. Why? Among other things, his team won three consecutive world championships at Green Bay. Anyone who knows anything about professional football knows this is a tremendous achievement.
There has to be a reason for a team to make such an outstanding achievement and the reason was because of Vince Lombardi. Lombardi had a very special talent. He was able to look inside of a player. That is, he could see talent in a player that no one else could see. 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 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 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. 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 straightened up and felt a great deal better. 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.
I wonder how many all-time greats are in our church today--that is, in this congregation:
• Perhaps the greatest Sunday school teacher who ever taught a Sunday school class is sitting here with us.
• Perhaps the best deacons in this city are right here with us today.
• Perhaps the teen who could go on to be a great missionary and minister of the gospel is with us today!
All they may need is to have someone recognize their potential and say a few encouraging words to motivate them to become what God would have them become.
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 make 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 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 church in Thessalonica was an outstanding church. There had to be a reason why that church reached the level of greatness it reached. What brought about this greatness? The apostle Paul recognized their potential and motivated them to become what God created them to become.
• The SPORTS WORLD is in desperate need of men today like VINCE LOMBARDI.
• The SPIRITUAL WORLD is in desperate need today of men like PAUL who can look at people and see their potential and then motivate them to become what God intended them to become.
In other words, the church is in need of some builders.
We certainly have enough who go around trying to tear down and destroy lives. The church needs some men and women who know how to build lives.
In 1 Thess. 3:6-13 we see how Paul motivated the Thessalonian Christians to be the best they could become. First...
I. HE ENCOURAGED THEM BY HIS PLEASURE
Look at 1 Thess 3:6-9. We read, “But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.”
Look at verse 9. This speaks of Paul’s JOY.
WHY WAS PAUL JOYFUL?
If you remember, Paul could not go to the Thessalonians.
He said, 1 Thess. 2:18, “...but Satan hindered us.”
However, he was so concerned for them that he sent Timothy to them to find out how they were doing. Timothy went and came back and gave his report to Paul that they were doing great.
Paul was thrilled at that report! That was why he was JOYFUL!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christians would be JOYFUL upon hearing good things about others. So often today, many are joyful when they hear something bad about someone.
Illus: Someone asked Tom Brokaw, “Why doesn’t the network news report good news each evening?” He explained that basically people are negative. They would much rather hear something bad than good. If all they reported was good news very few people would listen.”
Illus:That could be true. If a thousand people got saved in some church it probably would never be mentioned on national news, yet if a gang of evil men entered a church with knives and machine guns and killed a thousand people, that would be front-story news for newspapers across the country.
Why? Because people love to read bad news! Yes, people are basically negative.
• You can go into a barber shop and hear men talking about a church down the street having some trouble and there will be a lively discussion, but if someone talks about God blessing a church and souls coming to Christ, it gets quiet and someone wants to change the conversation.
• I could tell someone that ___________ helped a widow lady by giving her a hundred dollars and it would go in one ear and out the other, but if I tell someone that ___________ stole a hundred dollars from a widow lady, it would get some attention.
Listen, lost people have their NEGATIVE conversations, but we who are saved should leap for joy when we hear that God is blessing someone.
Timothy told Paul that God was blessing the Thessalonians and Paul said, “...when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity”,
(look at verse 9. We read), “For what thanks we can render to God again for you, FOR ALL THE JOY WHEREWITH WE JOY FOR YOUR SAKES BEFORE OUR GOD.”
Why was Paul joyful? For several reasons.
A. FOR THE JOY OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH
Timothy came back with a good report of the Thessalonians and it was an ENCOURAGEMENT to Paul. It brought JOY to him.
In verse 6, Paul describes the news of their faith and love as “good tidings.”
WHY WAS THEIR FAITH AND LOVE FOR GOD CONSIDERED GOOD NEWS?
Because in preceding verses, 1 Thess. 3:3-5, we saw Paul was concerned that Satan might tempt these new converts and draw them away from the will of God.
When Timothy came back and reported they were not backing away from the Lord, but getting closer to God, THIS BROUGHT JOY TO PAUL’S HEART.
We make a big deal, and rightfully so, about a person’s coming to Christ, but we should be EQUALLY JOYFUL when a person CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THE LORD, ESPECIALLY DURING HARD TIMES!
Our joy should not end at the baptistery! Instead, our joy should continue as we see Christians grow in love in their faith in Christ.
Paul was joyful OVER THEIR CHRISTIAN GROWTH.
Also he was joyful...
B. FOR THE MEMORIES
Timothy reported that the Thessalonians had pleasant memories of Paul and his friends and that they longed to be with them.
Often families will sit around and reminisce. As they speak of what happened in years gone by, laughter and joy prevails.
We should sit around and reminisce with our spiritual family.
Did you know that many of our fondest memories revolve around our spiritual family. Some of those memories are:
• Funny.
• Some are sad.
