Here For The Ages

What would it look like to be part of something truly unstoppable? This powerful message takes us to Matthew 16, where we encounter one of the most pivotal moments in Scripture—Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Just as the ancient Angel Oak tree in Charleston has stood for 500 years, weathering wars, hurricanes, and cultural upheaval, the church Jesus established was built to endure for the ages. But here’s the radical truth we must grapple with: this isn’t just about the church as an institution—it’s about each of us individually. We’re challenged to move beyond simply knowing about Jesus to making the life-altering proclamation that He is Lord of our lives. The historical context is striking: Jesus deliberately took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, literally standing before the ‘gates of hell’—a cave known for pagan worship and demonic activity—to declare that His church would be an unstoppable force. This wasn’t a defensive posture but an offensive one. We’re reminded that when Christ is truly Lord of our lives, we carry that same unstoppable authority into our workplaces, schools, relationships, and struggles. The question echoes across two millennia to reach us today: Who do we say Jesus is? And more importantly, are we proclaimers or deniers of that truth in how we actually live?