Sunday's Coming!

I have been in dialogue with some on how we are to keep the Sabbath. This is not a discussion on the Saturday/Sunday debate, but rather, how do we keep the day holy. What does that look like in the 21st Century? First, let me share with you some history. From the time of Christ to the present day there have been folks called Sabbatarians, known for their elaborate rules for keeping the Sabbath. According to the rules spelled out at the Synod of Elvira in Spain (306 AD), if you missed three consecutive Sundays you could be excommunicated. By the 16th century an elaborate system of rules for church attendance had emerged to the point where it was determined how late you could come to church and still be credited with being present. In the mid-1600s, the English Puritans developed a rule book governing Sabbath activities. Addressed were issues such as how far you could travel on a Sabbath, how to dress, and which homemaking activities were acceptable. By 1656 these rules took up about 13 pages of fine print! So, how should we observe the Sabbath…what’s the rule? Scripture tells us to “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8), but what is it to keep the day holy? I am sure every person who reads this has an opinion, but it literally means set apart, or worthy of reverence. I will not suggest what we should do to keep our Sunday’s holy, but rather might suggest that we review our practices…are they taken from a rule book on how to act on Sunday? Do we even consider whether our actions honor God? Have we kept the day holy?