"Ye are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16).
Our Lord tells us that we are lights which He uses for His glory in this world. What purpose does a light serve?
- A LIGHT ENABLES PEOPLE TO SEE things as they really are. Phillip asked the Eunuch, "Do you understand what you read?" He replied, "How can I except some man should guide me." God enables us to preach, teach, and witness to others that they may "see Christ and believe on Him."
- A LIGHT CAN COMFORT. On a dark and stormy night, have you ever said to your little one, "I will leave the hall light on so that you won't be afraid"? A little encouragement and the presence of another believer can help us through a stormy trial.
- A LIGHT SOMETIMES IS USED TO WARN! Just as a lighthouse warns the ships in the channel of the dangerous places, so a word spoken in due season may keep a brother or sister from serious trouble or an unwise decision.
- A LIGHT DISCOURAGES CRIME. Law officers encourage people to have their houses and yards well lighted, especially in certain neighborhoods, because light discourages evil deeds. When you and I are in the company of worldly people and family and friends who are not believers,by our faith and godly principles, we may be able to keep tile conduct and conversation of the gathering as it should be
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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