My CYM week 3: the greatest story of all...a changed life

Luke 8

It's amazing to think about the man who was demon possessed in Luke chapter 8. Luke doesn't give how much time he spent in this session, but one can imagine that it was a long time. He spent possibly years tormented and in pain; with no hope in sight. One was a literal prisoner in his own body.

But then Jesus steps onto the scene.

And Jesus frees this man from his prison. But then the man begins the long journey of being freed a from, quite possibly, an equal prison. The prison of reputation. He was well known through out the area. In fact, when the other people saw this man in his right mind it scared them.

A bad reputation is easy to build and hard to change. In fact,most high school student's reputation is formed in the first two weeks of school. And that can feel like a prison.

School has only been in session for 1 week and already some are feeling labeled and imprisoned by a reputation.

But there is freedom. That man was freed from his prison...and the sheer transformation of his soul was enough to transform a city. Look at the woman Jesus encounters at a well. She had a severe reputation in her town. But after she meets Jesus, her story was enough to change the entire area.

If you feel trapped by a reputation in your school, first encounter God. Then live your story in front of others; which is a story of grace. If others doubt your story and try to lay those old labels on you, remember, your story is unfinished!

Live your story and watch those around you be amazed!