Easter is a season of new life, but it doesn’t mean we leave all our burdens behind. Even after resurrection, we carry wounds, regrets, and struggles—some visible, some hidden deep within. The disciples, especially Peter, knew this well. After the trauma of Jesus’ death and Peter’s own denial, they returned to familiar routines, haunted by what they could not forget. Yet, when Jesus appears, he doesn’t ignore these wounds. He meets Peter in his pain, not to accuse, but to restore. Restoration, though, requires honesty. Jesus names the wounds, walks Peter through them, and in doing so, offers a path to healing.
This journey is not just Peter’s. All of us have places inside we’d rather keep hidden—our “demons,” as the Imagine Dragons song puts it. We fear that if others see our darkness, they’ll turn away. But where the world says, “Don’t get too close,” Jesus draws near. He sits with us in our haunted places, not to shame, but to heal. Grace is not repelled by our struggles; it moves toward us, offering companionship and transformation, not a quick fix. Jesus doesn’t erase our past, but he can transform it, stitching together what was torn, inviting us back into belonging even with our scars.
No one is disqualified from love or purpose because of what they carry. The struggles, regrets, and even mental health battles do not make us less worthy—they make us human. Jesus meets us right there, offering love and presence. Sometimes, we can’t lay down our burdens overnight, but grace can carry us when we cannot carry ourselves.
As a church, we are called to embody this grace for one another. The invitation is to come to the table as you are, without pretense or payment. Communion is not a reward for the worthy, but a gift for the weary. Our community is called to be a place where no one has to hide, where everyone is welcome, and where restoration happens together. In the haunting, there is healing; in the struggle, there is solidarity; and in every shadow, God’s light refuses to let us go.
Key Takeaways
- True restoration begins with honesty. Jesus does not gloss over Peter’s wounds or pretend they don’t exist. Instead, he names them and walks Peter through the pain, showing that healing requires facing our brokenness with courage and truth. Only then can grace begin its work of mending what is torn. [01:35]
- The fear of being “too broken” for love is a lie that isolates us. Many of us hide our struggles, believing that if others saw our darkness, they would turn away. Yet, Jesus steps into those very places, offering presence and acceptance, proving that nothing disqualifies us from love or belonging. [03:35]
- Grace is not a quick fix, but a faithful companion. Jesus does not erase Peter’s past or offer easy answers. Instead, he transforms the pain through relationship, showing us how to carry what feels unbearable and inviting us to return to belonging, scars and all. [05:04]
- Our struggles, including mental health battles, do not make us less worthy—they make us human. The gospel affirms that we are not disqualified by what we carry. Jesus meets us in our humanity, offering love and presence, and calls us to trust that grace will carry us even when we cannot carry ourselves. [06:15]
- The church is called to be a place of radical welcome and honest community. Communion is not a prize for the perfect, but a table for the weary. We are invited to come as we are, without pretense or payment, and to create a space where no one has to hide their struggles, but can find healing and solidarity together. [06:53]
YouTube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Lakes Called Seas: Setting the Scene
[00:32] - Resurrection and Lingering Wounds
[01:06] - The Disciples’ Return to Old Patterns
[01:20] - Peter’s Denial and the Weight of Regret
[01:35] - Jesus’ Restorative Encounter with Peter
[01:50] - Imagine Dragons and Hidden Struggles
[03:02] - The Fear of Being Known
[03:49] - Jesus Steps Into Our Haunted Places
[04:07] - The Reality of Mental Health Struggles
[05:04] - Grace as Companionship, Not a Quick Fix
[05:41] - What Haunts Us: Naming Our Struggles
[06:15] - Worthiness and the Lie of Disqualification
[06:53] - Radical Welcome at the Table
[07:53] - Why We Don’t Collect Before Communion
[09:50] - Stories of Restoration and Community
[10:42] - Grace Stronger Than What Haunts Us
[11:01] - Closing Prayer
