History Main / SuspiciouslySpecificSermon

* [[http://www.buzzfeed.com/gregorydjohnsen/60-words-and-a-war-without-end-the-untold-story-of-the-most Rep. Barbara Lee got one of these]] when she was deciding how to vote on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Terrorists Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists]] on September 12, 2001. Her instinct was to vote against it as a "[[TheWarOnTerror blank check]]", but she was concerned this might be seen as disunity in a crucial moment. Both houses of Congress were to attend a prayer service at the National Cathedral: the Senate had rushed their vote (for), so they could be there. Lee wasn't planning on going, but changed her mind and caught the last bus. After an unnerving rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", Rev. Nathan Baxter spoke on [[http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/31-15.htm Jeremiah 31:15]], and then prayed for the wisdom "that as we act, we not ''become the evil that we deplore''." [[http://www.radiolab.org/story/60-words/ Lee voted against the Authorization. She was the only Congressperson to do so]].

Compare CoincidentalBroadcast, where a TV broadcast just happens to be related to the plot, and ChekhovsClassroom, where key information is framed in an academic lesson rather than a spiritual one. Could be a literal form of DeusExMachina. See also EasyEvangelism, a common result of this trope (especially when there's a WriterOnBoard). Compare and contrast PreApprovedSermon, where the sermon's relevance is controlled not by [[DeusExMachina the Almighty]] but by another character's influence. Sub-trope of LaserGuidedBroadcast, when the message not necessarily has to be religious.

Compare CoincidentalBroadcast, where a TV broadcast just happens to be related to the plot, and ChekhovsClassroom, where key information is framed in an academic lesson rather than a spiritual one. Could be a literal form of DeusExMachina. See also EasyEvangelism, a common result of this trope (especially when there's a WriterOnBoard). Compare and contrast PreApprovedSermon, where the sermon's relevance is controlled not by [[DeusExMachina the Almighty]] but by another character's influence.

* A pastor keeps preaching sermons directed at one specific member of his congregation, who after the service always comments "Pastor, you sure told them.". One Sunday, only this parishioner shows up, and the pastor takes the opportunity to preach his most pointed sermon ever. After the service, the parishioner says to the pastor "Pastor, you sure told them, if they'd have been here."

And so, my children, go forth, and learn the way of the [[TropesAreNotBad Tropes]], that your works shall be great in the eyes of Man...

* In the first ''Film/TheThiefOfBagdad'', the thief in his early antics overhears an imam preaching about the need to earn happiness. He breaks in to loudly deny it. But later, having realized he is unworthy of the princess he loves, he comes back to the mosque, and the imam repeats the message to send him off on his quest to become worthy.

* While campaigning for president in 2016, UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump made an unscheduled visit to [[https://thinkprogress.org/donald-trump-accidentally-sat-through-a-sermon-about-welcoming-immigrants-175857c57c52/ a Presbyterian church service]] in a small town in Iowa. It so happened that the Scripture reading that Sunday came from the Literature/BookOfCorinthians, saying in the chosen translation that no member of the body can say to another, "[[CatchPhrase You're fired!]]". The pastor's sermon applied this to welcoming Syrian refugees and Mexican migrants, which happened to be notorious points of controversy in Trump's platform. In an interview afterward Trump wryly speculated that the reader may have been trying to tell him something, but in fact the Scriptures came from a lectionary that was arranged several years in advance. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment Make of that whatever you like]].

** the rumors were not without basis in reality, though probably wildly exaggerated. His idea of [[SmackTalk military posturing]] was ummm...interesting to say the least. Though, he wasn't the only one. Some of his opponents apparently took the bait and responded in kind. However, it must be remembered that wars were often long drawn-out and very boring affairs in that time period, and there weren't many other sources of entertainment available. It's probable they did this mostly [[ForTheLulz because it was funny]]. Still, perhaps in some alternate reality...

