This torn and restored magical object lesson has multiple applications. It can be used to discuss either the bible or sin. (Actually there are many more possibilities. Just use your imagination.)

Effect

Magician tears a strip of paper into pieces and magically restores it.

Preparation

Cut two strips of paper approximately two-and-a-half by eight-and-a-half inches. Using a small drop of glue about 1 inch from the end, glue the strips back-to-back. After the glue dries, fold one of the strips into a small packet, as shown below. (Be sure to fold it in on all four sides, to keep it from showing when the strip is shown from the front.)

Presentation

Display the piece of paper, keeping the extra packet hidden at the back. Tear the strip into pieces a couple of inches long, keeping the extra packet at the back. Fold the torn pieces together into a packet, similar to the hidden packet. In the process of folding up the torn pieces, turn the packet around, so the whole piece is toward the front, and the torn pieces at the back. Blow on the packet, as if you’re making the magic happen, and unfold the whole strip.

Applications

The Bible

For this application, write the word “BIBLE” on both strips when setting it up.

Begin by talking about the Bible as God’s Word. Display the strip with the word “BIBLE”. Tear the strip apart letter by letter while talking about the parts of the Bible that we don’t like, like the passage about obeying parents. But, the whole Bible is God’s Word. If we’re going to have the abundant life God wants us to have, it’s important that we obey all of God’s Word. Restore the strip.

Sin and Restoration

Talk about what sin is. When we sin, sin hurts us, sometimes sin hurts people around us, and our sin always hurts God. Tear up the strip, to illustrate how sin destroys our lives. Share how Jesus died to take our punishment so we could live and restore the strip.

This mind reading magical object lesson can be used to teach that only God knows the future, or that God knows everything about us, and loves us anyway. (Or you can do it just for fun.)

Effect

Three different colored cards are displayed. An audience member freely chooses any card. The magician reveals a prediction that correctly identifies the card that was chosen.

Preparation

You’ll need an envelope and three different colored cards. You can cut three cards out of different colored construction paper, red, yellow, and blue. On the back of the red card, write “You will choose RED” On the back of the envelope, write “You will choose Yellow”. Finally, on a slip of paper, write “You will choose Blue”. Place all three cards and the slip of paper in the envelope.

Instead of using colored cards, you can use cards with numbers, pictures, letters, or whatever.

Presentation

Remove the three cards from the envelope. (Be sure to hold the envelope so the prediction on the back can’t be seen.) Ask a volunteer so choose one card. After they have made their selection, tell them you knew what they were going to choose before they did. To prove it, reveal your prediction.

If they chose red, tell them to turn all the cards over, revealing your prediction on only the card they chose.

If they chose yellow, turn over the envelope to reveal the prediction.

If they chose blue, hold the envelope, keeping the prediction on the back out of sight, and ask the volunteer to reach into the envelope and get your prediction.

Applications

Only God Knows the Future

There are many people who claim to have the power to foretell the future. Only God really knows what the future holds. It’s important that we turn to God to know how to live our lives, and not so-called “psychics.”

God Knows Everything about Us

After the prediction, share that God knows every choice we make, both good and bad. God knows everything there is to know about us, and he still loves us. His love for us is unconditional.