In our Lord's great prayer of intercession, he said, “Neither pray I for these alone” (meaning, of course, his apostles and those with him then), “but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20).
He prays for us! This is not in universal prayer for the world of men; for he said in verse 9, “I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me.” The Lord is praying for every believer as if he called our names. We were in his hand and on his heart in that hour of redemption.
He prays for us before we were believers! What an awesome thought! Before his Father's presence, he calls our names and prays for our acceptance even before we walked this earth. Before I knew him, he knew me! Before I loved him, he loved me! And mystery of mysteries, before I fell in Adam, my restoration in Christ was assured!
He prays for us who will believe! Yes, there is no doubt about it; our Lord never prays nor speaks about possibilities, only certainties! “I pray for them which shall believe.” Luke wrote in Acts 13:48, “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” This faith in Christ is certain because it is both the gift of God to us and the work of God in us (Eph. 2:8-10).
He prays for us who shall believe in him through the word preached! Christ, our Lord, is the great and grand object of faith, but the precious promises of his word is the foundation of our faith. We believe that “He is able to perform all that he promised.”
The glorious doctrines of God's free and sovereign grace are revealed throughout our Lord's prayer and are evident in all that he says, but in such a way that it is not the doctrine which is exalted, but the Redeemer! And it is not eternal love which captures our hearts, it is that he loved US eternally, chose us to be his own, and prayed for us.
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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