* Circa 403, John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, preach against extravagance in feminine dress. The Empress Eudoxia said, "Hey, he's talking about me!" and had him deposed and banished to what is nowadays Georgia (not that one, the other one). He died on his way there.
** fyi "Chrysostom" is not his name. It's a nickname that means "golden tongue". Literally everybody loved this guy. His banishment and death may have been the final factor that caused the bloodless coup which put Emperor Justin I on the throne. Many Greek Orthodox churches still celebrate the Holy Saturday mass that John Chrysostom wrote annually.

** the rumors were not without basis in reality, though probably wildly exaggerated. His idea of [[SmackTalk military posturing]] was ummm...interesting to say the least. Though, he wasn't the only one. Some of his opponents apparently took the bait and responded in kind. However, it must be remembered that wars were often long drawn-out and very boring affairs in that time period, and there weren't many other sources of entertainment available. It's probable they did this mostly [[ForTheLolz because it was funny]]. Still, perhaps in some alternate reality...

Here, that gets a bit exaggerated. Not only is the sermon based on something current, it seems to be speaking directly to the important characters attending the service, telling them what to do to continue, start, or end the plot of the episode. As such, religious service directly invokes the power of religion to be true to life, by having the service be directly in line with the plot of the work, and by telling the characters "this is true to ''your'' life".

* While campaigning for president in 2016, UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump [[https://thinkprogress.org/donald-trump-accidentally-sat-through-a-sermon-about-welcoming-immigrants-175857c57c52/ attended a Presbyterian church service]] in a small town in Iowa. It so happened that the Scripture reading that Sunday came from the Literature/BookOfCorinthians, saying in the chosen translation that no member of the body can say to another, "[[CatchPhrase You're fired!]]". The pastor's sermon applied this to welcoming Syrian refugees and Mexican migrants, which happened to be notorious points of controversy in Trump's platform. In an interview afterward Trump wryly speculated that the reader may have been trying to tell him something, but in fact the Scriptures came from a lectionary that was arranged several years in advance. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment Make of that whatever you like]].

* The sermon given by the Vicar in ''Literature/TheMurderAtTheVicarage''.

* [[http://www.buzzfeed.com/gregorydjohnsen/60-words-and-a-war-without-end-the-untold-story-of-the-most Rep. Barbara Lee got one of these]] when she was deciding how to vote on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Terrorists Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists]] on September 12, 2001. Her instinct was to vote against it as a "[[TheWarOnTerror blank check]]", but she was concerned this might be seen as disunity in a crucial moment. Both houses of Congress were to attend a prayer service at the National Cathedral: the Senate had rushed their vote (for), so they could be there. Lee wasn't planning on going, but changed her mind and caught the last bus. Rev. Nathan Baxter spoke on [[http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/31-15.htm Jeremiah 31:15]], and then prayed for the wisdom "that as we act, we not ''become the evil that we deplore''." Lee voted against the Authorization. She was the only Congressperson to do so.

* In ''Film/TheDistinguishedGentleman'', EddieMurphy's ConMan-turned-SleazyPolitician character gets dragged to a Sunday morning service by his girlfriend. The preacher turns out to be a fellow congressman who had earlier made his (well-deserved) disdain for Murphy's ethics perfectly clear. The sermon (which is about living an honest and honorable life) is very obviously directed at Murphy, to the extent that the preacher maintains eye contact with him throughout.

* Shows up a fair amount in ''SeventhHeaven'', as usually the Issue Of The Week([[TradeSnark tm]]) would tie directly into Eric's sermon.

* In every Christian romance novel where one lead (or both!) is not a church goer, they will be talked into going just where the sermon is what they need to turn to God and realize that they're in love with the other party.

