Show Notes
In this ninth week of “Ordinary” (or “Normal”) time, Case explores Jeremiah 23 and its timeless lesson on the nature of true leadership. He reflects on the dangers of neglectful and corrupt leadership, the need for accountability, and the hope and promise of leaders who govern with justice and righteousness.
Nuance’s Formed for Formation is a weekly liturgy to encourage all of us to be faithful to Christ in the public square. Join Case Thorp as he follows the Church calendar through the reading of Scripture, prayer, and short reflections on faith in all facets of public life.
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Episode Transcript
As the summer goes on, life can slow down. We can get to the beach, maybe the mountains, a little vacation, step away from the busy humdrum of life. That’s the intent behind the liturgical calendar for the time of year we are in, this normal time, or known as ordinary time, where we can slow down a bit, look a bit more deeply, and grow. Grow our roots, expand our leaves, and shine in the light of Christ.
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.
Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”
Jeremiah begins with a stern warning to the shepherds, metaphorically representing the leaders, who have failed their people. These leaders have not only neglected their duties, but have actively harmed and scattered their flock. In the context of our elected officials, this serves as a reminder that leadership is a position of profound responsibility. Elected officials are entrusted with the well-being of the people and their actions can significantly impact the lives and the futures of their constituents. God’s message through Jeremiah is clear. Those who fail to lead justly and righteously will be held accountable. This accountability is essential in a just society. Our elected officials must remember that their power is not absolute and that they are accountable to the people they serve. And ultimately, to a higher moral standard.
Corruption, negligence, and abuse of power are serious offenses that can lead to societal harm and must be addressed with the seriousness they deserve. Jeremiah’s prophecy brings hope. God promises to gather his people and appoint shepherds who will genuinely care for them, ensuring they live without fear and insecurity.
For our society, this highlights the importance of striving for righteous leadership, leaders who are wise, just, and compassionate, both inside the church and in our communities. Such leaders inspire trust, and they create an environment where people can thrive. Now the passage culminates with the promise of a righteous branch out of David’s line, a king who will execute justice and righteousness.
Christians understand this as a prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate example of righteous leadership. This reminds us that while human leaders will inevitably fall short, there is a divine standard of leadership embodied in Christ that serves as the ideal. In applying these principles to our current context, we should seek leaders who embody the virtues of justice, wisdom, and compassion as voters and citizens. It’s our responsibility to hold our elected officials accountable, demand integrity, and support those who strive to serve the public good selflessly.
Jeremiah 23 provides a timeless lesson on the nature of true leadership. It reminds me of the dangers of neglectful and corrupt leadership, the need for accountability, and the hope and promise of leaders who govern with justice and righteousness. As we reflect on this passage, let us commit to fostering and supporting leadership that reflects these divine principles in our communities and nations.
Ephesians 2:11-22
So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” –a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands–remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.
So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
Now join me please in a prayer written by George Washington.
I now make it my earnest prayer that God would have you in the state over which you preside in his holy protection. That he would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the field, and finally that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the divine author of our blessed religion and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation.
Psalm 89:20-37
I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;
my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.
I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’
I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm.
I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure.
If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances,
if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges;
but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness.
I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.
His line shall continue forever, and his throne endure before me like the sun.
It shall be established forever like the moon, an enduring witness in the skies.” Selah
