It has been a turbulent few weeks in UK politics, and many people are critical of the government, saying that it is now ‘in crisis’.

That may well be true. However, given the apparently intractable and unpredictable problems both nationally and internationally, it is doubtful that any government, however well-intentioned, could succeed. Furthermore, many people are disillusioned with the over-ambitious and over-confident claims of politicians which turn out to be mere ‘rhetoric over the door’.

What is going wrong?

Well, in fact, the bad news is really good news. This is because the Bible tells us that God has a plan for the earth. A wonderful plan, when all the problems of this current life will end. Contrary to what many churches teach, this will not be achieved by mass religion or preaching. It is to be achieved by the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to set up God’s kingdom. And nobody will be able successfully to challenge the authority of Almighty God or his ruling king Jesus. God keeps His promises.

But Jesus told his disciples of a time of trouble, before the Son of Man (Jesus himself) came to save people.

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:25-28

Years earlier, the Jewish prophet Daniel had said similar words ( where ‘Michael’ refers to Jesus).

At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3).

There are many such prophecies about a glorious kingdom, but also stark warnings of a time of unprecedented distress beforehand. So the current crises are in fact heralds of the return of Jesus as king.

We need to make sure that we are prepared. We need to be true disciples of Jesus looking for ‘redemption’. We should want our names written in ‘the book’, so that we can be ‘wise’, and given ‘everlasting life’ in the new order of things. If we are like this, then although the current and futureworld problems are extremely distressing, we can ‘raise our heads’ in hope.

No human beings can put things right: we need a divine government. And right now we need to trust in God, not in humanity, find out what He asks us to do, and thus prepare for His kingdom. The ‘bad news’ is a warning to us.

Let us pay serious attention to these things while there is still time.

In the Middle East people are being freed after being held captive during the ravages of war: Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages. This is a cause for celebration. Rays of hope in the morass of despair. Miles away in Poland, Europe, the king of England joined other dignitaries on Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January. It is now 80 years since more than 7,000 people were freed from the horrors of the Auschwitz concentration camp in World War II. While there is an element of celebration in this, it is primarily a remembrance of the massive death toll of that era. Many were liberated but the vast majority had perished.

It is good to reflect, to remember, and to learn from these horrific events.

We are all, however, naturally in a state of captivity leading to inevitable destruction. But we need not despair. Jesus said to some Jews who had believed him:

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

John 8:31-32

And he went on to elaborate:

Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slaveto sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:34-36

We are by nature ‘slaves to sin’. We disobey God all the time. And as a result, we all deserve to die. This is what the Bible calls the ‘law of sin and death’.

But we can be made free ‘in Christ’.

For the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

Those ‘in Christ’, those who have truly believed and committed their lives to following Jesus, have escaped and have a sure hope of eternal life. They are ‘free’.

In relation to these people it is said that:

Jesus Christ …loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.

Revelation 1:5

It is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that can make us truly ‘free’. And Jesus asked his followers to remember this great release and freedom:

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”.

Luke 22:19-20

The death of this lovely man achieved the ultimate freedom. Surely this is the most important death to remember: the ultimate hope and freedom to obtain and celebrate.

The Bible account of Jesus’ birth is, by any stretch of imagination, extraordinary. It was also monumental, because it marked the arrival of the long-promised Christ, Saviour, and future king of the world. While we do not know the reactions of many people, some are described for us.

Prior to the actual birth, Mary and Joseph were surprised by the pregnancy. This is because they both knew that the baby could not be Joseph’s, and Mary knew that she was a virgin (Matthew 1:19-25; Luke 1:26-35).

We also know about somebody who was not only surprised but very angry when he learnt about the actual birth. King Herod was incensed that a ‘king of the Jews’ had been born. He even tried to get the infant Jesus killed by destroying all the young children in the area (Matthew 2:16-17).

He had been alerted by the arrival of wise men, or magi, who had travelled far to see the young Jesus. There is no evidence that they were surprised by the birth. Instead, they seemed to have been expecting it. They had seen ‘his star when it rose’, knew that he was born to be a king, and came with gifts to worship him. King Herod’s chief priests and scribes were also much more aware. They were able to tell Herod and the wise men that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1-12).

Another group of people who were told about the birth were shepherds near Bethlehem. They were excited and then overjoyed with the good news from the angels that a ‘Saviour, Christ the Lord’ had been born; there is no record that they were aghast (Luke 2:8-20).

Other people were well aware of the Old Testament prophecies about the Christ. In the temple, Mary and Joseph met Simeon and Anna, both of whom were expecting this special person to be born around that time (Luke 2:25-38). Indeed, many Jews had wondered whether John the Baptist was the Christ, as they were ‘in expectation’: expectation that Christ would soon come (Luke 3:15). However, they were later confused when arguing about Jesus himself. This was partly because they too were aware that he was to be born in Bethlehem, but assumed that he came from Nazareth (John 7:41-42).

The account of these reactions may be interesting, but is it important? Yes: because there are lessons for us. Jesus has said very clearly that he is coming back and that we should be ready for him (eg Luke 12:35-48). We can only prepare for this by reading the Bible to find its exact message and advice. We do not want to be taken by surprise when Jesus comes. We do not want to deny that it is Jesus. Surely, we want to be like Simeon and Anna who were faithfully waiting and praying for God’s promised Christ to come.