Hell Is War from Russell Moore on Vimeo.
Speaker: Russell Moore
Sermon Topic: “Hell Is War: The Awful Violence of Wanting”
Texts: Exodus 20:17; James 4:1-3
This sermon was originally preached on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. You can find more sermons and other resources from Dr. Moore at russellmoore.com.
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Why do you think that we want things that we don’t need?
What is the end result of covetousness? In yourself? In your relationships?
What is wrong with wishing to have the things that other people have?
Why are we not more grateful for the things we have been given?
What is the relationship between covetousness and contentment?
Have you ever heard the following quote? “One man has never married, and that’s his hell; another is, and that’s his plague.” (Robert Burton, in The Anatomy of Melancholy) Do you think it is pertinent to the sermon you have just heard?
Does this mean that we should not pray for a job? A spouse? Friends? Possessions?
Why is making a request of God not in conflict with His instruction for us not to covet?
What does this passage of Scripture mean when it says that “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly,”?
Is there something that you currently want? Have you taken it to God in prayer? Will you?
What are the possible ways in which God might answer your prayer?
Are you currently living in a state of contentment? If not, will you repent?
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Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” [ESV]
James 4:1-3 – “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” [ESV]
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“Burning Love”
Lord Almighty,
I feel my temperature rising
Higher higher
It’s burning through to my soul
Girl, girl, girl
You gonna set me on fire
My brain is flaming
I don’t know which way to go
Your kisses lift me higher
Like the sweet song of a choir
You light my morning sky
With burning love
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
I feel my temperature rising
Help me, I’m flaming
I must be a hundred and nine
Burning, burning, burning
And nothing can cool me
I just might turn into smoke
But I feel fine
Cause your kisses lift me higher
Like a sweet song of a choir
And you light my morning sky
With burning love
It’s coming closer
The flames are reaching my body
Please won’t you help me
I feel like I’m slipping away
It’s hard to breath
And my chest is a-heaving
Lord Almighty,
I’m burning a hole where I lay
Cause your kisses lift me higher
Like the sweet song of a choir
You light my morning sky
With burning love
With burning love
Ah, ah, burning love
I’m just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
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“Ring of Fire”
Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
