Shall we pray.
00:00:20.32\00:00:21.65
Our Father and our God, we
come before Your awesome throne
00:00:22.52\00:00:25.99
in the name of Jesus
requesting that the Holy Spirit
00:00:26.19\00:00:30.09
who inspired the Scriptures
will hover over its pages
00:00:30.13\00:00:34.20
and will enter our
minds as we study Your Word.
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I ask, Lord, that You
will remove any obstacle
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in our hearts from understanding
and receiving the truth.
00:00:40.77\00:00:44.81
And we thank You
for hearing our prayer.
00:00:45.17\00:00:46.68
We ask it in Jesus' name, amen.
00:00:46.71\00:00:49.78
The great Aristotle
lived around the year 315 BC.
00:00:50.48\00:00:55.42
Besides being a renowned
philosopher, Aristotle was
00:00:55.88\00:01:00.16
also a naturalist.
00:01:00.19\00:01:02.09
And he defined a spider as
an insect that has six legs.
00:01:02.46\00:01:09.26
For 2000 years this definition
of a spider was passed on
00:01:09.70\00:01:14.74
from generation to generation.
00:01:14.94\00:01:17.47
After all, who would
question the definition
00:01:17.81\00:01:21.08
by the great Aristotle?
00:01:21.11\00:01:23.45
Then in the latter
half of the 18th century,
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Jean-Baptiste Lamarck decided
to examine a spider for himself.
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And lo and behold, he discovered
that a spider is not an insect.
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It's an arachnid.
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And that it actually
has eight legs, not six.
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I believe this story
reveals three lessons
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that we need to remember.
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First of all, for over
2000 years people had passed on
00:01:51.97\00:01:56.58
an erroneous
definition of what a spider is
00:01:56.61\00:02:01.45
based on the
opinion of an expert.
00:02:01.48\00:02:04.39
This proves that depending
on statements by experts
00:02:04.75\00:02:08.62
cannot be absolutely trusted.
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We must test
truth for ourselves.
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The second lesson is
that the passing of time
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does not make error
truth and truth error.
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The spider did not grow
two legs after Aristotle
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provided his definition.
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And finally, the
beliefs of the majority do not
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make error truth.
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In our last study, we
noticed that faithful Christians
00:02:34.75\00:02:38.72
who fled Jerusalem in the year
70 kept the seventh day Sabbath.
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Because Jesus stated that
their flight should not be
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in winter or on the Sabbath day.
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That's Matthew 24:20.
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This proves beyond any
doubt that Jesus did not nail
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the Sabbath to the
cross when He died.
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In spite of this,
many Christians today claim
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that the
Sabbath was for the Jews
00:03:06.61\00:03:10.05
and that Sunday is the new
day of worship for Christians.
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This makes it
necessary for us to consider
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what the New Testament has
to say about Sabbath and Sunday.
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Let's notice some introductory
matters first of all.
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There are only eight
texts in the New Testament
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that mention the
first day of the week.
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So if we're going to find
evidence for the observance
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of Sunday as the day
of rest, we must find it
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in those eight Bible verses.
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The word, "Sunday," never
appears in the New Testament
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even though the Romans
did use the name, Dies Solis,
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or, Day of the Sun, to refer
to the first day of the week.
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The Bible numbers the
first six days of the week,
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but does not give them a name.
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Only the seventh day in the
Bible has a number and a name.
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Sabbath or Shabbat.
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Incidentally, the
Brazilians today number the days
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from Monday to Friday
and only give two days names.
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Those two days are
Sabado and Domingo.
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Latin was the
language of the Romans.
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Although the
Bible numbers the days,
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the pagan Romans gave
the days planetary names
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in honor of their gods.
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Here are the names
that the Romans gave
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to the days of the week.
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And in Spanish you have
a transfer almost verbatim
00:04:43.14\00:04:46.88
from the Latin Romans.
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Dies Solis was Sunday.
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Dies Lunae was Monday.
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Dies Martis was
Mars. That was Tuesday.
00:04:58.36\00:05:03.16
Dies Mercurii was
the planet Mercury,
00:05:03.47\00:05:07.70
and that was what
we call Wednesday.
00:05:07.74\00:05:09.90
Dies Lovis was Thursday in
honor of the god Jove or Zeus.
00:05:09.94\00:05:16.75
Dies Veneris, day
of Venis was Friday.
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And Dies Saturni is
what we call Saturday,
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or Sabbath
according to the Bible.
00:05:26.86\00:05:29.26
So the Romans gave
the days planetary names
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in honor of their gods.
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Now we're going to
examine in the next few minutes
00:05:36.56\00:05:39.70
all of the references to
the first day of the week
00:05:39.73\00:05:43.00
in the New Testament.
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And we're going to ask
four questions of each text.
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First, does the text state
that Sunday is the Lord's day?
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Second question, does
the text tell us that the
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first day of the
week, Sunday, is holy?
00:05:59.59\00:06:01.86
The third question
is, does the text tell us
00:06:02.29\00:06:05.33
that we are
supposed to go to church
00:06:05.36\00:06:07.90
on the first day of the week?
00:06:07.93\00:06:10.13
And the fourth question
is, does any of the text
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tell us that we are
to keep Sunday in honor
00:06:13.37\00:06:17.11
of the resurrection of Christ?
00:06:17.14\00:06:19.01
At the end of our study we will
also consider Revelation 1:10
00:06:19.64\00:06:23.98
which Christians
have used as a proof text
00:06:24.18\00:06:27.15
for the observance of
Sunday as the day of rest.
00:06:27.18\00:06:30.55
So let's go to text
number one, Matthew 28:1.
00:06:30.72\00:06:37.03
It says there...
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Now this text does not tell us
that Sunday is the Lord's day.
00:06:49.57\00:06:53.27
The text does not tell
us that Sunday is holy.
00:06:53.81\00:06:56.85
It does not say we are supposed
to attend church on Sunday.
00:06:57.38\00:07:00.92
And it certainly does not
tell us that we are to keep
00:07:01.42\00:07:04.09
Sunday in honor of the
resurrection of Christ.
00:07:04.12\00:07:07.06
Furthermore, the
text makes it very clear
00:07:07.59\00:07:09.76
that Sunday is not the Sabbath.
00:07:09.96\00:07:12.09
Because we're told
that Jesus resurrected
00:07:12.29\00:07:14.46
the day after the Sabbath.
00:07:14.50\00:07:17.43
The Sabbath is the
seventh day of the week,
00:07:17.93\00:07:21.47
while Christ resurrected
the first day of the week.
00:07:21.50\00:07:25.47
Now some calendars today
in various parts of the world
00:07:26.04\00:07:29.94
muddy the waters by making
Monday the first day of the week
00:07:30.35\00:07:35.08
which means that Sunday
would then be the seventh day.
00:07:35.28\00:07:38.85
This is a crafty way of
making people think that Sunday
00:07:39.42\00:07:44.16
is the seventh day of the week.
00:07:44.19\00:07:46.16
You know, I lived in
Colombia for many years.
00:07:47.03\00:07:49.60
If you go to the Avianca
website, you'll find that
00:07:49.63\00:07:53.20
the week begins on a Monday.
00:07:53.23\00:07:55.14
There's also a television
program in Colombia called,
00:07:55.57\00:07:58.24
Séptimo Día, the seventh
day, and it airs on Sunday.
00:07:58.27\00:08:02.18
It does not air on the Sabbath.
00:08:02.21\00:08:04.41
So the first text gives
us no evidence that Sunday
00:08:04.75\00:08:08.82
is the Lord's day,
that we are to keep it holy,
00:08:08.85\00:08:11.35
that we're
supposed to go to church,
00:08:11.55\00:08:13.32
or that we're to honor
it because Jesus resurrected
00:08:13.36\00:08:16.29
on that day.
00:08:16.32\00:08:17.66
Let's go to the second text.
00:08:17.69\00:08:20.00
Mark 16:1-2
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Do these verses tell us
that Sunday is the Lord's day?
00:08:43.25\00:08:46.02
No.
00:08:46.05\00:08:47.39
Do they tell us that we
are to keep Sunday holy?
00:08:47.42\00:08:50.33
Again, no.
00:08:50.36\00:08:52.19
Does it tell us that
we're supposed to attend church
00:08:52.69\00:08:56.30
on the first day
of the week, Sunday?
00:08:56.33\00:08:59.07
No.
00:08:59.10\00:09:00.44
Does it say that we're supposed
to honor the resurrection
00:09:00.47\00:09:02.67
of Christ on the first
day of the week, Sunday?
00:09:02.70\00:09:06.11
No.
00:09:06.31\00:09:07.64
Furthermore, this
text, like the previous one,
00:09:08.04\00:09:10.75
shows that Sunday
is not the Sabbath.
