Scripture Difficultiessabbathsacramentsundaycovenant

Sabbath and the Sacrament

Why do Latter-day Saints worship on Sunday and center that worship in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper?

Bible

The Bible answers

Bible · Exodus 20:8–11

KJV + NRSVUE

Remember the sabbath. The principle survives the calendar fight.

King James Version
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work. … 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.

NRSVUE
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work. … For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.

Bible · Luke 22:19–20

KJV + NRSVUE

This do in remembrance of me. Weekly bread and cup is the point.

King James Version
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

NRSVUE
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon answers

Moroni 4:3
The sacramental prayer. We still say it.
O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Also restored

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–12
Go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day.
And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times; But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

Ancient witnesses

Dead Sea Scrolls and related extra-biblical texts that illuminate the same pattern the Restoration restores.

Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice (4QShirShabb / 4Q400)

The instructors of the seven priesthoods of the inner temple… shall praise the God of the exalted angels seven times, with seven words of wonderful praises.

Qumran’s Sabbath Songs treat the Sabbath as heavenly temple liturgy, not as a mere work-stoppage. Early Christians gathered on the first day to break bread (Acts 20:7). The Restoration’s sacrament prayers in Moroni 4–5 are among the most biblical texts in the canon: remembrance, name, commandments, Spirit.

Faithful answers

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints