JUST DO IT NOTES

INTRO

EXECUTION IS WHAT SEPARATES OUR INTENTIONS AND ACTION.

THE MIRROR DOESN’T FIX ANYTHING. WHAT YOU DO AFTER YOU WALK AWAY DOES.

MAIN IDEA

HEARING THE WORD WITHOUT DOING IT IS SELF-DECEPTION DRESSED UP AS SPIRITUALITY.

THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE SPIRITUALLY IS INFORMED, CONVICTED, AND INACTIVE.

1. YOU CANNOT HEAR YOUR WAY TO TRANSFORMATION.

A. THE MIRROR SHOWS YOU WHAT’S POSSIBLE. ACTING ON IT IS WHERE THE BLESSING IS.

James 1:22–24 NLT

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

GOD GAVE YOU THE MIRROR BECAUSE HIS WORD DOESN’T JUST EXPOSE YOU, IT TRANSFORMS YOU WHEN YOU ACT ON IT.

THE WORD OF GOD DOESN’T JUST SHOW YOU WHERE YOU ARE, IT SHOWS YOU WHERE YOU COULD BE.

THE GAP BETWEEN SUNDAY AND MONDAY IS WHERE GOD IS MOST INTERESTED IN MEETING YOU.

B. THE PERSON WHO ACTS ON WHAT THEY HEARD IS THE ONE WHO WALKS IN FREEDOM.

James 1:21 NLT

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

THE PERSON WHO DOES WHAT THEY HEARD DOESN’T CARRY THE WEIGHT OF “I KNOW I SHOULD.”

THE BLESSING IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STEP.

C. GOD ALREADY DECIDED YOU’RE WORTH THE INVESTMENT. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO ACT LIKE IT.

James 4:17 NLT

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

JAMES ISN’T TRYING TO SHAME YOU. HE’S TRYING TO WAKE YOU UP TO WHAT’S ALREADY IN YOU.

HE’S ASKING YOU TO ACT ON WHAT GOD’S ALREADY PUT IN YOU BY HIS SPIRIT.

THE LIFE YOU’RE MEANT TO LIVE IS ALREADY WAITING FOR THE VERSION OF YOU WHO DECIDES TO MOVE.

2. REAL FAITH WORKS VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY.

A. THE KIND OF FAITH GOD SMILES AT HAS SOMEONE’S NAME ATTACHED TO IT.

James 1:27 NLT

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

PURE RELIGION ISN’T ONLY A FEELING YOU GET ON SUNDAY, IT’S THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE ON MONDAY.

THE MOST POWERFUL SERMON YOU’LL EVER PREACH IS THE ONE YOUR NEIGHBOR WATCHES YOU LIVE.

GOD PLACED YOU IN A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD, A SPECIFIC WORKPLACE, A SPECIFIC FAMILY, ON PURPOSE.

B. THE WAY YOU TREAT PEOPLE WHO CAN DO NOTHING FOR YOU REVEALS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR FAITH.

James 2:1–4 NLT

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

JESUS NEVER ASKED WHAT SOMEONE COULD DO FOR HIM BEFORE HE LOVED THEM.

EVERY PERSON WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS IS CARRYING SOMETHING WE CAN’T SEE. LEAD WITH GRACE FIRST.

THE GROUND IS LEVEL AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND THAT’S THE ONLY GROUND THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS.

C. TWO WILDLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. ONE THING IN COMMON. THEY BOTH MOVED.

James 2:21–23 NLT

Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

James 2:25–26 NLT

Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

YOUR PAST DOESN’T DISQUALIFY YOU.

3. THE LIFE GOD HAS FOR YOU IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OBEDIENCE.

James 2:17 NLT

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

PEOPLE AREN’T DRAWN TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE, THEY’RE DRAWN TO HOW YOU LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

JAMES ISN’T SAYING WORKS SAVE YOU. HE’S SAYING WORKS PROVE YOU’VE BEEN SAVED.

THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED MORE CHRISTIANS WHO KNOW MORE. IT NEEDS MORE CHRISTIANS WHO DO MORE WITH WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW.

B. SOMEBODY IS WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR OBEDIENCE.

James 2:15–16 NLT

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

EVERY ACT OF OBEDIENCE HAS A NAME ATTACHED TO IT, SOMEONE GOD IS TRYING TO REACH THROUGH YOU.

WHEN YOU SAY YES TO WHAT GOD IS ASKING, SOMEBODY ELSE GETS TO EXPERIENCE WHAT GOD IS OFFERING.

YOU MAY BE THE ANSWER TO A PRAYER SOMEONE YOU’VE NEVER MET HAS BEEN PRAYING. DON’T MAKE THEM WAIT.

C. THE MOMENT YOU MOVE FROM KNOWING TO DOING, THE WEIGHT IS GONE.

James 1:25 NLT

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

THE SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN YOU IS THE ONE WHO MOVES YOU FROM KNOWING TO DOING.

OBEDIENCE ISN’T THE CAGE. IT’S WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF ONE.

THE “I KNOW I SHOULD” FEELING DISAPPEARS THE MOMENT YOU ACTUALLY DO.

CONCLUSION/CLOSE

THE LIFE YOU WERE MADE FOR IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE THING YOU’VE BEEN WALKING PAST.

CONCLUSION/CLOSE

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NLT

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.