What does the Baby in Bethlehem have to do with Pensacola?

Pensacola is home to a bad family, and that’s our family. Here we have great racial and ethnic diversity, but whatever your ethnic background you’re a great-great grandchild of Adam, and Adam’s family are all rebels against God. That makes you and me family—and that’s why I can share this message with you! The hard part is, Sin is a family trait we all share.

Pensacola not only has plenty of nice homes for the living, but also cemeteries for the dead. God has decreed that since sin is our habit, death must be our end. On the basis of pretty good statistics, I predict that within 120 years 100 percent of the people you know will be dead—including yourself. Are you ready to meet God?

Pensacola hits the news for a lot of good things, awards, achievements, and progress, that demonstrate God’s goodness in making us like Himself, in His image as the Bible says, so we’re creative, smart, and build a great community. But Pensacola also hits the news with plenty of murders, rapes, thefts, arsons, and abuse of every kind. Just talk about what goes on in our own families. What about boasting, lying, cheating, stealing? What about the ongoing slaughter of unborn babies in our town? What about the filth of same-sex activity that our Creator solemnly declares is an abomination? What about the cold shoulder we give to God when we should worship Him? What about fathers’ neglect of their own children? God’s Word tells you and me a secret we probably didn’t want to face about Pensacola: the bad guy in town is you! And it’s me! “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Sin has warped us, and there’s not a filthy sin you and I won’t do given the right circumstances. And no, education won’t cure us of this sin habit either!

From God’s perspective Pensacola is in trouble!

Now to Bethlehem’s Baby:

I imagine you’ve heard of this Baby. He was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. His birth was amazing, and He was amazing, and He has everything to do with you in Pensacola!

I’m talking about Jesus! He came to save His people from their sins!

Jesus’ mom was a virgin named Mary. She conceived Jesus in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ pedigree was amazing, He was an heir to Israel’s royal throne.

But His origin is even more amazing. The Son of God Himself, who is God, came in the flesh as a man! 

Jesus’ nursery at His birth was surprising. He was born in an animal stable and laid down to sleep in a feeding trough.

Jesus’ birth announcement was awesome. An angel choir startled shepherds while they slept. A bright star alerted wise men in the East to the birth of a king.

Jesus grew up to become a truly amazing Man. He wrestled Satan for 40 days in the desert of Judah and overcame him by faithful obedience to God’s commandments. He shocked the community by publicly telling everyone everywhere, “Repent, and believe the gospel,” the good news that God’s Kingdom was coming. Jesus demanded everyone to give up their religious traditions, give up their own personal life plans, and submit to His radical Kingdom of obedience to His Word. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” He scandalized the religious leaders by telling them that all the Jewish Bible promised His own coming!

He told them that He was going back to heaven to God His Father. That they would kill Him but He would rise again. That really no one would take away His life, but that He would lay it down of His own voluntary will.

And that’s what He did. At 33 years old, Jesus was murdered. He knew a crowd was coming to arrest Him, but He went out to meet them boldly. After a bogus trial, He was hung on a Roman cross.

The Old Testament tells us beforehand what He would experience: He carried the curse of sin for sinners. God’s holiness demands that sin be punished. Jesus offered Himself to pay the awful price for the sin of His people. He suffered so that those who believe in Him could be forgiven.

Three days later He rose again and spent 40 days with His hand-picked disciples, and then sent them out to tell the world. He ascended up to heaven, where He is ruling over this sin-cursed world to bring it to its end, when He will return in glory.

Every day, every month, every year that passes, moves us closer to Jesus’ coming. God has appointed a day when He will judge the world, and King Jesus will be the Judge on that day.

And that’s where Pensacola fits in. If you’re in Pensacola today, as I said, you’re a part of Adam’s family, the human family. And we’re sinners. Rebels against God’s law. The Day of Judgment will be an everlasting tragedy. It will be bad news for you if you don’t repent before it is everlastingly too late! To repent is to change your mind about your sins, and to leave them behind in order to follow Jesus. Jesus’ message is the message for Pensacola: “REPENT of your sins, AND BELIEVE THE good news of the GOSPEL, that Jesus Christ calls you to bow to His rule and enter His kingdom!”

Repent of your pride, religious pride, atheistic pride, agnostic pride, or any other pride. Repent of your love for the trash that Hollywood vomits up. Repent of your drunkenness and drug abuse. Repent of your living for self. Repent of your sacrificing your wife, children, husband for your pleasure and personal goals. Repent of worshipping every god and every idol but God Himself. Then cast yourself entirely on the mercy of Jesus Christ. Trust that His death, His glorious resurrection, and all His saving work is enough to cleanse away all your sin and set you free for all eternity.

King Jesus who was the Baby in Bethlehem commands Pensacola to repent and believe the gospel!