Needed: Thumb Tie method of your choice (there are many). I use the Abbott's Magic Thumb Tie gimmick www.AbbottMagic.com . Losander's "Chain Breaker" is also excellent but pricey. I tie my right thumb, right index finger and middle finger together (see the Losander routine at www.PenguinMagic.com ) using inexpensive DUCK Masking Tape (red).94IN x 20YD. I also use three $1.00 purchase priced from The Dollar Tree "Combination Chain Lock" by Tool Bench Hardware. Used mostly as bicycles locks I imagine. Of the three I bought- one has a red colored plastic chain protector, one is colored blue and the third one is colored green. You will also need three poster cards- each one with a Bible verse on it below for the 3 kids to read during the course of the routine.

Optional: I also have an standing "Inspirational Wooden Chalkboard Cross- Small" by Day Spring which I purchased at Walmart (also is on the Walmart web site). I use a Bistro Chalk Marker Neon Green (6mm medium tip) to write 1 John 1:9 on this cross stand. Position this cross in the middle of your performing area on your magic stand. I also looked at/was inspired by/used greatly (and is quoted below) the "Bible Lesson: God Can Break the Chains of Sin" written by Brittany Putman, published December 30, 2013, available for free online at the ministry-to-children.com web site.

Basics of the patter routine (not word for word, add to it to fit your message):

Have six kids come up, three on the left of the cross facing the audience, three on the right of the cross facing the audience. Magician stands in the middle and gives the 3 kids to the left of the cross each a locked colored chain bicycle lock. Then give the 3 kids to the right each a Bible verse to read later (make sure they are older and know how to read before you call them up).

"Boys and girls, in our lives we often sin. I know I do! This is how we are as humans sometime. This is not an excuse, but reality. When we sin, it is not good for use because it separates us from God. We cannot have both our sin AND our loving God because God is too perfect to be around sin. Some people may think that they can keep on sinning without remorse or forgiveness and still have God- but they are tricking themselves."

"Sin is like this red tape here- we get all tied up in it. I am going to very tightly tie these three fingers on my right hand together so they cannot move- so they are no longer free to independently move." (Tie your fingers together per the Losander routine- I like his routine as the magician does the tying openly for all to plainly see).

"How would it make you feel if you had the three fingers tied all together all day? How could you write? Or type on your computer? (Ask for other suggestions from the kids). (Show the fingers tied together to the kids onstage or in the audience too if a small group). "These fingers are really, really, really taped together tightly, aren't they? When we have sin in our lives, we are like the fingers on my right hand here - we become bound to sin."

"What exactly are sins?" (Turn to the kids on the left). Say to one of the children on the left: "Can you think of a sin?" (If not, suggest one like lying, or stealing, or being disobedient to one's teachers, or using bad language, or being mean to another kid). "Please hold the chain up toward me in a loop"- "Let's see what happens when a person is tempted by (name what the kid said) and then succumbs to it, such as he is thinking about ______ (name what the kid says such as using bad words)"being angry"- "then he goes ahead and spouts off!" "Next thing you know, using bad language (or whatever the kid suggested) becomes part of our lives!" (link the chain magically between the index finger and thumb, doing it extremely rapidly so "the move" is not exposed- practice first!).

(Repeat the above naming two more sins with the other two kids linking their colored chains as well between the tied/taped thumb and index finger). "When we have all this sin in our lives, we are chained up prisoners to our own sin!"

"So I guess it's HOPELESS, I can't possibly get these chains of sin removed, I can't be free or forgiven, might as well GIVE UP, right?" (The kids will yell out No!).

"Well kids, you are right! It is not hopeless! And God has told us exactly what to do!" Then read out loud slowly the verse written in chalk on the chalk board Bible: I Johh 1:9.

"All right then, let's deal with these three sins right now!" (have the first child read 1 John 2:2). "Sooo, if I have sin in my life like _____ (name the first chained sin), I know that Christ Himself is the sacrifice that atones for that sin- and we can be free from it!" (what I do is stand behind the wooden chalk cross, point to the kid on the left who put on chain #1, then sweep over in a big motion while doing the secret move over to the right giving the kid who just read the verse the now released chain).

(Turn back to the second child who first held chain #2). "Did you know that when we are first tempted with _________ (name the second sin he/she named earlier), that it doesn't mean we as Christ followers simply get bound up in it? God can help us in the first place to fight sinful thoughts even before they turn into action and chain us up!" (Have the second child holding a verse on the right read I Corinthians 10:13, and while the verse is being read, secretly release chain number two so when the child finishes reading the verse- you simply hand the released/locked bicycle loop). "Wow!, we didn't have to sin in the first place."

"But what if we DO sin again?" (Have third child on the right read Acts 3:19). "We need to repent and turn to God, exactly like we learned that before, did we not? (I read again out loud the verse on the chalk cross to everyone, and while turning my hands from left to right, release the third chain into the hands of the kid who just read Acts 3:19).

Thank the kids and have then sit down. "If we want Jesus to save us and take away our sins, then we have to ask Him to do so. We have to tell Him the sins that we have committed and if we really understand that we need Him the He will forgive our sins and save us. It's like He takes away our chains and we are free!" (remove the red masking tape in front of everyone slowly)

(As suggested in the Bible lesson, I am them going to read I John 1:10-2:2). "Everyone one us has sinned, I know I have! The only way I can survive my sin is be telling Jesus what I have done and asking Him to forgive me. It's the same for every girl and boy here today." (I then will pick up the chalk cross and read it one more time). "We can praise our loving God today, can't we all, that He is able to forgive our sins through the sacrifice on His own Son- and cleanse us- and make us free at the foot of the cross (place the bunched up masking tape on the table behind the cross).

I will close out using a kids video song version of "Amazing Grace" (my chains are gone) by Chris Tomlin (Shout Praises Kids DVD). Will be doing this routine this Sunday at Lighthouse Kids, can't wait! Let me know right away if you have any improvement suggestions.

Glad you posted something about this!

Got a very good response from the kids yesterday with the above thumb tie routine. I showed all the kids my taped up fingers throughout. Really held their attention- passed the "kid" test. Oddly enough, some kids I overheard saying the bike locks were rigged (not so for sure). Maybe I should have handed out the bicycle combination chains out for more widespread inspection first!

Good routine I thought, especially with the "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" song sung together (Chris Tomlin version) at the end of the routine.