Secure a number of little flags, ask the children in the audience to come forward and occupy the front seats, then pass out to them the flags. Let them hold them in their hands as you bring out the gospel lessons from the folds of Old Glory. Notice we have three colors in our flag, red, white, and blue. The Red teaches us that the gospel declares that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. That is the heart of the gospel. God loved the world and gave his Son for the Cross. Every time I look at the red of the flag it makes me think of Calvary. I am glad the red comes first in the flag. It is first in the gospel also.
After this comes the White. This is correct also according to the gospel. The blood makes the heart white as snow. Purity is a great gospel lesson taught by the flag. After this comes the Blue which stands for faithfulness. We say of the boy who stands firm for the right, "He is true blue." This is a mighty gospel truth. Faithfulness is a rare virtue, but the gospel tells us, we must be faithful to the end in order to be saved.
Now note the Stars. They make us think of the star of Bethlehem and the sweet Christmas story. Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star, and he seems to be looking down on us from the star field of the old flag. Then as I look again the stars of the flag seem to say that, "They that be wise shall shine forth as stars." Then I pray that as these forty-eight stars represent our forty-eight States, so may the Star of Bethlehem be the national star of every State in our glorious Union.
Did you ever note the letters U.S. are the last two letters of Jesus?
So may all the other letters of the word Jesus be spelled out in the life of every true American, The J for Justice, the E for Eternity, and S for Salvation. As I look at the flag again I learn the lesson of the strength of organization. The Red, White, and Blue as separate colors stand for themselves alone. Unite them in the flag, and they stand defended by the Army and Navy of the country. Christians often say they can live the Christian life outside the organized body of Christians, called the church, but by so doing they stand alone and for themselves. United in the church, they are backed by the greatest organized power in the world, the church of Jesus.
I notice there are seven red stripes, which means that every day of the week we should be true to our country and to our religion. Note that here the red also comes first. There are six white stripes. Let these stripes stand for the great wars which have been fought with a clean sword, and so we learn that Old Glory is a preacher of righteousness. Long may she teach in the land of the brave and the home of the free.
Have a large flag on the pulpit, and ask all the children with their little flags to come up and stand around it, while all the people sing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" and "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name."
This lesson can be used for a regular Sunday-night service for adults as well as for children. It could be used as a national lesson—just what is needed for Flag Day or Independence Day.
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