Summer is here, and like many of you, I love spending time at the beach occasionally. I’m one of those people who can’t resist collecting beautiful stones during beach walks – each one catches my eye and somehow finds its way into my pockets.
But I’ve noticed something interesting about my stone-collecting habit. What started as picking up one or two beautiful stones has turned into lugging around a collection that’s weighing me down.
Sound familiar? Not just with beach stones, but with life itself? Sometimes, we take on unnecessary burdens, making our lives heavy. Let me tell you a story.
A traveler journeyed along a winding mountain path, his back bent nearly double under an enormous burlap sack filled with stones. Each step was labored; sweat poured down his face, and his breathing came in short, gasping breaths.
He did not have time to stop and smell the roses. The beautiful mountain scenery – blooming wildflowers, singing birds, crystal streams – passed by unnoticed as he focused only on not dropping his heavy burden.
An old sage sitting peacefully by the roadside watched him approach. “Friend, why do you carry such a heavy load?”
The traveler paused, wiping his brow. “These are my stones,” he panted. “This smooth one is my reputation – I must protect it. This jagged one represents what people expect of me. Here’s the stone of my past failures, and this heavy one holds all my worries about tomorrow. This one is my anger at my brother, and this one is my fear of being alone.”
“I see,” the sage nodded. “And who told you that you must carry them all at once?”
The traveler looked puzzled. “Well… no one, I suppose. But they’re mine. I’ve collected them over the course of many years. If I don’t carry them, who will?”
The sage smiled gently. “What if I told you that the mountain path continues just fine whether you carry these stones or not?” (End of the story).
We all have our own collection of stones, don’t we? Some of us have been carrying them so long, we’ve forgotten what it feels like to walk without that weight. We’ve convinced ourselves that these burdens define us – that we are our worries, our failures, our fears, our endless responsibilities. Do you feel sick and tired of the emotional or mental burdens you carry?
But what if there’s another way? What if we don’t have to carry it all?
Two thousand years ago, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a man who was carrying more than stones. He was carrying what the Bible calls ‘Legion’ – not just one burden, but thousands. His load was so heavy, so overwhelming, that he couldn’t even live among other people anymore.
Yet in this encounter, we discover something remarkable about the power of Jesus over every burden we carry—no matter how heavy, how numerous, or how long we’ve been carrying them.
Today, let’s explore how Jesus can free us from our burdens, based on today’s scripture lesson. Let’s begin!
The scripture lesson for today is from the Gospel According to Luke 8:26-39.
[Listen to the Word of the Lord!]
Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.)
30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed.
37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. (Lk 8:26-39).
[Blessed are those who delight in God’s Word. Thanks be to God!]
When we meet this man in Luke’s Gospel, he’s in a desperate place. He’s living among the tombs – not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally dwelling in dead places. The text tells us he had demons, many demons.
Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. (Lk 8:30)
Now, a Roman legion consisted of about 6,000 soldiers. It’s like carrying 6,000 stones, but worse because they are not just stones but demons. Imagine that – 6,000 different forces tearing at this man’s soul, 6,000 different voices screaming in his head, 6,000 different burdens weighing him down.
No wonder it says he was cutting himself with stones. No wonder he was living in isolation. No wonder no chains could hold him – when you’re fighting 6,000 battles inside yourself, external restraints mean nothing.
But here’s what I want you to see: this isn’t just an ancient story about demon possession. This is a story about what happens when life becomes too much to bear. This is about the legion of burdens that many of us carry today.
Your “legion” might not be demons, but it’s just as real. It might be the crushing weight of financial pressure combined with relationship struggles, health concerns, work stress, family dysfunction, past trauma, and future fears.
It might be the voice of perfectionism battling with the voice of inadequacy, while the voice of comparison shouts over the voice of shame. Legion – because there are many.
And just like this man, when we’re carrying too much for too long, we start to isolate. We withdraw from the community. We live in dead places – going through the motions but not really living. We hurt ourselves with unrealistic expectations, destructive habits, and harsh self-criticism.
However, in this story, everything changes when Jesus appears. One word from Him sends 6,000 demons fleeing. One encounter with His authority transforms everything.
The question isn’t whether your problems are real – they are. The question isn’t whether your burdens are heavy – they are. The question is: Are your problems bigger than your Jesus?
This morning, I’d like to share four simple steps to transition from Legion to Liberation, using the word FREE as a mnemonic acronym. Freedom is exactly what Jesus offers.
F – FACE Your Problems
The first step to freedom is facing the truth about what you’re carrying. This man didn’t minimize his condition – he told Jesus exactly how many demons he had. Legion. Many. He was honest about the scope of his struggle.