00:09:10.98\00:09:14.08
Because it tells us, "Now
when the Sabbath was passed,
00:09:14.28\00:09:18.09
Jesus resurrected."
00:09:18.12\00:09:19.99
You know, Pope John Paul
II attempted to prove that
00:09:20.52\00:09:24.99
Sunday is the new day
of rest for Christians
00:09:25.03\00:09:27.96
because of everything
that happened on Sunday.
00:09:28.00\00:09:31.00
And he gives a list.
00:09:31.37\00:09:32.77
Jesus resurrected on Sunday.
00:09:32.97\00:09:35.17
Jesus walked and talked
with two disciples on the road
00:09:35.37\00:09:38.11
to Emmaus on Sunday.
00:09:38.14\00:09:39.74
He appeared to the
eleven disciples on the
00:09:39.94\00:09:42.04
evening of Sunday.
00:09:42.08\00:09:43.75
A week later He appeared again
to the disciples on Sunday.
00:09:43.95\00:09:47.88
God poured out the Holy
Spirit on the day of Pentecost
00:09:48.22\00:09:50.99
on a Sunday.
00:09:51.02\00:09:52.35
The first proclamation of
the gospel took place on Sunday
00:09:52.45\00:09:55.56
on the day of Pentecost.
00:09:55.59\00:09:56.93
And the first
baptisms occurred on Sunday.
00:09:56.96\00:10:00.53
So he says all of these
things prove that Sunday
00:10:01.03\00:10:03.20
was a special day, a significant
day above every other day.
00:10:03.23\00:10:07.67
But the question is, why
did Jesus resurrect on Sunday?
00:10:08.50\00:10:11.71
What people don't realize
is that Jesus resurrected
00:10:12.74\00:10:15.48
on Sunday not
because Sunday was important,
00:10:15.51\00:10:18.61
but because the day
before Sunday was important.
00:10:18.65\00:10:21.85
You see, Jesus had to rest
in the tomb on the Sabbath.
00:10:22.18\00:10:25.99
So the important day is
not the day He resurrected,
00:10:26.19\00:10:29.72
although that is a
very important day.
00:10:29.76\00:10:31.76
The important
day is the Sabbath.
00:10:32.13\00:10:34.30
He had to rest in
the tomb on the Sabbath.
00:10:34.50\00:10:36.97
That would make it
necessary for Him to resurrect
00:10:37.00\00:10:39.87
on the first day of the week.
00:10:39.90\00:10:41.50
You see, at creation we're told,
in Genesis 2:1, that God...
00:10:41.87\00:10:47.14
And by the way, when it says,
"God," it's talking about Christ
00:10:47.18\00:10:50.08
who is actually
doing the creating.
00:10:50.11\00:10:51.81
Read John 1:1-3.
00:10:51.85\00:10:54.15
Christ finished His
work on the sixth day
00:10:54.48\00:10:57.59
and ceased on the seventh day.
00:10:58.02\00:11:00.82
So it says He finished the sixth
day, ceased on the seventh day.
00:11:00.86\00:11:04.33
In redemption, the
same thing occurred.
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.26
Jesus said, "It is
finished," on the cross,
00:11:07.43\00:11:10.50
John 19:31, and then He
ceased by resting in the tomb
00:11:10.53\00:11:15.07
on the Sabbath.
00:11:15.10\00:11:16.44
And when God restores all
things, creates a new heavens
00:11:16.71\00:11:19.61
and a new earth, He will say,
according to Revelation 21:6,
00:11:19.64\00:11:24.21
"It is done."
00:11:24.25\00:11:25.91
And then Isaiah 66 tells
us that God's people will rest
00:11:26.31\00:11:31.55
on the seventh day as a sign
of a completed new creation.
00:11:31.75\00:11:36.93
So the important
day was not that Jesus
00:11:37.16\00:11:39.69
had to resurrect on Sunday
because He was saying that
00:11:39.73\00:11:42.23
Sunday was now going
to be the new day of rest.
00:11:42.26\00:11:44.40
No. Jesus had to rest
in the tomb on the Sabbath.
00:11:44.43\00:11:48.70
By the way, He rested 24 hours
in the tomb on the Sabbath.
00:11:48.74\00:11:52.37
That would make it
necessary to resurrect
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.81
on Sunday.
00:11:54.84\00:11:56.18
Let's go to text number three.
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.41
Mark 16:9
00:11:58.98\00:12:01.85
Does this verse tell us that
Sunday is the Lord's day? No.
00:12:13.56\00:12:18.53
Does it tell us to
keep Sunday holy? No.
00:12:18.83\00:12:22.70
Does it tell us that
we're supposed to attend church
00:12:23.10\00:12:25.64
on Sunday?
00:12:25.67\00:12:27.01
Definitely not.
00:12:27.31\00:12:28.74
Does it say we're supposed
to keep Sunday in honor of the
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.91
resurrection of Christ?
00:12:31.95\00:12:33.52
No.
00:12:33.55\00:12:34.88
What the text does
tell us is that Sunday
00:12:35.08\00:12:38.39
is the day after the Sabbath.
00:12:38.42\00:12:39.92
Sunday is the
first day of the week,
00:12:39.95\00:12:41.76
whereas the Sabbath is
the seventh day of the week.
00:12:42.09\00:12:46.29
Some Christians use a
psychological argument
00:12:46.66\00:12:49.70
in favor of Sunday.
00:12:49.73\00:12:51.10
They say something like this...
00:12:51.73\00:12:53.87
"The Sabbath was a
sad day for the disciples
00:12:54.04\00:12:57.41
because Jesus
was dead in the tomb.
00:12:57.61\00:13:00.14
However, Sunday was a
day of joy and victory
00:13:00.64\00:13:03.71
because Jesus resurrected.
00:13:04.01\00:13:06.01
Therefore," they say, "we
Christians keep the joyful
00:13:06.35\00:13:09.58
and victorious
day, not the sad day."
00:13:09.62\00:13:12.39
This argument is
based on human reason
00:13:13.09\00:13:15.72
and logic that
contradicts what the Bible says.
00:13:16.52\00:13:20.33
First of all, there was
no reason why the disciples
00:13:20.90\00:13:24.63
should have been
sad on the Sabbath.
00:13:24.67\00:13:29.30
Why? Because Jesus had
repeatedly told them that
00:13:29.80\00:13:32.54
He was going to Jerusalem, He
was going to suffer at the hands
00:13:32.57\00:13:35.68
of the religious leaders,
and He was going to resurrect
00:13:35.71\00:13:38.58
on the third day.
00:13:38.61\00:13:39.95
If they had
listened to what Jesus said,
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.98
Sabbath would have been a
day where they would be saying,
00:13:43.85\00:13:46.92
"Oh, this is a day of rest.
00:13:47.26\00:13:48.79
Jesus has accomplished
His work of redemption.
00:13:48.82\00:13:51.49
Now tomorrow He will be
resurrecting from the grave."
00:13:51.83\00:13:55.90
It would have been a
day of joyous expectation.
00:13:55.93\00:13:58.97
It wasn't Christ's fault
that Sabbath was a sad day.
00:13:59.13\00:14:02.30
Because He had told
them that He was going to
00:14:02.40\00:14:04.17
resurrect the third day.
00:14:04.21\00:14:05.61
The second indication that
this psychological argument
00:14:06.21\00:14:10.25
has no basis is that on
Sunday evening the disciples
00:14:10.28\00:14:15.72
were still sad.
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.42
You see, they did not believe
that Jesus had resurrected
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.82
on Sunday night.
00:14:20.86\00:14:22.19
So how could Sunday have
been a day of rejoicing and joy?
00:14:22.29\00:14:26.09
Notice Mark 16:9-13.
00:14:26.43\00:14:29.66
So the morning
of the resurrection,
00:14:53.09\00:14:54.52
the disciples did not believe.
00:14:54.56\00:14:55.89
So they couldn't be happy
because Jesus resurrected.
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.19
Verse 12...
00:14:58.23\00:14:59.56
These are the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus
00:15:05.17\00:15:07.50
late on Sunday afternoon.
00:15:07.70\00:15:09.57
And notice verse 13.
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.11
So the two disciples
go to Jerusalem, they tell
00:15:14.74\00:15:17.51
the disciples who are
gathered in the upper room,
00:15:17.55\00:15:19.51
and they did not
believe them either.
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.82
So how could Sunday
be a joyful happy day
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.75
if the disciples did
not even believe that
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.96
Jesus had resurrected?
00:15:27.99\00:15:29.79
You see, this argument
is based on psychology.
00:15:29.82\00:15:34.33
It's not based on Scripture.
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.73
Let's go to text number four.
