Some of us grew up in a time when almost everything was closed on Sunday. There was no shopping. There was no going out to eat at a restaurant. It was even rare to find a gas station open to get gas for your vehicle. There might be a small convenience store open.
It was a different time. It was long before the 24/7 on the go culture we experience today. There was no internet. There was no cable television. We had four television stations, if we were lucky, and the radio. Even some radio programs were prerecorded to play on Sunday.
I can remember the outcry when stores started to stay open on Sunday. Many considered it sacrilege. “Sunday is the Lord’s Day,” was their cry. Needless to say, the battle for the almighty dollar won out. When Jesus was walking the earth, it wasn’t Sunday that was sacred but the Sabbath (Saturday).
The Jews held the Sabbath sacred and restricted what a person could do. A person could work. If you walked more than a certain number of steps, it was considered work. So, people could not travel away from their homes very far. With that in mind, imagine the gasps and outcry made by many in the synagogue and especially the leaders when Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath.
We still consider some things sacred. For those of us who attend Sunday worship, we consider it sacred. Some of us consider the church building sacred. Some may consider certain adornments in the sanctuary as being sacred. Each of them should be treated with respect. But we also must remember that Jesus worked on the Sabbath.
I pray we all show proper respect for Sunday worship. I pray we understand what is truly sacred. I pray each one of us know that Jesus is always at work, regardless of the day. Respect Sunday worship. Know what is sacred. Know that Jesus is at work. Trust He is working with you.
Luke 13:10-12 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”
Marty Pressey 