Martin Luther withholds his amazement at the feeding of the five thousand (Mt 14:13-21). As amazing as it might have been to those who participated in the food provided from meager supplies, the Lord feeds the whole world every day. This is the far greater miracle; but one we take for granted because of its regularity and consistency. The feeding of the five thousand is a sign that the One who feeds the whole world is among His people in the person of Jesus and He has the power to feed us on a far greater bread, as He says in John, 'The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh' (Jn 6:51). He who can feed five thousand people on "nothing," can certainly feed the world everyday with the bread of this world, coming, as it does, from the created fertility of the world made by Him. Not only this, but a world starving for a lack of spiritual food He is also able to feed upon His flesh, which is true bread indeed. All the world can feed on Christ and from Him be nourished unto life and kept from starving in the poverty of its depravity.

Christ gave sight to the man born blind commanding him to wash in the Pool of Siloam (Jn 9:11). But this is small indeed for those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death and who have been blinded in their trespasses and sins to whom Jesus gives sight (2Co 4:4). Millions have been rescued from blindness unto death to be brought into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ. As a parish pastor, I sometimes have the privilege of watching eyes that were darkened by unbelief opened to the glorious riches of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and in that moment of seeing everything is made light (Mt 6:22).

Christ gave life to Lazarus by calling him from the stinking tomb into which he had been laid. He was rescued from his grave clothes upon which hung the odor of death. The power of the word of God on the lips of Christ the Lord shattered death's hold upon this one. Could there have been envious families in Bethany? Weren't there townspeople whose loved ones also were moldering in the graves there? Why hadn't Jesus rescued their loved ones as he had Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha? But such envy was unnecessary. For the Lord who was himself put to death and placed in a tomb also came forth with a shout of triumph on Easter Sunday. He will cry that triumph for all who have believed in him so that they too will be called from their graves on the last day to be united with Christ in body and soul. Bethany's graveyard will be emptied at the right time as they will be everywhere at once. Lazarus is only the first among many.

Christ accomplishes far greater things today than ever he did during His earthly life, because He who died uses the power of His indestructible life to bring sight to the blind, food to the starving, and life to the dead. That is the power of the cross, in which the church glories. Now, that's amazing!