Guilty Pleasures 2

Today I want to discuss a pet peeve of mine that many Christians ascribe to.

That is thinking that Sunday is a Day of Rest.
Meaning that Sunday is the day that they use to rest up for the week by doing what is best for them. They do all of their home work on Saturday and what they want on Sunday. This might include attending church or not depending on what is best for them.
because Sunday is the Day of Rest.

While this might be true from a secular standpoint it has never been from a biblical standpoint.

God Day of rest came at the end of His week.
Six days He created and rested on the Seventh.
This seventh day He called the Sabbath the day of rest.
Genesis 2:2-3

This practice of the "Day of Rest" was brought to the Jewish people in the book of Exodus and became law to them in Exodus 20 as part of the Ten Commandments.
That day of rest became a day of worship unto the Lord.

This principle was practiced throughout Jewish History and actually began the night of the 6th day and went until the night of the seventh day. (Friday Night and Saturday Night) This was because the Jews believed that there days began at night not in the morning as many of us ascribe and Sunday was actually the first day of the week.

After the Resurrection of Jesus that last day of the week, sabbath continued on Saturday but Sunday became a day of Remembrance of the Resurrection and hence throughout History Christians have celebrated that day to Start their week not end it. Hence Sunday has never been a day of rest but always a day of Celebratory Worship of the Resurrection.

Sunday then becomes for us a day of Remembrance not rest.
and while due to our current work lives I don't think that God is as worried about when we rest as much as that we do rest. I do though think that God cares greatly about when the Church meets to celebrate the resurrection and works to bring others into that place.

So what do we do about rest?
Let me give you a couple of suggestions since as a church we have chosen the traditional route of Sunday being a day of Remembrance.

#1 Use another day for rest.
This might mean that you have to change your whole mindset towards the principle of rest and live your lives in a way that allows you margin for rest.

#2 Use another time for rest.
There is a lot to be said about the Jewish tradition of your day ending when you come home from work and it beginning at night.

This might mean that you have to leave your work at work because tomorrow starts today. I would think that meals would be more enjoyable at night as well as your sleep patterns.

#3 View it from God's Perspective.
If God had to rest, how much more do we need rest? and if God started His week (Genesis 1) with Jesus and the Holy Spirit creating something new and amazing why would He excuse us from doing so. Isn't that our hope every Sunday?

#4 Think about how different your life would be....
If you rested the right way and Remembered the right way? Sunday might be a fun day and Monday might be a better day and Friday would be a Peaceful day and you might be healthy?