00:15:36.77\00:15:38.60
John 20:1-2
00:15:38.80\00:15:41.44
In other words,
Jesus is not around.
00:16:04.13\00:16:06.63
Now here's some important
points about these two verses
00:16:06.93\00:16:12.00
that we've just read.
00:16:12.03\00:16:13.37
It does not say that
Sunday is the Lord's day.
00:16:13.64\00:16:16.94
We are not told that it is a
memorial of the resurrection.
00:16:17.54\00:16:20.84
We are not told
that Sunday is holy,
00:16:21.21\00:16:23.51
or that we are supposed
to go to church on Sunday.
00:16:23.55\00:16:26.75
None of those things
are mentioned in the text.
00:16:27.28\00:16:29.75
Now here's an important point.
00:16:29.78\00:16:31.32
According to
scholars, the gospel of John
00:16:31.72\00:16:34.66
and the book of Revelation
were written by the same person
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.79
in the same time frame.
00:16:38.03\00:16:39.76
That is, at the very
end of the first century.
00:16:40.00\00:16:43.33
Around the year 95 AD.
00:16:43.37\00:16:46.23
By this time, more
than 60 years had passed
00:16:46.67\00:16:50.04
after the death and
resurrection of Christ.
00:16:50.07\00:16:53.98
And yet, in spite of the
fact that John is writing this,
00:16:54.34\00:16:57.48
he simply says
that Jesus resurrected
00:16:57.51\00:17:00.25
the first day of the
week and they did not find Him
00:17:00.28\00:17:03.89
because He wasn't around,
because He had resurrected.
00:17:03.92\00:17:06.52
You know, if Sunday
was the day of rest,
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.06
after 60 years passing it would
have been a golden opportunity
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.89
for John to say, "Now we're
supposed to keep Sunday holy.
00:17:12.93\00:17:16.23
We're supposed to commemorate
it in honor of the resurrection.
00:17:16.26\00:17:19.30
It's the day we're
supposed to go to church."
00:17:19.33\00:17:21.20
He doesn't say
any of those things.
00:17:21.24\00:17:22.77
60 years after the
resurrection of Christ,
00:17:22.80\00:17:25.71
he simply states
that Jesus resurrected
00:17:25.74\00:17:28.74
on the first day of the week.
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.38
In fact, all the gospel
writers wrote their books
00:17:30.41\00:17:34.22
at least 30 years after
the resurrection of Christ.
00:17:34.38\00:17:38.45
And not one of them singles out
the first day as a special day
00:17:38.82\00:17:43.83
that we need to keep.
00:17:44.39\00:17:45.73
The text simply tells
us that Jesus resurrected
00:17:45.79\00:17:49.76
on the first day of the week.
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.93
Let's go to text number five.
00:17:52.47\00:17:54.20
Luke 24:1-3
00:17:54.44\00:17:59.74
Let me ask you, do
these verses tell us
00:18:20.60\00:18:24.03
that Sunday is the Lord's day?
00:18:24.13\00:18:27.00
No.
00:18:27.04\00:18:28.37
Do they tell us
that Sunday is holy
00:18:28.44\00:18:30.44
and we're supposed to keep it?
00:18:30.47\00:18:31.94
No.
00:18:31.97\00:18:33.31
Does the text tell us
that we're supposed to attend
00:18:33.38\00:18:35.58
church on Sunday?
00:18:35.61\00:18:37.15
No.
00:18:37.35\00:18:38.68
Does it tell us that
we're supposed to keep Sunday
00:18:38.88\00:18:40.92
in honor of the resurrection?
00:18:40.95\00:18:42.28
Another no.
00:18:42.32\00:18:43.65
It simply tells us
that Jesus resurrected
00:18:43.89\00:18:47.06
the first day of the week.
00:18:47.09\00:18:48.52
Which means the first
day of the week, Sunday,
00:18:48.56\00:18:52.49
that means that the
day before Sunday would be
00:18:52.69\00:18:56.43
the seventh day Sabbath.
00:18:56.46\00:18:58.57
As we examine the sequence of
days in Luke 23:50 through 24:1,
00:18:59.07\00:19:06.27
we see clearly that
Jesus died on Friday,
00:19:06.57\00:19:09.08
it's called the Preparation,
Jesus rested in the tomb
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.51
on the Sabbath, the seventh
day, and Jesus resurrected
00:19:12.55\00:19:16.02
on what we call Sunday,
the first day of the week.
00:19:16.05\00:19:19.52
Let's read that passage,
Luke 23, and we'll actually
00:19:19.89\00:19:23.63
start at verse 54
through chapter 24 and verse 3.
00:19:23.66\00:19:28.53
It says there...
00:19:28.90\00:19:30.23
So the day that Jesus
died was the Preparation.
00:19:34.44\00:19:36.94
So notice, Friday
was the Preparation,
00:19:54.72\00:19:57.46
the Sabbath was drawing
near, the women prepare spices,
00:19:57.49\00:20:00.83
then they rested on the Sabbath
according to the commandment.
00:20:01.03\00:20:03.73
Which commandment?
00:20:03.77\00:20:05.10
Obviously the
fourth commandment, folks.
00:20:05.13\00:20:07.24
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy."
00:20:07.27\00:20:09.30
They were still
keeping the Sabbath
00:20:09.34\00:20:10.84
after the death of Christ.
00:20:10.94\00:20:12.64
So they rested on the Sabbath
according to the commandment.
00:20:12.84\00:20:15.28
And then we have
the resurrection.
00:20:15.38\00:20:17.18
Chapter 24 verse 1...
00:20:17.38\00:20:20.68
Once again, no
evidence whatsoever that Sunday
00:20:34.53\00:20:37.90
was a special day
of worship, a holy day,
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.70
a day to go to church, a
day to honor the resurrection.
00:20:40.80\00:20:43.97
We noticed that Friday is
the sixth day, Preparation,
00:20:44.34\00:20:47.44
they kept the Sabbath
according to the commandment,
00:20:47.74\00:20:50.45
the seventh day,
and Jesus resurrected
00:20:50.48\00:20:52.55
the first day of the week.
00:20:52.58\00:20:53.92
So Sunday is not the Sabbath.
00:20:53.95\00:20:55.75
The Sabbath is
the day before Sunday.
00:20:55.78\00:20:58.79
And I repeat once
again, Luke wrote 30 years
00:20:58.82\00:21:02.49
after the
resurrection of Christ.
00:21:02.52\00:21:04.49
He tells us that the
women rested on the Sabbath day
00:21:04.76\00:21:08.83
according to the commandment.
00:21:08.86\00:21:10.50
They kept the
Sabbath after Christ died.
00:21:10.60\00:21:13.50
Therefore, Jesus did
not abolish the Sabbath
00:21:13.54\00:21:16.14
when He died on the cross.
00:21:16.17\00:21:19.14
You know, it's very interesting,
Christians celebrate
00:21:19.54\00:21:22.64
the entrance of Jesus
to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
00:21:23.35\00:21:26.92
once a year during
Easter or Holy Week.
00:21:26.95\00:21:31.02
Likewise, Holy Thursday
they celebrate once a year.
00:21:31.65\00:21:36.06
Good Friday they
celebrate, again, once a year.
00:21:36.93\00:21:40.66
So the question is,
why then do they celebrate
00:21:41.23\00:21:44.13
the resurrection
Sunday every week?
00:21:45.10\00:21:48.27
There's no place in the
Bible that tells us that we're
00:21:48.97\00:21:51.07
supposed to keep
Holy Week at all.
00:21:51.11\00:21:52.91
And yet, Christians,
they say all during the week
00:21:53.44\00:21:56.24
of Holy Week, you know,
"This is a yearly celebration."
00:21:56.28\00:21:59.55
But when it comes to
the resurrection of Christ,
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.95
they say, "Well, you
have to keep that every week."
00:22:01.98\00:22:05.09
The simple fact is, the Bible
does not tell us to do that.
00:22:05.45\00:22:09.36
The sixth text we
find in John 20:19.
00:22:10.06\00:22:16.10
It says the following...
00:22:17.03\00:22:18.60
This is speaking
of Sunday night now.
00:22:18.63\00:22:21.04
This text does not tell us
that Sunday is the Lord's day.
00:22:41.02\00:22:43.93
It does not tell us
that we're supposed to attend
00:22:44.26\00:22:46.86
church on Sunday,
or that Sunday is holy,
00:22:46.90\00:22:49.43
and we're supposed
to honor Sunday because
00:22:49.46\00:22:51.43
Jesus resurrected
on that particular day.
00:22:51.47\00:22:54.40
Many Christians have
attempted to prove that Sunday
00:22:55.34\00:22:58.67
is God's new rest day
because they were gathered
00:22:58.71\00:23:01.78
on the first day of the week.
