Raise your hand if you hate Math class.  Sure math was fun in elementary school when you learned about addition with the help of M & M’s or fractions with little pizza diagrams, but now that you are in high school, math sucks.  At least it did for me.  I dreaded having to sit through class, work on problem after problem, all while trying understand the foreign language coming out of my teacher’s mouth.  I think I hated math so much because I just didn’t understand it. 

I have a confession to make:  in 11th grade I never did my math homework..  Math was the last class of the day and just before 9th period I had a study-hall with my math teacher.  So everyday I would walk into study-hall and say, “Mrs. Lynker, I didn’t understand my homework” (sometimes it was true and other times I was just lazy).  Patiently, Mrs. Lynker would sit down with me and re-explain the entire lesson.  Guess what, not only did I get an A on every homework (because she talked me through each problem), but I actually understood what I was being taught.  Mrs. Lynker spoke on my level and things made sense.

Take a look at Acts chapter 2 specifically verses 1-12.

¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? ⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹²Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Some of you might be familiar with this story.  Let me give a quick recap:  Jesus died, rose again, and went into heaven.  His disciples were hanging out waiting for the next move when all of the sudden a violent wind whooshed through the house, fire started hanging over their heads and the Holy Spirit filled the disciples with cool things like being able to speak in different languages.  The disciples ran outside and started teaching to everyone who would listen to them.  The city was filled with hundreds of Jews that each heard about Jesus in their own language!  At first they were confused, then Peter addressed the crowd and explained the story of Jesus .  The Jews understood the message because the disciples took the time to speak to them in a way that they understood.

How many of you sit in church bored out of your mind wishing you could understand what the pastor is trying to say?  How many of you wish the message on a Sunday morning would be relevant to your life?  That is why we do what we do when it comes to teaching at camp.  We as a staff want to take the time to explain Jesus in “your own language”, in a way that makes sense to you.  We use relevant examples and words that you understand.  We also take the time in small groups to explain what we mean.

Think about what would happen if we did not teach at camp.  For one thing, you would have to play more dumb get to know you games and you might go through life never growing deeper in your relationship with God.  Can you imagine what would have happened if the crowd in Jerusalem heard the whoosh, saw the fire, but did not hear the message?  I think it is safe to say 300 people would not have accepted Christ that day.