The Mountain After the Quake
The sermon explores how God uses sorrow and destruction to bring about renewal and peace in our lives, much like the beauty found in nature after a storm.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the ministry of great sorrow, drawing parallels to the earthquake that ploughs the mountains but ultimately leads to beauty, grace, and God's everlasting peace. He emphasizes that just as God ploughs the mountains to bring forth beauty and freshness, our lives may face jarring sorrows that are part of His greater plan to renew and bring His peace. Through the imagery of mountains being transformed by earthquakes, Cowman encourages the congregation to trust in God's process of healing and restoration even in the midst of trials.
Text
"He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth and his hands make whole" (Job 5:18).
The ministry of a great sorrow.
As we pass beneath the hills which have been shaken by the earthquake and torn by convulsion, we find that periods of perfect repose succeed those of destruction. The pools of calm water lie clear beneath their fallen rocks, the water lilies gleam, and the reeds whisper among the shadows; the village rises again over the forgotten graves, and its church tower, white through the storm twilight, proclaims a renewed appeal to His protection "in whose hand are all the corners of the earth, and the strength of the hills is his also." --Ruskin
God ploughed one day with an earthquake,
And drove His furrows deep!
The huddling plains upstarted,
The hills were all aleap!
But that is the mountains' secret,
Age-hidden in their breast;
"God's peace is everlasting,"
Are the dream-words of their rest.
He made them the haunts of beauty,
The home elect of His grace;
He spreadeth His mornings upon them,
His sunsets light their face.
His winds bring messages to them
Wild storm-news from the main;
They sing it down the valleys
In the love-song of the rain.
They are nurseries for young rivers,
Nests for His flying cloud,
Homesteads for new-born races,
Masterful, free, and proud.
The people of tired cities
Come up to their shrines and pray;
God freshens again within them,
As He passes by all day.
And lo, I have caught their secret!
The beauty deeper than all!
This faith--that life's hard moments,
When the jarring sorrows befall,
Are but God ploughing His mountains;
And those mountains yet shall be
The source of His grace and freshness,
And His peace everlasting to me.
--William C. Gannett
Sermon Outline
- I points: - '{''A'': ''Understanding God''s role in our suffering.'', ''B'': ''The purpose behind painful experiences.''}' - The Nature of Sorrow
- II points: - '{''A'': ''Finding peace after turmoil.'', ''B'': ''The renewal that follows hardship.''}' - The Aftermath of Destruction
- III points: - '{''A'': ''God''s control over all creation.'', ''B'': ''Trusting in His plan during difficult times.''}' - God's Sovereignty
- IV points: - '{''A'': ''Mountains as symbols of God''s grace.'', ''B'': ''Nature reflecting God''s peace.''}' - The Beauty of Creation
- V points: - '{''A'': ''Seeking God in times of trouble.'', ''B'': ''The power of collective prayer.''}' - The Call to Prayer
Key Quotes
“He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth and his hands make whole.” — Charles E. Cowman
“God's peace is everlasting.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Are but God ploughing His mountains; And those mountains yet shall be the source of His grace and freshness.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Reflect on how past hardships have shaped your faith and character.
- Seek moments of peace in nature as reminders of God's grace.
- Engage in prayer during difficult times to invite God's presence and renewal.