Newsletter 12

Newsletter 12.

Contents.

O.L. 29. Memory feat (Adam's amazing memory).
O.L. 30. The Trinity (An illusion with three ropes).
Classic comments - All from children.
I am a Christian because . . . . . . . . .


29. A Memory Feat.


Adam was created perfect with a wonderful mind and memory. He had to name all the many different animals that God brought before him, and then would have had to remember all their names. To illustrate this you can then amaze your class by doing your own memory feat.

Have fifty cards, blank on one side and numbered from 1 to 50 on the other. On the same side write , apparently random, six-digit numbers across their centres. State that you are going to memorise all fifty of these six-digit numbers. Flick through the cards as you pretend to memorise them, give them a good shuffle, turn the blank sides upwards and offer the pack to about six volunteers who will each choose a card. One at a time, ask your volunteers to tell you the number of their card (i.e. between 1 and 50), and as they do so write on the board the six-digit number associated with that card! You will achieve a 100 percent success rate!

You will have probably realised by now that you don't really memorise the numbers, rather you calculate them from the card number you are given. This is how you do it :-

To the number you are given (i.e. between 1 and 50), add eleven. Reverse this two-digit number. This will be the first two numbers you write on the board. Add these two numbers together to give your third number. However, if this is a two-digit number, ignore the first digit (i.e. "1") and write down the second. Proceed in this way, adding your last two digits together, until you have written down all six digits. Ask your volunteer to confirm this is the number they have on their card. A few of examples will make this clear :-

Card No. 15. Six-digit No. will be 628088.
Card No. 16 Six-digit No. will be 729101.
Card No. 17 Six-digit No. will be 820224.

As can be seen, even card numbers that are close to each other will produce completely different six-digit numbers.



30. The Trinity.

Here is a two-part illusion to illustrate your teaching on the Trinity.

Produce three ropes of equal length (about 80 cm. is ideal). State that these represent the three Persons of the Godhead - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "The first thing to notice is that the ropes are of equal length, reminding us that the three Persons are all equal."

State that you are now going to bring the bottoms of the ropes up to the top, and tie them into three loops. Holding the ropes near their tops together in one hand, one at a time bring the bottom of each rope up to the top, and tie it to the top of a different rope. (To ensure that I don't make a mistake at this point, I mark beforehand a spot with a pen on the top and bottom of the middle rope. I then tie the bottom of the outside rope with the top of the first, followed in turn by the other two ropes, ensuring that I don't tie the "spot" ends together).

"It appears that I now have three loops, but that is not really true." Release the ropes to show that you now have one large loop tied in three places - reminding your class that there is one God comprising three Persons.

Now for the "fun" part of your illusion. Put your rope away in your bag, but immediately bring out a similar looking rope. This second rope (which your class should think is still your first three-part loop) is actually one long piece of rope - of total length just less than that of your three original ropes combined (i.e. about 220 cm) - tied to form a loop, and with two small lengths of rope tied around two small loops in your longer rope at the appropriate places to give the appearance of knots.

Tell the class that they are probably thinking that this loop is three pieces of rope tied together, but that actually it is now just one long piece of rope. Untie the (genuine) knot to demonstrate. The class will not look two impressed, because the other two "knots" are still there. State that these are only two small lengths of rope, and that you can easily remove them. Pull the two ends of your rope (or get two volunteers to do it), and the small ropes will "pop" off, leaving only one long piece of rope!

You may ask "won't the children realise that you have swapped the ropes?" Well, in my experience, they never have.

Classic Comments

(All from Children)

'Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.'

'A layman is someone who lays in bed on Sunday mornings.'

'When a woman has many husbands it is called Pollyanna.'

'When a man is married to one woman it is called monotony.'

'Jacob had a brother called See-saw.'

'Insects is burned in some churches.'

'If God rested on the seventh day, why do we have to go to Sunday school?'

'The Agnus Dei is a woman composer of music.'

'An epistle is the wife of an apostle.'

'The fast days are the days when you have to eat in a hurry.'

'Adultery is the sin of saying you are older than you really are.'

'The people of Lystra did not like Paul's message, so he got stoned.'

'I wish my dad was a Pastor so he only had to work one day a week.'

And finally, here is one I heard from an adult. As two fairly young in the faith Christians, my friend Allan and I went out into the streets of Prestwick, Scotland to do some witnessing. We approached the first man we saw, and Allan boldly proclaimed to him "Jesus can give you a new life - and solve all your problems." Without a moments hesitation, the man replied "If Jesus gave me a new wife - that would solve all my problems!"



I am a Christian because . . . . . . . .

Many people in the Church assume that our mission is to invite or challenge people, both young and old, to become Christians. However in my experience of over ten years of "door to door" visitations, I found that most people already claim to be Christians. Here are some of the reasons given as to why people believe they are already Christians.

1. I live a good life.
2. I have never done anything really bad.
3. I was born a Christian.
4. I became a Christian when I was baptised as a baby.
5. Going to church makes me a Christian.
6. I believe in God.
7. I believe Jesus really existed.
8. I was brought up as a Christian
9. I have never sinned.
10. I pray to God.
11. I do the best I can.
12. I became a Christian by taking communion.
13. Everybody is a Christian.
14. I became a Christian when I was inducted into the Free Masons.
15. I became a Christian by being confirmed.
16. Because God answers my prayers.
17. I keep the 10 Commandments.
18. I have got my own Bible.
19. I have read the Bible right through.
20. I don't smoke or get drunk.

Many people don't realise their need of Christ. Our first task should therefore be to make them aware of that need, and then invite them to accept Him.