Journey to Healing: Healing in His Presence

Sermon Quick Summary
All humanity carry wounds; however, Jesus has risen, and He is still healing what is broken. Let’s read John 21:1-14. Imagine being with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you experience the presence of Jesus in love. Healing begins with the safe and compassionate presence of Jesus to restore. Open yourselves to encounter Jesus through a spiritual practice called Imaginative Prayer. Imaginative Prayer is real even if it is unseen. Dr. Howard Thurman, theologian, scholar, and spiritual companion to Dr. Martin Luther King often withdrew into silence. He envisioned himself in the presence of the Eternal Living Christ who offers identity, dignity, and strength vital for those wounded, abused, and disinherited by society. Many of us already use our imaginations in singing, worship and prayer. We use our imagination often for things that have not yet happened. Imagination is powerful; neuroscience backs up this spiritual practice. Don’t worry if Imaginative Prayer doesn’t resonate with you immediately; it takes intentional practice. Let’s go back to the beach, where we left Jesus and the disciples in John 21:14 for a guided Imaginative Prayer experience. Close your eyes. Take a few deep slow breaths. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your imagination. Friends, as we sit with Jesus by the fire on the beach, our prayer becomes more than imagination; it is an encounter, because the risen Lord is alive and with us through His Holy Spirit. Jesus meets us now inviting us to trust Jesus’ healing love with a gaze of love and with delight with Jesus’ quiet presence and peace. Wherever you are, Jesus’ love is enough. Healing begins in Jesus’ presence. Draw near; rest in Jesus’ love; trust Jesus’ work in you.
 
All humanity carry wounds; however, Jesus has risen, and He is still healing what is broken.
              Every person you meet is carrying something you cannot see: a bruise that hasn’t healed, a memory that still stings, a disappointment that lingers, a question that still echoes, “Will I ever feel whole again?” Some wounds are obvious. They can be physical, a broken relationship, or a sharp grief. Others are harder to name: a low ache of sadness, a numbness guarding the heart, an anxiety buzzing under the surface. Whether we realize it or not, we all carry wounds. Some are fresh. Some are scarred over. Some are buried deep. The world around us shows the signs: Depression rates are at an all-time high. Anxiety touches every generation and family. Chronic loneliness is now called a “public health epidemic.” Tragically, many young adults today are struggling so deeply that suicide rates are rising. This is a heartbreaking reminder of how much healing is needed. We live in a hurting world. If we're honest, many of us live with hurting hearts.
              However, here is the good news. Jesus has risen; and He is still healing what is broken. In this message, we begin a journey meeting Jesus afresh, not just of learning about Jesus’ heart to heal. This journey is about His restoring, healing presence. Let’s step into a quiet moment after the resurrection when Jesus met His weary friends on a beach, with kindness, presence, and Jesus’ healing touch.
 
Let’s read John 21:1-14.
     John 21: 1-14 says, “Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened: Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ ‘We’ll come, too,’ they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, ‘Fellows, have you caught any fish?’ ‘No,’ they replied.
              Then he said, ‘Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!’ So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It’s the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.
              The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. ‘Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,’ Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. ‘Now come and have some breakfast!’ Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.
              Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead” (John 21:1-14).

Imagine being with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you experience the presence of Jesus in love.
              We pray to God that we experience that God’s presence is near. It is early morning. The sea air is cool. The sky is just starting to lighten with the first hints of dawn. A handful of tired disciples went back to fishing that they knew well. But despite all their work, their nets were empty. The disciples were exhausted, frustrated, probably still perplexed and uncertain about what Jesus’ resurrection means. The disciples may have even been wondering if the best days are behind them. Then there was a voice from the shore asking, "Friends, have you caught any fish?" They did not yet recognize who the voice is. Then He told them, "Cast your nets on the other side." Instantly, there was a miracle. The nets overflow with fish, just like the first time He called them years ago. John recognized Jesus first and said, "It’s the Lord!" Peter doesn’t hesitate. Peter throws himself into the water, desperate to reach Jesus. When they all got to shore, they found a fire with bread and fish already cooking; bread and fish already cooking, breakfast prepared for them.
              There was no lecture, no scolding, and no demand to talk about their failure or their fear. Rather, there was an invitation to "Come and eat." Can you imagine that? Jesus, the risen Savior, meets His weary and wounded friends in all that has happened with kindness, provision, and grace. Jesus doesn't just offer a miracle. He’s offering something so much more that is Jesus’ very presence of love. It’s here, by a simple fire on a quiet beach that the long work of healing begins, especially for Peter.
     Peter is still carrying the wound and shame of Peter’s betrayal of Jesus. It’s the elephant in the room; in this case we might say the whale on the beach and in Peter’s heart.

