There are some times when we find ourselves in the Right Place but with the Wrong People. There are some places that are all right but the people are all wrong. In Some Marriages, we can say, right place but wrong people. The institution of Marriage is a wonderful place to find fulfillment, happiness, joy, and strength. It is a place that is instituted by God and described as holy and undefiled. This is truly a right place to be. Nevertheless, some people have no business getting married. Statistics show that for some this is the Right Place Wrong People. Even the positions we hold on our jobs. Employed is certainly the right place to be in this economy. Jobs provide us the oppurtunity to be successful, to provide for our families and enjoy the great benefits God has for us in this life. Having a job in this economy is a great place to be. However, there are times on our jobs where money out weighs values and the lure of silver and gold draw some away from right and wrong and they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Right Place - Wrong People.
We will most certainly agree that School is the Right place for our children to go. In this educational institutions young people can and should learn how to be productive and positive people who will gain the necessary skills to contribute to society in some meaningful way when their time to step us comes. Nevertheless, there are some that who hangs with the wrong people at school, and rather than walk across a stage in some auditorium to receive a degree, they walk across some courtroom and receive a sentence. Right Place - Wrong People.
Do I need to talk about the church? The Church is no exception to this dilemma. The Church is no exception to this quandary. Right Place Wrong People. Even in the house of God, which is the Right place for every and anyone to come. In this place prayer are being prayed, Zion songs are being song, worship, praise, healing, and the word of God is going forth. There is no better place to find the presence of God and to be in the company of God’s people. However, even in the church, you have to be careful about getting with the wrong people. Oh yea there are some wrong people at the church. They come to this place to get right but for now they are all wrong. Paul knew what he was talking about when he said, "For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil, which I would not, that I do." Even in the church good intentions are evil spoke of and people motives, hidden agendas and even personal desires get in the way of the plan of God. That’s what we are talking about, Right Place Wrong People.
It is important to note that when the wise men were seeking the one born king of the Jews they went to the right place but to the wrong people. Those who are seeking the one born king of the Jews and King of Kings, we must be careful to whom we seek counsel. You can get yourself in trouble going to the right place but to the wrong people.
First, allow me to speak on the right Right Place. If you were looking for the one that was going to be born King of the Jews, the best place and the right place to start looking is Jerusalem. Those two things went together. This city was known as The CITY OF DAVID. David established Jerusalem as the seat of the Jews’ political power. It was there that David brought the Ark of the Covenant representing God presents with God’s people. It was there that the King established his throne among God’s people. Jerusalem was the brains where all political decisions were being made. However, David was not the first to have a great experience in Jerusalem. Perhaps I need to give you a quick Biblical Geographic Lesson. Jerusalem was built on two mountains, Mount Zion and Mount Moriah. Abraham was told to take his son, his only son Isaac up on Mount Moriah. In essence, the final exam for Father Abraham was in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was not only the center of the political power it was also known as the Holy City, and the City of God. Three Religions believe that major and significant events of their faith occurred in Jerusalem; Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Jerusalem is significant to the Jews because it is the place of the temple. There were and are many synagogues but only one temple and that temple is to be located in Jerusalem, representing the earthly meeting spot for God and his people. David writes about Jerusalem in Psalms 122, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:" So if you are looking for the one born to be the King of the Jews, Jerusalem is the Right Place. This is exactly what the wise men did. They came seeking the King of the Jews and they started their search in Jerusalem the Right place.
Although they were in the Right place, they went to the Wrong People. First the started with Herod. Herod was a madman, lunatic, psychopath. Herod was wicked, troubled, and mentally sick man. If I were a psychiatrist, I would diagnose Herod as chronic paranoid schizophrenic. He believed that people were out to get him, take his throne, seize his position or his power. Herod had his treasures stored in the earth rather than storing his treasures in heaven. The wise men were in the Right Place - Wrong People. When Herod heard that the wise men were looking for some future king the text says he was troubled and all of Jerusalem with him. Now I’ve explain why Herod was troubled but why was all Jerusalem troubled with him. Why was all Jerusalem troubled with him? You would think that what troubled Herod should have excited the people. Herod was a bad king who ruled the people with oppression and terrorism. Why were they troubled with him? Because they feared Herod more than they Trusted God. Why do I say that? The only reason the people are troubled when this mad man is troubled is due to the fact they were afraid of the actions of the mad man. For the crimes, that Herod committed against the Jerusalem what troubled him should have excited Jerusalem. When he was mad they should have been glad, when he was rejoicing they should have been mourning, why are they troubled with him, they are afraid of what this mad man may do.
