Session 6 | Jeremiah 23:1-12

NEW SHEPHERDS (JER. 23:1-4)

the ways the leaders of Judah had failed to guide the people well.

1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!”
This is the LORD’s declaration.
2 “Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel,
says about the shepherds who tend my people:
You have scattered my flock, banished them, and have not attended to them.
I am about to attend to you because of your evil acts”—
this is the LORD’s declaration.
3 “I will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands
where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land.
They will become fruitful and numerous.”
4 “I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them.
They will no longer be afraid or discouraged, nor will any be missing.”
This is the LORD’s declaration.

LIST:

characteristics of the unfaithful shepherds,

• destroy, scatter
• bannish, unattended (neglected)

characteristics of God’s response to those leaders.

• attend to evil shepherds
• god will gather flock, return them,
• make fruitful, numerous
• raise attentive shepherds
• no fear, no discouragement, none missing

brief discussion about what was going on in Israel and what God was going to do about it.

DISCUSS:

• How is a leader like a shepherd? (p. 55)

the Bible uses shepherds as a metaphor for leadership,
even though shepherding was not a highly respected occupation at that time.
Sheep needed strong leaders
and would stray into danger without the diligence and protection of the shepherd.

Discuss ways we can be careful about the leaders we follow
and how this should challenge us to pay more attention to the leaders we are becoming.

TRANSITION:

The leaders of Judah had failed to shepherd their people well.
They were more worried about their own needs
than the needs of their “flock.”
God called them to accountability and promised to raise up new, faithful shepherds who would lead well.