Healing begins with the safe and compassionate presence of Jesus to restore.
              We noticed what Jesus didn’t do. Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for going back to fishing. Jesus doesn’t review where they messed up and what they should have and could have done differently.
     Instead, Jesus provided for them and was thoughtful and kind. Jesus also invites the disciples to join Jesus in fellowship. Jesus is present in a personal way.
              We’ll read later how Jesus addresses Peter’s painful past. Notice that Jesus first creates a safe space. Before He speaks a single word about restoration, Jesus sh  ows Peter, "I am still here. I still choose you. I still love you." Healing begins with the safe and compassionate presence and Jesus’ divine power to restore.
              This moment on the beach tells us that Jesus is still on mission. Remember Jesus’ first sermon, long before the cross, when Jesus stood in a synagogue and declared His mission from the scroll of Isaiah. Jesus read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… to proclaim good news to the poor… to bind up the brokenhearted… to bring sight to the blind… to set the oppressed free” (See Luke 4: 14-20). Jesus’ mission didn’t end with the resurrection; it still continues. Jesus meets Peter’s broken heart, not with judgment, but with compassion and healing to restore. Jesus is still in the business of healing.
              Jesus is still restoring hope to the weary, offering new life to the broken, and a healing touch for the heart, mind and body.

Open yourselves to encounter Jesus through a spiritual practice called Imaginative Prayer.
              Just as Jesus met Peter at a fire by the sea that day, Jesus longs to also meet us in a living encounter that we experience knowing about Jesus, a memory or an expression of agreement are not enough. One of the ways we can open ourselves to this encounter is through a spiritual practice called imaginative prayer.
              God created our imaginations as part of how we can know God, not just with our minds, but with all our senses, emotions, and hearts.
              The Bible is full of invitations to engage more than just our intellect; biblical invitations stir our senses, paint vivid pictures, and invite us into holy encounters with our Holy God.
              Psalm 34:8 tells us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 is an invitation to experience God's goodness as vividly as tasting something delicious.
              In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul says, “We are the aroma of Christ to God." This metaphor calls us to imagine a sweet smelling fragrance rising up to the Lord.
              The writer of the 23 Psalm begins with, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Psalm 23:1 paints a rich pastoral scene of comfort, guidance, and provision. We can picture green pastures and hear the gentle babbling of a quiet stream. We exhale as we imagine and experience the Shepherd’s comfort.
              Likewise, the Gospel stories about Jesus’ life, especially the parables, invite us into imaginative worlds of a vineyard, a banquet table, and lost sheep carried home on the shepherd’s shoulders.
              Faith has always been more than facts. Faith involves an invitation into a living, breathing relationship with God who touches every part of who we are and every aspect of our lives. Imaginative Prayer is simply one Spirit-led way of saying yes to that invitation to encounter the living God.
              The spiritual practice of Imaginative Prayer has been around for centuries. Imaginative Prayer often involves entering into a scriptural Gospel scene with all our senses and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our imagination. It invites us to encounter Jesus’ presence in a personal and transformative way because our imaginations can stir our emotions and hearts to experience Jesus, not just read about Jesus.

Imaginative Prayer is real even if it is unseen.
              Imaginative Prayer is not about pretending something is real. It is engaging with the Holy Spirit to experience the truth of Jesus’ love, Jesus’ warmth, Jesus’ compassion, Jesus’ care, even if it is unseen. As we allow our imaginations to be led by the Spirit, we can experience and embrace His love, warmth, compassion, and care because it is true and real.
              Imaginative Prayer invites us to experience truth at a gut level, rather than just an intellectual level.maginative Prayer is real even if it is unseen.
 
Dr. Howard Thurman, theologian, scholar, and spiritual companion to Dr. Martin Luther King often withdrew into silence. He envisioned himself in the presence of the Eternal Living Christ offering identity, dignity, and strength vital for those wounded, abused, and disinherited by society.
              For Dr. Thurman engaging imaginative prayer to encounter Christ and experiencing oneself as a beloved child of God wasn’t just about deepening one’s personal relationship with God. It was also profound empowerment, offering identity, dignity, and strength to withstand the harsh realities of life.

