A deputation of priests and Levites were sent from Jerusalem to enquire of John the Baptist as to who he was. They asked, “Art thou Elijah? Are thou that prophet?” Each time John answered, “I am not.”
“Then who are you?” John might have answered, “I am the son of Zacharias, the priest. I am filled with the Spirit from the womb. I am a remarkable man raised up by God and sent to Israel.” But instead he replied, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.”
Men who are truly sent of God seek no glory nor acclaim for themselves, but own that they are at best unprofitable servants. When John referred to himself as “the voice,” he employed the very term the Holy Spirit had used of him 700 years previously (Is. 40:3). A voice is heard and not seen; a voice praises and calls for praise (it is not the object of praise).
And there really is no reason to speak of the qualities and talents of the voice which preaches Christ, for the Lord Jesus will endure long after the voice is silent.
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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