Morning and evening
A long, long time ago I asked for people's reflections on the origin and history of morning and evening worship. We didn't reach any firm conclusions, but thanks to Ken and Danny for these observations:
Ken: (Not totally sure where he got it from)
IV. Patterns of Worship. As the early Christians worshipped together, they established patterns of worship that were quite different from the synagogue services. We have no clear picture of early Christian worship until a.d. 150, when Justin Martyr described typical worship services in his writings. We do know that the early Christians held their services on Sunday, the first day of the week. They called this “the Lord’s Day” because it was the day that Christ rose from the dead. The first Christians met at the temple in Jerusalem, in synagogues, or in private homes (Acts 2:46; 13:14–16; 20:7–8). Some scholars believe that the reference to Paul’s teaching in the school of “one Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9) indicates that the early Christians sometimes rented school buildings or other facilities. 3 We have no evidence that Christians built special facilities for their worship services for more than a century after the time of Christ. Where Christians were persecuted, they had to meet in secret places such as the catacombs (underground tombs) in Rome.
Scholars believe that the first Christians worshipped on Sunday evenings, and that their service centered on the Lord’s Supper. But at some point the Christians began holding two worship services on Sunday as Justin Martyr describes—one in the early morning and one late in the afternoon. The hours were chosen for secrecy and for the sake of working people who could not attend worship services during the day.
Justin Martyr, eh. That's a long tradition !
Then Danny's link, for a more practical and less historical consideration:
http://www.oceansideurc.org/journal/2007/8/6/alexanderlets-keep-our-sunday-evening-worship.html
Ken: (Not totally sure where he got it from)
IV. Patterns of Worship. As the early Christians worshipped together, they established patterns of worship that were quite different from the synagogue services. We have no clear picture of early Christian worship until a.d. 150, when Justin Martyr described typical worship services in his writings. We do know that the early Christians held their services on Sunday, the first day of the week. They called this “the Lord’s Day” because it was the day that Christ rose from the dead. The first Christians met at the temple in Jerusalem, in synagogues, or in private homes (Acts 2:46; 13:14–16; 20:7–8). Some scholars believe that the reference to Paul’s teaching in the school of “one Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9) indicates that the early Christians sometimes rented school buildings or other facilities. 3 We have no evidence that Christians built special facilities for their worship services for more than a century after the time of Christ. Where Christians were persecuted, they had to meet in secret places such as the catacombs (underground tombs) in Rome.
Scholars believe that the first Christians worshipped on Sunday evenings, and that their service centered on the Lord’s Supper. But at some point the Christians began holding two worship services on Sunday as Justin Martyr describes—one in the early morning and one late in the afternoon. The hours were chosen for secrecy and for the sake of working people who could not attend worship services during the day.
Justin Martyr, eh. That's a long tradition !
Then Danny's link, for a more practical and less historical consideration:
http://www.oceansideurc.org/journal/2007/8/6/alexanderlets-keep-our-sunday-evening-worship.html
Comments
However, like my other two points, he does rather tend to rely on history and tradition even if somewhat more recent.
I am very much in favour of both morning and evening services and would like to see more mid-week services of relevance. It has become quite fashionable in the last few years to set private time as distinct from, and perhaps slightly pre-eminent to, worship time, other than on Sundays. Indeed, I stand as one who would have to plead guilty to the charge of relegating 'God's time' to 'my time', I must try a spot of self examination on that point. Let's see in due course if it yields results, - no, don't e-mail me and ask!
A point I would make about the two services is that God made the Sabbath as a day of rest and The Lord Jesus pointed out that He made the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath. Further to the reference to the Morning & Evening Sacrifices, although it is quite probable that the same priest may be on duty for both, I am unaware(and I'm sure someone is going to correct me!) that a person would attend both, rather one or the other; the Scripture speaks of a Sabbath Day's walk, not walks. (Of course, I also accept that those sacrifices were not just on the Sabbath but daily occurences.)
That having been said, I remain resolutely for two services; while I and my oxen have to rest on the Sabbath, my car doesn't!