There is a sense in which every material thing belongs to the Lord. Psalm 24:1 states, "The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof." In the New Testament era, there are some specific matters that are designated as "the Lord’s." Let us take a brief look at five of them.

"The Lord’s day" – The sole use of this term is found in Revelation 1:10, where it is written, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." Inasmuch as Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9) and the early church met to worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), then "the Lord’s day" points to the first day of the week or Sunday.

"The Lord’s Supper" – This expression is also used only one time in the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 11:20: "When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper." The immediate context points to eating the bread and drinking the cup (11:23-26), so "the Lord’s Supper" refers to "the communion" (1 Corinthians 10:16) or "breaking bread" (Acts 20:7), which is done in memory of the death of Jesus.

"The Lord’s church" – Jesus promised to build His church, referring to it as "my church" (Matthew 16:18). He bought it with His own blood: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). In this passage, the reading of the ASV is "the church of the Lord." The church is His, not man’s.

"The word of the Lord" – "But the word of the Lord endureth forever" (1 Peter 1:25). This is the same as "the word of God" (1:23) and "the gospel" (1:25). It is the Lord’s word, not man’s.

"The day of the Lord" – "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise . . ." (2 Peter 3:10). Please note that this "day of the Lord" is not the same as "the Lord’s day" about which we learned earlier in Revelation 1:10. In the context of 2 Peter 3, "the day of the Lord" is the same as "the day of God" (3:12) and "the day of judgment" (3:7). It refers to the time of the second coming of our Lord Jesus.

The only way to be prepared for the coming day of the Lord is to receive the word of the Lord, become a member of the church of the Lord, and properly worship on the Lord’s day, including partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Thanks be to God for our great Lord!

By Roger D. Campbell