Like Cold Water: Jesus Paid It All

“Like cold water to a parched throat is good news from a distant land.”

– Proverbs 25:25

We’re in the middle of a refreshing new series titled “Like Cold Water”—a series that zeroes in on one incredible truth: the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate refreshment for a thirsty soul.

Last week, we talked about that thirst—how every human soul is parched because of sin. Sin isn’t just the “big stuff.” It’s every rebellious thought, hidden motive, and subtle defiance of a holy, just, and righteous God. Paul makes it clear in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That’s everybody. We’re all dry. Dehydrated. Desperate.

But that bad news sets the stage for the best news. And that good news is the Gospel. The very thing our souls have been craving. This week, we take a deeper sip from that well. Let’s look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 and discover why the Gospel isn’t just cold water—it’s living water.

The Gospel Is the Main Thing (1 Corinthians 15:1)

Paul says, “Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand.”

Ever been really thirsty? I’m not talking about scrolling through someone’s old selfies kind of “thirsty.” I mean dry mouth, seeing stars, body shutting down thirsty. In that moment, when water hits your lips, you don’t just take a sip and move on—you cling to it. You don’t let go.

That’s the Gospel.

The culture we live in is obsessed with the “next deep thing.” A new revelation. A tweetable quote. But Paul reminds us: the Gospel never gets old. It doesn’t need remixing. It’s not a speed bump on the road to deeper theology—it’s the whole road. The Gospel is the message. The main thing. If you move past it, you’ve moved past Jesus.

Let’s not treat the cross like a one-time pit stop. Let’s stay there. Drink deeply. Be changed.

The Gospel Is Personal (1 Corinthians 15:2)

Paul continues, “…by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

Here’s a question for you: Are YOU holding on to the Gospel?

We’ve all done it—zoned out when someone shared the Gospel in public. “That’s for them, not me,” we think. But Paul doesn’t give us that option. The Gospel isn’t just news for the lost—it’s a lifeline for the found. It sustains us.

Is the Gospel central in your life? Like your favorite wardrobe piece that everything else revolves around, the Gospel should be your spiritual staple. Your decisions, relationships, finances, ambitions—they should all be curated around it. If you're trying to make the Gospel fit into your life, you’ve got it backwards.

Remember: The world won’t always value you when you walk this way. But Jesus does. And if the Gospel means everything to you, then the Gospel will be everything through you.

3. The Gospel Is Powerful (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

Paul lays it all out: “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures.”

The Gospel isn’t random. It’s not weak. It’s powerful. It’s history-shaking, death-defeating, eternity-defining power!

• It confirms His identity – Jesus wasn’t just a good man; He’s the God-Man. He didn’t stay dead. He conquered death.

• It completes His work – A dead savior can’t save. A risen Savior secures eternal life.

• It champions our witness – Our message has weight because the tomb is empty. And if it’s empty for Him, it’ll be empty for us one day too.

The Gospel changes how we walk through life. Like prosthetics for someone born without legs, it gives us strength, direction, and the ability to live upright in a broken world.

Conclusion: Drink and Share

If last week revealed our thirst, this week reveals the source that satisfies.

The Gospel is not advice to follow—it’s a gift to receive.
Not a program for improvement—but a proclamation of divine intervention.
Not something for them—but something for you.

So how do we respond?

• Repent of false gospels: self-help, hustle, religion, performance.

• Receive the righteousness of Christ by faith.

• Rejoice in the reconciliation Jesus purchased.

This isn’t distant doctrine. This is cold water. For your soul.

Drink deeply. Be revived. And then, offer that same water to someone else.

Next Week: The Response

Next Sunday, we’ll look at what it really means to respond to the Gospel—in repentance and faith. But until then, let this Good News echo in your heart:

Jesus did what we never could.
His life, death, and resurrection reconcile us to God.
Take hold. Sip and share.