Many of us already use our imaginations in singing, worship, and prayer.
              Without even realizing it, when we sing, we often envision vivid, colorful pictures that match what we are singing. Perhaps we are seeing ourselves before the throne of God, or imagining waves of God’s love washing over us. The words we sing stir images in our hearts that are glimpses of God’s glory, God’s mercy, God’s nearness. It draws us even more closing in on God’s love. This is not make-believe.
              It’s the Holy Spirit awakening our imagination to encounter a reality greater than what we can see. Those who have walked closely with Jesus in prayer often also describe it this way: Imagination is a full-sensory experience where they, not only speak to God, but also sense God’s presence in hearing, seeing, and feeling, glimpses of God’s goodness.
Through our imaginations guided by the Spirit, Imaginative Prayer becomes more than mere words; it becomes a place to experience God.

We use our imagination often for things that have not yet happened.
              When some of us hear the word imagination, we think of fairy tales, fiction, or childish fantasies that is the opposite of reality. However, the truth is we use our imaginations all the time.
              When you worry about a conversation going badly tomorrow, you’re using your imagination. When you rehearse how someone might hurt you or how things might fall apart, that’s imagination. When you picture your next vacation or dream about a new home or promotion, that’s also imagination.

Imagination is powerful; neuroscience backs up this spiritual practice.
              Imagination stirs your emotions. Often our bodies even respond physically with a racing heart, tightened muscles, tears, joy, hope, and fear. These are all from something imagined, but it is felt as real.
    This is where neuroscience backs up spiritual practice. Our brains often respond to imagined experiences as if they are real experiences. Mental activities can stimulate many of the same neural pathways as physical activities.
              When you imagine Jesus touching your shoulder, or imagine Jesus’ gaze of love, your heart and mind begin to respond as if it’s really happening. Spiritually, it is happening. It is the actual work of the Holy Spirit.
              Imaginative prayer is not about “pretending.” It’s about inviting the Spirit of God to guide your God-given imagination. It allows you to experience the real presence of Jesus by faith through the Holy Spirit.
     In his book, Seeing is Believing, Experiencing Jesus through Imaginative Prayer, Pastor Gregory Boyd wrote, “We access spiritual reality through imaginative faith…not because it’s pretend, but because it’s the doorway God has given us to encounter what is real but unseen.”
     In other words, beyond the way our brains are wired, our imaginations are a gift God has given us to connect with God. It’s how God made us. Engaging in imaginative prayer is one of the few practices that allow the truth of God’s Word to move from our heads into our hearts. In our hearts, healing begins, in the safety of Jesus’ healing presence.
     Imaginative Prayer is a powerful spiritual practice that can be literally life changing.

Don’t worry if Imaginative Prayer doesn’t resonate with you immediately; it takes intentional practice.
              When we are intentional, we keep showing up and inviting the Holy Spirit to help us, God will draw near.  We can learn to experience God’s presence more and more.

Let’s go back to the beach, where we left Jesus and the disciples in John 21:14 for a guided Imaginative Prayer experience. Close your eyes. Take a few deep slow breaths. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your imagination.
              It is early morning. The sky is just beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn. You find yourself standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Feel the cool, damp sand beneath your feet. Listen to the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. Smell the salty air mixed with the faint aroma of a fire burning nearby. As you look out over the water, you see a group of men in a boat, casting their nets. They’ve been fishing all night but have caught nothing. Then you notice a man on the shore. He calls out, "Friends, have you caught any fish?" You hear them answer, "No." The man responds, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." They do as He says, and to your shock, the net becomes so full of fish they can barely haul it in. One of the fishermen shouts, "It is the Lord!" Another, upon hearing this, wraps his outer garment around himself and jumps into the water, swimming toward shore. Then you also recognize the man; it is Jesus, and Jesus is resurrected alive! Your heart is beating faster as you wait to see what happens next. As the boat reaches the shore, you watch the men come toward the fire where food is waiting for them. "Bring some of the fish you have just caught,” you hear Jesus say. They bring the fish and sit down.
              Then Jesus looks at you, too, and says "Come and have breakfast." You go over and sit down. Now imagine sitting by the fire with Jesus and the disciples. Feel the warmth of the fire, the aroma of the cooked fish and bread. Sense the presence of Jesus as Jesus serves you breakfast. Look into His eyes. Notice His love and compassion for you. What emotions do you feel? Allow yourself to be fully present in this moment, experiencing the love and care Jesus offers. Just enjoy the moment of being with Jesus. There will be time for conversation later. Just enjoy the warmth of the fire, the warmth of Jesus’ love, and Jesus’ healing presence

