From The Pastor
Why does the Church worship on Sunday? How did it come about that “the assembly” would move from a seventh day of the week Sabbath to a first day of the week Sabbath?
Jesus was Jewish, as was the early church. The Jewish people believed, as they do today, that God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. The first creation story that opens the Book of Genesis isn’t so much about the science God used to create the universe as it is about the centrality of Sabbath to the Jewish community of faith. Being Jewish, Jesus and His disciples, practiced a seventh day Sabbath.
At some point in time, the early church changed its Sabbath gathering to the first day of the week to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ (can you imagine the conflict?) Every Sabbath (Sunday) became an “Easter” service. As the disciples could no longer hear or touch Jesus (remember the story of the ascension?) Word (scripture and preaching) and Sacrament (Holy Communion) became the experience of the Living Christ in the worshipping community each Sabbath. This was the bedrock of the early church as Christians were nurtured, strengthened and given hope each week in Word and Sacrament through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the church became an institution liturgical seasons evolved and Easter became a celebration of the 50 days preceding Pentecost.
I wonder, if (over the centuries) our understanding of being a resurrection (Easter) people has diminished over the centuries. As we pray, discuss, plan, discern the renewal of the church - how do Word and Sacrament impact us? Is there an early tradition to be brought into our conversations? During the Protestant Reformation, a significant time of the renewal of the church, John Calvin thought so.
May each of us encounter the Risen Christ this joyous season.
Grace and Peace,
Larry