First Congregational Church of Essex

John turns to an important question: How do we know that we truly know God? His answer may surprise us. Genuine faith is not measured merely by what we say, but by how we live. As we mature in Christ, our love for him grows, our desire to obey him deepens, and our attachment to the things of this world begins to fade. For John, knowing Jesus means walking like Jesus. (1 John 2:3-17)  

John has made it clear that Jesus, the eternal God, did in fact take on flesh and dwell among us. But what was it all for? In this passage, John confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: sin is real, and it separates us from a holy God. Neither God nor his people can pretend otherwise. Yet he also proclaims a radically hopeful truth—that the God who is light has not abandoned us in our darkness. L...

(Pardon the poor audio quality for the first 16 minutes of this sermon. It gets corrected half way through.)In a world filled with competing voices and endless sources of information, how can we know who to trust, what is true, and how we are called to live? In 1 John, the Apostle John writes to those seeking clarity about who Jesus is, what he has done for us, and how we are called to live in res...

Feel free to take out your journals or something to write on for this message, as we practice rhythms of prayer, reflection, and Scripture meditation.

Many of us are plagued by guilt and shame. How does the gospel speak freedom over these burdens? Join us this Sunday as we reflect on I John 1 to explore freedom in Christ. 1 John 1:8-10

As we conclude Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we reach its climax: the call to stand firm against the Enemy. We’ll see how the tools God gives us are weapons against the kingdom of darkness, not against other humans. And we’ll learn what it means to live in the victory Christ has already won through the cross and the empty tomb. Eph. 6:10-24Video Credit: The King of Kings (2025) - Angel Studios(C...

This week in Ephesians, we come to one of the most misunderstood and misused passages not only in the letter, but perhaps in all of Scripture. Yet when read carefully in its context, we begin to see something surprisingly beautiful: a vision of relationships transformed by the Gospel and shaped by the self-giving love, humility, and submission of Christ. Eph. 5:22-6:9

Eph. 5:15-21 What does it look like to live a Spirit-filled life? Paul shows us that being filled by the Spirit is not limited to isolated experiences or specific traditions, but is the normal life of every Christian—one continually influenced and guided by the Spirit and expressed through a community marked by praise, gratitude, and mutual submission.

Eph. 5:6-14 As planting and growing season begins, whether or not we have a green thumb in our physical garden, in our spiritual garden, we need to be sensitive to our combined roles as caretaker, light, and fruit; in today's passage, Paul encourages us in all three.

Eph. 4:17-5:5 The Christian life is not just about taking off the old, but putting on the new—being renewed into the image of Christ and learning to live lives shaped by His love.

As we return to our study of Ephesians, Part 2 turns from who we are in Christ to how we now live—learning to walk in unity amid our diversity. And as we do, we begin to see that each of us has a unique part to play in the ministry of the church. Eph. 4:1-16

Hebrews 10:11-25 Following our celebration of the Resurrection last Sunday, let’s consider Matthew’s words about Jesus’ death:  "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Matt. 27:51).”  The implications of this surprising event continue for us today. God has made a new way into his presence through the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus!

Easter Sunday

Good Friday

John 12:12-16 Palm Sunday.

Eph. 3:14-21  Before calling believers to live out their new identity in Christ, Paul prays that they would deeply experience the immeasurable love of God. Only when we move from merely knowing the truth to truly experiencing Christ’s love are we empowered to live the unified and transformed life God calls us to.

Eph. 3:1-13  Christ tearing down the dividing wall of hostility inaugurates the revelation of God’s plan—once a hidden mystery, now openly displayed for all to see. In Christ, the impossible is accomplished: enemies are united, and God’s glorious wisdom is unveiled in all its splendor.

After celebrating our reconciliation with God, Paul turns to the reconciliation we now share with one another. The worst hostility and division on earth pale in comparison to the animosity we once held toward God. If Christ could heal that, then our divisions can be healed as well—for he is the One who “tears down the dividing walls of hostility.”Eph. 2:11-22

Eph. 2:8-10 Paul beautifully describes God’s saving and gracious work in and through us and His body. We are called to walk by faith rather than attempt to earn our way to God; to accept God’s wildly beautiful gift as His workmanship, His creative apparatus; and to undertake good works He’s prepared for us to do with Him and His people, even when it seems all is not well.

Eph. 2:1-9 The gospel of Jesus transforms our lives, but we cannot truly appreciate the light without first facing the darkness we were in. We were once dead — spiritual zombies, walking but lifeless — yet God did not leave us there; He made us alive with Christ!

Eph. 1:15-23 After celebrating the spiritual blessings found in Christ, Paul prays intentionally for his people, and in doing so, models how we can pray — that they would know God, know the hope they have in Him, and know His resurrection power at work in them.

Eph. 1:13-14 As Paul brings his poem on the spiritual blessings in Christ to a close, he shows us how the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance—sealing us in Christ until God’s kingdom is fully revealed.

As Paul builds our identity by declaring the blessings we have in Christ—chosen, adopted, and redeemed into God’s family—he now reveals the third blessing: a rich inheritance in Christ, which is nothing less than God himself. Eph. 1:11-12

Eph. 1:7-10

Last week, we kicked off our journey through Ephesians, exploring the background and context of the people Paul wrote to. This week, we dive into the blessings God has lavished on us — blessings Paul uses to declare our new identity in Christ. Ephesians 1:3-6