DO IT!
DO IT! “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5)
You know the story.
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Jesus and His disciples attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee (See John 2:1 - 11). #
They ran out of wine.
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The mother of Jesus appealed to Him for help.
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She told the servants at the wedding to “do” whatever Jesus told them to “do”. #
Jesus told them to fill six water pots with water.
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When they”did” Jesus miraculously turned that water into wine.
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John wrote: “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory and his disciples believed on him (Jn. 2:11)
Let’s keep it simple! It wasn’t necessary for those servants to understand “why” Jesus commanded them to fill the water pots. It was necessary, however, for them to “do it”.
LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP
Here is another story with which most are familiar (See Lk. 5:1 - 11). #
Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen.
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They had toiled all night and caught nothing.
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They had washed their nets and were ready to go home and rest. #
Jesus told them to “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught”. #
When they “did” they caught so many fish that their boats began to sink.
Again let’s keep it simple! It wasn’t necessary for these fishermen to understand “why” Jesus commanded them to launch out into the deep, but it was necessary for them to “do it”!
MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS
The “do it” principle is of universal application. Any time Jesus says to “do” something we need to “do it”. It is always wise to obey God! While the disciples of Jesus “did” obey Christ during the years of His earthy ministry, let us fast forward to the commission He gave just before ascending into heaven.
“Then Jesus came unto them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matt. 28:18 - 20).
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Again, it wasn’t necessary for them to understand “why” they were to make disciples of all nations, but it was necessary for them to “do it”.
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For several years, however, they didn’t “do it”. Peter and all the others preached only to Jews (Acts 11:19). This was not what Christ commanded them to “do”.
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Approximately ten years later God gave Peter another chance.
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Peter was on a roof top in Joppa and God gave him a vision (Acts 10:1 - 48). (As a point of interest, Jonah was also at Joppa when he set sail for Tarshish to avoid “doing” what God commanded and preaching to the Ninevites (Jonah 1:3).
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In the vision God gave Peter were all sorts of creatures that Peter considered unclean. Then a voice commanded him to arise, kill, and eat. Then Peter said “surely not Lord” and he refused to “do” what he thought God was commanding him to “do”.
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The vision was repeated three times and each time Peter still refused to “do” what the voice commanded..
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Then the “Spirit” told Peter that God had sent three men and they were downstairs waiting for him. He was to go with them without hesitation. Fortunately he “did it”.
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These men brought Peter to the house of a Gentile centurion named Cornelius.
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That’s when Peter finally “did” what God commanded and preached to the Gentiles. #
When he “did” what God commanded he came to realize that he should not call any man impure or unclean (Acts 10:28). It finally dawned on Peter that God does not want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
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There is a sense in which “doing” comes before “teaching.” The book of Acts begins by pointing out that Luke wrote a former treatise about what Jesus began to “do and teach” (Acts 1:1). The book of Acts, of course, relates what Jesus “continued” to “do” and “teach”. #
Most would prefer to “know” before they “do”, but Jesus put it the other way around. He said: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (Jn. 7:17).
The point is! Whatever Jesus tells you to do, “do it”. Sometimes, as in the case of Peter, if we disobey, or do not understand, God gives us another chance.
PARALYSIS OF ANALYSIS
The theological world is deeply divided over a wide range of issues. For centuries devout believers have debated, election, free will, the work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, baptism, communion, the second coming, and other items too numerous to mention. Someone has coined the expression “paralysis of analysis” to describe those who are so enmeshed in controversy that they don’t “do” anything. “Debating” what is not clear is not as important as “doing” what is clear.
Someone has said: “It’s not what I don’t understand about the Bible that troubles me, it’s what I do understand”.
The purpose of this brief article is to encourage obedience to those Biblical commands that are clear and unmistakable.
When you have a clear understanding of something Jesus wants you to “do” - “do it”!
THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:15, 16).
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Ananias was the man who baptized Paul into Christ (Acts 22:12 - 16). As you know, Paul was originally known as Saul of Tarsus.
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Ananias didn’t want anything to “do” with Saul because of all the harm he had “done “ to the saints in Jerusalem (Acts 9:10 - 19).
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The Lord told Ananias: “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel . . .” (Acts 9:15). #
Ananias could have made excuses, but he didn’t. He “did” what he was commanded to “do”. Obedience to Christ is not an option, it is essential! No one can call Jesus Lord who does not “do” what He commands (Lk. 6:46).
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So, let’s keep it simple! Don’t get tangled up in theological thickets. If Jesus wants you to preach to someone “do it”! Even if that “someone” is a blasphemous sinner like Saul of Tarsus.
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Ananias was not only obedient to Christ, so was Paul. Christ commanded Paul to carry His name before the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel (Acts 9:15). Paul “did it”. He later explained to King Agrippa that he was not disobedient to this heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). We shouldn’t be disobedient either!
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The fact that throughout all of Paul’s Christian life he “did” what Christ told him to “do” is foundational to his tremendous success.
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Perhaps one of the most difficult commands for Paul to obey was to love his enemies (Matt. 5:44).
