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.

There have been several plots to assassinate prominent people. In the United Kingdom Guy Fawkes night was instigated to remember the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Guy Fawkes and fellow Catholic conspirators attempted, but failed, to blow up Parliament and assassinate King James 1.

There were several unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler, including a famous conspiracy by several people in 1944. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln was actually mortally wounded by a gunshot fired while he was in a theatre in 1865.

Two thousand years ago the Jewish religious leaders conspired to have a divinely appointed king, Jesus Christ, publicly executed on false charges. They hated Jesus for his claims (which they erroneously considered outrageous), and his growing popularity with the people.

At face value they succeeded. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples betrayed Jesus to them for money, and Jesus was captured, tortured and crucified between two criminals.

But the Jewish leaders did not realize that this death of Jesus was all in the plan of God.

For Jesus was:

“…delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”

Acts 2:23

Moreover, Jesus willingly gave his life, as he had said:

“…I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…”

John 10:17-18

The apostle Peter quoted Psalm 2 describing the futility of their scheming:

“Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth set themselves,  and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”

Acts 4:25-26

And later in the Psalm (verse 4) God is described as laughing in heaven and holding them ‘in derision’ for their folly.

God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was not eradicated. Jesus could not be eradicated. And he is now immortal and can never die.

However clever we think we are, and however ingenious our schemes, we can never thwart God. He has a plan for the earth and it will happen.

Whether we are part of that plan depends on our response now.