Flags, our modern day banners, have a rich history to them.  Our American flag has many symbolic features about it.  Of course most of you know that the 50 stars represent the 50 states of our union and the 13 stripes stand for the original 13 colonies of our country.  But did you know that our flags has been changed or modified 26 times in it’s history?  And the original flag was probably was not designed by Betsy Ross.  Did you also know that the “Star Spangled Banner” that Francis Scott Key wrote about actually had 15 stripes (and 15 stars)?  It is now hanging in the Smithsonian.

The Christian Flag is white representing purity and forgiveness while the blue is symbolic of baptism and the cross is red standing for Jesus’ blood.  I was first conceived in 1897 (a year before our church started) on Coney Island.  It too has a pledge for it: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Saviour for whose Kingdom it stands; one Saviour, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe.”  Like the American flag, it identifies as well as represents the principles on which it is founded.  I am so glad that God too has raised a banner over us and that he calls us his own.