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Jesus, however, set an example for him and prayed for those who crucified Him saying: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing” (Lk. 23:34). #
With the help of the Holy Spirit Paul “did it”. He loved his enemies so much that he wished himself cursed from Christ if they would be saved (Rom. 9:1 - 5).
GOD LOVES SINNERS
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God didn’t just love the good people of the world, He also loved sinners. Paul said it like this: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
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Mark tells of the encounter of Christ with the rich young ruler. He was a sinner but Jesus still looked at him and “loved him” (Mk. 10:21). This man, as you know, didn’t “do” what Christ commanded him to “do” and went away sorrowful. Did this mean that Jesus didn’t love him anymore?
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Realizing that “God loved the world” and that “Christ died for all” was a compelling
influence in the life of Paul. In fact, it was Christ’s love that compelled him into service (2 Cor. 5:14). Remember! It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). #
Loving sinners was not just for Christ and His Apostles, Paul prayed that all believers would come to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:19).
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John wrote: “This is how we know what love us: Jesus Christ laid own his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 Jn. 3:16).
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He continued: “This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10).
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It is really not our business to determine whom God does or does not love. We are to preach to everyone and leave it up to God whether He loves them or not.
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Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10), and so should we.
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‘Do it!”
JUST BECAUSE GOD LOVES SOMEONE DOESN’T MEAN THEY ARE SAVED
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Again, the theologians sometimes negatively react to the thought that God loves the world. Perhaps they fear that such will foster the false idea that everyone will be saved regardless of how they live. Again, let’s keep it simple! It is our job to preach the Gospel to everyone and let God decide who will and who won’t be saved. Just because God loves someone, however, does not prove that they will be saved on the day of Judgment.
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There is no doubt about this. Note that God loved Israel but not all of the Israelites were permitted to enter the Promised Land, and all the Israelites were not saved by the preaching of the Gospel.
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Yes! God did love Israel! Remember the words of Moses to Israel: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt” (Deut. 7: 7, 8).
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Yet, as you know, most of the adult Hebrews died in the wilderness and only Caleb
and Joshua entered into the Promised Land (Nu. 14:26 - 30).
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Paul made reference to those who died in the wilderness and said they provided an
example for us not to “do” as they “did”(1 Cor. 10:1 - 13).
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God gave Israel the choice between life and death and sadly most of them chose
death (Deut. 30:19, 20).
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Jesus was born an Israelite from the tribe of Judah and the house of David. The fact that God loved the nation of Israel, however, didn’t mean they would receive Jesus. They didn’t! “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive Him” (Jn. 1:11). #
Jesus said: “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if
someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him (Jn. 5:43)
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The Jews chose to save Barabbas and crucify Jesus (Matt. 27:21).
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God especially loved Jerusalem and chose to put his name there. He even required His people to not make sacrifices anywhere else but Jerusalem (Deut. 12:1 - 14; Ps. 122:6)
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This did not mean, however, that everyone in Jerusalem would be saved. Quite to
the contrary. Jesus said: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and
stone those who are sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children
together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing
(Matt. 23:37).
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“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said ‘If you,
even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it
is hidden from your eyes” (Lk. 19:41, 42).
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“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s only Son” (Jn. 3:17, 18). Even though God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it, those who reject Jesus will still be condemned. “Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:44).
DO IT!
Solomon said: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). “Work”, “device”, “knowledge”, and “wisdom” cover a wide variety of human activities. These words encompass jobs, inventions, education, and decisions that will have an eternal impact upon our lives. The point is, if you are dreaming of “doing” anything for the Lord, “do it now” for when you are dead it will be to late.
Jesus told of a rich man who died and went to a place of torment (See Lk. 16:19 - 31). In the midst of his suffering he began to think differently about his priorities. While on earth he was apparently so busy making money that he had no time for his family. Now, however his family meant more to him than money, clothing, or any earthly possession. Therefore he prayed that Lazarus would come back from the dead and witness to his five brethren. Abraham reminded him that they had Moses and the prophets to give them guidance. The rich man apparently knew that his brethren were not interested in spiritual things. He reasoned, however, that if Lazarus came back from the dead, then they would listen to him.
At that point Abraham said: “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose form the dead” (Lk. 16:31).
PLEASE MEDITATE UPON THESE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE!
There is obviously a connection between respect for Moses and the prophets, and our eternal destiny. If the rich man’s brothers had no respect for Moses and the Prophets, neither would they have respect for Jesus even if He rose from the dead.
This leads to the conclusion that there is actually something worse than dying and going to
hell. It is bad to die and go to hell, but it is even worse to take those whom you love with you. No man goes to heaven alone, and no man goes to hell alone. Inevitably, we influence other to “do” what we “do”.
That’s why it is so important to listen carefully to Christ and to “do” what He commands.
Please prayerfully consider these words of Christ: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:21- 29 KJV)
REMEMBER! WHATEVER JESUS SAYS TO DO “DO IT”!
(Written by Boyce Mouton and may be used in whole or in part for the glory of God)