Opening heaven’s window 10am Sunday 20th January

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills Psalm 121:1

Well we’re here at last, before the window! May I on everyone’s behalf pay tribute to Marion Lott, David Jenkins, the Martindale Committee and all who have worked so hard, and will continue to work hard to complete the funding of this great improvement to our church hall. Very well done!

Opening windows – or in this case opening up windows - is a good image.   Less than three months after his election as Pope 51 years ago John XXIII gave notice of his intention to convene an Ecumenical Council. When asked why a Council was needed, he reportedly opened a window saying, "I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in." The Second Vatican Council brought changes that have affected all churches through the revision of the eucharist, new emphasis on the Holy Spirit, ecumenism, and a more positive approach by the church to the world .

I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in. Good Pope John’s words fit the spirit of making church accessible even if our new hall window should let no one see in – the Lord preserve us from more thieves up our walls!

If we’ve need of anything it’s of being a Christian community that attracts the attention of the next generation so they feel intrigued by what we’re about, look through the window and come through the door, maybe, initially, through the Martindale door.

As Christians we’re about Opening heaven’s window, making heaven – Jesus – visible through word, sacrament, fellowship and the way we live our lives. We need to communicate the Church as something OK, or rather more than OK. We’ll best do this as we gain cleansing and empowerment from the Holy Spirit.

Pope John also prayed for a new Pentecost and many saw the charismatic movement that got going in the late 1960s as answer to his and many prayers.

Which brings me to this morning’s second reading from 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Let’s turn to p4 and look through this passage together.  Concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. Paul says in verse 1 and goes on to explain in verses 2 and 3 that ministry in the Church is animated by supernatural empowerment through the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. He outlines the glorious diversity of ministry gifts there are in Corinth, reminding those who have them that what they've been given is given not for them but for the building up of the body of Christ. In this passage Paul lists supernatural gifts – wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues and the gift to interpret that. We need to read this list alongside two other lists of ministries Paul gives in Romans 12, where he adds serving, teaching, exhortation, generosity and leadership and Ephesians 4, where he adds apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors.

Let’s look at verses 4 to 7 of today’s reading: 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

In his first letter to Corinth Paul’s chapter 12 and 14 are about supernatural gifts and their use for the common good. These two chapters – 14 is mainly about speaking in tongues – have the famous one on love, Chapter 13 in the midst. Paul lists the empowering gifts and goes on to say they’re all great but will go nowhere unless you use them lovingly, submitting to the body of Christ as a whole.

Let’s read on from verse 8 to 11: 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 

The gifts we read out are called charismatic gifts and many churches are recovering them nowadays. The first two in v8, wisdom and knowledge are the capacity to receive supernatural information about situations through which God can change things. What a difference these can make to a Church? When God gives you an insight and you follow it things flow relatively easily as you persevere in pressing forward. I’ve got a feeling some may be inspired by this occasion, by our window, to words of knowledge – we shall see!

When in verse 9 we read of the gift of faith that’s not the faith by which we believe but a special gift linked to believing God for something special. Today’s rescheduling is something special that wouldn’t have come about if we were a church that lacked supernatural vision and a special gift of faith. Lead thieves and officious electricians won’t deflect us from the faith we have to see that building a hub of mission. Even if we need more money we believe God has it up his sleeve waiting to be released for God’s work brings with it God’s supernatural provision.

The next two charismatic gifts are named healing and miracles in v9 and 10. One of the encouraging signs in our life together is the evidence of healing and miracles here at St Giles, even if they are manifested at times in the midst of great suffering.

Prophecy and discernment v10 are capacities to help the church see the way ahead. I was heartened two weeks ago by the convergence of the sermon and intercessions themes on the sense of Isaiah 60.2: For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. It was as if the Lord was speaking prophetically and saying even if we as a Church are surrounded by thick darkness of unbelief the light of faith is shining and will get through for his glory will appear over us. 

Tongues and interpretation are similarly gifts of empowerment some of us have received linked to deepening prayer and praise in individuals for the common good. Speaking in tongues isn’t ecstatic or hysterical but something you can do before breakfast. It’s a gift many Christians have received through the ages which helps believers pray as the Holy Spirit leads for what the Holy Spirit wants. It is a devotional aid that helps build more praise and intercession in the life of the Church. The gift of interpretation, rarely used in Anglican circles, comes into play when tongues are rather exceptionally used aloud at services.

Today’s scripture reminds us that if St Giles is going to deepen its life and grow new members we need a new Pentecost, in Pope John’s phrase, so the Holy Spirit’s gifting more fully animates our life together.

People need a window into the Church and we are that window, we believers, regularly to be polished up and animated! That’s why when I bless the building shortly you too will be blessed with holy water to wake you up to your baptism.

Through our prayer and Holy Spirit empowerment what God has in store for the use of the Martindale will manifest. God make this place a place of engagement between Christians and not-yet Christians that will open up windows by that very engagement to those seeking purpose and belonging in Horsted Keynes.

I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in.