❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 7 Dec 2025

The season of Advent is about hope in waiting for our Lord Jesus’ coming, both for His incarnation and His promised second coming. And the theme of hope is apparent throughout the passage in Romans 15. We can see in Paul’s writing how there is a need for hope in our lives, we have the certainty of this hope and lastly, how we can live a hope-filled life.

The Need for Hope
Paul establishes our need for hope in Romans 3:23. Because we have all sinned and missed the mark in our lives, we all need the hope Jesus Christ offers on a universal level, so we can be who God wants us to be. Paul also writes about this need on a personal level, where believers, upon receiving hope, need to give hope and help others find that hope (v1).

The Certainty of Hope
The English use of the word ‘hope’ in phrases such as “I hope so” has an element of doubt and uncertainty, but the biblical point of view of hope implies confidence in something that one knows is going to take place. There is a certainty about biblical hope, because God is the source of hope (v13). When we have faith in the God of hope, the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to abound in hope. We have this certainty also because God has confirmed and fulfilled His promises (v8). He is a faithful promise keeper and can be trusted so we can hope in Him. But now comes the important question: How does it look like to have this hope in our lives?

A Hope-Filled Life
There is a common understanding that hope is a type of battery or energiser that fuels our endurance for the challenges in life. But Paul flips it around in stating that it is endurance that produces hope. In Romans 5:1-5, he writes that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. In our difficult times, Jesus teaches us to turn to Him. When we are yoked to Him, He walks with us through the suffering, shaping and forming our character, producing hope in us as we experience His power with us.

This Advent, may we continue to hope in Jesus who not only gives hope but is our living hope.

💬 Reflection Questions:
1. Who are the people around you who need the hope in their lives? How can you be a help to them?
2. What promises of God are you hoping in for your situation now? Share and pray for each other.
3. How has God used the challenges in your life to shape your character and produce hope?

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❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 14 Dec 2025

The shepherds were ordinary people living ordinary lives when God interrupted them with extraordinary news. These men lived and worked in darkness, both literally and socially, yet God’s glory broke into their night with overwhelming brilliance. As with the shepherds, God continues to come to ordinary, messy and imperfect people. The shepherds’ response to Jesus teaches us how we, too, can respond when God’s glory shines into our lives, turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.

They responded with urgency
When the angels left, the shepherds did not hesitate nor delay, but immediately went to Bethlehem. They dropped what they were doing and responded to God’s message with urgency, intention and purpose. Their obedience shows us that when God speaks, the right response is to trust, obey and act. Faith often begins with a willing and immediate step of obedience.

They believed even when things looked ordinary
When the shepherds saw Jesus, there were no angels, bright lights nor crowns, just a baby in a lowly manger. Yet they believed that Jesus was the Saviour, Christ, and Lord as proclaimed to them by the angel, the true sacrificial Lamb to take away the sins of the world. Their faith was rooted in God’s word of love and hope to them, not in what they could see with their eyes.

They shared what they had seen
After encountering Jesus, the shepherds shared what they had seen and heard with everyone around them. They became the first witnesses of Christ, boldly proclaiming the Good News despite having no status or training. Though their external circumstances remained the same, their hearts were transformed through the encounter with Jesus, and they returned with a changed purpose, glorifying and praising God.

God still comes to humble and ordinary people and calls them to experience His extraordinary love. This Christmas, let us not just hear the story, but also step into it. Will you be like the shepherds and run to Jesus, worshipping Him deeply and proclaiming Him boldly? When we encounter Christ, our hearts are changed, and we too can become His extraordinary messengers. May the true King bring His light, peace, and salvation into our lives this Christmas.

💬 Reflection Questions:

1. Where in your life do you feel most ‘ordinary,’ overlooked, or stuck right now? How does God interrupting the shepherds in the field speak into that area?”

2. The shepherds responded with urgency, faith, and proclamation. Which of these responses do you struggle with most and why?

3. The shepherds returned to the same fields, but with changed hearts. How does a transformed heart of peace, hope and joy look like to you?

