It has been said there are only two groups of people in the world: those who divide people into groups and those who do not. And I suppose that is true. But we do live in a divided world. East and west, north and south, blue state and red state, black and white, male and female, rich and poor the list goes on and on. Some of these differences are of little importance. Others shape our existence from the cradle to the grave. No divide, however, is as important as that divide represented in our lesson for the day. Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?”

At first the Master asked, “Who do people say that I am?” And the disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” No problem there. Most of the world acknowledge…