Submission and Love, God’s Way 

Subject: Submission and Love, God’s Way 

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 1: 1 - 18 

Memory Verses: Colossians 3: 18 & 19 

Objective: To reiterate the fact that the roles of husbands and wives were created by God.

Introduction: In the modern age, the roles of husbands and wives seem to be ever changing and gender equality is being pursued. In the beginning, it was not so, hence the church of God has no such custom.

1.     Despite the new trends being perpetuated by modern society, what command did God give to husbands and wives? Colossians 3: 19 - 20

2.     Although Elkanah could not truly understand Hannah’s anguish, how did he prove that he catered to his wife’s needs? 1 Samuel 1: 1 - 8 

3.     How did Hannah show respect to her husband, even under extremely trying circumstances? 1 Samuel 1: 4 - 7, 15, 16 & 24 - 28 

4.     Contrast the behavior/actions of wives who surrender leadership to their husbands with those who do not. Judges 13: 2 - 14, Esther 5: 9 - 14, Esther 6: 13, Esther 7: 9 - 10, 1 Kings 21: 5 - 7

5.     A husband submits to his wife’s needs not her leadership. How did Eve, in a subtle way, assume the position of leader of the first family, and how did Adam find out the hard way? Genesis 3: 17 - 24

6.     How does the scripture instruct husbands to create and maintain holiness in their marriage? Colossians 3: 19, 1 Peter 3: 7 

7.     What must every wife practice in order to be a part of the righteous kingdom being set up? 1 Peter 3: 1 - 6

Note: God’s family is a structured one. Children submit to parents; wives submit to husbands, who submit to Christ, who submits to His Father. The chain of command goes upwards. A husband is not weak when he shows affection to his wife or seeks her opinion on a matter; neither is a wife diminished in self-worth when she submits to her husband.