Sabbath

Early Christians, especially those of Jewish descent struggled with Sabbath keeping. Many still observed the Sabbath on Saturday and celebrated Jesus' resurrection on Sunday. In 321, the Emperor Constantine decreed Sunday instead of Saturday to be a day of no work, but of worship of the Lord, thereby effectively changing the Sabbath to the first day of the week.

With the coming of Christ, the Sabbath has taken on new meaning. As well as pointing backward to creation, it points forward to the rest and peace we will have in Christ when he comes again. Instead of being bound by lots of rules and regulations, it became known as the "feast day of the Lord". Sunday became a day for Christians to gather for worship, prayer and generally a meal, including the Lord's Supper. The Sabbath should be a day of joyful worship and Communion, a day of rest and a day of reliance upon God.