Luke 18:15-17
“Let the Children Come to Me”
Our Lord Jesus Christ has a special place in his heart for children, and so should we. Not just because they are cute and cuddly – and frankly, they are not always cute and cuddly. Not just because they are miniature versions of ourselves (again, that’s not really a selling point). But, rather, children are the most dependent among us, the most weak, with the most to learn about life. They are used by Jesus as an example and a paragon of faith. He tells us to have “faith like a child” and the “kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”.
And in our reading today, people were bringing little children to Jesus for a blessing. This is far more than a politician kissing babies to earn favor with the soccer moms. This is a very profound and beautiful expression of faith. There is nothing better we can do for our children than to bring them to Jesus for blessing.
We do that, first, formally, at the font. What a wonderful treasure is bestowed in Holy Baptism! And especially for a child, a baby, as helpless and dependent as one can be – there is no clearer picture of the pure grace that God works in our salvation – than to receive such a gift as an infant. He or she does nothing, not a blessed thing, to receive this washing of renewal and regeneration. The child doesn’t ask for it. They don’t bring themselves here. They don’t dress themselves in that fancy gown. They don’t even speak, not even to say an “amen”, and yet they receive the blessing. Baptism now saves you! And it does so quite apart from YOU having anything to do with it.
And far from being an ending, baptism is just the beginning of our life in the faith. When Jesus says, “let the children come to me….” That doesn’t apply only to the gift of baptism, but to the entire life of the Christian. It means we bring our children to Jesus continually, as we raise them in the fear and nurture of the Lord. We teach them to pray. We teach them to sing to the praise of God’s name. We bring them to church. We train them in all manner of righteousness. But not just morality – to love God and love their neighbor. We also teach them the Gospel! We point them to Jesus.
In today’s Gospel Reading from Luke, the Disciples were, well let’s just say it’s not one of their more shining moments. They were trying to keep all these eager parents from bringing children to Jesus. How dare they! We are told Jesus is “indignant” at this. It’s one of the stronger negative reactions we see Jesus having about anything. He says “let the children come to me and DO NOT hinder them!” How dare you! How could you?
I’m sure the disciples had their excuses. Jesus was a busy man, after all. He had places to see and people to heal, demons to cast out, sermons to give. The crowds thronged about him everywhere he went. I’m sure it got a little overwhelming. Maybe the disciples actually meant well – trying to give Jesus a little bit of relief by running block, keeping these people out of his hair. Or maybe they considered, since Jesus was such an important preacher, that he had no time for children, who probably didn’t understand his message anyway. and couldn’t contribute anything to the movement. Whatever their reasons were, we can stand with the perspective of history and, and also seeing Jesus’ own reaction, and clearly see they were being ridiculous. Who would ever keep children from Jesus? Who would ever hinder them?
Friends, permit me a gentle word of exhortation here, for those of you who are not making the most of your opportunities. For those of you who are not bringing your own children to Jesus. Or for those of you who bring them a little, but hinder them from coming even more. If you haven’t availed your children, and yourself for that matter, of the opportunities for Christian Education that are offered at Messiah – consider if you aren’t also hindering the little children?
Do you offer a list of excuses for your choices? And would your excuses hold up any better than those of the disciples?
“My kids can’t sit still that long. We have so much other stuff going on. They already know about Jesus. It’s not fun for them. They complain about it too much. They don’t have any friends there.” Or “we’re just too busy”.
Let the little children come to Jesus, and do not hinder them – by your action or your inaction. Do not hinder them with your excuses, your failures, or even your good intentions. Let the little children come to Jesus. Even if you don’t literally bind the word of God as a sign on your hand and as frontlets before your eyes, do what you can, and reconsider if you can do more to that end.
Maybe it means bringing your kids to Sunday School if they don’t already attend regularly. Perhaps you can even teach Sunday School. Maybe it means establishing a formal time of family devotions, meal prayers, or other healthy spiritual practices in the home. Talk about the sermon with your kids after church. Perhaps you’ll consider our Christian day school for your children. And if you don’t have children or if yours are already grown, how can you support this endeavor for others? By your prayers, your gifts, your time, you actions? Engage in some way or another in the care and nurture of children, and in the endeavor of Christian education. And let the little children come to Jesus.
And while it is always nice to learn, to expand your knowledge and understanding, teaching our children is really more a matter of heart than of head. It’s more teaching them the love of Christ than the head-knowledge of Christ. It’s receiving his gifts, just as those children received the blessing of Jesus when he laid his hands upon them. They probably didn’t understand it, but they received it nonetheless.
And remember, what’s good for the children is also good for the adults. What’s good for our littlest ones is also good for all of God’s children of any age. And just as children need to be instructed in the word, taught the word, and catechized in it, so do we adults, even those of us with formal theology degrees. So let the big kids come to Jesus, too, and learn at his feet like little children.
He’s the only one who can truly bless us, after all. As we read, mark, learn and inwardly digest his word, the blessings continue to flow. As we sit, like Mary, and listen to his teaching, we choose the better part. As we who have been given ears to hear – hear – faith comes and faith is strengthened, by the power of the Spirit.
I would draw your attention to the painting on the cover of today’s bulletin, “Let the little children come to me”. It’s a work by Lucas Cranach, who was close to Martin Luther and produced many other famous works during the Reformation era. This may be the first ever painting of Christ with the children – which is notable in and of itself. But the theology of the painting is also instructive.Jesus is there, at the center, as is fitting. He’s always the center of our attention. He’s receiving this chaotic crowd of children as their mothers bring them to him. One of the children is holding an apple, a symbol for sin, to confess that even children are sinners and need the forgiveness of Christ.
The clothing everyone is wearing is contemporary to the 1500s, which shows, like many such religious pieces, that these Bible truths are applicable to people in every day and age, they are always relevant. Also, Cranach often put Luther into his works, and some have suggested that the child on the bottom right in black, just below the woman in red, is supposed to be Luther as a child. Certainly if Luther can be depicted as a child who needs the blessing of Jesus, then so can each of us.
So come, children, to Jesus, even today. Come and receive the blessing at his continuing invitation. Come to his table, and there receive the forgiveness of sins by his Body and Blood. Come, ever to his house, to his waiting arms of his mercy. Hear his absolution. Listen to his teaching. Grow in his word. Receive his benediction. Let his face shine upon you.
This is Jesus who shed his blood for you, after all, who died for you and lives for you. This is the Jesus in whom you are baptized, into his death, and into his life. This is the Jesus who bids you, even little old you, to come to him as a child, trusting, receiving, always learning and growing. You will find no better teacher. You won’t discover any better content, than Jesus Christ and him crucified.
And so, Christian Education – a broad emphasis, really, as children and adults alike can always be better trained in the word. Surely we fail in many ways. But the Jesus who welcomes children, welcomes sinners, welcomes each of us to himself for blessing. May it ever be so. In His Name, Amen.
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