As you know, all the baptized are welcome and invited to partake of this table with us, including baptized children. This is because the Bible says that all of Israel was baptized in the cloud and the sea and ate spiritual food and drink in the wilderness, and those things were written as examples for us (1 Cor. 10:1-11). All of the new Israel, all who have passed through the waters of Christian baptism are invited to partake of this spiritual food. But there is a warning here for all of us: old Israel did not receive the covenant promises in faith and so they were judged. And Paul says that those who do not honor Christ at the Lord’s Supper are judged by God: some get sick and some die (1 Cor. 11:29-33).
So we do not welcome our baptized children to this table because it is cute or because it is entirely safe. As Mr. Beaver said to Lucy, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the king, I tell you.” Jesus says to let the little children come to Him and not to prevent them, and so we want to obey Him in this. But this should never be a flippant or casual thing; it is a joyful thing but not a thoughtless thing. If we are not teaching our children to trust Christ, to know Christ by faith then we are actually asking God to judge us and them.
But the point of the warning is not to erect an electric fence around this table. The point is a repetition of the good news you have heard over and over. There is only way to the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. There is only one safe place for sinners, and that is in the shadow of the cross. So come in faith, come teaching your children to believe. And children, you are invited to trust in Jesus with us.
So come and welcome to Jesus Christ.
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Photo by Anton Darius | @theSollers on Unsplash
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