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📣 PLMC UPDATE – 20 Dec 25, 9.00am

⛪ Worship Services Online
🔗 English: live.plmc.org (Sun 9am)
🔗 Mandarin: ms.live.plmc.org (Sun 11.15am)

🎄Christmas Village
It's Day 2 of our Christmas Village – which means two more days for us to share the JOY of Christ! Be sure to catch our carollers, Mandarin Service choir, Filipino family, singers, dancers and youths as they perform amidst the games, bubble play, food, fun, lights and snow!

🕔 5.30pm - 9.30pm
🔗 More details here

Do note there will be no Youth Service today, no Coffee Corner, Filipino Service & Silver Boxes tomorrow.

🎄Christmas Services - Thu 25th Dec
English - 9am & 11.15am (Sanctuary)
Mandarin - 9am & 11.15am (Chapel)

Do note there will be no breakfast counter and Silver Boxes on 25th Dec, and no breakfast counter and Filipino Service on Sun 28th Dec.

🍷Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Watchnight Service
On New Year’s Eve, we will be having our Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Watchnight Service from 10.30pm, followed by a Teochew porridge supper prepared by our WSCS ladies. Please bring condiments to share. Get creative – if you can’t cook, you can dabao your favourite zichar, claypot or cai png dish. Let's look forward to our first fellowship of 2026 as a church family.

💒Vision Sunday Combined Service
We will have a combined celebration service on the 1st Sunday of 2026 (4 Jan).

Do note there will be no Youth Service on 3 Jan, and no Silver Boxes and Filipino Service on 4 Jan.

View more announcements, stories and resources on our website:
🔗 plmc.org

Please do not reply, send any messages or call this number as this phone is unmanned.

❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 21 Dec 2025

The account of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 comes after the account of Jesus talking to Nicodemus at night in John 3. Both passages are about individuals coming to Jesus and meeting Him alone as He shared about the Holy Spirit and eternal life. However, they were two very different people in society’s eyes. Nicodemus was a Jewish religious leader held in high esteem while the Samaritan was a woman and an outcast on many levels.

The parallels and contrasts strongly suggest that these two accounts are meant to be read as a coherent unit. Most importantly, they show how everyone matters to Jesus, regardless of background and societal standing. Jesus models how we too can meet people where they are.

God often appoints people for us to meet – it is no accident where He has placed us. As we connect with God regularly and as we get to know others better, we can grow in being sensitive to God’s leading to connect others to Him, the giver of life.

Pray regularly. Ask God to give you insights on how to meet your loved ones where they are and show you how to bridge the gap so they will see their need for Jesus. Ask God to help you see how the Good News is Good News for them in their context.

It may just be one person, but we never know the ripple effect that may have: Jesus reached out to the Samaritan woman while she was fetching water, and from that one encounter, she was transformed and went on to reach many more people for Jesus, the source of living water. Our greatest joy will also come from knowing we have reached one more for God, who rejoices over every salvation.

Reflection Questions:
1. Recount a time you encountered Jesus. Share how He has transformed you, and remember in thanksgiving.
2. With whom have you shared Jesus with? Share your experience in reaching out.
3. Who is the one person God has placed in front of you? How will you commit to daily build the bridge to connect him/her to Jesus? Take some time to pray for this person, and ask God to empower you.

▶️ Revisit the sermon in our library:
🔗 plmc.org/sermon

📣 PLMC UPDATE – 27 Dec 25, 9.00am

⛪ Worship Services Online
🔗 English: live.plmc.org (Sun 9am)
🔗 Mandarin: ms.live.plmc.org (Sun 11.15am)
🔗 Youth: youth.live.plmc.org (Sat 4.30pm)
(Do note there will be no breakfast counter and Filipino Service tomorrow.)

🍷Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Watchnight Service
On 31 Dec, New Year’s Eve, we will be having our Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Watchnight Service from 10.30pm, followed by a Teochew porridge supper prepared by our WSCS ladies. Please bring condiments to share. Get creative – if you can’t cook, you can dabao your favourite zichar, claypot or cai png dish. Let's look forward to our first fellowship of 2026 as a church family.

💒Vision Sunday Combined Service
We will have combined celebration services at 9am and 11.15am on 4 January, the first Sunday of 2026.

Do note that there will not be separate Youth Service on 3 Jan, nor Silver Boxes Children’s Ministry, Living Stones Mandarin Services and Filipino Service on 4 Jan.

