1/5/2014
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“Sunday Gathering”
A Congregation-Wide Discussion
12/28/2013
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FAQ
• Why do you worship on Sunday?
or
• Aren’t you breaking Sabbath by worshiping on Sunday?
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Today’s meeting is NOT about ...
• ... whether the proper day for Sabbath observance was ever changed from Saturday to
Sunday.
– We will be glad to share with anyone why we believe the 7th day remains the Scriptural
day for Sabbath observance. But that is not what today’s discussion is about.
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Process
1. Examine Sabbath commands
2. Consult respected ministers or ministries
3. Examine New Testament practice
4. Discuss with congregation
5. Document results for use by the congregation and guests
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Ministries that were Queried
• Shoreshim Ministries (Bill Cloud)
• The Wild Branch Ministry (Brad Scott)
• Lion & Lamb Ministries (Monte Judah)
• Passion for Truth Ministries (Jim Staley)
• Wisdom in Torah (Rico Cortes)
• 119 Ministries
• [Hebraic Heritage Ministries (Eddie Chumney) – waiting for response]
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Step 1 – Examine Sabbath Commands
Leviticus 23:3 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn
rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your
dwellings.
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Leviticus 23:3
• Sabbath
– seventh day
– solemn rest; no work to be done
– holy convocation (miqra kodesh = set-apart assembly)
• If a congregation is keeping these things, are they keeping Sabbath?
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Leviticus 23:3
• Does Lev 23:3 contain any command to “worship” on Sabbath?
• Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy
convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
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What is “worship”?
• Hebrew: shakhah – bow down
• Greek: proskuneo – prostrate oneself
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– The Hebrew word shakhah is mentioned only once in Leviticus, in Lev 26:1, and it refers
to “bowing down” (shakhah) to foreign gods.
– Lev/Num/Deu: 3x (1x for worship of YHVH)
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Holy Convocations
So what did the people of YHVH do when they gathered in holy convocation on the weekly
Sabbath?
– The Torah (Gen-Deut) is surprisingly quiet on this subject.
– It does not explicitly connect assembly worship to Sabbath observance.
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What is “worship”?
• Gen 18:2 – first use of shakhah
• So [Abraham] lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him;
and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to
the ground
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What is “worship”?
• Gen 24:26 – Abraham’s servant, upon finding a wife for Isaac ...
• Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord.
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What is “worship”?
• Gen 24:52 – Abraham’s servant, upon finding a wife for Isaac ...
• And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he worshiped the
Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
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What is “worship”?
• The Tanakh has several examples of humans bowing down (shakhah) before other
humans.
• Gen 23:7, 12 Abraham bowed to people of Heth. (Sarah’s tomb)
• Gen 33:3 Jacob bowed before Esau seven times
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What is “worship”?
The Hebrew word shakhah refers to a sign of respect; a way to show humility in the
presence of another and/or to recognize the rank or position of another.
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What is “worship”?
• Worship is not the same thing as a song service.
– “Worship is over and now it’s time for the sermon.” (incorrect)
• Worship doesn’t occur simply by attending a gathering.
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What is “worship”?
• Worship can occur in private or with other believers.
• Whether we worship alone or with other believers, we should worship the Lord constantly.
– That is, we should show respect and submit to His will constantly.
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What is “worship”?
• Each day is full of opportunities to demonstrate worship.
• In each moment of decision, we show our Father (whether in the heart or in our actions)
whether we are truly worshiping Him.
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Splitting hairs?
To say or imply that “Sunday worship is wrong” misrepresents both Sabbath and worship.
• It can lead to the wrong conclusion that worship occurs only during assemblies.
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• It implies that Sabbath is the only permissible day for worship, when in fact, worship is
always permissible!
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sun god?
If a congregation meets on the first day of the week, are they worshiping the sun god?
After all, they are meeting on the day that is named after the sun.
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Does paganism rule?
If we let pagans steal days from us, here is what we would lose:
– Sunday
Sun’s day (sun)
– Monday
Moon’s day (moon)
– Tuesday
Tiu’s day (Germanic god of war)
– Wednesday
Woden’s day (chief Teutonic god)
– Thursday
Thor’s day (Norse thunder god)
– Friday
Fria’s day (goddess of love, fertility)
– Saturday
Saturn’s day (saturn)
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Step # 2 – Consult Ministries
• We asked six ministries the following question:
– Do you teach and/or believe that church worship on Sunday is forbidden by Torah even
if the same group holds a regular Saturday/Sabbath sacred assembly?
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Response: Bill Cloud
I don't think having a worship service on Sunday or Wednesday or Saturday for that matter
has anything whatsoever to do with the Sabbath unless the Sunday service was intended
and promoted to replace the weekly Sabbath. Shabbat observance has nada to do with what
day people congregate for corporate worship. (via text: 12/27/13)
• Notice that he distinguishes between Shabbat and worship.
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Response: Brad Scott
• Date: July 13, 2011 10:42:02 AM CDT
• To: Oscar Scott
• Subject: Re: Quick Question
Shalom Oscar, No I do not. As far as I can see personal or collective worship is not
forbidden for any day. Brad
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Response: Monte Judah
From: Lion and Lamb Ministries
Date: December 24, 2013 11:30:30 AM CST
To: Oscar Scott
Subject: Re: Quick Question for Monte
No, you can do good any day of the week, just don't profane the Sabbath day.
