Black Rock Seventh-day Adventist Church

In Acts 20:7-11, did the disciples actually worship on Sunday?

The Bible says, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight… Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed… Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot” (Acts 20:7, 11, 13).

Browse: What do Romans 14:5 & 1 Corinthians 16:2 say about Sunday?

Browse: Was the Sabbath nailed to the cross?

A late-night gathering

The apostle Paul was en route to Jerusalem. His ship stopped in Troas and, while waiting there for it to sail, he called together his converts and held a meeting. He preached until after midnight and then held the Com­munion with them.

The first day of the week

There is nothing mentioned here about holding a first-day service, thus indicating that that day was the Sabbath, otherwise when Paul held a meeting at Miletus on the following Wednesday (Acts 20:14-18) that service would have sanctified Wednesday also. But where is the Christian who keeps Wednesday for that reason?

Our Lord instituted the Communion on a Thurs­day night. If the Communion service makes a day holy, why are we not observing Thursday as the Sabbath? Furthermore, the Communion has no relation to the resurrection of Christ, but rather, refers to His death. "Ye do shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Corin­thians 11:26).

Breaking bread daily

In Acts 2:46, 47, we find the disciples break­ing bread daily, but that does not make every day the Sabbath. Friend, let us remember that every institution incorporated in the new covenant was given before the death of Christ, not one after His resurrection. His last will and testament was sealed with His blood and it did not include first-day worship in commemoration of His resurrection.