Welcome Home

CityAlight's “Welcome Home” looks ahead to the moment a believer's life on earth ends. The opening verse starts from a settled certainty, “I know for sure true life is mine, for Jesus lives, the first to rise.” Because he rose first, the singer expects to hear what he heard: “Well done, good servant, and welcome home.”

The second verse thinks of those who have already died. “How many saints have gone before, their work is done, they weep no more. They heard those words before His throne.” The singer then pictures his own end: “And when my time on earth is done, and I am called into His love, then He shall say, by grace alone,” with the greeting repeating in the chorus. The words “by grace alone” make clear that the welcome is not earned by the work that was done. The line “He bought for me” points to the cost, and the song never explains it away. It is often used at funerals and memorial services, since it speaks about death without fear and gives the congregation words to sing together.

The words “well done, good and faithful servant” are in Matthew 25:21. Christ as the first to rise is 1 Corinthians 15:20, and rest from labor is Revelation 14:13.