* On 22 June 1483, Richard, Duke of York listened to a public sermon by the popular preacher and monk Ralph Shaa (brother of the mayor of London) on the Biblical text "bastard sons shall not take root". It explained that since Edward IV's sons were illegitimate[[note]]By medieval church law they were the issue of a bigamous marriage as Edward had not bothered to dissolve his engagement to another woman when he married their mother Elizabeth Woodville.[[/note]] the Duke was the legitimate heir and should become Richard III.

* A French priest uses scripture to declare that liberation is coming in Film/TheLongestDay, despite the fact that German soldiers are in his audience.

* In the first ''Film/ThiefOfBagdad'', the thief in his early antics overhears an imam preaching about the need to earn happiness. He breaks in to loudly deny it. But later, having realized he is unworthy of the princess he loves, he comes back to the mosque, and the imam repeats the message to send him off on his quest to become worthy.

* A preacher tells his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17." The following Sunday, the preacher asks who read it, with very hand going up. The preacher smiles and says, "Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."

* Another deliberate example: in ''Theatre/{{Doubt}}'', the priest who is suspected of molesting a little boy gives a pointed sermon on the dangers of gossip.

* Parodied in ''{{Preacher}}''; after a night of telling off everyone in the shithole of a town he preached in, Reverend Jesse Custer had to face them the next morning at Mass. Cut to the present day, when he's telling the story:

* Two of these in ''{{Footloose}}'', one early on establishing the town elders' opposition to rock 'n' roll, and the change of heart one near the end of the film.
* ''Franchise/TheWitchesOfEastwick''. As Daryl van Horn is being blown toward the church by a gale-force wind, the sermon being spoken inside is as follows:

* In ''{{Faster}}'', Driver is listening to a radio pastor preach about forgiveness and letting go of vengeance as he drives around murdering the people who have wronged him. Then he goes up to the last guy on his list, and lo and behold, [[spoiler:it turns out that it's the pastor, who knew that Driver escaped from the news reports, and has been preaching directly towards him in hopes that he might change his ways. He does. Sort of.]]

* In ''BoondockSaints'', a monsignor delivers a sermon referencing the Kitty Genovese case, saying "now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men." The brothers [=McManus=], after leaving the church, feel called to action and spend the rest of the movie killing off various heavyweights of Boston's organized crime world.

* In the first ''ThiefOfBagdad'', the thief in his early antics overhears an imam preaching about the need to earn happiness. He breaks in to loudly deny it. But later, having realized he is unworthy of the princess he loves, he comes back to the mosque, and the imam repeats the message to send him off on his quest to become worthy.
* In ''The Distinguished Gentleman'', EddieMurphy's ConMan-turned-SleazyPolitician character gets dragged to a Sunday morning service by his girlfriend. The preacher turns out to be a fellow congressman who had earlier made his (well-deserved) disdain for Murphy's ethics perfectly clear. The sermon (which is about living an honest and honorable life) is very obviously directed at Murphy, to the extent that the preacher maintains eye contact with him throughout.

* ''MisterRoberts''. On VE Day, Mr Roberts is listening to the radio and hears someone giving a speech on the need to destroy destroy the symbols of tyranny and oppression. "You must tear up its roots like a poisoned tree, and cast it from the earth!" Roberts obediently salutes the radio, then throws the beloved palm tree of his tyrannical captain overboard.

* In ''TheHelp'', a sermon saying that bravery is often just having the courage to do what's right inspires Aibileen to help Skeeter with her book.

* In ''TheCanterburyTales'', the Pardoner, a shameless indulgence hawker and StrawHypocrite, mentions how he exploits this trope while preaching about sin in order to single out for castigation various people in the crowd he perceives as having wronged his order in some way, "or worse--wronged me!" without actually naming them. This, as he goes on to explain, is one of the ways he "spits out venom in the guise of holiness" even--or especially--when his victims have every reason and right to be censuring ''him''.

* In ''Literarture/MobyDick,'' Ishmael and Queequeg attend a church service where the sermon is about the book of Jonah, right before leaving on a whaling expedition.