R.O.A.D. Bible Reading Plan
Start the year by committing to immerse yourself in God’s Word. To help you, we have a two-year reading plan so you can cover the entire Bible in 2 years. As a church family, let’s embark on the ROAD together – to Read, Observe, Apply and Do what the Lord reveals to us in His Word. We are finishing with the Year 1 readings, so from 1 Jan 2026, we will start reading through the Year 2 passages.

🔗 Download it here

View more announcements, stories and resources on our website:
🔗 plmc.org

Please do not reply, send any messages or call this number as this phone is unmanned.

❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 28 Dec 2025
Living in the “Gap”
The Sunday after Christmas places us in an awkward, liminal space. The celebration has passed and yet the new year has not fully arrived. Emotionally and spiritually, it can feel like a “hangover” between the joy of Christmas remembered and uncertainty of the new year ahead. This mirrors the experience of Israel in Isaiah 63. After the long-awaited return from exile, the people expected glory and restoration, but instead found themselves surrounded by rubble, hardship, and unanswered questions. Like them, we often ask quietly: Is God really with us now, as we face another uncertain year?

God’s Hesed as Our Anchor
Rather than looking forward with anxiety, Isaiah looks backward with intention. He responds to uncertainty not by speculating about the future, but by recalling the unchanging nature of God as revealed in the past. At the heart of this remembrance is hesed—God’s steadfast, covenant-keeping love. Hesed is not a fleeting emotion or seasonal warmth; it is a deep, loyal commitment grounded in who God is and what He has promised. When circumstances feel unstable, Isaiah teaches us that hope is anchored not in what lies ahead, but in who God has already shown Himself to be – a God who abounds in hesed love and faithfulness.

Love that Remembers (v7)
Isaiah begins by deliberately recounting “the kindnesses of the Lord.” This act of remembering is not sentimental nostalgia but an act of faith. In the midst of ruins, Isaiah chooses to recall God’s past faithfulness—His compassion, goodness, and saving acts throughout Israel’s history. Remembering becomes a spiritual discipline that resists despair. When present realities threaten to overwhelm us, recalling God’s faithfulness reminds us that the same God who acted before has not changed.

Love that Believes (v8)
In verse 8, God calls Israel “my people” and speaks of them as children who will not deal falsely despite their long history of unfaithfulness. This reveals a surprising dimension of hesed: God relates to His people not according to their failures, but according to His covenant and their God-given identity. God believes in who His people are called to be. His love speaks identity before behaviour is corrected. This is grace that names us not by our worst moments, but by God’s redemptive purpose for us.

Love that Carries (v.9)
Finally, Isaiah declares that God does not remain distant. “In all their affliction, He was afflicted.” God enters into the pain of His people, empathises with them, redeems them, lifts them up, and carries them through their weakness. This hesed finds its fullest expression in Christ—Immanuel, God with us. God does not merely give strength from afar; He carries His people when they are unable to walk on their own. As we step into a new year, may we be assured that we are not asked to face what lies ahead alone or in our own strength, but are carried by our loving God.

💬 Reflection Questions:
1. What does the Hebrew concept of hesed reveal about God’s character and love that is most meaningful to you?
2. How has remembering God’s past faithfulness helped you when you faced uncertainty, disappointment or transition? Recount moments in the past year when God provided hesed love when you were in need.
As you step into the new year, what is one specific challenge you will be facing? What aspect of God’s hesed love will you hold onto to carry you forward?

▶️ Revisit the sermon in our library:
🔗 plmc.org/sermon

❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 4 Jan 2026

We give thanks for how the Lord has seen us through the Year of Expansion with PLMC going out to bless the community and the nations.

Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (ESV): “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” All disciples of Jesus are to be His witnesses in the community and the nations. Hence, the goal of the Year of Expansion was for PLMC worshippers to receive God’s heartbeat for the world.

In 2026, the Year of More, let us step out more, keeping faith in our God who is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. How can we participate with Him in releasing more of His power through us, and receive more from Him?

1. More in outreach and missions – Ministry to the community will expand as we reach people in more areas around, even as we deepen connections with the people whom we have been blessing the past years.

2. More connections in the PLMC family – Join a cell group if you don’t belong to one, so you can be connected with others in the church family. This year, there will be Cluster Gatherings for opportunities to meet people from different cells. Make an effort to avail yourself to connect.

3. More of what you need – The God of More not only provides more for the body of Christ, the church but also provides to His followers more of what you need. Will you step out in faith to ask God to meet whatever you need in 2026?

4. More of God – The Year of More is also about each of us growing more in discipleship, in outreach, and in missions. One key event to help us experience and grow in God together is the Ohana Camp, to be held from 14-17 June 2026. Early bird registration opens on 18 Jan 2026!

The most important aspect of More that we want to experience in 2026 is encapsulated in the words of John the Baptist in John 3:30 (ESV): He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. When Jesus has more authority in our lives, we desire more of what He wants and become more like who God means for us to be.

If you desire more of God in 2026, may this be your prayer: “Jesus, increase in my life, while I decrease.”

💬 Reflection Questions:
1. How have you expanded in your mind, heart and faith in the Year of Expansion? How did you bless the community and the nations? Share and remember with thanksgiving.
2. In what areas of your life do you need more of God (financially, relationally, physically?)
3. How will you be more involved in blessing the community and the nations? Whether it is an outreach opportunity, or to pray, help prepare or to go on missions, commit this to the Lord for the year ahead.

▶️ Revisit the sermon in our library:
🔗 plmc.org/sermon

❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 11 Jan 2026

When we think about leadership, many of us picture people with authority, charisma, titles or influence. Yet leadership often looks far quieter and more ordinary. There is a widely shared story about a young boy stepping off a bus to push a fallen tree blocking the road. He had no power, no authority, no stature like King Saul and no obvious charisma. His action seemed insignificant, yet it inspired others to join him. Leadership happened not because of who he was, but because he stepped forward and gave hope in a moment of frustration.

John Maxwell once said, “He who thinks he leads but has no followers is only taking a walk.” A leader takes people somewhere. Leadership connects people to one another and to something (or Someone) beyond themselves.

As Christians, we are all leaders, bringing others to Jesus so they too can follow Him.

Leadership begins by recognising who Jesus is and hosting God's presence
Before Peter ever led others, his younger brother Andrew encountered Jesus and recognised who He truly was. Andrew then invited Peter to meet Jesus. Andrew’s leadership did not begin with persuasion, strategy, or confidence. He did not wait until he was older or more qualified. He simply recognised Jesus as the Messiah and responded faithfully to what he knew.

When we remain close to Jesus, we too begin to host God’s presence through our lives. The fruit of the Spirit becomes evident in the way we speak, listen, respond and love.

Leadership takes shape when people around us sense peace, kindness, sincerity, and hope, not because of our ability, but because God’s presence is at work in us. This is why prayer must always come first. As Jesus reminds us in John 15:5, apart from Him we can do nothing. When we intercede and abide in Christ, our lives quietly and gently begin to influence others to prepare to meet God.

Leadership grows through listening and loving action
As we host God’s presence, leadership expresses itself through attentiveness and love. We incline our ears to God, listening for His prompting and obeying what He reveals. At the same time, we incline our ears to the people in our lives. When we listen beyond words (to people’s stories, hurts, needs and longings), we begin to understand how God is already at work.

In time, God may reveal a need or a wound not just for prayer, but for action. When we respond with compassion, meeting needs and helping to heal hurts, we inspire trust and openness.

Leadership gently points towards Jesus
From a place of prayer, listening, and love, doors naturally open to share our faith. We can then impart what God has done in our lives or share how He has been working in the lives of others. After all, the Gospel is Good News that is meant to be shared and spoken about.

Finally, we invite others into spaces where God’s presence is tangible, into worship, community and shared life. Our goal is not merely a decision or a prayer, but for people to take steps toward surrendering their lives under the kingship of Jesus. Jesus did not call us to make converts, but disciples who follow Him.

💬 Reflection Questions:
1. Who is the “one more” God is placing on my heart to lead to Jesus?
2. How have I been abiding in Christ in such a way that others can encounter His presence through me?
3. What is one step I can take this week, be it through prayer, listening, loving, sharing, or inviting, to help someone move closer to Jesus?