00:23:01.81\00:23:03.24
And they even say that
Jesus celebrated communion
00:23:03.48\00:23:07.18
with the disciples
when He met with them
00:23:07.22\00:23:09.88
there in the upper room.
00:23:09.92\00:23:11.59
But you'll notice
something very interesting here.
00:23:12.02\00:23:14.32
We are told the reason why
the disciples were gathered
00:23:14.72\00:23:17.83
in the upper room.
00:23:17.86\00:23:19.19
They were not
gathered to celebrate
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.16
the resurrection of Christ.
00:23:21.20\00:23:22.70
They were gathered there
because they feared the Jews.
00:23:23.06\00:23:27.77
You see, the Jews
had crucified Christ.
00:23:27.80\00:23:29.80
And they said, "Wow,
we better kind of hide
00:23:30.07\00:23:32.67
because people know
that we were following Him,
00:23:32.71\00:23:35.34
and we might suffer as well."
00:23:35.38\00:23:37.45
So the text tells
us why they were there
00:23:37.48\00:23:40.52
gathered in the upper room.
00:23:40.55\00:23:42.18
It was not to
celebrate communion,
00:23:42.22\00:23:44.02
or celebrate the resurrection.
00:23:44.05\00:23:45.79
It was because they were
there for fear of the Jews.
00:23:45.82\00:23:48.52
And we've already noticed
that they did not even believe
00:23:48.56\00:23:51.53
that Jesus had
resurrected at this point.
00:23:51.56\00:23:54.00
So they weren't
celebrating anything.
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.53
Now this idea that
they were gathered together
00:23:57.17\00:23:59.70
to celebrate communion,
and that Jesus actually
00:23:59.73\00:24:03.04
maybe joined them for communion,
00:24:03.07\00:24:05.01
has no biblical
foundation whatsoever.
00:24:05.04\00:24:07.64
Let me give you
several reasons why this theory
00:24:07.68\00:24:11.05
that Jesus instituted communion
there to tell His disciples
00:24:11.15\00:24:15.78
that they should
honor His resurrection
00:24:15.82\00:24:17.72
simply doesn't hold water.
00:24:17.75\00:24:19.39
First of all, as I mentioned,
the text tells us that they were
00:24:19.65\00:24:22.59
gathered together
there for fear of the Jews.
00:24:22.62\00:24:25.96
Secondly, Jesus
could not have joined them
00:24:26.29\00:24:29.03
to celebrate communion
because Jesus had instituted
00:24:29.06\00:24:33.23
communion on Thursday night.
00:24:33.27\00:24:35.44
And that very night
Jesus told His disciples
00:24:35.77\00:24:38.47
that He would not celebrate
communion with them again
00:24:38.51\00:24:41.24
until He entered His kingdom.
00:24:41.44\00:24:43.85
We find that in Matthew 26:29.
00:24:43.88\00:24:46.45
Jesus said to His disciples...
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.32
So how could Jesus be
gathered to celebrate communion
00:24:59.09\00:25:01.80
on the evening of the
resurrection if he said
00:25:02.00\00:25:05.40
that He was not going
to drink the cup again
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.17
until He entered
His Father's kingdom
00:25:08.27\00:25:11.27
and met with His
disciples in the kingdom.
00:25:11.31\00:25:13.54
Another reason why we
know that Jesus was not
00:25:13.91\00:25:16.64
celebrating communion there on
the evening of the resurrection
00:25:16.68\00:25:20.55
is because we're
told what He ate.
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.72
He did not eat bread and wine.
00:25:22.75\00:25:24.55
We're told in Luke 24:42-43...
00:25:24.59\00:25:28.09
Furthermore,
communion does not commemorate
00:25:37.77\00:25:41.57
the resurrection of Christ.
00:25:41.60\00:25:43.51
It commemorates
the death of Jesus.
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.98
So why would He celebrate
communion on Sunday night
00:25:47.01\00:25:50.08
to commemorate the resurrection
00:25:50.11\00:25:51.88
if communion
commemorates His death?
00:25:51.91\00:25:54.55
Notice the biblical foundation.
00:25:54.58\00:25:56.05
Matthew 26:28
00:25:56.08\00:25:57.95
At the communion table,
Jesus on Thursday night said...
00:25:58.45\00:26:01.46
So when He institutes communion,
He says that the grape juice
00:26:07.80\00:26:12.77
represents His blood
which He is going to shed.
00:26:12.80\00:26:16.67
1 Corinthian 11:26
is even more explicit.
00:26:16.91\00:26:20.08
The apostle Paul wrote...
00:26:20.11\00:26:21.44
So celebrating communion
on Sunday in honor of the
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.45
resurrection of
Christ is not what Jesus said
00:26:32.49\00:26:35.49
we're supposed to do.
00:26:35.52\00:26:36.86
We celebrate communion
to commemorate His death.
00:26:36.89\00:26:39.56
And He died on Friday.
00:26:39.59\00:26:40.93
He did not die on Sunday.
00:26:40.96\00:26:43.20
Another evidence that
we find that the expression
00:26:43.67\00:26:47.34
that the disciples were
gathered to break bread,
00:26:47.37\00:26:49.90
they say, "Oh yeah, break
bread. That means communion."
00:26:50.01\00:26:52.34
No. because the
disciples broke bread every day.
00:26:52.37\00:26:55.24
It's talking
about a simple meal.
00:26:55.28\00:26:57.08
Notice what we find
in Acts 2:44 and 46.
00:26:57.35\00:27:01.62
I'm reading from the
New International Version.
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.42
So very clearly
they ate bread every day.
00:27:18.80\00:27:22.60
So this was not a communion
service in the upper room
00:27:22.80\00:27:25.64
the evening of the resurrection.
00:27:25.84\00:27:27.78
Point number six,
Jesus instituted communion
00:27:28.58\00:27:31.45
on Thursday of passion week.
00:27:31.48\00:27:33.42
What a golden opportunity
it would have been for Jesus
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.82
to celebrate communion on
the evening of the resurrection
00:27:36.85\00:27:40.16
and say, "Now, this ceremony
is to remind you Christians
00:27:40.19\00:27:44.26
that you're supposed to meet in
church and celebrate communion
00:27:44.29\00:27:47.30
on the first day of the week."
00:27:47.33\00:27:48.93
That simply did not happen.
00:27:49.26\00:27:50.93
Jesus did not
institute communion on Sunday.
00:27:50.97\00:27:54.84
He instituted
communion on Thursday night
00:27:54.87\00:27:57.77
because it pointed to
His death the following day.
00:27:57.81\00:28:00.48
The final point is the greatest
blow against this entire
00:28:00.94\00:28:04.75
argument that Jesus
met with the disciples
00:28:04.78\00:28:07.05
to celebrate communion is the
fact, as I've mentioned before,
00:28:07.08\00:28:11.22
that the disciples did
not believe even that Jesus
00:28:11.25\00:28:14.42
had resurrected from the dead.
00:28:14.46\00:28:15.92
Luke 24:9-11 tells us...
00:28:16.32\00:28:19.36
This is the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus.
00:28:25.30\00:28:27.77
This is the evening
of the resurrection.
00:28:37.98\00:28:39.71
So in other words, they
did not believe the women,
00:28:45.15\00:28:47.46
and they did not
believe the two disciples
00:28:47.82\00:28:50.19
on the road to Emmaus when
they came back to the disciples
00:28:50.29\00:28:53.93
in the upper room and told
them that Jesus had resurrected.
00:28:53.96\00:28:57.33
Mark 16:10-13 is
even more explicit.
00:28:57.60\00:29:02.24
It says there...
00:29:02.27\00:29:03.61
So Sunday morning the
disciples did not believe
00:29:22.02\00:29:25.33
that Jesus had resurrected.
00:29:25.36\00:29:26.76
Verse 12 then
speaks about the same thing
00:29:27.03\00:29:29.20
that we read in Luke 24.
00:29:29.23\00:29:30.80
It says there in verse 12...
00:29:31.07\00:29:32.53
That is Jesus is
walking with the two disciples
00:29:38.61\00:29:41.48
on the road to Emmaus.
00:29:41.51\00:29:43.01
In other words, now
they go back to Jerusalem
00:29:46.72\00:29:48.45
and they tell it to the rest.
00:29:48.48\00:29:49.88
So the evening of the
resurrection they're not
00:29:53.29\00:29:55.72
believing that Jesus
had even resurrected.
00:29:55.76\00:29:58.16
So it says in verse 13...
00:29:58.53\00:29:59.89
And it's interesting
that the disciples were
00:30:16.44\00:30:18.51
sitting at the table.
00:30:18.55\00:30:19.88
What were they
doing at the table?
00:30:19.98\00:30:21.32
Celebrating communion?
