A sermon on biblical submission by Cody Brobst.

Application questions:

• How does the idea of “submission” as a positive thing affect your view of difficult texts in Scripture? Where did the negativity around this come from?
• Why does Paul go out of his way in v. 22 to name your “own” husbands?
• As Christ humbly yields to the church, so she submits “in everything” to her husband. What does this not mean?
• If one’s husband is the “head” (leader, authority for provision and protection), what practical things often come to mind for how this can work out in a household?
• Where does Paul go with it? Where does this Christ/husband analogy fall short?
• How does a husband’s sacrifice play a role in sanctifying his wife? Doesn’t she play a role in sanctifying him? What’s Paul trying to say about the Gospel (hint: Christ’s giving up of himself makes something possible for the church)?
• In verse 29, nourishes & cherishes can also be translated feeds & cares. What is the opposite of this?
• How can authority & submission be misused? If you had knowledge that someone in your circles was being explicitly (not just debatably) abused in their home, what might you first say or do?
• In light of v. 31, flip to Genesis 2:18-25 together where this is being quoted verbatim. What all do you observe in the passage? What institutional patterns are set forth at creation in the first wedding so to speak.
• What mystery is profound? What is mysterious?
• Since Christ & the church are not made one the same way a husband & wife are made one, in what sense is Christ our “Husband” (Isaiah 54, Hosea 1-3, Rev. 21) and in what sense is He not?
• In C.S. Lewis’ “Four Loves” he talks of the Greeks naming
• With this summary statement, Paul ends how he begins—love & respect. Why do you think respect is the particular word for wives & love for husbands? Think about Genesis 3:16-17 and where our various temptations may lie.
• How can we at River Oaks encourage struggling married couples well? Those who are single, widowed or divorced? Children looking to the future?