Dear Faith Family, 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, (Galatians 2:20). 

Have you ever looked at a picture of an object up close, unable to identify what it is that you’re looking at?  Maybe your eyes focus on a particular detail, and you just can’t tell what it is?  What’s fascinating is when your eyes begin to take in the bigger picture and the previously unidentifiable object is suddenly identifiable. 

A mysterious thin metal rod finds its identity when your eyes see the bicycle, and the wheel, and finally the spoke.  No longer is it a mysterious thin metal rod.  Now its identity is wrapped up in something bigger, the bicycle. 

I’ve been intrigued by one of the less than well known biblical characters.  He’s mentioned sixteen times in fourteen verses in the Bible.  Basically, all we know of Amminadab is his family line.  We learn about those that came before him that led to his birth.  And we learn about those that came after him that were the result of his birth.  That’s about all that we know.  In fact, you may not even remember his name. 

But, when we read Matthew 1:4, Matthew gives us the big picture (“the bicycle” so to speak).  Amminadab’s identity is wrapped up in the birth of Jesus, who is called the Christ!  How cool is that?!  Imagine being in the lineage of Christ!  We have just that privilege.  By His grace through faith, we get to be on the other side of the genealogy of Jesus.  He calls us children of God (John 1:12) and joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17). 

So, here’s my question: How do you identify yourself?  By what you own?  By how you look?  By where you live?  By the color of your skin?  By what you do?  By what you drive?  By what you wear?  (OK – that was more than one question!) 

Interesting that all we know of Amminadab is wrapped up in Jesus.  What does it look like if what we own, how we look, where we live, the color of our skin, what we do, what we drive, and what we wear all reflect our identity in Jesus.  What if everything about us was wrapped up in the birth of Jesus? 

I think it might look like acknowledging that everything we have, everything, comes from Jesus.  And I think it might look like using everything that He’s given to us, everything, to honor Jesus. 

Identified, 
Pastor Karl