00:30:21.35\00:30:22.78
Absolutely not.
00:30:22.82\00:30:24.15
They were eating
their regular meal.
00:30:24.19\00:30:26.02
Now let's go to
text number seven.
00:30:26.42\00:30:29.46
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
00:30:29.79\00:30:33.13
Here, an offering is mentioned.
00:30:33.90\00:30:36.16
And I want to go there to
chapter 16 of 1 Corinthians
00:30:36.67\00:30:43.94
and we will read verses 1 and 2.
00:30:44.14\00:30:50.01
It says there in 1
Corinthians 16:1-2...
00:30:50.05\00:30:53.05
"Now concerning the collection
of the saints, as I have given
00:30:53.08\00:30:56.69
orders to the churches of
Galatia, so you must do also.
00:30:56.72\00:31:00.76
On the first day of the week let
each of you lay something aside,
00:31:01.02\00:31:06.23
storing up as he may prosper,
that there be no collections
00:31:06.26\00:31:10.87
when I come.
00:31:10.90\00:31:12.23
Now this offering,
according to Romans 15:25-28,
00:31:12.27\00:31:16.10
was for the poor members
in the church of Jerusalem.
00:31:16.14\00:31:20.38
Now these verses
are not talking about
00:31:21.04\00:31:23.28
a regular gathering at church
on the first day of the week.
00:31:23.31\00:31:27.12
Every Bible version that
I consulted states that this
00:31:27.48\00:31:32.19
offering was to be set
aside at home on a weekly basis.
00:31:32.22\00:31:37.53
Why would members
set it aside at home
00:31:37.89\00:31:41.00
on the first day of the
week if they were gathering
00:31:41.03\00:31:43.73
in church on Sunday?
00:31:43.77\00:31:45.33
Should not they have
rather taken it to church?
00:31:45.60\00:31:48.44
Not one Bible
translation instructs believers
00:31:48.87\00:31:51.67
to take the money to church.
00:31:51.71\00:31:53.71
Let me read a
commentary by Adam Clark.
00:31:54.04\00:31:57.25
He's half right, but he actually
says that the command is
00:31:57.51\00:32:01.38
to take it to church.
00:32:01.42\00:32:02.75
That's not what the text says.
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.12
How is he half right?
Let me read the statement.
00:32:04.15\00:32:06.35
In other words, reckon how
much the person had earned.
00:32:10.53\00:32:12.79
So in other words, after a
work week he was supposed to
00:32:19.30\00:32:22.07
calculate how
much God had blessed
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.84
and then give the offering.
00:32:23.87\00:32:25.21
Now here's the second
part of what Adam Clark,
00:32:25.24\00:32:27.68
the Bible
commentary, says which is wrong.
00:32:27.71\00:32:30.58
Absolutely nothing does the
text say that he was supposed to
00:32:41.59\00:32:44.36
take it to the church
or assembly and he was to
00:32:44.39\00:32:46.59
put it into the common treasury.
00:32:46.63\00:32:49.00
You know, Albert
Barnes was more accurate.
00:32:49.20\00:32:52.03
The commentator Albert Barnes.
00:32:52.07\00:32:53.77
He wrote this...
00:32:53.80\00:32:55.14
"Let him layup at
home, treasuring up
00:32:55.17\00:32:59.67
as he has been prospered."
00:32:59.71\00:33:01.58
So he quotes the verse, and
then he makes this commentary.
00:33:01.78\00:33:04.91
Let me read you
several Bible versions
00:33:26.97\00:33:29.14
how they translate these verses.
00:33:29.17\00:33:31.84
First from the NIV,
1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
00:33:32.77\00:33:36.51
"Now about the
collection for God's people,
00:33:36.81\00:33:38.88
do what I told the
Galatian churches to do.
00:33:39.15\00:33:41.62
On the first day of every
week, each one of you should
00:33:41.92\00:33:45.32
set aside a sum of money
in keeping with his income,
00:33:45.35\00:33:50.16
saving it up, so that
when I come no collections
00:33:50.36\00:33:54.66
will have to be made."
00:33:54.70\00:33:56.23
New American Standard Bible:
00:33:56.67\00:33:58.40
"Now concerning the
collection for the saints..."
00:33:58.73\00:34:01.27
The English Standard Version:
00:34:17.85\00:34:20.16
"Now concerning the
collection for the saints..."
00:34:20.52\00:34:22.92
The Revised Standard Version:
00:34:40.68\00:34:42.61
"Now concerning the
contribution for the saints..."
00:34:42.64\00:34:45.41
The Weymouth Translation:
00:35:04.17\00:35:06.53
"On the first day of every week,
let each of you put aside...
00:35:06.63\00:35:12.77
One more
version, Wests Version...
00:35:23.79\00:35:26.65
"One every first
day of the week..."
00:35:26.79\00:35:29.59
All these Bible versions
speak about setting aside a sum.
00:35:47.38\00:35:51.28
Nothing about
taking it to church
00:35:51.31\00:35:53.31
or putting it in
the common treasury.
00:35:53.35\00:35:56.42
It is dishonest to use
these verses to prove that
00:35:57.12\00:35:59.89
Sunday is holy and that people
were going to church on Sunday,
00:35:59.92\00:36:04.49
the first day of the week.
00:36:04.53\00:36:05.93
The text is not speaking
about meeting in church at all.
00:36:06.13\00:36:09.43
It is referring to
putting apart money at home
00:36:09.73\00:36:13.67
so that when Paul would
come he would be able to
00:36:13.70\00:36:16.77
pick up all of the
money that they had saved.
00:36:16.81\00:36:19.64
However you might ask,
why did Paul command them
00:36:20.28\00:36:23.85
to set it aside on Sunday?
00:36:23.88\00:36:25.58
The answer is very simple.
00:36:26.11\00:36:27.52
Simply because the
work week ended on Friday.
00:36:27.98\00:36:31.12
And Sunday would give
them the first opportunity
00:36:31.49\00:36:34.19
to sit down and figure how
much they should set aside.
00:36:34.22\00:36:38.46
You see, they would
not do this on the Sabbath,
00:36:38.76\00:36:41.43
the day after they
finished working late on Friday
00:36:41.46\00:36:44.80
because no commercial
transactions were to be done
00:36:44.83\00:36:48.00
on the Sabbath.
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.37
The first opportunity to take a
look at how much they had earned
00:36:49.40\00:36:52.97
and how much they should give
00:36:53.07\00:36:54.51
would be on the
first day of the week.
00:36:54.54\00:36:57.51
So this text does not
teach Sunday observance.
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.52
What it teaches is
faithful stewardship.
00:37:00.85\00:37:03.89
It is not
suggested, but commanded.
00:37:04.65\00:37:07.02
The apostle Paul commanded
the Corinthians to do this.
00:37:07.06\00:37:10.76
It was not for
church operations,
00:37:11.29\00:37:13.73
it wasn't for church budget,
00:37:13.76\00:37:15.43
but it was for the
poor and needy in Jerusalem.
00:37:15.46\00:37:18.60
It was the
practice in other churches,
00:37:19.20\00:37:21.30
if you read 1
Corinthians 16:1-2.
00:37:21.34\00:37:24.81
And it teaches that we're
supposed to do this regularly.
00:37:25.44\00:37:29.68
We are supposed
to do it personally.
00:37:29.94\00:37:31.91
The apostle Paul
said, "each one of you."
00:37:31.95\00:37:34.05
We're supposed to do
it privately at home.
00:37:34.22\00:37:37.35
Not when the offering
plate is coming towards us.
00:37:37.45\00:37:39.65
"Oh, what am I going to do?"
00:37:39.69\00:37:41.02
So we take out a
dollar bill and put it in.
00:37:41.06\00:37:43.02
And it also tells us the
amount we're supposed to give
00:37:43.29\00:37:46.09
according to the way in
which God has blessed us.
00:37:46.13\00:37:50.07
So there's no basis
in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
00:37:50.40\00:37:53.57
for the observance of
Sunday as the day of rest.
00:37:53.60\00:37:57.91
So let's go to our last text.
00:37:58.27\00:37:59.81
We're running out
of verses here, folks,
00:37:59.84\00:38:01.94
that refer to the
first day of the week.
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.55
This is the last one.
00:38:03.58\00:38:04.95
Acts 20:7-12
00:38:05.61\00:38:07.58
Now this is a very
significant passage.
00:38:07.62\00:38:09.52
This is the most used
passage to try and prove that
00:38:09.72\00:38:13.92
Sunday is the day that
we're supposed to keep,
00:38:13.96\00:38:15.82
and that people
were meeting on Sunday,
00:38:16.02\00:38:18.26
and they were
celebrating communion,
00:38:18.46\00:38:20.30
and they were remembering
the resurrection of Christ.
