Many years ago a young man delivered a sermon in a Welch chapel. After he finished the sermon he remarked to an old gentleman, "What did you think of my sermon? The old man replied, "It was a very poor sermon." "A poor sermon? My friend, it took me a long time to prepare it." "I'm sure that it did," said the old man, "but it was still a poor sermon." "Was my delivery poor, or were my illustrations poorly applied?" "Oh no, said the old man, "your delivery was excellent and your arguments and illustrations were very good." "Then why do you say that I preached a very poor sermon?" The old man paused and slowly said, "THERE WAS NO CHRIST IN YOUR SERMON." The young man replied, "Christ was not the text, we must preach what is in the text." "My young friend, in every text there is a road to Christ. Your business, as a minister of the gospel, is to find that road which leads to Christ and get on it as quickly as you can! For no sermon will do a sinner good if it does not lead him to Christ. The best sermon is that sermon which is fullest of Christ."
I believe that every sermon we preach should contain The Three R's - Ruin by the fall, Redemption by the blood of Christ and Regeneration by the Holy Spirit. If our hearers learn these in their hearts they will not go far wrong on other matters, but if they have not learned these, it will matter very little what else they learn. They will be like those who are "ever learning and never coming to a knowledge of the truth."
"And while the ages roll, I'll keep on praising Him,
And my voice will never tire or grow old;
Any my song shall ever be, praise the Lamb Who died
And I'll sing it while ages shall roll."
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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