Shalom, Jane for Monte Judah
Lion and Lamb Ministries
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Response: Jim Staley (telephone)
Jim believes that prohibiting Sunday gathering is in error and said that he and his ministry
would never teach against Sunday worship so long as that service is not being used as a
substitute for observance of the Lord's weekly Sabbath Feast each Saturday.
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Response: Rico Cortes
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I do not have a problem with services on any day of the week. But the only issue I have is
when they say that Sunday is the day of rest. As long [as] people keep Shabbat and meet
some other day for study is good with me. But, in no way Sunday as a holy day over the
sanctity of Shabbat. (text: 12/27/13)
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Response: 119 Ministries
On Dec 17, 2013, at 10:53 AM, 119 Ministries wrote:
As long as it is not "replacing" the Sabbath…the only commandment we have for the
Sabbath, is to rest, and not cause your servants and animals to work. The act of praise and
song is to, and can occur, on any day independent of any noted Torah instruction.
615.823.2119
119 MINISTRIES | P.O. BOX 376 | TROY, IL 62294
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Conclusion from Outside Query
These six ministries have concluded that Sunday gatherings do not violate Scripture as long
as they do not replace Sabbath. One of them went so far as to say that it is an error to
prohibit gatherings on any other day of the week.
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Differences Between FBC’s Sabbath Observance and Other Gatherings
• The 7th day Sabbath is to be a “set-apart” (holy) day.
• Is it possible that if one does Sabbath-like things on a day other than Sabbath that they
are not sufficiently setting the Sabbath apart from those other days?
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Differences Between FBC’s Sabbath Observance and Other Gatherings
• Sabbath
– Day of solemn rest; no work to be done
• Many, perhaps most, of us do not make purchases on Sabbath
• Many, perhaps most, of us do not perform income-generating work on that day, nor
perform labor around the house or lawn/garden
– Holy (set apart) Convocation
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Differences Between FBC’s Sabbath Observance and Other Gatherings
• Other gatherings (Sunday, Wednesday ...)
– We do things on these days that we avoid on Sabbath but which are otherwise
permissible.
– On these days, we take time out from normal work and other activities to gather
together.
– When the gathering is over, we are free to resume normal activities.
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Differences Between FBC’s Sabbath Observance and Other Gatherings
Conclusion: The differences between FBC’s Sabbath observance and other gatherings are
such that Sabbath is truly a set-apart day for us. There is no other day in the week like
Sabbath for us. If someone were to follow us around, they would see very obvious
differences between Sabbath and the other 6 days of the week.
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Step # 3 – Consult New Testament Practice
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Acts 5:42
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching
Jesus as the Christ.
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Acts 6:4
“ ... but we [apostles] will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the
word ... “
– the ministry of the word was continuous; it was not limited to any particular day
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Acts 2:42
• “And they continued [persevered diligently] steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
– Context: This is referring to the apostles and the 3,000 who were saved at
Pentecost/Shavuot
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Acts 2:46
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house,
they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with
all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
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Acts 2:42 and 2:46
These new believers:
• continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread from house to
house, prayers
• continued daily in the temple (as a place of meeting and prayer)
• ate with gladness and simplicity of heart
• praised God and had favor with all the people
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Acts 2 (continued)
When the new believers did what is listed in Acts 2:42 and 46 ... “the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved.”
• WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?
• Perhaps this? Continuing steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of
bread, prayers, praising God, eating with gladness and simplicity of heart ...
• ... and doing it as often as we are able
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Other Considerations
• Lev 23 Feast of Weeks (Shavuot, Pentecost)
– always, without exception, occurs on Sunday
– Back up 50 days: Feast of Firstfruits always occurs on Sunday
• Should we avoid those Sunday feasts?
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More from Jim Staley
Mr. Staley advised that anyone who forbids Sunday gatherings should honestly consider two
questions:
• Can you find any verse in scripture that prohibits worship, preaching and scripture study
on any day of the week? (He assured us that there is none.)
• How do you explain the command to have Shabbat on Sunday each First Fruits and
Pentecost?
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Comment
It is clear that God does not relinquish, cede, surrender possession of, or grant any day of
the week to satan. The Lord owns all the days of the week and satan does not get to have
one of his very own to play with.
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A Warning
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To accuse a YHVH-fearing person of worshiping the sun god simply because that person
meets with other believers on Sunday for the ministry of the Word, for praise, prayer and
fellowship could potentially qualify as bearing false witness against a neighbor.
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The Real Question to Consider
• Is it advisable for our congregation to meet on Sunday?
– The wording of the question indicates it deals with opinion and God-given wisdom, not
commandment.
– We must be able to have differences on matters of opinion without breaking fellowship.
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Is Sunday gathering advisable?
Your elders want your input on this question. But our opinion at the moment is that our
Sunday and Wednesday gatherings are blessings which provide opportunities for our church
family to come together and enjoy corporate fellowship with the LORD and with each other.
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Is Sunday gathering advisable?
We’re not saying that this cannot change. But we are saying that we do not yet see any
Scriptural mandate to terminate either of those opportunities to bless and edify the body of
our Messiah, nor have we yet seen any significant problem that either gathering is causing.
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Is Sunday gathering advisable?
Before we prepare a written statement of the position of FBC, we want you to have time to
process this information and to let us know what we might have missed. We will take
whatever time is necessary during our next Sabbath study to finish this conversation.
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