Friends, as we sit with Jesus by the fire on the beach, our prayer becomes more than imagination. It is an encounter, because the risen Lord is alive and with us through His Holy Spirit.
              The warmth of Jesus’ presence and the kindness in Jesus’ gaze remind us that the stories of Scripture are not ancient history. Scriptures are living invitations. Just as Jesus met Peter and the other disciples in their weariness that day, Jesus meets us in ours. Let’s return to the scripture one more time and listen closely, because the words Jesus speaks next are words of deep healing and restoration.
              After sharing breakfast with His disciples, John 21:15-17 tells us Jesus turns to Peter and asks three times, “Do you love me?” This mirrors Peter’s three denials of Jesus, the night Jesus was arrested. Each time Peter said, “Yes, Lord, I love you,” Jesus answers with instructing Peter to feed my lambs, tend my sheep, and feed my sheep. This exchange is more than reinstating Peter’s ministry.
              This exchange is a profound act of healing. Jesus doesn’t dwell on Peter’s failures. Jesus focuses on Peter’s love in responding, “Yes, Lord I love you.” Jesus moves Peter from guilt to grace, and from brokenness to restoration. The same Jesus who met Peter that morning by the fire also meets us gently and personally, inviting us to healing.

Jesus meets us now inviting us to trust Jesus’ healing love, and Jesus’ gaze of love and with delight with Jesus’ quiet presence and peace. Wherever you are, Jesus’ love is enough.
              As we rest in His presence today, consider quietly, where is Jesus offering you His healing love? Where might He be gently inviting you to trust His care for your heart? Perhaps today, you didn’t hear an invitation, but you simply felt His gaze of love, His warmth, and His quiet delight in you.
             However Jesus met you today, whether through invitation or simply through love, it is real. It is enough. It is healing. Restoration is a journey. Peter’s path didn’t end on the beach that day. It was the beginning of a life transformed by grace. Likewise for followers of Christ, our journey also continues as we walk with the risen Christ, allowing His love to heal, to guide, and to restore what is wounded.
              As we begin our journey to healing. Jesus has risen. Jesus is still now healing what is broken. Through the gift of His Holy Spirit, Jesus is present, real, and near.
 
Healing begins in Jesus’ presence. Draw near; rest in Jesus’ love; trust Jesus’ work in you.
   Today, we are simply invited to draw near, to be close, and to rest in His healing presence. We should trust that His love has already begun its restoring work, and Jesus will be faithful to complete it.
   The closing invitation is that you are invited to envision being with Jesus on the beach, enjoying Jesus’ company, and feeling Jesus’ love.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FAMILY GROUPS

-What wounds are you carrying, even something that you cannot see? Wounds include physical realities, broken relationships, sharp grief, memory that stings, disappointment that lingers, numbness and hurt of our heart or soul, or anxiety. When and how will you be able to feel whole again?

-In John 21:1-18, how did Jesus meet His weary and wounded friends with kindness, provision, fellowship, and grace with His presence of love in a personal way? In what ways can our healing begin with the safe presence of Jesus with us?

-How can Imaginative Prayer be a spirit-led way of connecting with Jesus’ compassion and healing to restore, not just with our minds, but with all our senses that invite us into holy encounters with God who touches every aspect of our lives?

-How can you apply the writings of Dr. Howard Thurman, Pastor Greg Boyd, and biblical scriptures to encourage you to experience the almighty God and Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit even when God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are unseen?
 

-The same Jesus who met Peter after the resurrection meets us, who are followers of Jesus gently, and personally. As the healing that God does, whether it is physical healing, in relationships with others, or healing to our soul and heart in accordance with God’s Will,  in what ways can Imaginative Prayer help us draw near, rest in Jesus’ love, and trust God’s as God works in you?

-How is Jesus, in His love for you, meeting you now? What are the practical steps and your feelings in an invitation to trust His healing love? What are your feelings from your Imaginative Prayer of a simple gaze of love and delight? What are your feelings from quiet presence and peace in sharing the light of Jesus and the Kingdom of God with the broken world?

-Why do prayer, imagination, and worship go together as responses now for followers of Jesus?