Jesus is Still Kind to Children

Jesus was kind to children. 

When parents with little ones in their arms gathered around Jesus in a Judean house, His disciples immediately sought to shoo them away from their Teacher.

Mark wrote that this “greatly displeased” Jesus, who in turn rebuked the disciples saying, “Let the little children come to Me… for of such is the kingdom of God "(Mk. 10:13–14).

Our Lord then took the children up into his own arms and blessed them. 

Now we recognize that this scene recorded in the Gospels does not contain baptism. Yet it still teaches us something regarding the relationship between Christ and the children of believers. 

This morning you are bringing your children to Jesus, just like those Jewish parents did. You believe that just like yourselves, they too need His saving grace, and that as members of your household, they too belong to Him. 

And so in response to this faith, Jesus does not turn your boys away. Instead, He embraces and blesses them, saying “of such is the kingdom of God.” 

In this sacrament of baptism ordained by Christ, we are provided a sign and seal of this covenant reality, of this saving grace, and we see again, that Jesus is still kind to His children. And Amen.