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Delight in the Lord's Day
- 07/19/09
- 9
Today is the Lord’s Day and I thought I’d pass along some advice pertaining to the day. It comes courtesy of Donald Whitney. His book Simplify Your Spiritual Life offers a long series of short chapters, each offering wisdom on a specific part of the Christian’s walk with the Lord. And here he offers some valuable wisdom for getting the most out of your Lord’s Day. This is something I read quite a few years ago now and it really did help restore in my mind the value of this day, a day that is a special gift of God.
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the biblical term Sabbath? Many people, including those familiar with the New Testament, may think first of legalism. That’s because nearly every mention of “Sabbath” in the Gospels has to do with the Pharisees accusing Jesus of violating their manmade rules. God’s original intention, however, was for the Jews to “call the Sabbath a delight” (Isaiah 58:13). He meant for each of them on that day to “delight [themselves] in the Lord” (verse 14). Far from being a day to dread because of its restrictions, God designed the Sabbath to be a delightful day, the best of the week.
If that was true in the Old Testament, how much more should those who know God through Christ and have His Holy Spirit find delight in “the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10)?
How do we do this? As I mentioned in the previous chapter, there are differing views on what the Bible teaches about the Lord’s Day. But those rooted deeply in Scripture would agree on at least these two principles (though some would argue for much more): First, our greatest privilege and most important responsibility on the Lord’s day is to worship Him with His people. Not only was the Old Testament Sabbath a day of worship, but we have the apostolic command about “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:24). And the apostolic example associated with this command is worship “on the first day of the week” (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
Second, all our activities on Sunday should reflect the fact that it is “the Lord’s day” (over and above the fact that, according to Psalm 118:24, every day is “the day which the Lord has made”). As you would expect, the practical aspects of what this means are very personal and intensely debated. In general, I think it means devoting ourselves to the pursuit of those things that promote the enjoyment of God. This also includes those activities that edify our church and family, extend the kingdom of God, and refresh our souls and bodies.
Years ago I began to delight in the Lord’s Day much more intentionally. One change was to redirect the time I spent watching sports on Sunday afternoons. It wasn’t because I don’t like viewing sports on TV anymore, for I enjoy that as much as ever. Rather, I stopped watching in order to turn to activities that would better restore my soul and recreate my body. People speak of “vegging” in front of the television. Staring at a screen for hours may not make us more tired, but neither does it invigorate us. Unlike taking a nap, a prayer-walk, reading the Bible or other good book alone or with family, or having a time of spiritual fellowship with other believers, we don’t feel refreshed after an afternoon of TV-watching.
Imagine living to age seventy and spending every Lord’s Day in the ways I’ve suggested. You’d experience ten years of worshiping the Lord with His people, reading great literature, playing with your children or grandchildren, taking walks, enjoying fellowship, and taking naps. Does this sound like a burden to you? Most people dream of a life like this. It’s the kind of life you can enjoy when you delight in the Lord’s Day.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (9)
Blest day of God! Most calm, most bright,The first, the best of days; The laborer’s rest; the saint’s delight,The day of prayer and praise.
My Saviour’s face made thee to shine; His rising did thee raise,And made thee heavenly and divineBeyond all other days.
The first-fruits oft a blessing proveTo all the sheaves behind; And they the day of Christ who love,A happy week shall find.
This day I must with God appear;For Lord, the day is Thine;Help me to spend it in Thy fear,And thus to make it mine. —John Mason, 1683
Good thoughts, and teaching of the truth.
Our Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ, said He made the Sabbath for His most beloved creation, mankind; he did not make mankind for the Sabbath.
I hated Church all my life, but when Christ regenerated my soul, then Church was the one place I wanted to be.
Sunday gathering together with the Lord and His saints was a thrill.
Just today we had a wonderful worship service. Great sermon, number one. Partook in the Lord’s Supper, sang hymns and spiritual songs to our Lord and Father, and prayed many prayers. We glorified our Father, and it feels good. We always focus on the Cross and His grace, and it feels awesome to know all your sins are forgiven in Christ, and nothing can ever change that.
We sang this hymn today:
“My faith has found a resting place,Not in device or creed;I trust the ever living One,His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument,I need no other plea,It is enough that Jesus died,And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,This ends my fear and doubt;A sinful soul I come to Him,He’ll never cast me out.”
Sunday is all about our faith in Christ, our trusting Him, and our love for Him.
Thanks Donald for your work.
The more we can teach and convict and encourage re The 4th Command and the Lord’s Day the better, since by and large we seem to have lost it, (at least in my country Australia).
“It is as if one, upon the road, saw a poor man in distress, and having but seven shillings, the generous person gave the poor man six; but when the wretch had scrambled on his feet, he followed his benefactor to knock him down, and steal the seventh shilling from him. How many do this! The Sabbath is their day for sport, for amusement, for anything but the service of God. They rob God of his day, though it be but one in seven. This is base unthankfulness.” Spurgeon.
One thing I believe the Lord has shown me recently re Psalm 118:24 is not to apply it apart from the previous two verses. The “day” that the Lord has made, is the “day” or time when the stone rejected by the builders beacame the chief cornerstone, which I’m beginning to see as the Resurrection. (see Acts 4:10,11)Thanks again for the post.
