Joel M Bradshaw

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.–Matthew 28

1. The tomb of Jesus was empty.
2. One choice is that Jesus was taken from it by others. This is what the religious leaders thought.
3. The second choice is that Jesus left the tomb on His own. This is what the Bible plainly teaches.
4. You either believe Jesus stayed dead and His body was stolen or you believe that He died, resurrected, and walked out of the tomb alive.
5. If you believe that Jesus really didn’t die, but just faked it, then you probably need to research the thoroughness of the Roman flogging and crucifixion process.
6. Just remember: if God could raise Jesus from the dead, then any other miracle in the Bible is possible. This was the hardest miracle.
7. Also remember: The religious leaders simply explained away the empty tomb. They never denied it. How about you?–JMB