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The tradition of Sunday worship can be traced back to the early Christian church, where the first followers of Jesus Christ gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate his resurrection from the dead. This tradition is supported by several verses in the New Testament, such as Acts 20:7, which says, "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight."
Additionally, the apostle John mentions being in the Spirit on the Lord's Day in Revelation 1:10, which many scholars believe refers to Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection. This suggests that Sunday was a special day of worship for early Christians.
As for the history of Sunday worship, there is evidence that Christians began to shift their primary day of worship from Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, to Sunday, soon after the time of the apostles. This change was likely due to a combination of factors, including the belief that Sunday was the day of Christ's resurrection and the desire to distance themselves from Judaism.
The early church father Justin Martyr, writing in the second century AD, described Sunday as the day on which "all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits." (First Apology, 67)
Over time, Sunday became recognized as the Christian day of rest and worship, and was eventually codified into law by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century AD. Today, Sunday worship remains a central part of Christian tradition and practice.
In summary, while the Bible does not explicitly command Sunday worship, it is supported by the example of the early church and the belief that it was the day of Christ's resurrection. The historical shift from Saturday to Sunday worship was likely due to a combination of theological and practical factors, and has become an enduring part of Christian tradition.
References:
Acts 20:7
Revelation 1:10
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67
Constantine, Edict of Milan (AD 313)
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