Teaching Notes: On Submission

Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.

Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.

These teaching notes are from a series of studies about Submission.

[Podcast version available at the end of this post.]

[These notes are from a study presented more than 40 years ago.]

Submission

hupeiko .. “to surrender” .. Hebrews 13:17

hupotasso .. “to be put under, to obey, to be subject to, to subordinate”

• Romans 10:3
• 1 Corinthians 16:16
• Ephesians 5:21-22
• Colossians 3:18
• James 4:7
• 1 Peter 2:13; 5:5

(Have class read 1 Peter 2:13-19, then discuss the following case studies)

Study 1

You are a municipal judge and unbeliever. A Christian is brought into your court accused of disturbing the peace. He is convicted. As an unbeliever how does this incident affect your thinking about Christians and Christianity?

Study 2

You are a police officer and unbeliever. You pull a car over for speeding more than 12 miles over the speed limit in a neighborhood. The driver of the car says he is going to church and is running a little late. Since the road was clear he thought there would be no harm in going a little over the speed limit. How would you react to his attitude? What would you do?

Study 3

You are a Christian. In your city it is mandatory that young school children be bussed across town in order to balance the racial makeup of the school district. Your children will be bussed 12 miles to a school in a very poor neighborhood. Some neighbors are talking about boycotting the school and the city’s plan. What will you do? As a Christian, how do you justify your actions?

Study 4

You are not a Christian. You see your neighbor come home from church every Sunday afternoon carrying a big Bible. Every Friday morning you have to pick up refuse which the wind has blown from the neighbor’s uncovered garbage cans and scattered all over your lawn. Yesterday, your neighbor invited you to go to church with him next Sunday. Will you go? How would you react to his testimony?

Study 5

You are the owner of a small business and an unbeliever. One of your employees is a Christian who spends a lot of time on the job “witnessing” to non-Christians. What is your reaction to his witnessing while getting paid to work for you? Why do you feel as you do? Will you hire other Christians?

Evaluate and Respond

What is the Christian’s responsibility toward government? Toward her neighbor? Toward his employer?

Can you think of any situation in which a Christian is justified in breaking the law? Why do you believe as you do? (Acts 5:29)

Should parents demand submission by their own children? In what kinds of situations should parents use their authority? Why do you think so?

Is the husband to be the “boss” of the home? If so, why? If not, why?

(Have class read Matthew 5:13-16 and ask them to silently answer the following questions.)

Are there areas in my life where I need to be more submissive so that I can be light or salt in the world?

In what areas of my life do I need to be more submissive so that I can be light or salt in the world?

(Allow time for silent prayer before closing.)