June 21st - "God Loves Real Men" - Pastor Dan Baty

Jesus loves real men, not polished men, not imaginary men, not the “I'll get there someday” version. God deals with the real man, not the idealized man. The Lord knows the man as he actually is right here and right now, and the Lord is not waiting for the fantasy version to show up before entering relationship, doing work, or giving purpose.

Peter becomes the patron saint of that truth. Luke 5 shows Peter seeing the gap between who he is and who he wishes he were. The miraculous catch shines a light not only on Jesus’ power, but on Peter’s own sin, and Peter says, “Depart from me, Lord. I’m a sinful man.” Peter wants distance before disappointment. Jesus does the opposite. Jesus steps toward Peter and says, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you’ll be catching men.” Jesus does not deny Peter’s sin or say, “You’re not that bad.” Jesus knows exactly who Peter is, and Jesus is not intimidated.

Peter never becomes a finished product in this life. Philippians’ promise means the good work keeps being perfected until the day of Christ, and that day has not yet arrived. The risen Jesus still makes sure Peter knows he is wanted after the denial. “Tell Peter” means the invitation is still for the man carrying a special weight, the man who cursed and swore that he never knew Jesus.

Jesus knew the Peter who confessed, “You are the Christ,” and Jesus knew the Peter who denied him three times. Jesus also knew the Peter who wept bitterly, because Peter had not only betrayed Jesus, he had betrayed his own love for Jesus. John 21 reaches that wounded place. Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” not to shame Peter, but to heal Peter’s heart. The agape question meets Peter’s humbled phileo answer, and Jesus entrusts him again: “Feed my sheep.”

Real fellowship with the living Christ requires the real self. The joyful self, the sad self, the afraid self, the insecure self, the tired self, the hurting self, even the self that feels like it crushed the day, all belong before him. Ezekiel’s promise of a new heart explains the quiet pull that keeps drawing a man back toward God. God is at work in what is, and God ain’t scared.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God deals with real men God’s fellowship does not wait for a man to become the version he wishes he were. Christ meets the actual father, the actual disciple, the actual tired and unfinished man. That is not permission to hide from truth, but freedom to stop performing before the One who already knows. [62:03]
• 2. Jesus steps toward exposed sin Peter’s confession, “I’m a sinful man,” could have become the reason for distance. Jesus makes it the place of calling. Grace does not pretend the sin is small, but it reveals that Christ is not scared by what the light exposes. [65:12]
• 3. Restoration heals betrayed love Peter’s bitter tears show that his denial wounded more than his reputation. Peter had betrayed his own love for Jesus, and Jesus speaks directly to that ache. Restoration becomes deeply personal, not because failure is ignored, but because love is healed where shame had settled. [71:35]
• 4. Honest love can be entrusted Peter no longer boasts a level of commitment he cannot carry. Peter answers with the love he can honestly name, and Jesus meets him there. Christ entrusts work to a humbled man whose love is truthful rather than inflated. [74:43]
• 5. The new heart keeps pulling Ezekiel’s promise means the longing for God is not self-manufactured. The new heart nudges, softens, draws back, and whispers truth when old habits shout lies. That quiet pull is evidence that God is still at work in what is, not merely in what might someday be.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [54:43] - Father’s Day Gratitude and Worship
• [58:33] - Prayer for God’s Goodness
• [61:03] - Jesus Loves Real Men
• [63:40] - Peter and the Gap
• [64:20] - Depart From Me, Lord
• [65:12] - Jesus Steps Toward Peter
• [67:21] - Still Works in Progress
• [68:43] - Tell Peter He Is Wanted
• [71:48] - Jesus Heals Peter’s Heart
• [74:06] - Agape, Phileo, and Honest Love
• [76:34] - Bring Him the Real You
• [79:34] - The Quiet Pull of a New Heart
• [82:29] - Thank God for His Work

Bible Reading

Luke 5:1-11
“And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” [01:04:20]

Observation questions

1. In Luke 5, what details in the story show both Jesus’ power and Peter’s sudden awareness of his own sin?
2. What exactly does Peter say when he sees the miraculous catch, and what does Jesus say back to him instead of sending him away? [01:05:12]
3. What repeated ideas show that Jesus deals with the man Peter actually is, not the version Peter wishes he were? [01:02:03]
4. What are some of the “real you” examples that belong before Christ in honest fellowship with him? [01:17:41]

Interpretation questions

1. Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Why does exposed sin so often make a person want distance from Jesus before disappointment can come? [01:05:08]
2. Jesus does not tell Peter, “You’re not that bad.” He says, “Do not be afraid.” What does that reveal about the way grace meets a person in truth rather than denial? [01:06:25]
3. Jesus knew Peter would both confess him boldly and deny him painfully. How does that shape the way a person understands being known fully and still wanted by Christ? [01:09:51]
4. In John 21, Peter answers with the love he can honestly name, and Jesus still entrusts him with work. What does that suggest about the kind of honesty Christ is looking for in his people? [01:15:13]

Application questions

1. Where is the biggest gap right now between who you are and who you wish you were? How does that gap usually affect the way you come to Jesus? [01:03:57]
2. When you become freshly aware of sin, weakness, failure, or inconsistency, do you tend to draw near to Christ or pull back from him? What does that pattern reveal? [01:06:41]
3. Is there any failure, old shame, or recent compromise that has made you quietly assume the invitation is probably for others but not really for you? What would it look like to hear “and tell Peter” personally? [01:09:13]
4. Peter wept because he had not only failed badly, but had betrayed his own love for Jesus. Has there been a moment when your sin grieved you for that reason? What happened in your heart? [01:11:35]
5. Jesus invites the real self into fellowship: the joyful self, the sad self, the afraid self, the insecure self, the tired self, the hurting self. Which version of yourself do you most often keep back from him? Why? [01:17:21]
6. Peter stopped pretending to have a level of strength he could not carry. Where might honest love need to replace exaggerated promises in your walk with Christ right now? [01:14:56]
7. The new heart keeps pulling a person back toward God even on scattered days. Where have you noticed that quiet pull lately, and how might you respond to it instead of ignoring it? [01:20:12]