22.7 Worship: Jesus Name Above All Names

Table of Contents

The Text

Revelation 1:1-8 (CSB) The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.

John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father — to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
And all the tribes of the earth
will mourn over him.
So it is to be. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Chapter

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

The Confession

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him

Exodus 20:8 (CSB) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy:

which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 (CSB) Now about the collection for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.

Acts 20:7 (CSB) On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight.

and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

Revelation 1:10 (CSB) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet

Matthew 28:1 (CSB) After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.

Mark 16:2 (CSB) Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise.

John 20:1 (CSB) On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

The life, death, descent, and resurrection of the Christ was the greatest event in all of history. This cannot be overstated. When Christ fulfilled the law of God, he fulfilled the law of the Sabbath. It was on the Sabbath that we rest and trust in Christ. And now that the Sabbath is the first day of the week, Sunday, because of the resurrection of the Christ, we rest and trust in God because we know where our rest comes from: Jesus Christ.

Sunday is the Lord's Day and it is the Sabbath day. Therefore, we worship Christ and we get to rest from six days of work.

This is not a punishment, a burden, or "have to do" but rather, because the Father has given us the Christ, we get all of these wonderful gifts--his Word, his Spirit, everything. In that, we get to worship God. In that, we get to rest from our work. We trust in the Christ and now we are saved by Christ to God.

Praise be to God!