Again for the 'Thought for the Week' this week, we will be thinking about preparing for Easter.

Last week, we thought about the significance that Jesus gave to the Passover meal as he celebrated his last meal with his disciples.

After Jesus had celebrated this meal, he then went with his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane and it was here that he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and arrested. From there Jesus went on trial - firstly before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious court), and then before Pilate and Herod.

Though Jesus was accused of many things, the Sanhedrin could not find anything to accuse him with. Indeed, they even struggled to get false witnesses to hold their stories against Jesus.

And even Pilate, the Roman Governor, could not find anything to accuse Jesus of - and washed his hands of the whole matter saying that Jesus' blood was not on his hands.

There is nothing worse than being accused of something that you haven't done. There are many cases highlighted recently of people who have been imprisoned who have later been completely exonerated because there has been a miscarriage of justice.

That doesn't excuse those who were falsely accusing Jesus. You see, if we learn anything from the Bible about the character of God, it is that he cares about justice.

I'm glad about that. Because we see so much injustice in our society and in our world, and I believe that there is a part of each one of us which longs for justice and for things to be made right. Otherwise why would we feel so strongly about all that is happening in Gaza and Ukraine?

Jesus was falsely accused, and condemned and put to death on the cross. And yet he was innocent! One of the key beliefs in the Christian faith is that Jesus was without sin. And that on the cross he died taking our place and our punishment for sin - that we might know forgiveness and life.

Jesus took our place - the innocent paying the price for the guilty. God is a God of justice - but he is also a God of grace and mercy. He calls us to stand for justice - but also to be people of grace and mercy - following in his footsteps.