00:38:20.33\00:38:22.93
Let's read the
passage. Acts 20:7-12
00:38:22.96\00:38:26.70
And so, you find this passage
where Paul is having a meeting
00:39:29.73\00:39:33.07
on the first day of the week.
00:39:33.10\00:39:34.44
They met to break bread.
00:39:34.60\00:39:36.07
He was going to depart on
the very next day from there.
00:39:36.27\00:39:39.84
He preached until midnight.
00:39:40.14\00:39:42.41
And then he ate.
00:39:42.64\00:39:44.21
And he continued
preaching until dawn.
00:39:44.58\00:39:47.78
And in between that
you have this young man
00:39:48.02\00:39:50.29
falling out of the window,
and Paul resurrecting him.
00:39:50.32\00:39:53.66
Now the text tells us
that this meeting took place
00:39:54.19\00:39:56.96
on the evening of the
first day of the week.
00:39:56.99\00:40:00.20
When would that be?
00:40:00.76\00:40:02.10
Well in the Bible, the
evening is before the morning.
00:40:02.46\00:40:05.70
In other words, the
dark part of the day comes
00:40:05.73\00:40:07.80
before the
light part of the day.
00:40:07.84\00:40:09.47
This means that the
Sabbath begins on Friday
00:40:09.74\00:40:13.54
when the sun sets and
then the dark portion begins.
00:40:13.58\00:40:17.71
And then on the
Sabbath, the light portion
00:40:17.98\00:40:20.95
is when people go to church.
00:40:20.98\00:40:22.68
So if this meeting took place
on the first day of the week
00:40:22.88\00:40:26.99
in the evening of the
first day of the week,
00:40:27.02\00:40:29.09
the evening comes
before the morning,
00:40:29.12\00:40:30.83
it must mean that
this meeting took place
00:40:30.86\00:40:33.46
on a Saturday night.
00:40:33.66\00:40:36.36
Now this was not
an ordinary meeting.
00:40:36.87\00:40:40.04
It was a farewell for the
apostle Paul who was going to
00:40:40.57\00:40:44.04
leave the very next day.
00:40:44.07\00:40:46.14
So let me explain
exactly what happened.
00:40:46.24\00:40:49.44
The apostle Paul
preached that day on Sabbath
00:40:50.05\00:40:53.82
to all of the
brothers and sisters
00:40:53.85\00:40:55.65
who were gathered there.
00:40:55.75\00:40:57.19
And he was going to
leave the next morning
00:40:57.55\00:40:59.25
so the church
members said to Paul,
00:40:59.29\00:41:02.22
"You know, you're going to
be leaving tomorrow morning.
00:41:02.26\00:41:04.83
Would you
continue preaching to us?"
00:41:05.03\00:41:07.40
So on Saturday night the apostle
Paul gathered with the brethren
00:41:07.43\00:41:12.70
and began preaching.
00:41:12.73\00:41:14.07
He became long-winded,
he preached till midnight.
00:41:14.20\00:41:17.01
And then he ate after he
had resurrected Eutychus.
00:41:17.04\00:41:21.94
And then after that
he preached till dawn,
00:41:22.14\00:41:25.98
and then traveled the next
day, as we're going to see.
00:41:26.25\00:41:29.72
Now this passage
gives us no justification
00:41:30.25\00:41:33.99
for meeting in
church on Sunday morning.
00:41:34.02\00:41:36.66
There's no justification, it
doesn't say that Sunday is holy,
00:41:37.03\00:41:40.20
they were to honor
Sunday because Jesus
00:41:40.23\00:41:42.46
resurrected that day,
that we're supposed to
00:41:42.50\00:41:44.83
go to church on a
regular basis on Sunday morning.
00:41:44.87\00:41:47.44
The text simply
does not say that.
00:41:47.70\00:41:50.01
The apostle Paul makes
it very clear which day of
00:41:50.94\00:41:53.21
the week he kept all
throughout the book of Acts.
00:41:53.24\00:41:56.75
Let's notice some
verses from Acts on which day
00:41:56.95\00:42:00.35
the apostle Paul
met with believers.
00:42:00.38\00:42:03.18
Acts 13:14, 42, 44
00:42:03.55\00:42:07.92
This is after the resurrection
of Christ, after Pentecost.
00:42:20.54\00:42:23.34
They go into the
synagogue, which was the church
00:42:23.37\00:42:25.84
of that day, on the
Sabbath day and sat down.
00:42:25.87\00:42:28.64
Verse 42...
00:42:29.41\00:42:30.75
So notice, the Gentiles
are saying, "Would you preach
00:42:39.45\00:42:42.62
these things to
us next Sabbath?"
00:42:42.66\00:42:44.29
Not tomorrow,
Sunday, but the next Sabbath.
00:42:44.59\00:42:47.36
Verse 44...
00:42:47.40\00:42:48.73
So the apostle Paul met
with believers on the Sabbath.
00:42:55.17\00:42:59.07
Acts 16:13
00:42:59.51\00:43:01.74
Some people say, "Well,
he went to the synagogue
00:43:01.78\00:43:03.78
on Sabbath because
that's the day the Jews met."
00:43:03.81\00:43:06.11
But the apostle Paul
met with believers also
00:43:06.15\00:43:08.82
in places that
were not synagogues.
00:43:08.92\00:43:11.09
Notice Acts 16:13.
00:43:11.12\00:43:13.66
Notice, on the Sabbath day he
went and met with these women.
00:43:26.50\00:43:32.71
Acts 17:2-3
00:43:33.04\00:43:35.38
Notice that this was a habit.
00:43:39.85\00:43:41.28
So notice, his custom was to go
into the synagogue on Sabbath.
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.26
Once again, Acts 18:1-4.
00:44:08.18\00:44:10.98
And we'll only read
one of those verses.
00:44:11.01\00:44:14.08
It says, "And he
reasoned in the synagogue..."
00:44:14.12\00:44:17.15
See, not only Jews, but Greeks.
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.76
Acts 18:11 tells us
something very interesting about
00:44:24.13\00:44:27.53
how long the
apostle Paul met there with
00:44:28.00\00:44:30.77
Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth.
00:44:30.80\00:44:32.83
So what was his custom?
00:44:43.04\00:44:44.51
For a year and six months he met
in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
00:44:44.81\00:44:49.08
By the way, that is 78 Sabbaths.
00:44:49.12\00:44:52.12
To ignore these clear texts
about which day the apostle Paul
00:44:52.45\00:44:56.59
kept and to say that Sunday
is the day based on this unusual
00:44:56.62\00:45:01.90
meeting of his
farewell is simply not honest.
00:45:01.93\00:45:06.33
Incidentally, the
apostle Paul walked 35 miles
00:45:06.87\00:45:10.77
the next day on Sunday to Assos
because he was going to depart.
00:45:10.81\00:45:15.44
If Sunday was such an important
day, why would the apostle Paul
00:45:15.94\00:45:20.22
not be meeting
with believers on Sunday
00:45:20.25\00:45:22.35
but rather
traveling 35 miles on Sunday
00:45:22.38\00:45:26.49
to then take a ship and travel?
00:45:26.52\00:45:28.92
Incidentally, I had
an experience similar
00:45:29.66\00:45:32.69
to that of the apostle Paul.
00:45:32.73\00:45:34.40
In fact, I've had this
experience more than once.
00:45:34.96\00:45:37.93
I worked in Colombia
as a theology teacher
00:45:38.17\00:45:41.07
for about six years.
00:45:41.10\00:45:42.57
And while I was there I
visited a city in the tropical
00:45:42.77\00:45:46.14
rain forest of
Colombia, the city of Quibdó.
00:45:46.17\00:45:49.18
Very interesting, you
know, the turboprop would come
00:45:49.48\00:45:54.72
down, down, down, and
all you could see was trees.
00:45:54.75\00:45:57.35
It looked like the plane
was going to land on the trees.
00:45:57.39\00:46:00.46
And suddenly the
clearing would appear
00:46:00.66\00:46:02.89
where the plane was to land.
00:46:02.92\00:46:07.30
And what I did that weekend,
because it was on a Friday
00:46:07.70\00:46:11.33
and I was going to
spend there on Sabbath,
00:46:11.37\00:46:12.90
on Sunday I would return because
I had to teach on Monday.
00:46:12.93\00:46:15.50
So I preached my first sermon at
11:00 o'clock, 11:00 to 12:30.
00:46:15.97\00:46:20.51
And when I finished, they
said, "You finished already?"
00:46:20.84\00:46:22.91
I said, "Well, yes."
00:46:22.94\00:46:24.28
They said, "Oh no, no.
You've got to preach again.
