Over the past week we’ve seen many images of hostages and prisoners being released in Gaza and Israel, and we’ve witnessed great joy as those who were bound up are now set free.

In the midst of this tragic conflict in the Middle East, we can catch a glimpse of what it means to be redeemed and set free by Jesus.

After all, the idea of redemption is one that has always been connected with slavery and captivity, and it speaks of someone paying a price to allow a person to be set free.

The price of the freedom of the hostages in Gaza was the release of Palestinian prisoners and a short cease fire.

Freedom came at a cost… and that purchased redemption from captivity.

So, when we hear about this release from captivity, it should remind us of the redemption by Jesus through his death on the cross.

This is expressed so wonderfully by the Apostle Peter in his first letter:

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.” (1 Peter 1:18-20)

We needed freedom from the empty life that was unable to save us from captivity to sin.

And so Jesus bought that redemption by the most valuable thing in the universe: his own, precious blood.

As we see the tears of relief and joy on the faces of released captives, let us reflect afresh on our own redemption, and the extraordinary cost that made it possible.

JODIE McNEILL

We get messages all the time, especially via SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp or even the good-old fashioned paper and pen!

Most messages are short, simple, and not very special, like “I’ll be 5 mins late,” or “How are you going?,” or perhaps a string of letters like “LOL,” or “IDK.”

But if you received a message from someone really famous and important, then that text would certainly catch your attention.

In the very last book of the Old Testament, there is a special message from the king of the universe, as Malachi, (which means ‘messenger’,) delivers a special word from God.

It’s a pretty hard-hitting message, and even though it was written in a time and a place that was a long way away, it still brings a current kick to all of us who now follow the Lord Jesus Christ as king.

Over the next four weeks we’re going to look at the whole message of Malachi in the following four parts: 1: Fear the King (1:1-14); 2: Be Faithful to the King (2:1-16); 3: Return to the King (2:17-3:15); and 4: Prepare for the King (3:16-4:6).

When you bring these four messages together, we hear God the King telling us to fear him, be faithful to him, to return to him, and to prepare for him.

We’ll be challenged to follow the king, especially as we’re so easily tempted and distracted by the things of the world, which subtly lead us to drift away from the true and living God.

Above all, it’s a message that originally prepared God’s people for the coming of the true king, Jesus Christ, who came to bring judgement and mercy, and to bring healing in his wings.

As we explore this message, we’ll see more about why Christmas is such good news.

JODIE McNEILL