Christians should understand clearly that Jesus of Nazareth was a Hebrew of Hebrews, and a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David. Therefore He was under the requirements of the Old covenant -- the Law of Moses. And because He was the perfect, sinless Man, He observed all the commandments perfectly. Therefore He also observed or kept the Sabbath under the Law. But when He died on the cross, He brought the Old Covenant to an end and established the New Covenant with His blood.
At the same time, since He is Lord of the Sabbath, He made the meaning of the Sabbath clear to all the Jews. And then He rose again ON THE MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH. Therefore He established the first day of the week -- the Lord's Day -- as the day for Christian worship, rest, and good works.
And that is why Paul said that holy days, new moons, and sabbaths were the shadows. Christ is the reality, and believers are to rest in Him. He is our eternal rest.
Who instituted the Christian Church, and was it before Mathew 24, where Christ Yeshua still refers to the Sabbath as relevant until his return?
Matthew 16 (New King James Version)
18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not
[g]prevail against it.
Matthew 24 (New King James Version)
20And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the
Sabbath.
21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
29“
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His
[d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away,
so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40Then two
men will be in the field:
one will be taken ("to the clouds in heaven") and
the other left ("behind on earth for destruction").
41Two
women will be grinding at the mill:
one will be taken ("to the clouds in heaven") and
the other left ("behind on earth for destruction").
2
Peter 3 (New King James Version)
Be Steadfast
14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15and consider
that the longsuffering of our Lord
is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand,
which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17You therefore, beloved, since you know
this beforehand,
beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him
be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 3 (English Standard Version)
Final Words
14Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
15And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
16as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters.
There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand,
take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.