Wow, that’s timely. I’m just finishing a study on the Lord’s Day, and my wife and I have been prayerfully considering how to adjust our Sunday habits to more fully honor God and more fully benefit from His provision of the Sabbath rest. Thanks for posting this!
“The Day of Rest begins promptly at 6:00 a.m. with mom and dad rousting the five children out of bed, feeding them breakfast, and hunting all over the house for various articles of children’s clothing that they could have sworn were hanging in the closet just last night. Then with everyone bathed, fed, and dressed, it’s off to the bus ministry and an hour and a half of driving around town picking up children and getting them to church.
Then it’s time to get the babies to the nursery, the children deposited at Sunday school, and making sure that there are coffee and doughnuts for the adult Sunday school class. After that it’s time for the main service where Dad watches the older kids while mom volunteers in the nursery since the youngest kid is teething and she’ll probably end up in there for half the service anyway.
Sometime later, the service concludes and it’s time to get the bus kids back to their respective homes just in time to rush to the monthly nursing home ministry which Dad happens to be speaking at this week and it turns out that the normal pianist is sick so mom fills in for that as well. After that it’s a quick lunch at a drive-through, then back to the church for children’s choir practice and Men’s meeting before the evening service. Evening service this week is followed by a lengthy business meeting which mom and dad take part in while the older kids play freeze tag in the parking lot. Finally, long after darkness has fallen, it’s time go home.
On the drive home, the eight-year-old looks out of the car window and exclaims “look, there’s a fair going on! People are riding the rides and playing games!”
“Those people should know better than that!”, says Dad piously “Sunday is a day for rest.” But in his heart he’s rather relieved that tomorrow is Monday when all he has to do is go to work. This much resting could be deadly in large doses.”
Last Sunday I participated in a sporting event which took all day. This is the first time in 30years that I had actively pursued a secular past time on the Lord’s day. The church I belong to is very ‘relaxed’ in how each individual may use the day. Some members feel free to go to the movies, others to play tennis, or participate in dramas at the local playhouse. Generally I would try to use the day, as a rest day - no work, maybe reading, watching a little TV, listening to an online talk etc. I have avoided joining sports clubs and groups which have events on a Sunday. But last Sunday I engaged with a group of (possibly several hundred) non believers and spent the day with them at my recreational sport. Towards the end of the day - a beautiful clear winters day - one of the people I was with said “Could a day get any better than this?”, meaning - with the sunshine, the great sportsmanship and the joy of having achieved a sporting goal. The next part of the statement went along the lines of “how else would you spend your Sunday? (meaning - look at all the sloths who have missed out on a great sport, and this beaut weather)”. This is where an opportunity to say something about how we would normally be gathering with our local church went begging, but I just smiled - and I felt as if I had denied my Lord. I had made up in my own mind that it was good to be amongst unbelievers, enjoying our shared passion for our sport. I had hoped for gospel opportunities (maybe to help me justify being there??). So I am divided - I long to share the gospel and see unbelievers come to Christ. I want my Christianity to be genuine and to do so in this wolrd means being in the wolrd - amongst people who can see your life and who then have the confidence to talk with you about their lives etc etc…. Long and short - it was Driscoll who said whilst in Australia that as a Christian matures, they have less and less non Christian friends. So maybe gaining the friendship and confidence of my non believing sporting friends may be used by God….. I pray so.
Does our father desire to be worshiped in Spirit and truth? Absolutely. How does that look, when the father has worshipers?On the first day of the week, Sunday, when the Lord rose from the dead we come together to unashamedly praise and thank Christ for His mercy and truth. And the world will look at that, and wonder; or at least they should. The Jews will be jealous; as the Scriptures tell us.
I believe there are times we can do something evangelistic on the Lord’s Day, and perhaps even help a neighbor out, who is in need, but our hearts should long to be with God’s people in worship and giving thanks. It’s expedient sometimes for me to be away from the Church gathering, but to be there is far, far better, because it is a foretaste of glory divine, and it is the Father’s will, that we come together and worship Him.
That’s how i see it.
Don - I agree that is how I see it and if my pursuits took me away from my church every Sunday I would have to say no more. But how much time should be allowed participating in say a sport with non believers on a Sunday - 1 hr? 2hr? 3hr? Or no hrs? Or should Christians remain totally separate from the world on a Sunday - no shopping, no radio, TV, newspapers, driving, catching planes - just engaging in private and church worship?
The whole question of worship needs exploring as well.
As to a further post by Tim about the ferry running on the Lord’s day in Scotland - I fear there is more harm done by angry protesters who want to protect the Lord’s day from sabbath breakers as shown in the picture: http://images.newsquest.co.uk/image.php?id=1108079&type=full
There is only a fine line between legalism and antinomianism and both are as bad as each other.
“Or should Christians remain totally separate from the world on a Sunday - no shopping, no radio, TV, newspapers, driving, catching planes - just engaging in private and church worship?”
“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. ” Rom. 14
Here’s a deep and powerful chapter of God’s truth to ponder.
I appreciate Sabbatarians, but I’m not one myself. I like to listen to teachers like Whitney, and Alistair Begg, when it concerns the Sabbath. Good stuff to consider for the glory of our Lord, without guilt and legalism.