The most important question you'll ever answer isn't on a test or a job application — it's the one Jesus himself asks: "Who do you say that I am?" In this message from Matthew 16, Pastor Joel Hastings takes us to one of the most unlikely places in the ancient world — Caesarea Philippi, a city overflowing with pagan temples, chaos, and false gods — and shows us why Jesus chose that backdrop to ask that question.

Pastor Joel walks through Peter's bold confession, Jesus renaming Simon to Peter, and what it means that Jesus promised to build his church on the very Gates of Hell. The sermon lands with a challenge: your words about Jesus matter far less than how your life actually answers the question — and no matter what your past looks like, Jesus is the one who gets to rename you and give you a new identity.

Here's a couple key takeaways

• The world will get close to who Jesus is, but close isn't enough — he can only be a liar, a lunatic, or Lord, and your life (not just your words) reveals what you truly believe.

• Jesus renames Peter from "reed" to "rock" — and in the same way, your identity, value, and purpose are determined by what Jesus says about you, not your past.

• The Church doesn't hide from the Gates of Hell — it attacks them. You've been given a new name and invited into a mission, so don't shrink back from the broken places around you.