Bound to Share
A Sermon on John 4:28-30
Originally preached Jan. 28, 1968
Scripture
28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
Sermon Description
The Christian is bound to share the good news that has changed their life. In his sermon on John 4:28–30 titled “Bound to Share,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones paints a vivid picture of the Christian and their compassion for the souls of the lost. The Christian knows the feeling of being both freed and forgiven from enslaving sin. If they have been saved, they know that they were only a great sinner in need of a great Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates that conversion is like a sick person who is given a prescription that gives health and vitality again. When that person sees someone with that same ailment, they cannot help but speak of what made them well again with the hope that the other person will be healed. Similarly, someone who has been brought new life by the gospel cannot help but share it with others in need. Jesus does not only have compassion on His people and forgive them; He also gives them compassionate and forgiving hearts.
Sermon Breakdown
- The woman of Samaria left her waterpot and went to tell others about Jesus after realizing who he was. This is the instinctive response of a Christian upon encountering Christ.
- We should examine ourselves to see if we behave like the woman of Samaria in spontaneously telling others about Jesus. This is the best way to test the genuineness of our faith.
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The woman was motivated by several reasons to tell others about Jesus:
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She had something to say and give, not just seeking salvation for herself. Christians have a message to share, not just seeking truth for themselves.
- She was fascinated by Jesus and wanted others to know him too.
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Jesus had done much for her - given her authority, rest for her mind, peace for her conscience, new life and power, hope and joy. Realizing this creates a desire to tell others.
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The woman was concerned for the people of her city, seeing the superficiality and futility of their lives without Christ. Christians should have a concern for those without Christ.
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The woman wanted others to share in the benefits she had received from Christ. Christians should want to share the "good news" with others so they can enjoy it too, not keep it to themselves.
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The story of the lepers who found food and treasure illustrates this - they couldn't keep it to themselves but had to tell the starving people of the city.
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Romans 1:16 illustrates this further - the gospel is the "prescription of God" for salvation. If we have the cure for what others suffer from, we must share it with them.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Christian Evangelism?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on the Samaritan woman in John 4:28-30, here are some key questions and answers about Christian evangelism:
What does the Samaritan woman's response teach us about authentic Christianity?
Answer: Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the Samaritan woman's spontaneous evangelism represents "the instinctive response of the Christian." Her immediate desire to share her encounter with Jesus wasn't commanded—it was natural and spontaneous. Lloyd-Jones explains that this spontaneity "is one of the best ways of testing the true nature of our profession." A genuine Christian experience naturally produces an eagerness to tell others about Christ, not out of duty or programming, but from a heart overflowing with discovery and joy.
Why do true Christians naturally want to share the gospel?
Answer: According to Lloyd-Jones, true Christians naturally evangelize because they "have something to say" and "something to give." He contrasts this with mere seekers who have nothing to offer others, saying "this notion that the Christian is a seeker and searcher after the truth is about as far removed from the New Testament description of the Christian as anything you can ever find." Christians share because they've found the answer, experienced rest for their minds, peace for their consciences, new life within, and hope beyond death—these realities naturally compel them to tell others.
What motivation for evangelism does Lloyd-Jones emphasize most strongly?
Answer: Lloyd-Jones emphasizes Christian concern for the lost as the primary motivation for evangelism. This has two elements: First, Christians see "the utter superficiality and the final futility of the kind of life that is being lived by the non-Christian." Second, and more importantly, Christians recognize "the danger of their position." He says, "You can't become a Christian without realizing at once that the non-Christian is in a very dangerous position." This sense of urgency comes from understanding the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ.
How does a proper view of sin affect evangelism?
Answer: Lloyd-Jones teaches that "a defective and a deficient sense of sin in us ourselves" is the main reason Christians fail to evangelize. He explains: "There is only one thing that keeps us right individually. There is only one thing, ultimately, that will make us be concerned about others, and that is that we know something about the fear of hell." Christians who maintain a clear understanding of their own sinfulness and God's grace will naturally feel concern for those still in darkness.
What positive motivation drives Christian evangelism?
Answer: Beyond concern about others' spiritual danger, Christians evangelize from a desire to share the benefits they're enjoying. Lloyd-Jones illustrates this with the story of lepers who discovered food during a famine (2 Kings 7): "When you come across this good thing, you can't keep it to yourself. The Christian isn't selfish." He uses the analogy of someone who discovers a cure for a painful disease naturally wanting to share the prescription with fellow sufferers: "He's got the certain cure, and that man's suffering and doesn't know, but he's bound to tell him."
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.