The Gospel of John records seven miracles. Today we will be studying the last of these seven miracles: Jesus’ raising Lazarus, who had already been dead for four days, back to life. This can be called the greatest miracle, because this miracle defeated death and sin. Today, I want us to study this great miracle from another perspective – how to resurrect the spiritually dead. The Book of Ephesians tells us we are all dead in our sins, we are all spiritually dead. But the Lord Jesus made us alive, that is, we were born again. How do we become born again?

In chapter 9 of John’s gospel, Jesus healed a man born blind. This was a glorious and exciting thing. But after reading the 41 verses, one realizes that no one felt excited, no one gave glory to God, apart from the blind man who was healed. The blind man’s neighbors and those who often saw him beg for alms only asked one thing: “How were your eyes opened?” The Pharisees asked his parents, “Is this your son who was born blind? How is that now your son can see?” Although they got answers to their questions, in fact, firm evidence proving that the man was born blind and that Jesus made his eyes see, they refused to accept them. In their hearts, Jesus was a sinner who breached the Sabbath. No matter what good he did, their minds were already set on the idea that he is a sinner. This is called prejudice. This is spiritual blindness. Jesus said: “The blind will see and those who see will become blind.” We must be like the blind man and turn from darkness to light; do not be like the Pharisees, who turned from light to darkness. Let us study this miracle by reflecting on how the blind man gradually came to recognize Jesus.

We have already reflected on the first four miracles in the Gospel of John. The first is the miracle of water turned into wine. This miracle proves that Jesus is the Lord of creation. The second miracle is the healing of the royal official’s son. It revealed that Jesus is sovereign over time and space. The third miracle is the healing of the 38-year invalid, this miracles gives hope to those who are hopeless. The fourth miracle is the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. It was a miracle that resolved the problem of food. Jesus is the expert on solving difficult problems. Today, we continue and examine the fifth miracle in the Gospel of John, how Jesus walked on water.

There are seven miracles in the Gospel of John. Each one of these miracles proves that Jesus is the Son of God and that we can believe in him and have eternal life. Today, let us reflect on the fourth miracle – the miracle of five loaves and two fish.

With five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed 5000 men; if women and children were included, the number could possibly reach 10,000 or so. It must have been a sensational occurrence during that time; that is why this miracle is recorded in all four Gospels. Providing food for 10,000 people in a remote area was indeed an enormous problem. But we discover here how Jesus is the expert on solving difficult problems.