Section 34
Act 4 starts well. Peter declares that Jesus is God’s promised King! But then Jesus teaches that He’s going to be rejected and killed before rising again, and Peter thinks He must have got it wrong. Peter doesn’t understand that Jesus has to die. But Jesus makes it clear that He does: His kingdom is all upside down because the King has come to serve.
Then something wonderful happens: Jesus takes three of His disciples—Peter, James, and John—up on a mountaintop. There, they get a glimpse of His glory and hear God’s voice saying, “This is my Son whom I love. Listen to him!” But they still don’t get it. When Jesus predicts His death again, His disciples start arguing about which of them is the greatest. Jesus has to explain that in His kingdom, whoever wants to be first must be last.
Continuing to challenge expectations about status, Jesus defends women, welcomes children, and teaches that it’s harder for a rich man to get into God’s kingdom than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle! Then, He teaches His disciples once again that He’s going to die. This time, James and John are the ones who mess up. Jesus has to explain again that His kingdom works upside down. Why? Because even He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Act 3 ended with a blind man being healed, and Act 4 ends that same way.