Just Do It

The Gospel of John offers us the message time and time again, “Just do it,” and you will see and believe, “and believing, you will have life in his name.”

I think we would all recognize the Nike ad slogan, “Just do it.” This slogan was first coined in 1988 and is the second-longest-running slogan in ad history, next only to that of De Beers jewelry, “Diamonds are forever.” The origin of this ad has a somewhat dark beginning. Dan Wieden, the founder of the Wieden Kennedy ad agency, came up with the idea for the slogan from the last words of the late Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer. Gary Gilmore’s last words in 1977, while facing a firing squad, were “Let’s do it.” Some ten years later, in 1988, these last words of Gary Gilmore inspired Dan to coin the slogan “Just do it”.

Interestingly enough, the Gospel of John offers us the same message time and time again—“Just do it,” and you will see and believe, “and believing, you will have life in his name.”

Consider the message “just do it” at the wedding in Cana in John 2. In the story, the wedding runs out of wine and Mary, the Lord’s mother, turns to him for help. John 2:3–5 reads, “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him ‘They have no wine’. Jesus saith unto her ‘Woman, what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come?’ His mother saith unto the servants, ‘Whatsoever he saith unto you do it.’” In other words “Don’t worry about what he tells you, ‘Just do it.’”

The Old Testament Jewish holiday of Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah upon Mount Sinai, commemorating God’s marriage of His word with His people. This Jewish holiday is celebrated on the sixth day of the third month, called Sivan. The New Testament Day of Pentecost falls on this same day, the sixth day, marking the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Lord’s disciples. Fifty days following the Passover brings us to Pentecost, so that “The truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).

The Gospel of John likewise takes us on a journey to transform us from the teaching of God’s Word (the Torah), given on the sixth day of the third month to the spirit of understanding: a seven-week journey. A journey from our slavery in Egypt (sin), to Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah (Shavuot), to the liberty of understanding (Pentecost), a journey from servants to friends. Jesus tells them just before his crucifixion, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (John 15:14–15).

“Just do it,” Jesus is telling them. “If you will only do whatsoever I command you, you will come to understand that what I do, I do as a friend. You’ve just got to do it!”

The Gospel of John marries the old covenant cleansing waters of John the Baptist to the fruit of the vine of a new covenant in Jesus Christ, written upon the tablets of our hearts. It’s the transformation from Shavuot to Pentecost. If you will only just do whatsoever he saith unto you. Simple enough advice, but as we will see in the living example of Peter, it is not always easy advice to follow.

In Luke 5, Jesus tells Simon, by the Sea of Galilee, to launch into the deep and let down his nets. “Just do it,” Jesus is saying, “and you will see and believe.” After the miraculous catch, Jesus tells Peter and the others, in essence, “Now leave all these worldly gains behind you and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Just as Elisha had to leave everything behind him to follow Elijah, Jesus is trying to take Peter and the apostles on a journey to follow him—from Shavuot to Pentecost to Jubilee, so they may understand him, follow him and reveal him to the world, as a friend.

By the time we get to the end of John 21, we find Peter’s conversion, like ours, his journey like our journey, LORD willing—from a servant to a friend who understands what his master is doing. From Shavuot (the teaching of the Word) to Pentecost (the Holy Spirit of understanding), to Jubilee (peace in Christ Jesus); so we, like him, might become a new creature, a true friend. He is calling us to leave the former world behind, and become part of the new creation, the new heavens, the new earth, both now and forever.

In John 21, Peter’s conversion is not without some pit stops and detours. Peter is again back by the Sea of Galilee (called in John 21 the Sea of Tiberias), where it all began (Luke 5), where Peter, Andrew, John, and James first started their journey. It is here where Jesus first gave the Sermon on the Mount; here where he fed both the 5000 and the 4000, calmed the sea, walked on water, and brought them safely and instantaneously to shore when they willingly welcomed him into the boat (John 6:20-21). He did all these signs to declare the Father’s name unto them— foreshadowing the transfer of his mantle of authority and responsibility, typifying this new creation they were to continue to advance in his name; and ushering in a new heaven and a new earth; which began with our Lord’s resurrection and ascension.

But they understood none of these signs. During the Lord’s ministry on earth, they refused to believe the Messiah would die, let alone think and understand the significance of their Lord’s physical resurrection. Even after these events, they still struggled with understanding and their role in the Lord’s plan. We find Peter in John 21 dejected by his apparent inability to “just do it.” Peter is confused and uncertain of his future. Embarrassed by his failures, he leaves all behind, returning to his former occupation, empty-handed, with nothing to show for having left all to follow Jesus. As we all know, dejection, confusion, and uncertainty are the enemy’s tools, which sift us to weaken our resolve to continue the journey of transformation. Our Lord’s appearance again by Lake Tiberius is a stark reminder for Peter and the rest of them of where this journey had begun.

“Children,” the Lord said, “do you have any fish?” (v. 5 ESV).

“Have you caught anything?” Jesus is saying. Have your doubts and fears gotten you anywhere? No? Then once again, just do it. “Cast your net upon the water once again and you will see and believe that it is I, and believing, you will have life in my name.”

As Jesus once again provides for them and feeds them by the sea, he then brings Peter back to his calling to follow him, appealing to the one thing Peter had not lost: his love for Jesus. After asking Peter three times, “Lovest thou me?” the Lord responded to Peter’s affirmations with a command: “Feed my sheep” (vv. 15–17)! In other words, just do it!

Perhaps Peter’s failures along this journey, like our failures along our journey, were purposely woven into his tapestry, as God’s way to prepare him to be a good fisher of men and a good, sympathetic shepherd as well. Peter, you must try again. Just do it. Go where I send you. Return to the place of your three denials, your three failures. Try again, return to Jerusalem, see my ascension, receive my mantle, the Holy Spirit. Go where I send you and you will see and understand me as friends understand one another. Abraham so understood God as a friend that he could offer up Isaac, his beloved son. Jonathan so understood David as a friend that he forsook all his earthly inheritance to support him. “Follow me, go where I send you, feed my sheep, complete your journey, and you will understand that I am not simply a hard, austere taskmaster, reaping where I have not first sown. I am a friend, seeking only your best and eternal interest.”

Perhaps, brothers and sisters, this is why a Biblical journey takes us from the Passover offering to both Shavuot and Pentecost, to Jubilee. From the teachings of the words of the Master to the understanding of these teachings, as the words of a friend, written upon the tablets of our hearts, as the mediator of a new covenant.

Without doubt, there will be times along our journey when we face dejection, by our seeming inability to follow him to the cross. There will be times of confusion about why this is happening to you now. There will be times of uncertainty, asking how many times can I fail and yet keep trying? Peter, the sympathetic shepherd, would write to us of this, saying, “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” (1 Peter 4:12).

In these times, when perhaps all that remains of our understanding is our love for our Lord Jesus; when all we have to cling onto is this, we must “just do it,” or as Mary put it, just do “whatsoever he saith unto you.” Brothers and sisters, consider your ways, mark the beginning of every day with self-examination. Acknowledge your failures and receive healing for your sins and exoneration to take up your cross and try again. Do this as Jesus says, “In remembrance of me.” Just do it.

Chris Clark,
Stoughton Ecclesia, MA