March 4 | Luke 9:43b-45
- Pamela Mann
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
To Be Delivered
By Pam Mann
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
Jesus makes this sobering announcement to his colleagues at a time when the crowds exude enthusiasm over His power to heal disease, expel demons, and proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom. These wonders are just what everyone has hoped to see the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus even calls Himself the Son of Man, which is a title for the Messiah, the Christ.
There is, however, a communication problem. The disciples do not understand what Jesus means. Even though, in Luke 9:21, he has already warned them once before of his impending arrest and suffering. In Luke 18:31, Jesus will remind his friends yet a third time of his coming suffering.
Thankfully, Luke was committed to giving a thorough “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) to Theophilus, the first reader of Luke’s gospel. Now, we too can know how diligently Jesus worked to make His people aware of what He had come to accomplish.
On the surface, this pronouncement of Jesus seemed like a grim downer, raining on everyone’s
parade. But what people had seen in amazing miracles and heard in insightful parables would pale in comparison to the power of Christ’s cross. They didn’t know that yet. Even Jesus’ closest disciples did not know yet what would be accomplished in Christ’s death and resurrection. There would no longer be a healing here and a miracle there. Rather there would be in Christ the miracle of new life to every soul who accepts God’s gift of grace. Instead of Jesus’ delivery into the hands of men squelching the enthusiastic growth of God’s kingdom, it was the prelude to the resurrection explosion that would henceforth empower life in Christ! Jesus was delivered into the hands of men that we might be delivered from sin, death, and the power of the devil!
The first disciples had the privilege of living with the incarnate Christ, walking with Him, eating with Him, and witnessing His power at work in their broken lives. We, modern disciples, likewise, have the privilege of living with the resurrected Christ, walking with Him, eating at His table, and witnessing His power at work in our broken lives. Let us consider: What are the hard words of Jesus that we today are not hearing? What is Jesus calmly repeating to us that we are too preoccupied to heed?
PRAYER
Lord, You gave us ears. Let us hear all of what You are saying to us. We say every Sunday Christ will come again. Let us be ready to join You whenever and wherever without fear of delivery into the hands of men. Thank you that You have delivered us! Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAM MANN
I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.
Good questions to ponder