The Christian Flag

Many protestant churches have both a Christian Flag and an American Flag in the main sanctuary.  The American flag became our national emblem of stars and stripes on June 14, 1777.

Red is for courage

White is for purity

Blue is for truth and loyalty

Charles C. Overton envisioned the Christian flag on September 26, 1897.  It signifies faith, worship, tradition, responsibilities and all blessings of faith.

The cross on the flag represents the Christian religion and God’s love for humankind through the life, death and promise of eternal life. 

The white portion of the flag is a symbol of purity, innocence, and peace.  And it also bears witness to the purity and sinlessness of the Redeemer and reconciler of the world.

The blue portion of the flag represents faithfulness and sincerity of the savior who was obedient unto death to be the salvation for the world.

The American Flag is especially honored on June 14 every year.  The Christian Flag also stands in honor as well in most Christian churches.  It is with pride, respect, and gratefulness that each have a place in a Christian worship service and it is with just a much pride, respect, honor, and gratefulness that those who gave their lives for the freedoms of each flag’s symbolism are remembered in pray and praise to God who so loves this world. 

Protocol dictates that when you display a Christian Flag, you must display an American Flag.  No other flag is to be displayed without the U.S. flag.

(The Disciples Flag has only the Red Chalice on a white  background.)

Easter Lilies

The white Easter lily has served for centuries as a symbol of Easter.  Accordingly to scholars, the various terms translated “lily” in the Bible probably do not refer to the lily which we see in bloom at Easter time.  There is agreement, though, that the “lilies of the field” to which Jesus compares Solomon’s glory (Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27) are most probably the lovely spring masses of wild, brilliant flowers such as poppies and anemones which covered the meadows and hillsides in Israel.  But, great symbolism of the of such lovely beauty springing forth from a seemingly dead mass (the bulb) and the symbolic purity of its creamy-white color, has come to represent the resurrection of Christ, and continues to be celebrated in the beauty of the blooming of the white Easter lily in the Spring.  God’s nature is truly a work of art and here for our great pleasure.  Let us enjoy the promises of God as we watch the growth in nature as well as growth in our spirits.

Palm Branches

Palms and palm trees were known generally in the Near East and in Israel’s own history.  Palms were used in Solomon's temple to grace the surrounds, as well as in Ezekiel’s vision of the temple.  Even the Roman Emperors used the palms as an official symbol of their victories.  To wave palm branches in 30 A.D. had major significance in the Roman world and the acclamation of ”Hosanna” as a shout of victory and joy would have caused great concern in the Roman government.  To see Jesus enter the gates of Jerusalem, through arches build by emperors, with the crowds waving palm branches and shouting joy of triumphant was no less then a revolutionary act.  (John 12:13) “They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying ‘Hosanna!’” while waving palms and yelling words of triumphant was an act of threat to the government and the perceived release of the captive.  Even though, at that time, the joy was short-lived because they had not yet seen the end (or shall I say, the beginning) of the story, WE CAN!  We can shout Hosanna and wave arms full of palm branches, knowing the victory has happened and we are truly released from the captivity of death and welcomed and called by name to enter into the reign of God.  Triumphally, we can enter the gates of heaven and be assured that our Lord has prepared a place for us a place in the mansion, and a seat at His table.  Rejoice! Shout Hosanna!

DISCIPLE SHIELDS

Information on shields is taken from Symbols of Faith for Intergenerational Use, by Marcia Stoner, published in 2000, by Abingdon Press, Nashville TN.  Permission is granted by Abingdon Press only for original purchaser to reproduce this information.  Needlework on communion cloth was done by Robyn Hydar and Lisa Fogleson.

12 Disciple Shields Communion Cloth

Andrew

Andrew means "manly" in Greek.  He spent time working as a fisherman with his brother Simon Peter and was thought to be a disciple of John the Baptist, who told Andrew about Jesus.  Andrew is remembered for his help in bringing others to Jesus.  Tradition says that Andrew died a martyr's death in Greece and at his own request died on an X-shaped cross because he felt he was unworthy to die on the same kind of cross as did Jesus.

(Clicking on the shields should enlarge them for better viewing.

Click on back arrow above to return to Symbols Page.)

