the church in all generations until Christ returns. The Lord tells us we need to have ears to hear what the Spirit says to the church. Paul tells us that Christ’s return will be with a trumpet blast. Then the day of salvation will be over. The period between the proclamation of the gospel and the trumpet on the last day is the time to make our salvation sure.
The last trumpet is from God. It is not in the sinner’s choice whether to appear before God or not. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The word God gives to us is not an idle word, it is our very life. But it is a gracious word from a gracious Lord.
Make the Lord’s Day the most important day of the week. The Lord gives us the Lord’s Day to bless us and keep us. The Lord’s Day isn’t just another day. It is preparation for the day of the Lord. So let us draw near to the Lord, and all the more as that last day approaches.
The Rev. Chris Shelton is pastor of Union’s First Presbyterian Church.