I can't think of a more strategic means of accomplishing our purpose this Easter than encouraging you to believe and equipping you to communicate the truth of the resurrection. I believe Jesus Christ rose because the evidence is too strong to deny and I don't have enough faith to believe alternative explanations. Consider these indisputable facts: Jesus was a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Christ in fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures. He was influential and controversial. Jesus offended the religious officials and was arrested, tried, publicly executed, prepared for burial, and placed in a tomb that was sealed and guarded. A large stone was rolled against the opening. By Sunday morning, the guards were AWOL, the stone was moved, and the tomb was empty. This was verified by several visits. The officials never produced the body. Various reports circulated about his appearances. People were transformed and faced death with courage. Christianity spread. Converted Jews changed their deeply ingrained custom of Sabbath on Saturday and began to celebrate the resurrection on Sundays. The alternative explanation that the disciples stole the body is foolish, for who would die for a lie? The thought that the authorities stole the body doesn't make sense because they would have produced it and ended the whole uprising.

To suggest that everyone went to the wrong tomb is silly. Jesus was a public figure and the tomb was well known. The swoon theory, that Jesus didn't really die, contradicts good medical science and is pure fantasy. The soldiers knew their job and the thrust of a sword verified Jesus was dead. How could he have revived, unwrapped himself, scraped off the spices, rolled the stone away, overcome the guards, dressed himself, and passed himself off as a king? The resurrection verifies that Jesus accomplished what he came to do. It shows that the Father received the sacrifice of the Son. The debt of our sin really is paid in full. Jesus finished the work necessary to accomplish our salvation.
Romans 4:25 "He was raised to life for our justification."