RUSSELL SANDERS

9-9-2024

SUNDAY WORSHIP

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The Christian church has always set aside the first day of the week, Sunday, as a day of rest and reverence unto the Lord. On the first day of Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to the disciples as they gathered in a room.

However, there have been some who insist that only Sabbath worship [Saturday] is acceptable to God. That concept puts them back under the Old Testament law.

Jesus said that He, himself, is the Lord of the Sabbath, indicating that any day we set aside to rest and worship Him is our sabbath. His implication was that it did not matter what day of the week it might be.

Evidence that the early church gathered on Sunday, not Saturday, is found in Acts 20:7 [among other places] where it says, “And upon the first day of the week [Sunday], when the disciples [believers] came together to break bread [communion and their worship together], Paul preached unto them…”

Sunday worship had clearly become the norm in the early church. However, we should be careful not to make any specific day of the week to be an iron-clad rule. That would miss Jesus’ point entirely. The point is that He is the “lord of the Sabbath,” and that he is the object of our worship. It is far more important to observe “who” we worship than the “when” or day we worship.

He will accept our worship seven days a week. To set rules to require a specific weekday is legalism.

Is it good to have a specific day? Yes, it is. That way we can know when to come together in corporate worship and that is beneficial. Just don’t make it legalistic to bring condemnation or disapproval to someone who misses it on that particular day.

Our worship is not just to be a Sunday ritual to which we feel obligated. It is to be a sincere heartfelt devotional expression to our Lord and Savior.

HELEN SANDERS

9-9-2024

FAITH THAT MOVES MOUNTAINS

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In Mark 11 we see the story of the fig tree. Jesus saw it from afar off and wanted to have some figs since he saw there were leaves on the tree. When he got to it, there were no figs, just leaves. In verse 14 Jesus said, “And Jesus answered and said unto it [the fig tree] ‘No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever.’ And his disciples heard it.”

This was indicative of what was to follow. He entered into Jerusalem and the temple and cast out those that sold and bought merchandise in the temple and threw them out. He would not allow any man to carry any vessel through the temple. The temple, which was to be a house of prayer, was desecrated by those that “merchandised” it. 

This upset the religious scribes and priests, and they sought how they might destroy him.

The next day he and the disciples passed by the fig tree and Peter saw it dried up from the roots and mentioned it to Jesus [vs. 21]. Jesus gave an interesting response. He said in verse 22, “Have faith in God, for verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain [fig tree, or anything that is “not bearing fruit”] be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and SHALL NOT DOUBT in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith [our words] shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

When a person has the God kind of faith, or faith in God, it will not doubt when it speaks. It believes God’s word and God’s promises that when they speak to mountains, [regardless of what that mountain may be] they will be removed and will no longer hinder God’s work in their lives. 

Doubt is a serious sin, my friend. It stops God from moving. It hinders your walk. It paralyzes one’s witness. 

When we have the “God kind of faith” that believes God, and his promises, then we shall see things change. There is absolutely no room for doubt in the God kind of faith. Jesus did not speak to that fig tree and hope that it would wither. His words were spoken with authority, and we have that same authority through the name of Jesus when we speak. When we walk in that authority, we have faith that moves mountains and things will happen for us like it did for him.

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