Too often, we try to manage our overwhelming lives by pretending they’re not overwhelming. We minimize our stress, downplay our struggles, and put on the mask that everything’s fine. But you can’t get help for problems you won’t acknowledge. King David said,
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Ps 32:5).
Take a moment right now and be honest with yourself. What’s your legion? Your worries, anxieties, and fears? Name your stones. Tell God about the legion on your shoulder. Face the reality of what you’re carrying, because the first step to putting it down is admitting how heavy it really is.
Jesus isn’t shocked by the size of your struggles. He wasn’t intimidated by 6,000 demons, and He’s not intimidated by your long list of problems. But He can’t help what you won’t acknowledge.
R – RELEASE Control to Jesus
The second step is the hardest: letting go. This man didn’t try to negotiate with his demons or manage them better. He didn’t ask Jesus for coping strategies or stress management techniques. He released complete control to someone with greater authority. Peter said,
“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Pe 5:7).
This is where most of us get stuck. We’re willing to acknowledge our problems, but we’re not willing to stop managing them. We refuse to cast “all” our anxiety on Christ. We pray about our worries while we continue to worry. We ask God for help while holding on tightly to the very things that are crushing us.
When you release your legion to Jesus, you’re not being irresponsible – you’re being realistic. You’re acknowledging that He has authority over things you don’t. You’re admitting that the Creator of the universe might know better than you how to handle the chaos in your life.
What would it look like for you to actually let go? Maybe it means stopping the endless mental rehearsal of problems you can’t solve. Maybe it means releasing your death grip on outcomes you can’t control. Maybe it means trusting that Jesus can handle your legion even when you can’t see how.
E – EXPERIENCE His Power
Here’s what happened the moment this man released his burden to Jesus: immediate transformation. The text says that when people came to see what had happened, they found him “clothed and in his right mind.” Paul said,
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine …” (Eph 3:20).
Notice, this man didn’t gradually get better over months of therapy, though therapy is good. He didn’t slowly learn to manage his demons more effectively. The power of Jesus created instant, dramatic change.
Where there had been chaos, there was peace. Where there had been torment, there was calm. Where there had been isolation, there was restoration.
Now, I’m not saying that every problem disappears instantly when we turn to Jesus – sometimes the recovery is gradual, sometimes it’s through medical help, counseling, or community support. But I am saying that His power to transform is real, immediate, and complete.
When you truly release your legion to Jesus, you will experience His peace. It might not change your circumstances immediately, but it will change you immediately. You’ll find yourself sleeping better because you’re not carrying tomorrow’s problems today.
You’ll find yourself present in conversations because your mind isn’t spinning with worry. You’ll find yourself capable of joy again because you’re not being crushed under the weight of everything.
The peace of Jesus isn’t just a nice feeling – it’s a supernatural calm that can exist even in the middle of difficult circumstances. It’s the experience of knowing that someone bigger than your problems is in control.
E – EMBRACE Your Freedom
The final step is learning to live as someone who has been set free. This man was so transformed that he wanted to follow Jesus everywhere. But Jesus told him something important: “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.”
When Jesus sets you free from your legion, you don’t become a different person – you become the person you were always meant to be. Free from the weight of trying to control everything. Free from the exhaustion of carrying stones that were never meant for your shoulders. Free to actually live instead of just surviving.
But here’s the thing about freedom – you have to choose to live in it. You have to embrace your new identity as someone who doesn’t carry legion anymore. Paul said,
“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Ga 5:1).
That means you have to resist the temptation to pick up those familiar stones again just because they feel normal.
Your restored identity isn’t based on how well you manage your problems – it’s based on the fact that Jesus has authority over every problem you face. You are not defined by your struggles, your failures, or your fears. You are defined by the One who set you free.
And just like this man, when you’re living in freedom, others will notice. They’ll see the peace in your eyes, the lightness in your step, the joy in your spirit. And they’ll want to know how you got free from your legion too.
Friends, I don’t know what legion you walked in here carrying today. I don’t know how long you’ve been bent under the weight of stones that were never yours to carry. But I know this: your problems are not bigger than your Jesus.
You don’t have to leave here carrying what you came in with. Jesus is setting you FREE and all you need to do is
FACE it honestly,
RELEASE it completely,
EXPERIENCE His power, and
EMBRACE your freedom.
The mountain path continues whether you carry those stones or not. The only question is: Are you ready to put them down?
There we have it. Let’s put what we hear into action and be the doers of the Word. Until we meet again, keep your light shining brighter and broader, harvesting the fruits of profound freedom, felicity, and fulfillment.
Amen!
Bye now!
