Welcoming, Missional, Caring
LENT 2025 DEVOTIONAL:
This Lent Devotional will continue for three more days after Easter, from Monday to Wednesday, so as to complete the entire Gospel of John.
John 21:15-25 (NIV)
(Alvin Tay, Chairperson, Local Church Executive Committee)
When I was in university, I could memorise only one Bible verse: John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
I thought that was all I needed to do – just believe in Jesus. For me, it was just head knowledge.
As I grew older and started attending Bible Study classes, I realised the magnitude of God’s sacrificial love in giving His one and only Son, Jesus. For Jesus would be crucified on the cross for our sins. Yes, Jesus died for me; He died for all of us!
‘Believing in Jesus’ took on a new significance for me. It is not just head knowledge or information but heart transformation. In today’s passage, Jesus led Peter through an encounter that would remove the guilt of Peter’s disowning Jesus three times. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. When Peter answered yes, Jesus asked him to “Feed my lambs”, “Take care of my sheep” and “Feed my sheep”, respectively. Jesus also said to Peter, “Follow me!“
In other words, Peter was instructed to follow Jesus, and to feed and care for Jesus’ sheep, those who follow Jesus.
Earlier in this chapter (yesterday’s reading), I read that Peter went fishing with six other disciples but failed to catch any fish. A resurrected Christ met them and told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. They did and they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
This episode reminded me of Jesus’ encounter recorded in Luke 5:1-11: “Then Jesus said: From now on you will fish for people”. Also, in Mark 1:17, Jesus said: “Come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people.”
As I reflected on this passage, I realised that to believe in Jesus means for me to follow Jesus, to be a fisher of people, and to care for His sheep.
Which is why as LCEC chair, I pray that Wesley Methodist Church will live up to
our initials: WMC.
W – A Welcoming Church
M – A Missional Church
C – A Caring Church.
May Wesley MC be a Welcoming church to all who seek to follow Jesus; a Missional church whose members seek to be Jesus’ witnesses to the Least, the Last and the Lost, and a Caring church which cares for our seniors, our young, our caregivers, our volunteers, our pastors and staff.
Together with like-minded church leaders and members, and with God as our provider and guide, I will work to build that WMC culture as we celebrate the 140th Anniversary of Wesley Methodist Church.
Reflection Questions:
1. If Jesus were to ask you: “Do you love me?”, what would your answer be?
2. And what do you think Jesus’ response would be?
3. What is one thing you can do to be more welcoming, more missional and more caring?
