“Solitude and silence are not self-indulgent exercises for times when an overcrowded soul needs a little time to itself. Rather, they are concrete ways of opening to the presence of God beyond human effort and beyond the human constructs that cannot fully contain the Divine.” (Ruth Barton) Following Easter, Mary Magdalene—though distressed and alone, was able to hear and respond to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Similarly, Jesus regularly withdrew from the crowds to solitary places for prayer, demonstrating complete dependence on the Father 

 Easter – the resurrection of Jesus - is at the heart of the Christian faith. We celebrate it every Sunday: the foundation of the Gospel and the turning point of history. A peak of light and hope. In 1924, a British climber called George Mallory disappeared on the slopes of Mount Everest. He was chasing a dream that had consumed him for years. His frozen body was found in 1999, face down: it isn’t known if he reached the summit or not. His son said: “The only way you conquer Everest is to come back alive. My father didn’t come back”. Jesus didn’t conquer a mountain: he conquered sin and death, our greatest enemies. In conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus used the picture of Moses’s snake on a pole (to which the Israelites could look and live) to describe his coming crucifixion. Taking away the sin of the world, and drawing everyone to him. And then rising to declare forgiveness in the love of God. [John 3 vs 1-21] 

The reality in this passage is better than in The Chosen! Coats on the donkey and on the road. Palm branches on the road and waved high. Shouts of praise ! Noise and dust ! Jesus comes into Jerusalem. What does it all mean ? Who is this Jesus ? What did He come to do ? 

 The book of Judges is hard to read. God’s people obeyed Him until Joshua died. They were supposed to drive out the Canaanites from the land, not to assimilate with them or with their gods or lifestyle, but rather to be a holy witness to the world about God. They failed and failed: time and time again God rebuked them, judged them, then rescued them when they cried out to Him. It wasn’t so much that they forgot about God – there was a sanctuary at Shiloh with the Ark, and a priest; but rather that they ignored Him, copying the people around them. Judges spans around 400 years: there were many generations of this cycle of falling away and God rescuing them. 

 Fasting as a spiritual discipline can be found throughout the Scriptures, ‘though more in the Old Testament. In this passage it is linked with prayer and almsgiving quite naturally. Jesus says “when” rather than “if”, and contrasts the Pharisees, who did everything for human approval (and consequently only received human respect) from what we should do. God sees in secret: including the secrets of our hearts. Looking up to Him for blessing and grace, is the “righteousness” which pleases God. 

 God is, and He is not silent. Out of love for Him, we must listen to what He has to say to us. God made us with bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits: and longs to communicate and have fellowship with His creatures, who bear His image. He made us, knows us, loves us, and is full of grace and compassion. He asks that we love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and spirits. (Matt 10 v 27). And the first duty of love is to listen. 

 Prayer filled Jesus’s life. The disciples noticed, and asked Jesus to teach them all how to pray. Jesus didn’t hesitate, telling them how to approach God as “Abba in the heavens” – their vital relationship. He gives them a model, a template for their prayers: and tells a parable to encourage them. All of us need to be taught to pray, and to give our relationship with our Father in the Heavens a central place in our lives. Although the idea is certainly there in the Old Testament, referring to God as “Father” was not common in Judaism: Jesus said people who come to Him are given power to become children of God: they have intimate and privileged access to God in the Name of Jesus. 

Because of who Jesus is and what He brings, He offers a clear path through the complicated rules people follow. Jesus invites everyone to come to him, have a relationship with Him, and make Him central. He calls people to take on His yoke, which gives rest: this is counter-intuitive: how can a yoke bring rest ? Jesus looks into the peoples’ tired eyes and sees into their souls. 

Jesus calls us to wholehearted devotion—living in relationship with the Father rather than seeking approval from people or material gain. Our righteousness should reflect true transformation, not religious performance. The Father sees, knows, and rewards those who seek Him in secret.

Jesus challenges the scribes and the Pharisees and exposes their hypocrisy as their attitudes and actions were not adding up with their God given authority!