00:46:24.31\00:46:26.25
You know, ministers
who come here, we go months
00:46:26.45\00:46:29.05
without ministers visiting us."
00:46:29.08\00:46:30.79
And so I said, "Okay,
I'll preach another sermon."
00:46:30.99\00:46:34.09
So I preached another sermon.
00:46:34.12\00:46:35.46
The service ended about
2:00 o'clock in the afternoon,
00:46:35.86\00:46:38.09
they said,
"You're finished already?"
00:46:38.13\00:46:39.56
I said, "Well,
yes. I preached twice."
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.63
They said, "Oh no,
you've got to preach again."
00:46:41.66\00:46:43.10
So I preached another sermon.
00:46:43.37\00:46:44.83
Finally at about 3:30 in the
afternoon we broke for lunch.
00:46:44.87\00:46:48.24
And then the minister who was
in charge of that congregation
00:46:48.27\00:46:53.04
said, "You know, we are going
to meet again at 6:00 o'clock
00:46:53.31\00:46:56.98
this afternoon for
our final meeting."
00:46:57.01\00:46:59.81
Well, we met at 6:00 o'clock.
00:47:00.05\00:47:01.58
I preached my
sermon, ending at about 8:00.
00:47:02.28\00:47:04.82
And they said, "Oh,
you can't finish yet.
00:47:05.15\00:47:07.69
You know, you're
leaving tomorrow.
00:47:07.72\00:47:09.06
We don't have special
visits by outside pastors
00:47:09.09\00:47:12.49
except once every few months.
00:47:12.53\00:47:14.23
You've got to
preach another sermon."
00:47:14.26\00:47:15.60
So I preached another sermon.
00:47:15.63\00:47:16.97
And then another sermon.
00:47:17.00\00:47:18.33
And another sermon.
00:47:18.37\00:47:19.70
Believe it or not, I
ended preaching at 3:00 o'clock
00:47:19.73\00:47:23.24
in the morning, and I was
going to leave the next morning.
00:47:23.27\00:47:26.57
So I had an
experience like this.
00:47:26.84\00:47:28.61
Does this mean that
because I met with believers
00:47:28.91\00:47:32.58
on Saturday night
that it indicates that now,
00:47:32.61\00:47:37.92
Saturday night of course would
be the first day of the week,
00:47:37.95\00:47:40.62
that now we're supposed to
keep Sunday as the day of rest?
00:47:40.82\00:47:43.73
That is absolutely absurd.
00:47:43.76\00:47:46.06
So now we have examined
every single text in the Bible
00:47:46.39\00:47:50.27
that mentions the
first day of the week.
00:47:50.47\00:47:52.60
And we have not found
any evidence that Sunday
00:47:52.87\00:47:56.37
is the day that
Christians are supposed to keep
00:47:56.40\00:47:58.94
according to the Bible.
00:47:58.97\00:48:00.84
But there's one final text.
00:48:01.08\00:48:02.88
And that is Revelation 1:10.
00:48:03.31\00:48:06.68
It says that John was in
the spirit on the Lord's day.
00:48:07.95\00:48:12.72
And because people call
Sunday the Lord's day today,
00:48:13.09\00:48:15.52
they say, "Well 2000 years ago
the expression, 'Lord's day,'
00:48:15.56\00:48:20.03
meant the same
thing as it means now."
00:48:20.06\00:48:22.73
You know, it's interesting
that patristic literature,
00:48:23.20\00:48:25.67
the literature of
the early church fathers,
00:48:25.70\00:48:28.30
never uses the
word, "Lord's day,"
00:48:28.50\00:48:31.41
or expression, "Lord's
day," to refer to Sunday
00:48:31.44\00:48:35.41
until the very end
of the second century.
00:48:35.44\00:48:38.41
And it's mentioned in the
apocryphal gospel of Peter.
00:48:38.45\00:48:42.02
It's not valid to take an
expression that is applied to
00:48:42.68\00:48:45.92
Sunday at the end
of the second century
00:48:45.95\00:48:48.69
and take it and apply it to
the end of the first century.
00:48:48.82\00:48:52.86
Because by the end of the
second century the Sabbath
00:48:53.23\00:48:57.10
was in the process of
being changed by the church
00:48:57.13\00:49:00.37
to Sunday as the day of rest.
00:49:01.54\00:49:04.67
Frequently I ask
other denominations,
00:49:04.97\00:49:07.51
ministers of
other denominations,
00:49:07.54\00:49:09.41
three questions.
00:49:09.44\00:49:10.78
I say, "First
question, to whom do the light,
00:49:10.95\00:49:15.28
the firmament, the vegetation,
the sun, moon, and stars,
00:49:15.38\00:49:19.59
the fish, the birds,
the land animals belong?
00:49:19.82\00:49:26.03
To whom do all of
those things that God created
00:49:26.29\00:49:28.90
the first six days belong?
00:49:28.93\00:49:30.60
Oh, and the answer is,
"Well, they all belong to God."
00:49:30.80\00:49:34.30
So then I ask a second question.
00:49:34.50\00:49:36.44
"Why do they belong to God?"
00:49:37.34\00:49:40.04
They have an immediate answer.
00:49:40.71\00:49:42.04
They say, "Well, they belong
to God because God made them."
00:49:42.08\00:49:44.51
God made the light,
God made the firmament,
00:49:44.55\00:49:46.45
God made the plants, God
made the sun, moon, and stars,
00:49:46.48\00:49:49.68
God made the fish and the birds,
God made the land animals,
00:49:49.72\00:49:52.75
God made man and woman the
first six days of creation.
00:49:52.79\00:49:56.46
So everything belongs to
Him because He made everything.
00:49:56.49\00:50:00.03
So then I have a third question.
00:50:00.70\00:50:03.40
And the third question is this.
00:50:03.43\00:50:05.33
"For whom did God make all of
these things the first six days?
00:50:05.80\00:50:10.14
And immediately the
answer comes, "Well, you know,
00:50:10.54\00:50:12.71
He didn't make them for Himself
because God owns the universe."
00:50:12.74\00:50:15.41
God made everything
the first six days for us.
00:50:15.44\00:50:19.18
As a blessing for us.
00:50:19.41\00:50:21.08
Now, I don't know
whether you've caught the reason
00:50:23.15\00:50:25.62
why I have asked
these three questions.
00:50:25.65\00:50:28.12
You know, if Christians took
this to the logical conclusion,
00:50:29.02\00:50:32.73
they would understand that
the Sabbath is God's rest day
00:50:33.03\00:50:36.93
which God created for us.
00:50:37.17\00:50:38.93
You say, how is that?
00:50:38.97\00:50:40.44
Well, let me ask,
who made the Sabbath?
00:50:40.74\00:50:43.81
Well, God made the Sabbath.
00:50:44.41\00:50:45.97
Who did He make the Sabbath for?
00:50:46.34\00:50:48.18
Well, He made the Sabbath
for man, according to Jesus.
00:50:48.74\00:50:51.35
"The Sabbath was made for man,
and not man for the Sabbath."
00:50:51.38\00:50:54.98
So if what God made the
first six days He made for us,
00:50:55.55\00:51:01.19
for whom did He make the Sabbath
00:51:01.76\00:51:03.49
which He made
during the same week?
00:51:03.53\00:51:05.16
It's obvious that
He made it for man.
00:51:05.69\00:51:08.16
So that's the
reason why in the Bible
00:51:09.13\00:51:11.03
the Sabbath is never
called the Sabbath of the Jews.
00:51:11.30\00:51:14.14
Or the Jewish Sabbath.
00:51:14.40\00:51:15.87
Because there was
no Jew at creation.
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.27
The Sabbath was
created before sin.
00:51:18.47\00:51:20.78
It was created
before the old covenant.
00:51:20.88\00:51:23.21
It was created at the
same time as everything else.
00:51:23.48\00:51:26.21
So the logic is that
if everything God made
00:51:26.72\00:51:30.35
during creation week He
made for all human beings,
00:51:30.39\00:51:34.52
then He made the
Sabbath for all human beings.
00:51:34.56\00:51:37.29
Never in the Bible is
Sunday called the Lord's day.
00:51:37.89\00:51:41.36
Never is Sunday
called the Sabbath.
00:51:41.63\00:51:45.03
Never does the Bible
tell us that the Sabbath
00:51:45.07\00:51:48.70
was made for the Jews.
00:51:48.74\00:51:50.51
In the Bible we find four
references to the way in which
00:51:50.64\00:51:54.64
the Sabbath is addressed.
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.11
"The Sabbath of
the Lord your God."
00:51:56.44\00:51:59.38
Exodus 20:11
00:51:59.41\00:52:01.28
God says, "You
shall keep My Sabbaths."
00:52:01.98\00:52:05.99
No the Jewish
Sabbaths. "My Sabbaths."