• Some are serious.
• Others are lighthearted.
But we derive joy and encouragement from our memories that are of the times we have had together in Christian fellowship.
Paul not only REJOICED over their CHRISTIAN GROWTH, but also in that they had PLEASANT MEMORIES OF HIM.
Also, there was something else that brought joy to Paul’s life.
C. FOR THE JOY OF SHARING
Look at verse 8. We read, “For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”
Why was Paul so JOYFUL, because he was not living his life, but his life was wrapped up in the Thessalonians.
The Jerusalem Bible translates this verse, “Now we can breathe again.”
That is, he had felt tense, but once he heard the good news that they were doing well, he felt he could relax and breathe easy.
Paul had so shared his life with these people and they were such an integral part of his life that if something happened to them, it happened to him also.
But, Paul said that because he knew they lived, now he also lived.
We are ENCOURAGED BY JOY. God wants to place JOY in our hearts when we hear about how God is blessing others. It is the devil who wants to fill our hearts with jealousy and sadness.
If Paul had not been able to discover JOY IN THE THESSALONIANS, then God could not have used him. And if God could not have used him, the Thessalonians could not have been encouraged through him.
Illus: Some Christians were talking about some of the great Sunday School teachers they had as they grew up. One man spoke up and told how as a young man he had come to know the Lord as His Savior. He told how as a teenager a particular Sunday school teacher played such a major part in his life. He told how he would call his friends during the week and ask them to come to Sunday school with him. He told of how he would pick them up and that sometimes he had a car full of them. Someone asked him, “WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO DO THESE THINGS?” He said, “It is simple, when I walked into that class with all of my friends, I saw that teacher’s JOY in her smile and that made it worth it all.”
Paul found PLEASURE in God’s blessing others. As they saw the pleasure they brought him, it was an encouragement to them to become everything God wanted them to become.
II. HE INTERCEDED FOR THEM IN HIS PRAYERS
Look at verses 9-13. We read, “For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
Notice, Paul shows in these verses what we can do for each other.
Even though Paul could not be with them, he could PRAY FOR THEM.
Isn’t it wonderful how God has made it so we can pray for people who may live thousands of miles away. We can pray for missionaries, thousands of miles away, and their needs can be met as a result of our prayers.
Notice how Paul prayed for them.
A. HE PRAYED THAT THEY MIGHT BE MATURE SPIRITUALLY
That is, Paul prayed that he might be able to supply what was lacking in their faith.
Look at verse 10. We read, “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?”
Illus: Paul wanted to do what we saw Vince Lombardi do--see the inner man and find out what it would take to make them be effective for Christ.
They were new Christians, babes in Christ and they brought great joy to Paul, but every baby has to grow. Christian growth comes through much praying. Paul said, in verse 10, “Night and day praying exceedingly...”
HE PRAYED THAT THEY MIGHT BE MATURE SPIRITUALLY. Also,
B. HE PRAYED THAT THEY MIGHT INCREASE IN LOVE
If you are ever praying and do not know what to pray for, PRAY FOR LOVE.
Why? Because you can never get enough love.
Verse 12 says, “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” Paul made it clear there is no room for hate in a believer’s life.
Napoleon thought he could be great because he founded a kingdom on force. Perhaps it’s worth listening to his words of warning at the end of his life.
Illus: Napoleon said, “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded His empire upon love. And at this hour millions of men would die for him.”
Paul said he was not only praying that the Thessalonians would love him and each other, but that their love would increase that they could love total strangers.
Oh how God could use us if we could increase in love!
C. HE PRAYED THEY MIGHT INCREASE IN STRENGTH
Look at verse 13. We read, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
Illus: The story has been told that there was once a man who had a heart transplant, but the operation was a total failure. It is said that the man was a very mean man. The donor had been a very kind-hearted man. The transplant patient’s body simply rejected the heart of the kind man.
The Bible tells us, however, of a heart transplant that is successful. Ezekiel 11:19-20 says, “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
The strength of the Thessalonian Christians was to come in their being established in the faith. Paul said that God wanted to give people a KIND HEART. We must not reject it. In verse 13 he said, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God...”
Conclusion:
The Green Bay Packers did not become winners for three consecutive years by accident. They became champs because a coach by the name of Vince Lombardi saw talent in the players and knew how to motivate them to become champs.
He taught them they are only strong and at there best when they learn to play as a team.
One of the great lessons we, as a church, need to learn is, if we are going to reach the goal God has set for the church to meet, we also have to learn to cooperate and work together as the body of Christ.
The church in Thessalonica did not become the great church that is was by accident. They became great because the apostle Paul saw the talent that God had instilled in them and they knew exactly how to motivate them to become what God would have them to become.
He accomplished this through two things...
I. HE ENCOURAGED THEM BY HIS PLEASURE
II. HE INTERCEDED FOR THEM IN HIS PRAYERS
