This has to be one of my favorite magic tricks of all time and it could not be any easier to do and it's very economical as well. I found this in a small paper back book that I bought named "Gospel Magic: Plain and Simple" by Mr. Paul Everett. The trick is restoring a cut piece of paper once you have cut it with scissors. Sound challenging? Well it's not at all. It's quite easy and fun. Check out the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHaE3Y--A4g
Instead of using strips of newspaper like he did, I use copy paper from my printer. I cut it into strips about 1.5 to 2 inches wide and the entire length of the paper which is 11 inches. I also add a comical element to this trick. I'll go into that once I share the story with you. The idea for this particular sermon is not my mine; however, I have added the comical element to it which leads into the serious portion dealing with Sin separating us from God.
Good morning. Who in here is good in math? Well I have a question for you. If I take this strip of paper and cut it in half, how many pieces will I have? Two? I don't think so. I thought you guys said you were good in math. I say I'll have one. Don't laugh, I'll prove it to you. (I then take a strip of paper and snap it showing that it is whole. Then I fold it and cut off about 1/2 inch of it from the fold. It falls to the table and then I "gently" open it up revealing that it is one piece. I re-cut it again for the same result - one piece of paper.) One ole guy went fishing and he said he caught one that was this long. (I have a strip of paper with a long fish drawn on it.) Well we all know that hunters lie in wait but fishermen wait and lie. So instead of his fish being this long, (fold and cut the paper making an extremely short fish when you open the strip) it was actually this short. You may be wondering how I do this trick. Well other than extremely well, I do it using magic paper. And this paper is good to use in school when writing. Let's say I misspelled by name. You can see that I put in an extra "R". All I have to do is fold it and cut it out. Once I open it up the word is now spelled correctly.
OK enough about the magic paper. Now I want to get serious and use this trick to illustrate a story. Who can tell me the first man and woman in the world? That's right. It was Adam and Eve. What did they do that God told them not to do? Eat the forbidden fruit. And who convinced them that it was OK to eaat this fruit? Satan himself in the form of a serpent or snake. Well from then until now Satan has been playing havoc with our lives and with our relationship with God. He just always tries to get between us and God and he convinces us to do those things that hurt and displease God. What do we call them? That's right - sin. So let me illustrate it this way. Here on this end of the paper we have God up in heaven. And on this end down on earth we have whom? Man or us to be exact. Now who always tries to come between us? That's right. It's Sin so we'll put it inside our heart right here in the middle. But you know boys and girls, God didn't like this situation right here so He did something about it. Who can tell me what God did to get rid of Sin coming between us and Him? He had His only Son, Jesus Christ to die and awful death on a cross where He shed His own blood for you and me. So that anyone who has sin or Satan in thier heart they can get back into relationship with God the Father. So does a person have to buy forgiveness for his sins? No of course not. It comes freely. So what does a person have to do in order to be saved and remove the Sin from between God and us? It's so simple. They just have to ask for forgiveness, tell Jesus that they're sorry and ask Him to come into their heart to live forever as Lord and Savior. And once you do Jesus comes into your heart and takes away the Sin. Now look what has happened. God and man have been reunited. But wait a minute, we're not perfect and sometimes we can still sin. But Jesus isn't going to hand us back over to him. So when we ask for forgiveness agian Jesus continues to forgive over and over so that there will be nothing between us and God.
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