I remember several of my fellow yoke bearers, my co-labors who share both the burden and the joys of the gospel, before the last presidential election saying, "Everyone need to get out and vote, I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, but stay out of the Bushes." But I’m not worried about the Bushes. Because the God I serve can set a Bush on fire without it being consumed in order to get a message to his servant. I’m not worried about the Bushes because the God I serve is able to speak to the Bushes and tell them to hold a Ram in order to spare the life of a servant’s son. No, I am not afraid of the Bushes. Fact of the matter my people come from the bushes. Songs like "I’m so glad, Troubles don’t last Always" came out of the bushes. Songs like "King Jesus is a Listening" came out of the bushes. The answer to Jeremiah’s question, "is there no balm in Gilead" came out of the bushes, "There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole, There is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul." Out of the bushes came prayers like, O’ Lord, we come this morning, Knee-bowed and body bent approaching your throne of mercy the most humble matter we know how to come. O Lord we come praying for our children that they will not suffer the injustices and humiliations we have suffered." No, I’m not afraid of any Bushes, I’m not afraid of any Herods, Simply because I have put my trust in God and I know that he is able to make a way out of no way. He is able to make a mad man behave. Let me simply add this note here:
The other Wrong people is the Chief Priest and the Scribes of the people. They came from the people, they were of the people but they were not for the people. For if they were for the people they would have joined in with the wise men to follow them. They were from the people, they represented the people, and the people were looking for them to show them the way. However, they were not for the People, they did not have the people’s interest at heart nor in mind. They were selfish and only concern about themselves. These are the people that Isaiah said, "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me." (Isaiah 29:13) These are the ones that Jesus would later call hypocrites, and John the Baptist called vipers. They got the righteous part of the Law but the left out the Love thy neighbor part. They often came in conflict with Jesus because they were Experts at Condemning but Inept at Compassion, they were smart concerning the Law but Simple concerning grace. They are what James described in James 1:22, Hearers of the word only. God is looking for Doers of the Word. Herod knew that they were hearers of The Word. Herod knew that they knew the scripture, Herod knew that they knew the Law but he was not fearful of them because he also knew that they had no Spirit, no anointing, and no authority. They knew the Scripture but not the Inspirer of Scripture. They had a head religion but no heart relationship. Religion when it is real it must grow out of the heart, out of the relationship we have with God. There is nothing wrong with the word Religion, although some has tarnished the word. But Religion when it is real it is based upon a relationship with God and a Desire to Please God. Religion gives us the directions and instruction in how to please God. These scribes and chief priests had Religiosity. Which is the outward trappings of Religion. They wore the right clothes, talk the right language, they were found in all the right places. They talked about Advent, Lent, Common season, but their hearts were not in it. James says that Pure Religion is this, "Visit the Fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." Religion when it is real will cause you to pray for those that talk about you, do good to those that do evil to you. Religion when it is real will cause you to feel something sometimes, but is not based upon good feelings, but based upon a good relationship.
Well as I move to my close, when you are in the Right Place among the Right People. The Spirit will Move (I believe that at Greater Mount Moriah the Spirit is moving.) Not in this particular service but among this particular people in this particular place. Jesus described the Spirit to Nicodemus one night as The wind, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going." When the wind is blowing it is time to Hoist up your sail, it is no time to sit down, be quiet and talk about how good God is, it is time to get up, Move Out and Move Up. It time to batten down the hatches, hoist up the sails, and every one grab a row, because God is moving. The story says that the wise men did not follow the instructions of Herod, nor did they follow the advise of the chief priest and scribes, but the continued to follow the Star.
I don’t want to be numbered among the Wrong People. I don’t want to be numbered with the Herods of this world. I don’t want to be numbered with the Jerusalems of this world. I don’t want to be numbered with the Religious Elites of this world. I just want to to be numbered with that number, which no man could number. That number that stood before the throne. That number that stood before the Lamb. That number that was clothed with white robes, and had palms in their hands. I want to be numbered with that number that will be singing, shouting, praising, and dancing. I want to be numbered among that number when all of God’s Children get together. I want to be numbered with the Magi that was seeking and that found Jesus.
