“according to the scriptures”: the biblical basis for our worship

“According to the Scriptures”:

The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipWednesdays, January 15th through February 26th, at 7 o’clock

Join with us as explain how our expression of worship is rooted and grounded in the texts of the Holy Bible.

According to the Scriptures:

The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipThe Calendar of the Bible Study

• January 15th—The Foundation• January 22nd—“Eat First With the Eyes”• January 29th—“Sweet, Sweet Music”


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipThe Calendar of the Bible Study

• February 5th—“The Cheerleading”• February 12th—“Every Week? Really?”• February 19th—“The Eucharist”• February 26th—“Q&A”

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The Biblical Basis for Our Worship

Why Does Your Church Look Like It Does?

Or

“Eat First With the Eyes”


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipNumber One Guiding Principle:


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipNumber One Guiding Principle:

As we arrange and order our worship, we want our worship here on earth to reflect, as much as humanly possible, the celestial worship in Heaven!


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIn case you are not sure about there being

“worship in Heaven”:


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIn case you are not sure about there being

“worship in Heaven”:

When St. John received his vision of Heaven he saw that “All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God…”

Revelation 7:11


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipFirst Question:



Why do you have an Altar in front of your church?



Why do you have an Altar in front of your church?

Why not the pulpit, the choir, the praise team, or a baptistry?


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipWe have an Altar in our church because

there is an Altar in Heaven.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipWe have an Altar in our church because

there is an Altar in Heaven.

It is centrally located and focal point in worship because it has always been that way.


The Biblical Basis for Our Worship“And I saw the seven angels who stand before

God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth.”

Reveleation 8:2-5


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIn fact, Hebrews 9:23-28 tells us that the

earthly Tabernacle and Temple were “copies of the things in heaven” in order to show us how much greater Christ’s sacrifice is than was the Levitical priesthood’s sacrifice of calves and goats.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipNext Question:



Why do you have Jesus on the Cross?



Why do you have Jesus on the Cross?

He’s not up there anymore, you know.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIn His talk with Nicodemus, Jesus said,

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:14-15


The Biblical Basis for Our Worship Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a

fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Numbers 21:8-9



Why do your pastors wear pretty, white dresses?



Why do your pastors wear pretty, white dresses?

What’s with the pretty colored poncho?


The Biblical Basis for Our Worship“After these things I looked, and behold, a

great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”

Revelation 7:9-10


The Biblical Basis for Our Worship“Who are these arrayed in white robes, and

where did they come from?”“These are the ones who come out of the great

tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.”

Revelation 7:13-15


The Biblical Basis for Our Worship“Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons

with him that he may minister to Me as priest,… And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest.”

Exodus 28:1-4


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipWhat about the different colors?



Blue—Advent: Davidic Royalty



Blue—Advent: Davidic RoyaltyWhite—Christmas, Easter, All Saints’, Feasts of the Lord: Joy, Triumph



Blue—Advent: Davidic RoyaltyWhite—Christmas, Easter, All Saints’, Feasts of the Lord: Joy, TriumphPurple—Lent: Penitence



Blue—Advent: Davidic RoyaltyWhite—Christmas, Easter, All Saints’, Feasts of the Lord: Joy, TriumphPurple—Lent: PenitenceRed—Holy Week, Pentecost: Blood & the Holy Spirit



Blue—Advent: Davidic RoyaltyWhite—Christmas, Easter, All Saints’, Feasts of the Lord: Joy, TriumphPurple—Lent: PenitenceRed—Holy Week, Pentecost: Blood & the Holy SpiritGreen—Ordinary Time: Life, Growth, Blessing


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipEver heard of an “icon”?


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipEver heard of an “icon”?

Today most people think of an icon as the thing on the computer you click to open a computer program. “Want to go on-line? Click the Internet Explorer Icon.”


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIn religious context, many people think of

icons as highly stylized paintings of Jesus and other saintly figures or events that are meant to somehow serve as spiritual aids for Eastern Orthodox Christians.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipHere is an icon of

the “Theotokos” and Christ. Notice the very stylized letters “MP OY” beside Mary and “IC XC” beside Jesus. In Greek you abbreviate a word with the first and last initials of the word! Notice also that Jesus is just a little adult, not a baby.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipThe “real” meaning of an icon is an

image that represents something else and causes one to have a connection to something else.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipThe “real” meaning of an icon is an

image that represents something else and causes one to have a connection to something else.

This is why the term is appropriate in computers. The little button does nothing, but it invokes something much greater.


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIt is our intention, that everything

that we do in our worship is deliberately “iconic.”


The Biblical Basis for Our WorshipIt is our intention, that everything that

we do in our worship is deliberately “iconic.”

We do not worship things! We do acknowledge that those items invoke a connection to a spiritual reality that is much greater than any tangible substance or image.

“according to the scriptures”: the biblical basis for our worship

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