THE LORD’S DAY
Read the fourth commandment in Exodus 20:8-11.

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The Larger Catechism Q. 116 asks: What is required in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath, and in the New Testament called The Lord's Day.
The Saturday Sabbath was based on God’s rest from Creation.
The Sunday Sabbath is based on the Christian’s rest on the day of the Lord’s resurrection.
1Cor. 16:1, Acts 20:7, Rev. 1:10


The principle of one day in seven as a day of rest from labour remains the same.


The Larger Catechism Q. 117 asks: How is the sabbath or the Lord's day to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath or Lord's day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God's worship: and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.


The Larger Catechism 120 asks: What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from:
1. the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself, in these words, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
2. from God's challenging a special propriety in that day, The seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: from the example of God, who in six days ... made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:
3. and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it; Wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


How do we personally apply the 4th commandment?
1. Pray that it will be a personal commitment between your soul and the Lord. Exo_31:13
2. Pray that it will be a part of your testimony before the ungodly. Neh. 13.
3. Pray that it will be a help to public worship for all in our congregation.
“Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.” Lev_19:30, Is. 56:2-7.
4. Pray that it will ever be a blessing and not a burden.
“For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Matt. 12:8, Isaiah 58:13-14.
To crown all, Christ says that he was Lord of the Sabbath. He had a right to direct the manner of its observance - undoubted proof that He is divine, and deserves our worship and obedience.