Unafraid for Truth
In the Soviet era there were two major papers in Russia - Pravda and Izvestia. The Soviet Authorities would swing into action to defend their interests with remarkable speed when they were under threat.
The names Pravda and Izvestia meant "The Truth" and "The News" ... and the rather smug quip from those of us in the Western world where we had a free press, was that there was never any news in "The Truth" - or truth in "The News."
The authorities were afraid of the truth. The dissidents in Russia were suppressed because they were considered a threat to the people, but they continued to speak out because they had a message that was more important to them than their fear - the message of freedom and the love of truth.
I have been humbled this week listening to the Reith Lectures given by Aung San Su Kyi speaking of freedom - lectures recorded secretly in Burma and smuggled out by those determined to let her voice be heard and to be given an audience. What this will cost her I do not know ... what is clear is that her desire to speak for the right of the people to be free is greater than the fear of reprisal. She spoke movingly of the role of a dissident in Vaclav Havel's words as "one whose obligation is to serve the truth" - to serve the real aims of life; which is the right of the individual to a free and truthful life.
And in our second reading we have a picture of Peter and John before the authorities, in trouble for speaking the truth. Let us look at the picture. The great and the good are gathered ... with a wealth of experience and knowledge and before them are Peter and John, lowly men - uneducated common men with no visible signs of support or of erudition.
And yet ... and yet - the last time that Peter spoke to the people at Pentecost - over 3,000 people were converted. The Authorities see these men as dangerous - for when they speak out - they challenge their power. Firstly Peter and John challenge the Sadducees - who believed that there was no resurrection, for here they declare the truth of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.
This are are here many echoes of the passion of Jesus. Peter is setting the record straight, for here it is not Pilate asking "What is truth ? " - but Peter boldly declaring the truth of Jesus before the authorities, who in their turn are silent.
Peter and John do not just declare the power of Jesus in words - for all have seen and heard the man who was healed in the name of the Risen Jesus. A physical sign of God's power has been shown in Jerusalem, to all people in a very public way. It is clear that the authorities realise that the people who hear this message, believe the truth of the resurrection that Peter and John proclaim.
Secondly the Apostles challenge the same high priests - Annas and Caiaphas - who had condemned Jesus. The last time that Peter had been in the presence of the high priest he had denied Jesus and was afraid of their authority. Here Peter tells them that he and John speak in power of Jesus whom they crucified and God has raised. And the High Priests can find no words to oppose him or to defend themselves when faced with this truth.
For there is no doubt that they accept the healing of the man as a sign. And Peter goes further - for he asks the authorities whether it is right to listen to God or the High Priests - setting himself in opposition to them. They do what so many others do when faced with unanswerable opposition - they try to silence the speaker. Peter clearly places himself in the position of dissident - one who lives to serve the truth. Peter embraces the cross, knowing he may face imprisonment, martyrdom - but none of this is important in the face of the wonder of God's message and the life of the Risen Jesus which he proclaims.
When I was a student in Moscow I was befriended by a woman I met on the metro who saw my cross and after a while invited me to her house church. They were Baptists - and for her to invite a westerner home was an act of extreme bravery - she risked persecution for her simple belief that the communion of believers was more important than her personal safety. It was her action that led me back to faith - for we saw that what Jesus meant to her was beyond fear and her gift to us was great.
The truth she shared with us was that through Jesus we have salvation - that Jesus whom they rejected is indeed the true cornerstone that upholds all.
This is the truth that sets us free.
The simple truth is incredibly joyful - the resurrection of Jesus has brought us freedom beyond measure. Because Jesus rose from the dead - we have the assurance that he is with us always. Through Jesus we are freed from the burden of our sins and in Jesus we have that salvation - the promise of eternal life, that can never be destroyed.
So I think that we too have an obligation to serve that truth in all that we do. We are called to embrace God's justice, God's truth ... and to strive to see that clearly. This isn't always easy, as the problems seem enormous .. and we seem very small. Bishop Desmond Tutu knew this better than most - for the danger he faced in South Africa must have seemed insurmountable. When asked why he spoke out against injustice he replied. " If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."
We are not alone. In fact we can do nothing in our own strength. God is the power that upholds us - and when human pride and earthly glory fail ... his power is still invincible and if we follow, God will not let us fall. Look at the difference in Peter that we see in the reading tonight - upheld by God, his words have weight and the truth is heard even by those who reject it.
And where Christian witness has shown the love of God, wonderful things have happened; discrimination has given way to freedom, hatred has been overcome and people have become reconciled, brought into new life. Being human we can and do get it wrong ... but that should never stop us trying, even if all we think we can do is to pray for the freedom of those oppressed and for those who oppress them: that they may know the love of God and see His Truth.
I end with some words of the Psalm as our prayer tonight.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us, so that your ways may be known on earth your salvation among all nations. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Amen.
Rev Joanna Naish