A Well-Centered Evangelism

John 4:27-42

Well-Centered Evangelism

Have you ever noticed how often conversations drift toward what people are passionate about? If someone has found a new restaurant, they don’t keep it to themselves. If they’ve discovered a new TV show, a new fitness plan, a new gadget—they become evangelists. We can’t help but share what satisfies us.

The same is true spiritually. Everyone is thirsty. We all go to wells, searching for something that will satisfy—success, relationships, approval, possessions. But as Jesus shows the Samaritan woman, only He is the well that never runs dry.

And here’s the good news: Those who have drunk from the well of Christ will overflow with life, sharing Christ with the thirsty of this world. Evangelism is not first a program, a strategy, or a duty we dread—it is the overflow of a soul that has found its satisfaction in Christ.

That’s why this passage gives us a picture of “Well-Centered Evangelism.” Not self-centered. Not guilt-centered. Not even church-centered. But evangelism that flows from a personal encounter with the living Christ. When we drink deeply of Him, we don’t have to force it. Our joy becomes a witness. Our satisfaction becomes an invitation. Our life in Him becomes living water for others.

So let’s go to the well with Jesus and see how He not only satisfies our souls, but also makes us His witnesses.

The Woman's Witness

How it started: She came thirsty.

Socially marginalized (cultural context): Samaritan, woman, immoral reputation. She comes at noon to avoid others.

Her water jar represents the old pursuit of satisfaction — something temporary.

Where it ended:

She left her water jar (v. 28). The physical symbol of her thirst is abandoned. Why? Because she has tasted something better (cf. Job 23:12: “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food”).

Having tasted living water she couldn’t help but share it

A note on evangelism

Not foreign fields, but in her home

She didn’t go where she was unknown, anonymous, with a clean slate - she went to those who knew her, who knew her failures, to those who had rejected her.

Evangelism is often hardest, and most real, at home.

Not polished, but passionate

She wasn’t trained but she was full

She spoke about her experience, not someone else’s, not something she had read, but an encounter with the I Am.

Not an argument, but an invitation

She didn’t go and confront or appeal

Kent Hughes: “The woman’s witness was invitational, not confrontational. She did not argue, she simply pointed to Christ. Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

She spoke from her own experience

Not pointed at others “he told me everything you’ve done is wrong,” but what Jesus did for her, “he told me everything I had done; and still offered me the water of life.”

Application: Evangelism begins where you are. Your story of grace, even in weakness, may be the very thing God uses to awaken others.

The Peoples' Response

They came because of her witness

They saw someone different: transformed joy, hope where there had been shame.

The Lord uses imperfect vessels to show his glory (2 Cor 4:7)

They believed because of His words

They spent time with Jesus, they heard for themselves

“This is truly the Savior of the World” What did they mean by this?

Isaiah’s promise that God’s salvation would reach all nations (Isa 49:6).

Our testimony brings others near, but Christ himself secures their faith

This is the goal of evangelism

To bring all to the feet of Jesus: That all may believe in him unto salvation

To bring people to Jesus’ feet so they may believe unto salvation.

Not to make converts to us, but disciples of Christ.

Not to say a prayer, but to know a Savior.

Application: Don’t underestimate what God can do through a simple invitation. J.C. Ryle: “A spark is enough to kindle a great fire. A single soul truly converted to God may be the means of drawing hundreds to Christ.”

Will Work For Food

Jesus’ hunger was satisfied - did someone bring him food -

The Disciples - as usual - were only thinking about bread.

Jesus’ food was doing the will of the one who sent him - completing it

Isa 55:1–2 true nourishment comes not from bread, but from God’s mission.

What is the Father’s will

To overcome the work of the devil (1 John 3:8),

To bring reconciliation, forgiveness, healing, restoration, eternal life.

To gather - harvest - the elect from all the nations

This is the good news - Christ delights in saving sinners like you and me. Doing the Father’s will, saving the lost, meant more to Jesus that food itself.

Jesus invites us into this work and its joy

The Harvest is ripe (white fields = ready to reap)

Seeing the corn start to turn golden - Farmer’s four months - they know after planting how long they have to wait.

Jesus said the time for the harvest is now

The Woman sowed the seed, now the disciples get to harvest - gathering in those who believe

John Calvin: “When Christ says that the fields are already white, he means that there never will be a lack of harvest, provided that there are reapers ready to gather it.”

It is the Lord who brings the growth

Application: Evangelism is not drudgery, but joy. It is not the work of a few, it is the heart of Christ and all who are in him. Christ invites us into the Father’s feast of gathering His children home.

Welling Up with life

Self-Reflection

Coffee breath - illustration of a teacher in middle school

When people speak with you, do they know that you have tasted living water, that you have feasted at the Lord’s Table?

Have you drunk from the well of life? Have you experienced Christ personally, tasted the goodness of God - known deep down the transformative power of the Holy Spirit

So often we are content with pictures of it, stories about it, but we never really know it for ourselves.

If you have tasted the life giving grace of God in Christ, you will share it. If you are not sharing Christ, have you really known him?

Our call:

Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) come to him for yourself

Leave behind the old desires - let the expulsive power of a new affection transform you

Go home - to your family, your neighbor, your friends - they are thirsty - let them know that you’ve found the only water that will satisfy

Call all to come and see the one who has transformed you - your job isn’t to change them, but to bring them to the feet of the only one who can

Spurgeon: “If you cannot speak like thunder, then speak like a whisper; but speak of Christ. There are lips enough to tell of folly; let there be tongues enough to tell of Jesus.”

Pray that the Spirit would give our labor success - that our joy would be complete as we bring in the sheaves