Like Cold Water: Respond… and Keep Responding!
“Like cold water to a parched throat is good news from a distant land.”
– Proverbs 25:25
Cold Water = The Gospel—it refreshes, revives, rescues, and demands a response.
Hey Fam, we're in part three of our "Like Cold Water" series, and we're learning how we should respond to the good news! AKA The Gospel! Let's recap what The Gospel is before we jump into the good stuff!
We Got A BIG Problem: Sin has separated us from God.
God Provides THE Solution: Jesus Christ—God’s miraculous answer to our sin. (He's the Answer EVERY TIME, Fam!)
Now here's the big question: How do you respond to this?
Being impressed by God's grace is a good start, but it's not the end goal. The Gospel is BIG, it's HUGE and it's meant to reshape our worlds. The Gospel deserves a righteous and rapid response—it should move us to honest repentance, and a rich faith that leads us to a vibrant new life in Jesus.
Key Scripture: Acts 2:36–41
The Gospel Confronts… Clearly! (Acts 2:36)
On the day of Pentecost (the day God kept his promise and poured out His Holy Spirit on believers so that they (and us) could (and can) walk with the same kind of authority and power Jesus had during his ministry here on earth) right after this amazing experience Peter boldly proclaims:
"This Jesus, whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Messiah."
Peter has never been known for holding back his punches. So, we shouldn't expect him to soften the blow as he addresses the Jewish people visiting Jerusalem for this holiday. Peter's statement is clear and personal—they crucified the Messiah.
He's not reminding them to shame them but to expose their need and offer hope. The Gospel doesn’t coddle or flatter us. It confronts us with clarity because being honest is showing love and kindness.
The Gospel tells the truth: Jesus is not just Savior—He is Lord. We have to stop trying to soften the truth of what Jesus did for us and start surrendering to Him as our Sovereign King.
The Gospel Cuts… to the Core! (Acts 2:37)
"They were pierced to the heart and said… 'What should we do?'"
The Gospel cuts deep—it doesn’t emotionally manipulate, rather it spiritually convicts us of our wrongdoing.
Notice how the crowd didn’t respond with excuses for why they did what they did. Nor did they try to defend their actions or themselves. But with desperation, they recognized: “We didn’t just witness His death—we were part of it.” The Holy Spirit awakens us to our guilt and holds us accountable for all we have done—but again this is not done to shame us, but to guide us to grace.
True repentance starts when we own our brokenness and recognize we need help because we can't do this thing called life on our own. You can’t repent of what you won’t admit to doing. We are broken people but the world will have us to believe that we aren't, that we are perfectly fine in our mess. (If it ain't broken then don't fix it.)
The Gospel doesn’t lead us to bargaining—it leads to brokenness which in turn leads us to surrender.
The Gospel Commands… That We Change! (Acts 2:38–41)
Once their brokenness was brought to light, they asked for a solution. Peter replied:
"Repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of your sins."
Many people get hindered in their faith by this—we love the story of Jesus, but reject the assignment of Jesus. Yet the same love that gave us grace also gives us a call to:
Repent – Change direction. Not just regret, but reroute.
Be Baptized – Go public with your faith. Declare full trust in Christ.
Baptism is more than a symbol—it’s a statement: “I belong to Jesus.” It’s us showing the world that we are claiming to be His People. The Holy Spirit gives us the boldness to proclaim this amazing truth to others. Though let's be clear it's not a welcoming task, it’s risky.
But it reflects a heart that has rejected selfishness (thinking we've got this when we don't) and clings itself completely to Jesus, our only hope and way of moving forward.
So, How Will You Respond?
The Gospel is not a passive story—it’s a call to action:
Clarity about Christ – Accepting He is both Lord and Messiah.
Conviction of Sin – Understanding we crucified Him by our rebellion.
Change of Heart – Choosing to repent and believe.
Commitment to Follow – Being baptized, being bold, and being His.
This isn’t about earning salvation—it’s about embracing the greatest gift with real repentance and real faith, changing ourselves (becoming more Christ-focused) from the inside out. A hard yet beautiful process of refining our character.
The Gospel:
Confronts with clarity.
Cuts to the core.
Commands a change.
Creates a new community.
Your Invitation
Today, hear the Gospel and respond— Not with delay. Not with defensiveness. But with deep repentance and real faith. You may have a church, even religion…
But do you have Christ?
Come—thirsty, guilty, weary—and drink from the fountain of Living Water. Because like cold water to a parched soul…
The Gospel Satisfies. Sip It. And Share It. 💧
Because as Peter reminds us the promise of salvation is for all—for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39)