Are you all in?

We're In This Together: All In on Faith, Unity, and Growth

Have you ever felt like an outsider? Like you didn’t belong or weren’t wanted? Maybe you were part of something but still felt out of place. Maybe you’ve struggled to find where you fit in.

The good news is, you were never meant to live your faith journey alone. You were meant to belong.

Today, we began a new series called Thrive Together: All In on Faith, Unity, and Growth. We’re diving into the book of Ephesians—one of Paul’s most powerful letters written to a church that was diverse, complicated, and struggling to figure out how to live out their faith in a world that didn’t understand them.

The first message, We're In This Together, focuses on Ephesians 1:1-14, where Paul lays the foundation for everything that comes next. It’s a passage that stretches from Genesis to Revelation, from eternity past to eternity future, and reveals three powerful truths: We are Planned by the Father, Rescued by the Son, and Secured by the Spirit.

Planned by the Father (Ephesians 1:3-6)

Before the world was even created, God had a plan. And His plan included you.

Paul starts by reminding the believers that they were chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Whether you understand predestination as God choosing individuals for salvation or Him predestining the plan of salvation itself, the end result is the same: You are wanted.

This would have been huge for the Gentile believers in Ephesus—people who had always been told they were outsiders. Paul is saying, No, you were always part of God’s plan. You were always meant to belong.

In a city filled with Roman paganism, Greek philosophy, and all kinds of cultural influences, identity was a struggle. But Paul makes it clear: their identity in the Kingdom of God was planned before the world began. They weren’t afterthoughts. They were chosen. They were adopted into God’s family.

And so are you.

Maybe you feel like an outsider. Like you’ve been overlooked, unwanted, or disconnected. But God has always wanted you. He planned your rescue before you were even born. You belong.

Rescued by the Son (Ephesians 1:7-10)

But being wanted isn’t enough on its own. We were enslaved to sin. Lost. Broken. And Jesus made a way for us to be free. In the Roman world, redemption was a powerful word. It meant paying the price to free a slave. And Paul says Jesus paid the ultimate price—His own blood—to set us free from sin.

But Paul goes even further. He says that Jesus didn’t just redeem us. He poured out the riches of His grace upon us. Lavishly. Extravagantly. Without holding anything back. The most extravagant gift you’ve ever been given pales in comparison to what Jesus has done for you.

He didn’t just save you. He didn’t just forgive you. He made you a part of His Kingdom. Together, we are part of something bigger than ourselves. And the beauty of redemption is that it’s not just for you. It’s for everyone. Jew and Gentile alike. God’s plan of redemption has always been for the entire world.

Secured by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:11-14)

But Paul doesn’t stop at redemption. He takes it even further. You weren’t just freed from sin. You weren’t just adopted into God’s family. You were made an heir.

Paul says the Holy Spirit is our down payment—a guarantee of the inheritance waiting for us. When you place your faith in Jesus, you are sealed by the Spirit. It’s God’s promise that you belong.

But here’s the amazing part: You’re not just an heir by yourself. We are co-heirs together. We’re in this as a community. As a family. And the more we lean into that truth, the more we thrive.

Your Invitation

Are you all in?

Maybe you’ve spent your whole life trying to prove you belong. Trying to earn acceptance, love, or favor. But God already chose you. He already made a way for you to belong. Today, the invitation is simple: Stop trying to prove you belong and let God show you that you already do.

Together, we are the Church. Together, we are the redeemed. Together, we are co-heirs with Christ. And together, we thrive.

Take a moment to reflect: