Come home...
- Keven Newsome
- 33 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Easter reminds us that the story didn’t end at the cross, and it didn’t end at the empty tomb either. Sunday, we celebrated a risen Savior who not only conquered death but also changed everything about who we are, what we belong to, and where we are going.
This week in our Thrive Together series, we explored Ephesians 2:11-22 and celebrated a simple but powerful truth: Through Jesus, we are invited to come home.
Brought Near (Ephesians 2:11-13)
Paul starts by reminding the Ephesians that they used to be outsiders. Strangers. Hopeless and far from God. But then he reminds them of what Jesus did.
"But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Eph. 2:13)
Through the cross, Jesus shattered the distance between us and God. We aren’t tag-alongs. We aren’t second class. We are sons and daughters.
If you’ve ever felt like an outsider looking in—like you didn’t quite belong—hear this clearly: Jesus didn’t come to create an elite club. He came to bring you home. You don’t have to earn His love. You don’t have to fix yourself first. You just have to let Him bring you near.
Made One (Ephesians 2:14-18)
The cross didn’t just bring individuals closer to God—it brought us closer to each other. Jesus broke down the barriers. He destroyed the divisions. Where sin and human pride built walls, Jesus built bridges.
"He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility." (Eph. 2:14)
The gospel tears apart old identities and prejudices. It creates a new people, united by the blood of Christ, filled with peace instead of hostility. Where the world divides, the cross unites. Where life breaks us apart, Jesus pieces us back together.
Maybe you’ve been hurt. Maybe your family, your friendships, or even your own heart feels fractured. But Jesus came to heal, to reconcile, and to make you whole.
Invited In (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Salvation is not a token invitation. Paul says we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.
You are not just tolerated. You are not a guest. You are family.
God doesn’t just forgive your sins and leave you to figure life out on your own. He invites you into His presence. Into His house. Into His mission. And He’s not building a kingdom with buildings or programs. He’s building it with people. With you. With us. Together.
Your Invitation
Are you ready to come home?
Maybe you’ve been out of church for a while. Maybe you’ve been angry, hurt, or afraid. Maybe you’ve been carrying the weight of feeling like you don’t belong.
But today you have an open invitation.
Come home.
God isn’t waiting for you to clean up first. He isn’t asking you to earn your way back. He already paid the price. He already made the way.
Take a moment to reflect:
Are you living like someone who’s been brought near?
Are you carrying old divisions that Jesus has already torn down?
Are you ready to find your place in the family of God?
Want to go deeper? Watch the full sermon here:
You’re not alone. You’re wanted. You’re loved. And there’s a place for you. Come home.