Trinity Sunday, Morning Worship, June 15, 2025
Sermon: “3 Gifts for Presbyterian Men on Father’s Day” by Rob Sheader
Accompanying Scripture: Philippians 2:1-8

3 Gifts for Presbyterian Men on Father’s Day.

by Rob Sheader

KINDNESS SELFLESSNESS TIME

Good morning and welcome to First
Presbyterian Church on this Father’s Day. We welcome you either here in person or at home on-line, to this HOUSE OF GOD.

This is a house where you can come at any time, without an invitation.

A house that will welcome you and value you no matter who you are.

This is a house that has loving eyes that are excited when they see you and sad when they don’t.

A house where warm hearts will embrace and accept you.

This is a house who’s door rejects no one and who’s table serves everyone.

Welcome to this house of God.

Welcome to our house.

Now, the more observant one’s among you might have noticed a “Propensity of Presbyterian Testosterone” up here this morning. I must admit that when Pastor Sandy suggested this idea of spotlighting the work, the gifts and the talents of our Presbyterian men and asked me to deliver the sermon, I was a little uncomfortable with the idea.

As you know I have done this before but that was when we had no Pastor, now she is here and listening, ON FATHERS DAY !

The bible is full of stories about Fathers and fatherly love. Whether it’s the quiet strength and deep faith of Joseph, or the enduring patience of Job, as he undergoes difficult trials, fathers play a key role in our Faith as well as our lives.

Now not all Presbyterian Men are fathers. So, regardless of your family situation, whether single, married, or a father or step-father. We Presbyterian Men have been called by God to share our time, talents, spirit and energies, fulfilling our call to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

So no matter your role here at church, Whether mowing the lawn, or fixing the plumbing, or passing the plate or hanging the paraments, or moving the chairs, or getting us “on-line” we honor you today.

Whether reading scripture, leading worship, performing an offertory or being the acolyte, this too is honorable, and discipleship, work. If you support the church by painting, cleaning, building, fixing, counting, check writing, bid soliciting, planning, scheduling or praying, consider yourself a Presbyterian disciple.

And for those men that take the light of Christ out into the world to demonstrate our most cherished Mission of loving all of our neighbors no matter your skin color, ethnic origin, gender identity, no matter free or incarcerated, this is truly God’s work and we love you for it.

Thank you, Presbyterian Men.

However, for those of us who maybe are not sure how to do God’s work, for the men here today who think “I really don’t do much for the Church, for the Congregation, or for God, I say this.

Your presence is enough. You are enough.

If all you do is turn up, maybe sing the hymns and join in the prayers, that is enough.

However, if you want to take just one more small extra step, if you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone for Jesus, I have 3 gifts.

These are not gifts for you in recognition of the work you do for us, but rather gifts that you can bring to this church, to this neighborhood and to this world.

Gift #1.
Each week, I invite you to look to your left, to your right, there may be someone in pain, someone who needs a kind word, someone who is struggling with their health or their finances. It may well be a visitor that you have not met and for whom a kind word may be like a warm blanket on a cold night.

Before you leave the church, speak to that person.

A kind word to someone you know or don’t know can have a profoundly positive effect on either that person, ……………or you.

You know our Presbyterian Faith is grounded in Scotland where they call this action of taking the time to talk to a fellow Worshipper “the angel unaware”. They even have a blessing for it.

First a little translation

• Their word for Church in the Church of Scotland is “Kirk”.
• Ye is you.
• To “bide a wee” is to stay a while
• To be “cauld and still” is to be cold and unwelcoming.

Be ye our angel unaware, if after Kirk ye bide a wee,
There’s some would like to speak te ye, if after Kirk ye rise and flee,
We all seem cauld and still te ye, but the one that’s in the seat with ye, is stranger here than ye may be.
All here have got their fear and care, add ye your soul unto their prayer, be ye our angel unaware.

I love this concept.

The person in need of an angel, the lonely stranger, is unaware that the angel may be sitting right next to them.

Also, the person engaging the stranger may be unaware that the stranger is the angel.

In HEBREWS 13:2 we see a reference to this:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

A stranger may be someone you just don’t know, have not met or it may be someone that does not look like you or sound like you. It could be someone with a different color skin or someone that has previously expressed objectional opinions on a specific subject. They can be a stranger in physical appearance or in social beliefs.

Approaching that stranger may provide welcome relief and support for the stranger or
for yourself.

So Presbyterian gentlemen, let’s start, on this Father’s day by recognizing that the FIRST GIFT we Presbyterian men can all bring to this body of Christ, is the GIFT OF KINDNESS.

Be kind to those you don’t know as well as those you do know.

Be kind to those who may express social or political views that are objectionable to you.

Be kind to those who you don’t understand, those who are different and seem strange.

Be kind to neighbors and strangers alike, maybe you will be, or maybe that person will be, the angel unaware.

Gift #2.
Maybe one of the most underrated fathers in the bible is Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ. Joseph is an extraordinary example of a righteous man and a loving father figure who
played a critical role in Jesus’ life.

He was a “blue collar” worker, a carpenter and often in the background when bible stories are told.

Joseph demonstrated unwavering faith and responsibility when he learned that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Instead of abandoning her, as would have been socially acceptable, Joseph obeyed the angel’s instructions to take her as his wife.

Not often spoken of after Jesus’ childhood, his strong work ethic and commitment to his family left a lasting legacy in Jesus’ upbringing. Joseph’s role as a present father who protected and nurtured Jesus in His early years highlights the importance of father figures who act with quiet but powerful love and devotion.

He was a selfless man, who can teach us the value of putting others before ourselves.

That selfless approach to fatherhood prepared him to support Jesus as he pursued his dream of
teaching God’s word.

Presbyterian Men can learn a lot from Joseph, but mostly we can thank him for helping us provide our children with ROOTS and WINGS.

Roots hold us firm in the family, they keep us safe as the world changes around us, they remind us who we are and that there is always a place here, at home, for us.

We also teach our children about Wings, for when they are ready to break free of those roots and find their own way in life and be better than they ever believed they could be, knowing that they can always come back to the safety and comfort of their roots.

For these teachings, we say,………….. Thanks Dad.

And that brings me to GIFT #2

All Presbyterian men are not Fathers but all Presbyterian men can demonstrate how to put
the needs of others first.

How to put your own goals and objectives on the back burner while you help someone else
with theirs.

In Philippians 2: verses 3-5 we hear………….
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

Gift # 2 is to demonstrate SELFLESSNESS.

Gift #3
Some of you know my Dad was a fisherman. He was the Captain, or as we say in that industry, the Skipper of a 120 foot trawler with 10 men in the crew. He was typically away at sea for 2 weeks and home for 3 days. I remember when I was on summer break from High School I went to sea with Dad. I spent 2 weeks in rough seas, slept in a small bunk bed and helped on deck where I could without getting in the way. I was sick every day and pretty much hated every minute.

That is apart from my time on the bridge or the wheelhouse. My Dad had created very detailed charts or maps of the ocean floor that he shared with me. He had drawn these charts based on generations of information from multiple skippers. He always said he could drag his net along the side of a sunken shipwreck without getting it torn.

He also kept detailed log books, some of which I still have and in one of them is a fisherman’s prayer that says:
The Lord is my Pilot I shall not drift.
He lights me across the dark waters.
He steers me in deep channels.
He keeps my log, and guides me by the stars of holiness, for his names sake.
Even though I sail mid thunders and tempests
I will dread no danger, for you are with me.
Your love and care shelter me
You prepare a safe harbor before me in the homeland of eternity.
Surely sunlight and starlight will be with me in the voyage I take
And I will rest in the port of my God forever.

When I think back, I am forever grateful for the work that Dad did for our family and proud of the reputation he enjoyed in the industry. But perhaps most of all I will cherish that time he spent with me teaching me about his beloved charts and logs.

I will forever remember THE TIME I spent at sea with Dad.

Time is a precious gift, that we can give to others. Each moment we share reflects God’s love and enhances our relationships, reminding us that our time is not just our own, but something we can share generously.

When we choose to spend time helping and uplifting those around us, we are reflecting the heart of Christ. It’s an encouragement for us to step away from our busy schedules and invest in the lives of others. Our moments become a canvas for love and compassion.

By spending time with others, we show that we care, and that can uplift someone’s spirit more than we realize. Each moment spent in service enhances our connection to one another and strengthens our church, our community and our planet.

Which brings me to Gift #3. Give the gift of time.

When we give our time to those around us, we embody the true spirit of sharing.

Every moment we spend helping others is an opportunity to live out our faith and to be His
light in a world that desperately needs it. Our time becomes a powerful tool in serving those
who are hurting.

So, for Presbyterian men on the Father’s day, the greatest gifts you can bring to this house of God, are:
KINDNESS
SELFLESSNESS
TIME

Thank you, Presbyterian men for all you do to bring your gifts and blessings to this house of God, in which EVERYONE is welcome.

And with that, all God’s people said, ……….Amen.