My dear readers,

(Excerpts from Building Firm Foundations, Dr SH Tow)

1. A day to remember
The faithful observance of the Lord’s Day by Christians as a day for worship and witness is a most powerful safeguard against the decay of Christianity. Each week while the world indulges in Sunday sports and pleasure, God’s people assembling together signifies that the Church of Jesus Christ lives on. Neglect and desecration of this Holy Day is always followed by the withdrawal of God’s blessing.
Let us take a look into history. When Israel forgot her Sabbath, the Lord brought upon the nation the Babylonian invaders who carried the people into exile under Nebuchadnezzar. When France forgot her Sabbath, and replaced it with another day of worship, the nation went under the iron heel of Napoleon. When England forgot her Sabbath, the nation suffered severe chastisement and a time of blood, sweat and tears.

Some years ago, an alarming increase in juvenile crimes prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to call upon the churches of America to use the Sabbath Day for the saving of the country’s youth. Said J. Edgar Hoover, "As a law enforcement officer, I am certain that unless children are given the opportunity of participating in the activities which have God as their fundamental objective, we cannot hope to materially reduce crime in our country."

Is the Lord’s Day a delight to you? God’s Word has promised: "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth …" (Is 58:13, 14).

How then should Christians spend their Lord’s Day? On this Holy Day, let all believers honour the Lord by worship (at morning and evening services), by witness, by acts of mercy, and works which bring glory to the Saviour’s name. All selfish amusement, pleasure and worldly activities should be avoided. Secular work, business deals, etc, should never intrude into the sanctity of the Lord’s Day.

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps 118: 24).
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex 20:8).
The Lord’s Day is holy of the Lord. May the Lord help us keep to His Day for blessing.

2. The blessed Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day (sometimes called the Christian Sabbath) is the name given to the first day of the week by the Apostle John when the Lord Jesus appeared to him on the Isle of Patmos (Rev 1:10) . It is the day of worship observed by the Christian church from the first century, marking a shift from the seventh day or Jewish Sabbath (a day still observed by Jews and Seventh Day Adventists).
Christians observe the first day of the week because on this day our Lord rose from the dead and appeared to the disciples. On this day also the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. Therefore the day is doubly precious to Christians. On this day early Christians gathered for worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2) and for the breaking of bread.

The Lord’s Day should be observed by Christians as "holy unto the Lord." Observed in the right spirit, the day is a blessing and not a burden. Our attitude towards the Lord’s Day is a measure of our love for Him. If our heart and mind are filled with thoughts of the Lord we shall approach each Lord’s Day with joyous expectancy, like Mary Magdalene.

Mary loved the Lord her Saviour. Her devotion is recorded for our example by John the apostle. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark…" (Jn 20: 1) looking for Jesus at the sepulchre. Every believer who truly loves the Lord will have the same spirit, the same longing and expectancy of meeting with Him and His people in the House of Prayer, on His Day.

Children often are more excited about the Lord’s Day than grown-ups. Little Michael, aged seven, loved to assemble his "Sunday best," clothes and shoes, by Saturday night. "Tomorrow is Sunday School. Mummy, please give me my offering money." My own practice is to have an early night on Saturday, and not to accept social appointments, so that one’s whole attention and energies may be focused on the Lord’s Day’s worship and service.

May we love the Lord’s Day as a day of thanks to the Lord for our redemption and as a foretaste of our eternal rest in Him.

Day of all the week the best;
Emblem of eternal rest!

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,
Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor