From the Pastor’s Desk

Sunday, April 28, 2019

As a Pastor, I get asked over and over, is it necessary to go to church to worship God. My opinion on this matter, have little or no value, but the word of God does have heavenly truth for us to consider.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, not your female servant nor your cattle, not your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:8-11)

God designated the law of the Sabbath to teach people stewardship of time. God Himself labored six days in the creation, but He rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2-3). According to Gen. 3:17-19 and 2nd Thess. 3:10, we learn that God commanded people to work; but in this passage, we read that He also commanded people to rest.

God emphasized this point when He provided the Israelites with mana in the wilderness (Ex. 16:21-30). The manna was to be gathered every morning, only gather enough for a two-day supply the day before the Sabbath. God’s law of the Sabbath, commanded to the children of Israel, was to be obeyed forever. Therefore, as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, we have accepted our role as stewards of time. We show ourselves to be good stewards by using the Sabbath for worshiping our Lord and gaining refreshing in His presence.

Because of Jesus’ resurrection on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1-6; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-6), His disciples began meeting on the first day of the week. Also, we need to note that the Holy Spirit came upon the church on the Day of Pentecost, which was the first day of the week. We meet because of dedication — refreshing and renewal in corporate worship and service to the obedience of His Word.

You are loved, Pastor Don