Bartholomew

Bartholomew and Nathanael are considered to be the same person; Bartholomew, his last name, and Nathanael means "gift of God."  Nathanael was skeptical of Jesus at first until Jesus told Nathanael things about Nathanael that Jesus should have had no way of knowing.  Bartholomew traveled extensively on missionary journeys to Egypt, Persia, India, and Armenia.   Tradition says that he was put to death with knives in Armenia.  Thus, his shield shows either one or three knives to signify his manner of death.

James the Greater

James the Greater, a son of Zebedee, with his brother John and Peter formed the inner circle of Jesus' disciples and were often with Jesus when other disciples were away.  Very little is known about James the Greater, but he was the first of the disciples to be martyred for his faith.  His shield displays three scalloped shells, which stand for his great missionary work.

James, Son of Alphaeus

James, son of Alphaeus, also was called James the Younger or James the Little.  He was probably shorter than James the Greater.  He is believed to be the son of Mary who was at the cross with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and who was also a witness to the Resurrection.  Tradition says that James the Younger was martyred when he was thrown from the top of a church, and his enemies were so filled with hate that they then sawed his body into pieces.  Thus, his shield contains a saw.

John

John, brother of James and son of Zebedee, is thought to be the disciple "whom Jesus loved".  While this disciple was not actually named in the Scriptures, many biblical scholars think this was true.  Jesus did entrust his mother, Mary, to John at the foot of the cross.  John's shield contains a chalice and serpent; since legend states the when John was given a cup of poisoned wine to drink, he made the sign of a cross over the chalice and the poison became a serpent and crawled out.  Tradition has it that John lived many years and escaped a martyr's death.

Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot is the disciple who betrayed Jesus.  The Bible states that Judas was the treasurer of the group; he betrayed Jesus with a kiss and received thirty pieces of silver for it; and he hung himself because of what he had done.  Some make Judas' shield showing coins and rope; however, the church gave him no official symbol, displaying only a blank shield.

Judas, Son of James

Judas, son of James, has several names; this name is found in Luke's Gospel.  The book of Mark calls him Thaddeus, and in some older texts, he is called Lebbeus.  Tradition states that Judas, son of James, traveled extensively  on missionary journeys that took the good news to many countries.  Thus, his shield shows a ship.

Matthew

Matthew was a tax collector, a hated group during the time of Christ because they could "add on" taxes for their own personal gain.  Jesus himself called Matthew to join the disciples and Matthew appears on every list of disciples.  He changed his own life and lives of many others; and is considered to be the author of the Gospel According to Matthew.  His shield contains three moneybags to symbolize his occupation before becoming a disciple.

Philip

Philip was the first Christian missionary.  After he was called to discipleship by Jesus, Philip told his friend Nathanael that he had found the one "about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote".  Philip was recorded to have said "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little" in the story of the feeding of the five thousand.  Thus his shield shows two loaves and a cross; bread for feeding of  the five thousand, and cross to describe how Philip faithfully followed Jesus and the way of the cross (not how Philip died).

Simon Peter

Simon Peter, son of John and brother of Andrew, is the most well-known of the twelve original disciples.  Jesus called Simon "rock" from the Aramaic word cephas; and in Greek was petros, or Peter in English.  Peter became the "rock" upon which the early church was built.  Jesus knew Peter's heart even though Peter lacked faith from time to time; he started to sink when Jesus called him to come over the water, and he denied Jesus three times the night Jesus was arrested.  After Jesus' death, Peter became a solid "rock" and never wavered in his faith again.  Peter's shield contains two crossed keys and an inverted (upside down) cross.  The keys refers to Jesus' statement about Peter being entrusted with the "keys of the kingdom of heaven."  The cross illustrates the way Peter died; he was crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy of dying the same way Jesus did.

Simon the Zealot

Very little is know about Simon.  He may have been called "the Zealot" because of his political or religious views.  Jews who wanted to be free of Roman rule were knows as the "Zealots" during the time of Jesus.  Simon was also called "the Cananaean" which was an early name for people who later were called "Zealots."  His shield shows fish and a book; fish because Simon was a "fisher of men", and the book is a symbol of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ which early Christians wrote down on scrolls made of papyrus.

Thomas

Thomas means "twin," but the twin is not known.  Little is known of Thomas except the story of Thomas asking for proof of Jesus' resurrection; this earned him the name "Doubting Thomas."  His shield contains a carpenter's square and spears; the carpenter's square represents the tradition that Thomas went to India and built a church with his own hands; and spears because Thomas was martyred by being stabbed with a spear.