▶️ Revisit the sermon in our library:
🔗 plmc.org/sermon

📣 PLMC UPDATE – 17 Jan 26, 9.00am

⛪ Worship Services Online
🔗 English: live.plmc.org (Sun 9am)
🔗 Mandarin: ms.live.plmc.org (Sun 11.15am)
🔗 Youth: youth.live.plmc.org (Sat 4.30pm)
🔗 Filipino: facebook.com/plmcfs (Sun 2pm)

🏕️Ohana Camp 2026
Registration begins tmr! Enjoy early bird promotional rates till 28 Feb so do sign up soon. Your camp fee includes a camp jacket for adults instead of the usual camp T-shirt and T-shirts for children. Samples will be available for trying at the Fellowship Hall tmr.

You will need to indicate the sizes upon registration, as well as the workshops you wish to sign up for. Check out the full list on the link below:

🔗 plmc.org/plmc-church-camp-2026

For enquiries, please email plmc.ohana26@gmail.com
or WhatsApp 8857 7078

If you need help with registration, do head to the help desk at the Fellowship Hall and the team will be happy to attend to you.

💧Baptism & Membership Class
If you wish to be baptised and confirmed into membership at PLMC, do register for the Baptism & Membership course. Parents who desire to dedicate their children to the Lord and mark a meaningful milestone in their faith journey can register for the Infant/Child Baptism.

Full details & registration forms here (Register by 15 Feb):
🔗 https://plmc.org/baptism-membership-class

📅 Sat: 28 Feb - 9 May / 21 Mar to 2 May (Mandarin)
🕘 10am - 12pm

Compulsory Parent’s Briefing for Infant/Child Baptism:
📅 27 Apr @ 8pm via ZOOM

📍Combined Baptism Service: Sun 17 May, 3pm - 5pm
📍Confirmation: Sun 24 May at respective services

View more announcements, stories and resources on our website:
🔗 plmc.org

Please do not reply, send any messages or call this number as this phone is unmanned.

❣️ Sermon Reflections & Discussion // 18 Jan 2026

God uses many things to shape our lives, but the primary tool He uses is people. All of us have had someone build into our lives, a person whom God has used, either in the past or currently, to shape us into the people we are today. As we are blessed with those who have poured into our lives, we are also called to bless others in the same way. We need not wait to be better equipped or prepared – God called Elijah to build Elisha up at the lowest point of his life.

So how can we build into someone’s life? We can learn from how Elijah passed on his faith and ministry to Elisha with a humble and generous spirit.

Assess
The first thing that Elijah did upon finding Elisha was to watch him work. It was Elijah’s way of assessing him before going over to him and draping his cloak over him. This was a prophetic act of passing on the mantle to Elisha, building him up to take over his ministry.

Ask
To become a prophet, Elisha would have to make a big sacrifice, giving up his worldly riches. If God leads you to someone to build your life into, do not hesitate to give them the opportunity to respond. Do not decide for them if they are too busy and do not make the decisions for them.

Allow
After the invitation, Elijah waited for Elisha’s response. Give the person the space to decide whether to give their all to the Lord in order to fulfil God’s destiny for them. The call to build into people’s lives might be met with rejection, either immediately or in the future when things get tough. When this happens, the only thing that can be done is to bring them before the Lord.

Acceptance
To seal his decision, Elisha then slaughtered two oxen, enough to feed an entire village. His response to Elijah was not a quiet and personal one. He not only declared his choice publicly but also followed through with dedication and commitment to following Elijah.

Acknowledgement
Before Elijah was swept up into heaven, he asked how else he could bless and serve Elisha (2Kings 2:9). In asking for a double portion of his spirit, Elisha was essentially asking for the honour to inherit Elijah’s ministry. Elijah’s response showed that he acknowledged that God alone appoints people to ministry (2 Kings 2:10). And His Spirit rests on those He appoints, as it was with Elijah and then Elisha.

We see this pattern in Jesus passing on His ministry to His 12 disciples, and they subsequently to others. The ministry of Christ has been passed to us and it is now on us to not only steward Jesus’ ministry well but also to pass it on well.

💬 Reflection Questions:
1. Who are the people who have built into your life? When was the last time you showed them appreciation for what they have done in your life?

2. Who is God calling you to build into and disciple? Who will be the heir of your life and ministry? What is one step you can start to take to pass on your ministry?

▶️ Revisit the sermon in our library:
🔗 plmc.org/sermon