The Message for Engagement Day (Jinson & Angela)

Recently I had the privilege of speaking at the engagement ceremony of my dear friends Jinson & Angela. Jinson is one of the leaders of The Gathering Community Church and soon to be an Elder.

The engagement happened in Kerala, the south of India and it was a joy to meet the families and all their well-wishers.

Before we prayed over them and blessed them we looked at God’s word from the Epistle of Colossians 2:2,3,6 & 7 and allowed God to speak to our hearts.

A brief background check on the Epistle of Colossians tells us that the epistle was written by Paul to the saints in Colossae and he begins the letter by thanking God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the faith of the believers in Christ Jesus and their love for all their saints [Colossians 1:3-4].

Which is exactly what I would like to say about Jinson & Angela. I have known them for more than a year now. My wife and I have spent time with them, doing ministry together, praying together, sharing our faith together.

Above every good quality, attractiveness, charisma and sweetness around them I want to commend them for their faith in Christ Jesus, in the last couple of years not even once have I seen them waver from this faith.

Very rarely do we get to see a young couple like them passionate for Jesus and full of zeal for the Kingdom of God, and love for Gods people.

Paul then goes on to pray for their spiritual growth and in verse 9 onwards makes a beautiful god-centered prayer over them.

He says “From the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”

And that is exactly what I would like to pray over them as they step into this new journey.
When we come to chapter 2 and verse 2 Paul expresses his desire for them and this is what he says.
“Their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ”

I want all of you to stop here for moment and think through that verse.

Paul’s desire is not that they will become rich, famous, enjoy great health & prosper. But his deepest desire is that they may be ‘joined together in Love’ so that they may have the full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.

His deepest desire is that they may know Christ.

Why? He answers that question in verse 3 by saying “Because all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ”

In a generation where we look up to the latest technology to give us satisfaction, the next charismatic leader to lead the country and bring peace and harmony, the next business idea that will make it big and make us rich.

Paul is reminding us that there is nothing more satisfying, nothing more fulfilling and nothing more pleasurable than knowing and treasuring Christ.

Here’s how Paul describes the deity of Christ in Colossians 1:15-22 and the reason why we need to treasure him the most.

He writes “Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him”

And finally in Chapter 2:6 & 7 he writes “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

As I conclude my sharing here’s my final words to Jinson & Angela on their engagement day and to everyone reading this.

1. As you step into this new life together – Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus & treasure Him the most.

2. Constantly remind yourself this Gospel – That you were once alienated and hostile in your minds because of sin – And Jesus reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy; faultless and blameless before God.

3. Stop trying to please men, instead live a life that pleases God and brings glory to His name.

I’ve been married for more than 10 years now and blessed to 2 lovely boys. Let me tell you there is no secret formula for a successful marriage. All I know to be true and scriptural for a successful anything is treasuring Christ above all else.

For last 10 years God has sustained our marriage and allowed us to serve in His kingdom as a family. If this is true for us than it is true for anyone who believes in Jesus, abides in Him and treasures Him in their heart.

I want to end this message by quoting John Piper 

“Marriage is not mainly about being or staying in love. It’s mainly about telling the truth with our lives. It’s about portraying something true about Jesus Christ and the way he relates to his people. It is about showing in real life the glory of the gospel”

Author / Preacher

Saju Joseph

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