Friends, you and I are living through a rare moment in history. Usually these rare moments are made up of war when you suddenly have to leave everything and everyone you love. This is a different revolution, its one about redefining who your friends are and what your community is.
My friends have radically changed in the last six months. The old way of being friends was to have different friends from different places in your life. I remember Mark Wheeler. He gave me his bicycle when he moved away in 3rd grade. I never expected to see him again. That was how friendships worked. High school was different friends. College was a new set again. Perhaps a few of you kept writing letters to special friends. I suspect that most of you are like me – you kept throwing away your friends.
Yesterday, I wrote a note to the first woman who ever sent me a love letter. I was 14 years old. I never expected to see her again. And with social media and technology, we are connected. Phones have changed. When I called from Cambodia 15 years ago, it cost five dollars per minute. Now its six cents per minute. Call anytime you want. In the US, I have unlimited calling. So what if your friends live six states away. Want to send a picture or video? Use your phone. US mail declined 16% in Queens between last year and this year because its too slow. I don’t use the mail. I don’t want checks stolen and I can pay online.
Some of you are more involved in social networks than me. Some of you have just clicked the off button because you are going to do it. And some of you feel scared when you think of the unknown world its opening up. I’m in that 3rd group. When it comes to a group of friends, most of us have different categories of friends – family members, friends from school, friends from clubs, friends from political groups, assorted friends without label, church friends. What happens when you gather all of these friends into one circle?
Then when you see how this social media interacts with life – it causes some fear. The Iranian revolution is the first war where we can each be involved. The other day, an online friend posted directions for all of us to turn the time zone on our twitter account to Iranian time. The Iranian government is trying to block Iranian twitter channels. But they can’t do it, because thousands of people from around the world are becoming Iranians. The secret police are killing people in the streets. And people are capturing it with cell phones and tweets and others of us are rebroadcasting to make sure that the world knows. Obama doesn’t have to say much about the US position because there is already an army of tweeters and facebooks racing to the battle.
You can bet that every government in the world is watching. The power of the elites whether government or newspapers that control information is being threatened by an old time New England town hall, where you can gather with whomever you want and at any time you want. I’m not sure what this means for the future.
And what does it mean to be a Christian in this moment? Our Scripture this morning talks about fear and God’s overwhelming ability to deal with all the things in life that cause fear. As we think about the fear of change and the fear of historic change, we will hear again the great promise of God, fear not, because I am with you, even to the end of the age!
The disciples have just risked their lives in a sudden storm on the sea. The Sea of Galilee is shallow so a storm can produce waves that you would not expect. Waves of 4 to 5 feet are not impossible because the lake is only 50 feet deep. Even for experienced fishers, a storm with the right winds can blow up waves that will wreck a fishing boat. The disciples are suddenly about to drown in the Sea where they have made their living for so many years. It seems incredible. Its one thing to die in some exotic fashion, but they are about to die on a ride that they had been enjoying.
That is how all change affects us. Change takes away security and offers opportunity. Most of us like more security than life offers. Whether it’s the Iranian middle class calling for fair elections or someone here trying to figure out whether to move closer to your children or losing a job – the change is fearful. Our first reaction is to hide to make it go away.
Of course, we see the rescue of God. And the great question is – if God could rescue them and the wind and sea obey God, then why didn’t God tell the wind and the sea to stay calm to begin with? Does God only have power in limited quantities and then the batteries run down? If you pray when God is already busy, you have to go thru have a crisis before your number comes up to be served?
Is anybody thinking that way? Because I’d have to say that you’re completely wrong. God is trying to help the disciples build their faith. I’m sure everyone here has gone through something in life that was difficult – and at the same time, you were glad it happened? It changed you for the better?
Let me offer three changes that I hope you accept. I hope everyone here experiments a little with the new technologies for having friends and communicating. Whether it’s a cell phone or a yahoo group, don’t miss out on the revolution.
Secondly, decide how God is calling you to be a witness. I have started another conversation with a woman that I went to grade school with and lives now in Washington. Amazingly she has referred to the power of prayer several times recently. We both have friends in Iran. I find it easier to talk online about spiritual things, because it’s a little easier to introduce new topics.
Thirdly, participate as God’s witness in the democracy that has occurred. Wesleyan doctrine has always been about Social holiness. That is why so many hospitals were started by the Methodists. I have mentioned health care several times in recent weeks. The scene is down to the final crisis with the House of Representatives offering a plan that will help us and the Senate representing the insurance companies. Political pressure will decide this and the United Methodist Church has been pushing this as an issue of Social Holiness for 15 years. Its just one of many ways to apply our faith to the issues of the day, but it is one that is very clear to get you started.
