接納孩子，接納基督

馬可福音10:16 於是【耶穌】抱著小孩子，給他們按手，為他們祝福。

基督接納孩子
為什麼耶穌不抱起有權位的人、或是王、或重要的聖徒？卻是抱起一位無知無識的小孩子。藉此，耶穌表明祂的國是屬小孩子的，它也是孩子的君王，祂願意讓人在孩子中尋找得到祂。藉此，祂在告訴我們：」如果你想知道誰最大，我告訴你：如果你聆聽我，你就是大的，因為我是一切的一切。無論誰接納了我，他就是接納了天父，創造天地的主。是的！同時他也接納了天地。他接納了上帝，和一切從祂而來的天國的禮物和榮耀。

我們接納嬰孩，就是接納基督，和天父
事情是這樣發生的：首先，我們接納了嬰孩基督；然後，藉著祂接納了天父上帝。因為祂說：「你不能常看見我。因此我要把另外的事物放在你眼前，他們與我有同等價值。」 凡為我名接待一個像這小孩子的，就是接待我；凡接待我的，就是接待了父（可9:37）。基督徒和他們的孩子就是我親愛主基督的鏡子。

我們接納基督的孩子
這樣，我為什麼要到遠方，甚至到天上，去尋找基督？我看到在這裡就有許多基督徒和他們的孩子，他們就是我親愛主基督的鏡子，是祂的居所。當我看到他們，我就看到了基督。當我聽到他們，我就聽到了基督。當我給他們水喝，我就給了基督。當我餵養他們，我就餵養了基督。當我給他們衣穿，我就給基督穿衣。在教會裡，我就如同在一個充滿上帝，充滿基督的世界裡一樣。我無論在哪裡看見基督徒孩子，我就看見基督，如果我相信這事。——馬丁路德（WA 47:243）
【摘錄至：馬丁路德的《關於馬太福音的講道（18章至24章）》】

禱告：
主啊，你自己成為天國的嬰孩，要我們接受你，你也接受我們這些天國的嬰孩，求讓你的愛啟明我們的心讓我們以廣大的心互相接待，你就照著你的應許接待我們這些天國單純的嬰孩。奉在馬槽中天父的兒子耶穌基督的名。阿們。

Why does he not embrace some mighty man, or a king, or some great saint? Instead, he takes a little child, who has little understanding, and embraces it. Thus he shows that his kingdom belongs to children, that he, the Lord, is a prince of children, and that he wills to be found among children. By this he meant it means to say, “If you want to know who is the greatest, I will tell you; if you listen to me, you are great, for I am all whoever receives me receives a father the maker of heaven and earth yes in all, and whoever receives me receive the Father, the maker of heaven and earth, with all his heavenly gifts and glory.”

So it happens that we first receive Christ, the baby and then through him the Father in heaven, for he says, “You will not always see me with your physical eyes. Therefore I will set something else before you, which you are to value as equal to me, namely, ‘whoever receives such a child in my name receives me and whoever receives me receives the Father.’ ”

Why, then, should I search far and wide or even run toward heaven to find Christ? I see here so many Christians and their children who are the mirror and welling place of my dear Lord Christ, and when I see them, I see the Christ; when I hear them, I hear Christ; when I give them a drink of water, I give it to Christ; when I feed them, I feed Christ; and the when I clothe them, I clothe Christ; and thus I have in the Christian church the world full of God and for all Christ. Wherever I look and see Christian children, I see Christ, if only I could believe it. (WA 47:243f)