Paul Was A Motivational Speaker

Today we have a lot of MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS in the pulpit.

The reason they are motivational speakers they do not know enough of the Word of God to be a Bible preacher.

But the apostle Paul was a MOTIVATIONAL PREACHER, and we can see that clearly in his writing to the THESSALONIANS.

Illus: Vince Lombardi, the football coach, goes down in the history books as one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest, coach ever.

Why?

Among other things, his team won three consecutive world championships at Green Bay.

Anyone who knows anything about professional football knows this is an incredible achievement.

There has to be a reason for a team to make such an outstanding achievement, and the reason was because of Vince Lombardi.

WHAT MADE HIM SUCH A GREAT COACH?

Lombardi had a very special talent.

WHAT WAS THAT TALENT?

He was able to look inside of a player, and he could see talent in a player that no one else could see, even the player himself.

What made him such a great coach was that once he recognized greatness, he knew exactly how to motivate that player to become what he was capable of becoming.

For example, during a practice session, the Green Bay Packers were not looking good.

Lombardi could see all the many mistakes his team was making. Rather than tackle all the problems, he singled out one big 6-3, 245-pound guard and zeroed in on him.

This is what he said to the guard, “Son, you are a lousy football player. You’re not blocking. You’re not tackling. You’re not putting out. As a matter of fact, it’s all over for you today, go take a shower.”

This big guard, Jerry Kramer did just that.

Now anyone could have done what Lombardi did up to that point.

However, about forty-five minutes later, the great Lombardi walked over to that same player in the locker room.

The guard had his chin on his chest and was a very discouraged football player.

Coach Lombardi said to him, “Son, I told you the truth. You are a lousy football player. You are not blocking. You are not tackling. You are not putting out. However, in all fairness to you, I should have finished the story, Inside of you, son, there is a great football player, and I am going to stick by your side until the great football player inside of you has a chance to come out and assert himself.”

With those words, Jerry Kramer lifted his chin off his chest straightened up and felt encouraged.

He was so encouraged by Coach Lombardi’s words that he went on to be voted the all-time guard of professional football.

That never would have happened had there not been a Vince Lombardi who recognized that talent and then motivated him to become the best he could become.

Coach Lombardi had the ability to inspire his men to use the talent they had.

We are quick to pounce on people when they make a mistake, but real leadership occurs when we go back and:

• Pick them up.

• Brush them off

• And nurse their wounds by speaking words of encouragement.

Later, when Vince Lombardi moved to Washington, everyone wondered how he would be able to control the talented, but undisciplined Sonny Jurgensen.

What kind of strategy would he use to motivate this player become the very best he could become?

This was heavy on the minds of sports’ journalists.

One of the reporters asked about this. This is what Lombardi did.

He called Sonny Juegensen to his side, put his arm around him, and said, “Gentlemen, this is the greatest quarterback to ever step on a football field.”

That year Sonny Jurgensen went on to have his best year ever.

The apostle Paul was the great VINCE LOMBARDI to God’s Church.

For example, the church of Thessalonicca had great potential.

I want to show you how God used Paul to MOTIVATE this church to greater GREATNESS!

He first used…

I. PRAISED

Paul wanted to come and visit them because he knew that the church was facing some tough opposition to the gospel in Thessolonicca.

He was concern about this opposition that some might throw in the towel and quit serving God. And if they did ALL HIS LABOR IN WOULD BE IN VAIN!

He wanted to come personally and see them, but he wrote and told them that “SATAN HAD HINDERED HIM.”

Satan can do this!!!

Illus: Remember he HINDERED Gabriel in the Old Testament for 21 days from carring the message to Daniel.

He hindered Paul, so, He stayed alone and sent Timothy to see how they were doing.

Timothy came back and gave Paul the good news they were STANDING STRONG FOR THE LORD JESUS and WAS NOT BACKING DOWN AT ALL FROM THE OPPOSITION!!!