Satan tried to bring down the Church by infiltrating it. 

      Finally this attack was a far greater threat than the previous attacks by the pagan emperors, which were true believers; but then it was officially the state church and then thousands of unrepentant pagans joined for social, financial and political reasons.

After Emperor Constantine became a follower of Jesus Christ, he transformed the legal position of the church to the officially sanctioned state church.

Satan used the emperors and his pagan followers in Rome to persecute the Christians.

      Millions of Christians were tortured and killed for the faith. The brave deaths of these martyrs forced the world to examine what inspired these men and women to such conviction; almost half of the Roman Empire became followers of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Church was transformed by the resurrection of Jesus. 

       It immediately began to fulfill the Great Commission to, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28:19.

God used the cross to confound the wise and defeat satan's plan to ensnare men's souls.

       On Good Friday it appeared that satan had won. Jesus was dead, his followers dispersed. But Resurrection Sunday came. The grave was opened and the evidence of Christ's victory over death and sin was seen.

              The truth of His resurrection is fundamental to God's plan to redeem His people from the curse of sin and death.