Stranded

Yesterday, I dropped the ball. 
I must admit that I am ashamed at my behavior.
I ignored Jesus.I found myself in Lake Manawa at the Kia dealership waiting for my oil change to get done. The TV was on (Ellen) and i decided to fill my mind with something other than talk show garbage. So I turned on my iPOD and began listening to a sermon by Pastor Matt Chandler on the Weight of Pastoring and the Knowledge of Christ.  About halfway through the oil was changed and I headed out (but I kept my headphones on to listen the rest of the sermon in the car – yes, I know I should get one of those things to play your iPOD through the radio or burn the sermon onto disc – but lets move past that) As I came to the turn lane to get onto the Interstate to head back to Sweet Home Omaha, I noticed him.

Jesus.
OK not really Jesus, but let me get to that.  It was a man who stranded.  I knew this because he held a cardboard sign that said “STRANDED: will work of money or help to get home.  Thank you.  God Bless You.”  It even had a cross drawn on it.   He was older, I could tell by the white beard (reminded me of my Dad) and was wearing a Boston Red Sox hat.  He was missing his right eye and his clothes were sufficent but not very nice.  I know this all because I was waiting directly beside him.  For 30-45 seconds this man was no more than 5 feet from my door.  He had three bags at his feet and he was kneeling down and not looking at any cars.  His lips were moving, most likely in prayer or in song.  He was counting on the Lord to provide him with assistance.
Matthew 25:36 tells us that

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  35′For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
37″Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?  38′And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?  39′When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
 40″The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41″Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;  42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
 44″Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45″Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46″These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Here I was: - Sitting in my Kia Sportage - Listening to a SERMON on my iPOD - On my way HOME to my FAMILY - Call myself a CHRISTIAN -  Going to school to become a PASTOR - I sat there the whole time watching him, knowing exactly what I should do, with plenty of time, with no excuses, and yet I DID NOTHING!!!  I pulled away when the light turned green and I drove home.  With every exit I passed my heart cried out to turn around and go back and help him, but I kept on driving.  I just left him there.

I left Jesus stranded.

Under his Red Sox was a crown of thorns…and I left him there.
Under his clothes was a flogged and beaten body… and I left him there.
The weight of the bags like a cross on his shoulders… and I left him there.
Stranded, away from his true home like an alien in a foreign land… and I just left him there.

I left Jesus stranded.

He loved me so much that he came to this earth-died on the cross IN MY PLACE-His death and resurrection conquered death and set me free from the punishment that I DESERVED-I committed my life to following HIM-teaching HIM-worshiping HIM – AND I JUST LEFT HIM THERE!!!!! 

I left Jesus stranded.