Majoring In The Minors~

{John 19: 18-30}

The Crucifixion of Jesus*

*If you have never read the about Crucifixion of Jesus, I would recommend that you do. A great place to start if you don't own a Bible is www.biblegateway.com  You can input in the exact scripture you want to read, and it will pull up. To take your own look the Crucifixion of Jesus, a good place to begin is John chapters 18-20. However, the Crucifixion of Jesus is recorded in all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).

I can't believe we have almost made it to the end of the Book of John, and this year in Bible study is almost over! When I take the time to sit here and write a post about what it meant to me, it has caused me to look a little deeper. To think about how the Scripture directly relates to me, and all of us.

This week, when we looked at the Crucifixion of Jesus, it was a heavy topic to digest. A lot to be thankful for. A lot to think about.  There was one minor point (that I had never noticed before)  that got me thinking MAJOR thoughts~

So, of course, I thought I would share.

John 19:19-22

 (New International Version)

"19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:

 JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."

22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

[Italics in the passage above, mine-]

Do you know what I thought when I read the response of Pilate?

{22Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."}

I said to myself, "You have got to be kidding! NOW he takes a stand?!"

Pilate condemned {who he refers to -}an innocent man to die.

He vacillated making a decision about Jesus' life.

{Sent Jesus to Herod for him to decide Jesus' fate,and asks the Jewish rulers for help making this decision, and even the crowd-}

He even had Jesus  flogged first before the Crucifixion because he thought that would appease the Jews, and Jesus would get out of being crucified.

{turned out to be an extra punishment for a man Pilate himself called innocent-}

The man could not make up his mind!

But it was the sign above the cross that he 'stuck to his guns' on.

An insignificant sign!

And Pilate was not budging on this. No way. It was going to be his way- He wasn't changing one word of the sign he designed!

Such a minor thing to be so adamant about...

And then I turned it around on myself.

This is something to learn from:

I can be JUST LIKE Pilate~

I can teach my boys to make their beds so perfectly.

Place the decorative pillows just so~

I can make sure they learn to hang up their coats, and place dirty clothes in the hamper.

I can teach them all about order, and organization...

BUT~

Am I placing just as much attention to the essentials in life?

Am I teaching them to:

 Love God with all their hearts and to make Him a priority?

Be helpful to those around them?

Treat each other with kindness and respect?

Am I Majoring in the Minors?

Certainly, that is not my goal.

The thoughts this week about Pilate  have renewed my heart towards being {even more} diligent in teaching my boys about what is of Major Importance while they are still young.

{-Because time is going by so fast! My nine year old realistically will be eighteen in less than nine years...}

I didn't think I was anything like Pilate. But it turns out that I am.

Ouch.

What are some of the Majors you focus on with your kids?

What are some of the Minors that need to take a step back in importance?

{Next Week's Study: John 19 : 31-42...Which I am thinking may be titled, "Prove It!"}

And a Post Script:

When Jesus said, "IT IS FINISHED.", In Greek, that translates to:

"IT HAS BEEN PAID FOR."

That is such an amazing thought! That means my sins are forgiven as far as the East is to the West~I Love to think about that!

~R.R.S