Jesus DID die on the cross, and DID rise from the dead. Despite naturalistic tendencies to not want to believe this, it happened. Here's why I'm sure.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and he appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
1 Corinthians 15:3-7

There's this idea floating around secular circles the Jesus rising from the dead proving once and for all that he was (and is) God was just some made-up story. But it's simply not. This happened in a time when people could verify, people could say this didn't happen. But they did not say this. They tried their best to discount it what happened, certainly. But no one could deny that he died on that cross, then after the third day he rose from the dead just as Scripture said it would happen. To those who don't (want to) believe in miracles or anything else that is not naturalistic, this is incredibly hard to grasp.

But it happened. And we must all grapple with what it means for our lives.