By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 15:14-21, 30-33 

“Reach.” I like the title to our lesson this week. I think about a little boy reaching across the counter to grab the cookie jar. Because his arm is too short, he must strain his little body as he stands on his tiptoes and extends his fingers as far as he can, just barely reaching his prize. But eventually he succeeds and, with a big smile, eats a delicious cookie.

The church was created for the purpose of reaching the world with the gospel. We are called to put all our energies into that pursuit. As Paul begins to close out his letter to the Romans, he uses himself as an example, seeking to inspire action. He writes, “… that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God” (Romans 15:16-17). [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 14:1-12 

Freedom. It’s a word we all love. More than that, it is an experience we both enjoy and expect in our culture. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is free. For some, freedom is a distant dream. They long for the day when they can be free. [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 13:1-14 

Several years ago, my wife and I had a house built, but only the downstairs. I took the next year and a half to finish the upstairs. As I spent my nights and weekends working, there were times when my son, who was only 3, would come by my side and mimic what I was doing. I have a fond memory of him picking up his little plastic hammer and trying to nail a 2×4. As we come to our text Paul is urging the church to become model citizens. As my son was watching and learning from me, so too the world watches the church and, depending on how we live, can learn what a life of faith looks like. [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 

Not long ago I watched a documentary on the transformation that takes place inside a cocoon. With less than scientific language, let me explain it: a caterpillar is enveloped by a cocoon. While in that state the caterpillar literally dissolves into a pile of goo, then miraculously is rebuilt into a lifeform utterly different from what it was. It goes in as an ugly little worm and comes out a beautiful flying butterfly. The scientist’s explanation was longer, but not clearer. Quite simply, they don’t know how the transformation takes place. [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 11:17-32 

Adoption is something that is common. Families adopt children every day. What is unique is that these families have a bond of love as strong as families who have not adopted children. God’s love is like that. It is strong enough to love adopted children as much as natural children.

In our text, Paul is addressing gentile believers in Christ. He does not use the language of adoption but speaks about gentiles being grafted into the natural olive tree. The natural tree represents Israel. The gentiles are the wild branches that are brought in from the outside and made a part of the natural tree. However, adoption is a good illustration of what Paul is speaking about. [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Roman 10:5-15 

We were walking through Calcutta when we saw the temple for Kali. Curious, we walked to the gate and looked inside. A Hindu priest was holding a goat in one hand and holding up a knife in the other. To our surprise, he suddenly sacrificed the animal. He then dragged the goat through the temple to the Kali idol.

As he did, the Kali devotees frantically took the blood from the animal and put it on the idol. Our interpreter told us they did this because they believed they could be forgiven of their sins through this ritual. Our hearts were heavy as we watched.

In every culture there is a religious system that seeks to address a universal human need. People intuitively know that we are all sinners (Romans 3:10-18). Every religious system seeks to answer the need. Unfortunately, there is no religious system devised by man that can atone for our sins. In Romans 3:23 Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And in Romans 6:23, Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death….” The need is real but only God can provide the solution.

Unfortunately, despite that reality, people seek to atone for their own sins. In our text Paul is appealing to his Jewish countrymen to trust in the finished work of the cross for their salvation. Addressing them he writes, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

Centuries before, God gave the Jewish people the law. The law is good and works to teach us about the righteousness God desires from His people. However, it was never meant to be a tool that enables people to earn their own righteousness. It was given to reveal the reality that we don’t have any righteousness within us by which we can appeal to God for salvation. In that regard, its main purpose is to reveal our sin so we will turn to God for salvation (Romans 3:19-20).

Instead of earning our own righteousness, Paul is teaching that we receive the righteousness God requires through faith in Jesus. Jesus earned the righteousness we need to be accepted by the Father. Every person can receive this righteousness. They need only to recognize that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and rose again on the third day.

In Roman 6:23, Paul called this a gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To receive this precious gift, and therefore to be saved, one need only to call out to Jesus. Paul wrote, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. … For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ ” (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

A lifetime of religious rituals cannot atone for our sins. A person trusting in their religion, no matter how sincere, will be just as guilty of their sins at the end of their life as they were when they began their religious practices. But a moment of prayer, calling to Jesus, trusting in His gift of righteousness, can and will transform a person from an object of wrath to a child of God.

Have you received this gift yet?

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 8:12-25 

There is nothing like knowing you have a home. Many are familiar with the Christmas song, “I’ll be Home for Christmas.” I was a young soldier in the army as Desert Storm began in 1991. As the prospect of war became real, and as our training began to reveal the dangers we would be exposed to, thoughts of home and knowing that I had a place to go back to one day, gave me both courage and hope. No matter where you are or what you are going through, knowing you have a home waiting for you encourages you to persevere. [Read more…]

By Travis Biller
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton

Focal Passage: Romans 6:1-14 

“So, I’m saved. Now what? I was told that if I confess my sin and call on Jesus I am saved by faith. Further, I was told that because of what Jesus did on the cross I am justified before God, have peace with God, and am declared righteous. But I don’t feel righteous. I still struggle with sinful thoughts and impulses. I feel old urges coming to the surface. Preacher, was I really even saved?” [Read more…]