They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. John 20:9

There is in the state of Georgia a white man who is buried in a cemetery traditionally reserved for African-Americans. The mother of this man died when he was a small child. His father never remarried and, according to custom at that time, he employed Mandy, a black woman, a Christian woman, to help with the raising of his son.

Without being his mother, Mandy gave the boy a mother’s love. Among his earliest and warmest recollections was Mandy’s tradition of waking him with a gentle, “Wake up — God's mornin' is come.” The boy grew and went off to college. When he came home for holidays and summers, Mandy still began the day with, “Wake up — God’s mornin’ is come.” He never outgrew hearing those words; she never outgrew saying them.

Later in life, after he had achieved some success, the man received the message, “Mandy has died. Can you come to her funeral?” Standing at Mandy’s open grave the man turned to his companions and commented, "If I die before Jesus returns, I want to be buried here, beside Mandy. I like to think that on Resurrection Day she'll say, 'Wake up, my boy, God's mornin' is come!'" The boy, like Mandy, had gotten it. They knew that their Savior has risen. With faith in Him, they knew that death could never destroy them. They knew that God’s resurrection mornin’ is coming for all who hold fast to Jesus as their Redeemer. They got it.

Sadly, the world is filled with hundreds of millions of people who don't get it. Some have never heard of Jesus. They can't get it. Some know the name of Jesus, but only when it's used as a curse word. They won't get it. Some don't get it because they refuse to believe that a man who lived and died 2,000 years ago can have any impact or influence. When people don’t get what God wants to give, they remain lost, retain their sins, and refuse the Redeemer’s rescue.

God wants you to "get it". There are numerous proofs to the reality of the Savior’s resurrection. Check it out. Better yet, trust the Holy Spirit who can help you get hope where there is horror, joy where there is judgment, peace where today there is only poison. Get God’s gift: the Christ who gives us God’s good morning.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour sermon preached on April 11, 2004

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I put my trust in You! In You, I can find hope where there is horror, joy where there is judgment, peace where there is poison. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and Your wisdom, so that I can help others "get it." In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 119:1-88    1 Thessalonians 5

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