00:52:06.02\00:52:08.39
That's Ezekiel 20:12, 20.
00:52:08.42\00:52:11.93
God refers to the
Sabbath as, "My holy day,"
00:52:12.26\00:52:16.06
in Isaiah 58:13-14.
00:52:16.10\00:52:19.03
And Jesus said, "The Son of
Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
00:52:19.13\00:52:24.07
Never once in the
Old or the New Testament
00:52:24.57\00:52:27.68
do you find that the Sabbath
is called the Jewish Sabbath
00:52:27.88\00:52:31.38
or the Sabbath of the Jews.
00:52:31.41\00:52:33.11
Now when it comes
to the Hebrew feasts,
00:52:33.38\00:52:35.92
those are called
the feasts of the Jews
00:52:36.69\00:52:39.65
because they ended when
Jesus died on the cross.
00:52:39.85\00:52:43.19
For example, in John
2:13 is says the Passover
00:52:43.53\00:52:47.43
was the Passover of the Jews.
00:52:47.63\00:52:50.17
In John 5:1 it refers to the
Passover as a feast of the Jews.
00:52:50.37\00:52:55.90
In John 6:4 it refers to the
Passover, a feast of the Jews.
00:52:56.14\00:53:01.41
In John 7:2 it says the
Jews' Feast of Tabernacles.
00:53:01.44\00:53:06.28
And in John 11:55 the
Jews' Passover was nigh at hand.
00:53:06.31\00:53:13.12
And so you'll notice that in
the Bible, yes the Hebrew feasts
00:53:14.16\00:53:17.46
are called feasts of the
Jews because they applied to
00:53:17.49\00:53:21.93
the Jewish nation until
Jesus came and fulfilled them.
00:53:22.06\00:53:25.67
But not once does the
Bible refer to the Sabbath
00:53:25.70\00:53:31.74
as the Sabbath of the
Jews or the Jewish Sabbath.
00:53:31.77\00:53:35.71
That is simply
a human invention.
00:53:35.74\00:53:39.15
So we have studied all
of the text that mention
00:53:39.88\00:53:44.85
the first day of
the week in the Bible.
00:53:45.05\00:53:47.56
And we have
studied Revelation 1:10
00:53:48.16\00:53:51.13
which is used to try
and prove that Sunday
00:53:51.16\00:53:53.70
is the day of worship.
00:53:53.73\00:53:55.40
We have not found one single
text that explicitly tells us
00:53:55.93\00:54:01.10
that Sunday is the Lord's day.
00:54:01.14\00:54:04.01
There is not one single
verse that tells us that we are
00:54:04.61\00:54:08.01
supposed to keep Sunday holy.
00:54:08.04\00:54:11.05
There is not a
single verse that tells us
00:54:11.45\00:54:13.52
we're supposed to
gather in church on Sunday
00:54:13.55\00:54:17.82
and that we are to keep Sunday
in honor of the resurrection
00:54:18.29\00:54:23.16
of Jesus Christ.
00:54:23.19\00:54:24.66
You say, "Oh, but
my preacher says..."
00:54:25.69\00:54:27.40
Well, remember the
story of Aristotle?
00:54:28.20\00:54:30.87
Aristotle said.
00:54:31.07\00:54:32.57
But Aristotle was wrong.
00:54:32.87\00:54:34.44
When you actually went and
counted the legs of the spider
00:54:34.67\00:54:38.64
and discovered that the spider
isn't an insect but an arachnid.
00:54:38.67\00:54:42.54
So ministers who say,
"Well, don't pay any attention
00:54:43.08\00:54:46.51
to those Adventists
because they keep the Sabbath,
00:54:46.55\00:54:48.98
but now the Lord
has established Sunday,"
00:54:49.02\00:54:50.99
you need to ask them,
"Where does the Bible say that?
00:54:51.25\00:54:54.62
Where does the Bible
tell us that Sunday is the day
00:54:54.99\00:54:57.63
we're supposed to keep?
00:54:57.66\00:54:58.99
Give me a verse."
00:54:59.03\00:55:00.36
"Well, Jesus
resurrected that day."
00:55:00.40\00:55:01.73
"Well, where does the
Bible say that we're supposed to
00:55:01.76\00:55:04.00
keep that day because
Jesus resurrected that day?"
00:55:04.03\00:55:06.70
"Well, but it's a holy day.
00:55:07.20\00:55:08.60
It's now the
Christian holy day."
00:55:08.64\00:55:10.81
"Where does the Bible say
that Sunday is a holy day?"
00:55:10.84\00:55:13.71
"Well, it's the day that
we're supposed to go to church."
00:55:13.98\00:55:15.88
"Where does the
Bible tell us that we're
00:55:15.91\00:55:17.65
supposed to go to church?"
00:55:17.68\00:55:19.01
You see, folks,
Protestants pride in the idea
00:55:19.41\00:55:24.19
that they follow
what the Bible says.
00:55:24.22\00:55:26.86
But if we follow what
the Bible says, we must keep
00:55:27.19\00:55:31.46
the holy Sabbath, the
Sabbath of the Lord our God.
00:55:31.49\00:55:35.00
The Sabbath was
established at creation.
00:55:35.46\00:55:38.63
And I'd like to end by
reading the fourth commandment.
00:55:38.93\00:55:42.24
Let me ask you, do
the ten commandments
00:55:42.44\00:55:44.14
apply only to the Jews?
00:55:44.17\00:55:46.07
Is it just wrong for the Jews to
commit adultery, and to steal,
00:55:46.94\00:55:50.48
and to bear false witness?
00:55:50.51\00:55:52.35
That's only for the Jews, right?
00:55:52.38\00:55:54.02
Of course not.
00:55:54.22\00:55:55.55
All of the ten commandments
are for all human beings.
00:55:55.58\00:55:58.62
Notice Exodus 20.
00:55:58.82\00:56:01.09
The fourth commandment
of God's law is explicit.
00:56:01.29\00:56:04.73
Exodus 20:8
00:56:05.19\00:56:07.26
"Remember the
Sabbath, to keep it holy.
00:56:07.30\00:56:11.67
Six days you shall
labor and do all your work,
00:56:12.23\00:56:15.10
but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God.
00:56:15.47\00:56:19.97
In it you shall do no work:
00:56:20.31\00:56:23.14
you, nor your
son, nor your daughter,
00:56:23.51\00:56:26.88
nor your male servant,
nor your female servant,
00:56:26.92\00:56:30.59
nor your cattle,
00:56:30.62\00:56:32.45
nor your stranger who
is within your gates."
00:56:33.15\00:56:36.76
And now comes the reason.
00:56:36.79\00:56:38.13
It's not because, you know,
God delivered Israel from Egypt.
00:56:38.66\00:56:42.46
That's a secondary reason for
the Jews to keep the Sabbath.
00:56:42.50\00:56:45.43
But the primary reason
includes all human beings.
00:56:45.47\00:56:48.74
Verse 11, here's
the reason why God said
00:56:48.77\00:56:51.97
we're supposed
to keep the Sabbath.
00:56:52.01\00:56:53.51
"For in six days the Lord
made the heavens and the earth,
00:56:53.71\00:56:58.28
the sea, and
all that is in them,
00:56:58.31\00:57:01.28
and rested the seventh day.
00:57:01.85\00:57:04.82
Therefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day
00:57:05.15\00:57:08.82
and hallowed it."
00:57:09.39\00:57:10.96
That is, made it holy.
00:57:10.99\00:57:12.56
What would the world be
like if everyone in the world
00:57:13.29\00:57:17.17
kept the Sabbath?
00:57:17.20\00:57:18.70
You know, there's
a lot of talk about
00:57:19.17\00:57:20.54
needing a day of rest as
a result of the coronavirus.
00:57:20.57\00:57:24.51
I say,
hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
00:57:24.81\00:57:26.84
Let's make Sabbath a day
when the environment rests.
00:57:27.18\00:57:30.71
When God's people go to
church and rest from work.
00:57:30.75\00:57:34.05
The environment
will greatly improve.
00:57:34.35\00:57:36.55
But what's being said
today is that Sunday, we need to
00:57:37.15\00:57:40.66
make Sunday the day of
rest to improve the environment.
00:57:40.69\00:57:44.06
That simply does not hold water.
00:57:45.26\00:57:47.30
Because the Bible tells us
that we are supposed to keep
00:57:47.66\00:57:51.30
the Sabbath as the rest day
that God established at creation
00:57:51.40\00:57:56.67
and has never been changed.
00:57:56.87\00:57:58.61
I trust that we will all study
and be willing to be obedient
00:57:58.64\00:58:02.84
to the Lord's counsel.
00:58:03.04\00:58:04.91