Old Testament: Jeremiah 8:18-9:6
Psalm [8] or 42, 43 * 85, 86
Epistle: Romans 5:12-21
Gospel: John 8:21-32
“Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming — a great commotion from the land of the north to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a lair of jackals. I know, O LORD, that the way of human beings is not in their control, that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps. Correct me, O LORD, but in just measure; not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:22-24 (NRSV)
In colonial Puritan New England major days in community life, like election day, often were marked by a public sermon. The minister would bemoan how far the community had strayed, and he would call all to remember that earlier time, who they had set out to be, and would call them to return to the purity of those origins, promising coming woe if not. This is called a “jeremiad,” named for Jeremiah because it shares both his sense of lamentation, and his fiery condemnation of the community’s sin.
The American jeremiad doesn’t stop with the Puritans. Jeremiads North and South were preached around the Civil War. Jeremiads attended the Great War, and the cold war. Current events have brought the jeremiad back with a vengeance. They are everywhere — television, radio, social media. If I’m honest, I must admit I may have written one or two myself…
It is an easy and satisfying form to adopt. Pack it with nostalgic longing for a world where people and things were better than now, and mourn how things have fallen. Upbraid those responsible for the fall, too, pouring denunciation and invective on all corrupt or stupid enough to turn this country away from our original values and prelapsarian innocence. That’s what jeremiads do.
Jeremiah, as in today’s passage, not so much. Our jeremiads accuse, convict, and damn — our fingers point, and our voices call for punishment less than predicting it. Jeremiah has strong words to say to his countrymen, too. His “thus saith the Lord” lays open corruption, and promises punishment. But Jeremiah includes himself in when he announces the punishment and the flaws. “Truly, this is my punishment, and I must bear it.” God’s wrath is coming, and Jeremiah places himself among the people, not over against them. He is part of them, even if he is the prophet of the Lord. We need to learn to see like Jeremiah does here. We are not separate from those we accuse, whatever the reason. They are not other at all, and as part of our community, or country, or world, we are punished with them, and we cannot be redeemed without them. Our sermons are for them, yes, but no less than they are for ourselves.
Ed Higginbotham
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