Title: Fullness in Frailty
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John 1:1–18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (ESV)
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In Fullness in Frailty, Jed Gillis expounds on John 1:1–18, focusing on the unmatched fullness of Jesus Christ revealed in His incarnation. The passage shows that Jesus, the eternal Word, is the source of divine fullness, embodying life, light, grace, and truth. Unlike the emptiness and insufficiency we encounter in worldly pursuits, Christ’s fullness is infinite, unchanging, and freely accessible to all who believe. Gillis emphasizes that through Jesus’s incarnation—God taking on human flesh—we see grace upon grace extended to us. This divine fullness overcomes darkness, reveals truth, creates new life, and produces humility in His followers.
The sermon underscores that Jesus’s fullness is both meaningful and accessible, offering lasting purpose and hope. It contrasts human striving for fulfillment with the satisfying grace that flows from Christ’s glory. Through His life and death, Jesus meets the deepest needs of our emptiness, pointing us to worship the one who is both fully God and fully man. Gillis calls believers to reflect on Christ’s fullness this Christmas, finding in Him the grace that transforms every area of life.
00:00 Introduction: Fullness and Emptiness
04:08 Christmas and The Fullness of Christ
06:30 Prayer of Ephesians 3
07:22 Reading of John 1:1-18
09:01 A Divine Fullness
14:15 Infinitely Full Goodness
19:41 His Fullness is a Meaninful Fullness
21:14 A Creative Fullness
22:40 An Overcoming Fullness
26:06 The Light of a Revealing Fullness
26:34 Humility-Producing Fullness
28:21 A Rejected Fullness
28:41 An Accessible Fullness
31:40 A Glorious Fullness
33:12 Fullness Full of Grace
34:41 Fullness Full of Truth
36:30 What Do You Do With the Incarnation?
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.
