Jesus was put to death by the Roman Empire (skillfully manipulated by the Sanhedrin). What the Roman Empire did (and every empire does) is shape the world according to its will. Empires makes disciples of all nations. They do this by using the power and fear of death. But on Easter a new empire arrived -- an empire from God appointed for the toppling of all the old empires of death. On Easter Jesus turned death inside out and gave the world a new alternative -- the empire of love, the empire of peace, the empire of eternal life!