God’s Will. God’s Way.
Relationships: Singleness
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD
February 15, 2026
Sermon in a Sentence
The secret to successful singleness is to live God’s Will, God’s Way!
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom [His Will] and his righteousness [His Way], and all
these things will be given to you as well.
Isaiah 56:4-5 4 For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who
choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—5 to them I will give within my temple
and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an
everlasting name that will endure forever.
Three Key Truths about Singleness
1. Singleness is not the same as aloneness
Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a
helper who is just right for him.”
2. Singleness as a gift, an assignment, and a calling from and for God
1 Corinthians 7:7-8,17 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own
gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I
say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 17 Nevertheless, each person should live
as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called
them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the
Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the
affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An
unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted
to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of
this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to
restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
3. Singleness is a choice to live like Jesus
Matthew 19:12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who
have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
God’s Will. God’s Way.
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD
February 8, 2026
Sermon in a Sentence
Whose Will? Whose Way? God’s Will! God’s Way!
Matthew 6:31-33 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or
‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom [His Will] and his righteousness [His
Way], and all these things will be given to you as well.
The Three Temptations (Root Causes) That Pull Us Away from God’s Will, God’s Way
1 John 2:15-16 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world,
love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
- The World (kosmos)—The ordered system of values, desires, priorities, and power structures that operate in rebellion against the Kingdom God (i.e., the kingdom of darkness)
- Lust of the flesh (Craving)—excessive desire for sensual pleasures (e.g., food, sex, substances)
- Lust of the eye (Coveting)—the desire to acquire, covetousness, greed, materialism
- Pride of life (Self-Confidence)—boastful confidence in position, possessions, power, and achievements
How We Respond to Temptation Brings Blessings and Life, Or Sin and Death
James 1:12-15 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
Case Studies
Adam and Eve—My Will. My Way.
Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food [lust of the flesh] and pleasing to the eye [lust of the eye], and also desirable for gaining wisdom [pride of life], she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Abraham—God’s Will. My Way.
Genesis 12:1-5 1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
Genesis 13:1-2, XX 1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. 5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
Genesis 14:11-12, 14-16 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Genesis 16:1-5 1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
Jesus—God’s Will. God’s Way.
Luke 4:1-12 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
3 Tools That Enable Us To Live God’s Will God’s Way
1. The Holy Spirit—see Jesus being full of- led by- the Spirit
2. The Word of God—Jesus said it is written
3. The Fear of the Lord—beginning of wisdom, beginning of knowledge scriptures
Psalm 25:12-14 12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will show him the way he should choose. 13 He will live a good life, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He reveals His covenant to them.
Disclaimer: Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We believe and teach that the Bible is God’s Word — His opinion — and provides His instruction for how to live life under His rule (i.e., the Kingdom of God).
