One of my favorite illusions for helping young people understand that we are all sinners is a 12-inch-long, innocent looking “empty” tube. On the outside of the Gospel magic trick a woman is etched.
I explain to the children that we may look pretty or handsome on the outside, but our “insides” are a different matter. Next, I open the hinged tube and show that there is nothing inside.
As I run my hand over the inside of the opened tube, I relate that no one can see the sin inside us — except God. If one was to look in our ear, down our throat, or even if a surgeon was to open us up and look around, no one would see our sins, but we are guilty of many iniquities.
We may even look Christian and behave extremely well, but God knows our dark, hidden secrets. All sinners, even though some may not suspect us of it.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom. 3:23
After closing the tube, I slowly pulled out one brightly colored silk after another. With each silk, I assign to it a sin that we are guilty of. “This green silk reminds me of the sin of jealousy I committed when I was jealous that my little brother got something I didn’t. This blue silk reminds me of the many times I trusted my own way, rather than looking up and asking God what He desired me to do. The red silk reminds me of when I get angry at someone and never forgive them. This black silk reminds me of the dark, dirty sins I did when I thought no one saw me.” On I went assigning a sin to each of the 12 or so silks.
After letting the string of 12 “sins” fall to the floor, I again opened the illusion to show that it was empty. I reminded them that although no one saw the “sins” they were there, and God knows about every one of ours. They all grieve Him and separate us from Him because He is Holy and we are not.
Closing the tube again, I continued to pull out 12 more “sins” (No, I won’t tell you how I pulled all the silks from the empty tube). I repeated that we were all sinners, and would continue to sin, unless we sought God’s help. It was the perfect time to give the Gospel invitation:
I then proceeded to tell the audience that no one can go to Heaven because of their sin. That is terrible news. There is more frightening news; there is a wage for our horrible sins — Hell, but, I continued, there is good news.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23
Jesus is the only one that never sinned. He is God’s only son, and He loves us very much. He loved us so much that He died on the cross for our sins. His Father excepted only Jesus’ blood payment to pay for all our sins. If we ask Him to be our Saviour, Jesus will save us from the eternal punishment for our sins. We can be saved, and have a place with Him forever.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:6
After doing that illustration many times, I did something and realized that it also illustrated an important principle very well.
After I was finishing my Gospel magic illustration, I bent over and picked up the two large piles of colored silks and tried to put them, so everyone could see, back in the hinged tube. They would not fit. As hard as I tried to fit the pile back in the tube, they stuck out. The sins could not be hidden, and then I taught that other important biblical truth. “As you can see I cannot hide these ‘sins’ from you, and that all can see them sticking out. That’s what our sins look like to God. We may have forgotten them. We may try to hide it from our family and friends, but they are not hidden from God.”
I addressed the audience again with another question, “If your neighbor or friend could look at you and see your unhidden sins, I am sure you would be embarrassed. Well, God sees all you have done against Him and His commandments. Are you not also embarrassed? What are you going to do about it?
“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.” Psalm 69:5
At that time many were convicted and came forward under deep conviction of their sins. Many got saved after seeing this simple illustration. Many privately confessed their sins to God at that time and got their relationship with God right. How about you? Have you ever had all your sins forgiven? Have you confessed them to God the Father and got your relationship with Him right?
“As hard as I tried to fit the pile back in the tube, they stuck out. The sins could not be hidden,”
Bro Bill, do you think there comes a time when sin “sticks out” so much that those around us can see. Even if a person is successful in hiding their sin, one of several things eventually happens: God will reveal the person, it is usually very public and very painful. I have a friend that had hidden a sin related to pornography for about 15-20 years, he was and is a very able man and held a position of trust in the community. He told me about what conviction and fear he had lived with for years, but still he did not stop. Finally, God “outed” him in a very public way. His sin eventually was revealed. He has repented and I believe he has the victory, but what a price to pay. It cost him a LOT, but he says he is relieved to be out of that lie, at last.
Let go, we become desensitized to sin and without knowing, we will reveal our hidden sin ourselves. Those with the smallest amount of spiritual discernment will smell it on us like rotten eggs. I have heard it said many times and repeated to my own kids…quit worrying about attracting Mr. Right…you just become Miss Right and Mr. Right will come along directly. If a young person is living with sin, a Godly young man or woman will sense it on them in a heartbeat.
I have noticed that in my own life, I have to be so careful about what I let enter the gates to my soul..my eyes and ears. It doesn’t take much listening to or looking at things I shouldn’t be until I notice my own sanctification slipping. That is the slippery slope to sin.
Thank you for this word from God today. I appreciate you.
There is a time that sin does ravish the body and shows outward signs. A smoker, after years of abusing his “temple”, cannot hide the yellowish, wrinkled damage done by his sin. A doctor many times can detect the damage done by lengthy periods of drunkenness in a patient’s liver. Liars often exhibit distrust of others because of their sin. Flagrant sinners often show no sign of joy or happiness because of the load of guilt their sin earned them. Most sins eventually do have outward showings. That is one reason God hates sin and wants us to stay far away from that enemy of mankind. But, that was another lesson.
My illustration was primarily towards salvation and did not allow time to go into the wages you correctly pointed out. You are quite right.
it is an excellent illustration…good for kids or adults.
I wish I was more engaging to people like that. Different personality. I think I scare kids. I have taught 11-13 yr old kids in Sunday School and they were meek as mice, never was sure how well I connected with them. I did feel like the Lord used me with two of them specifically, both ending up being saved.