Salvation

A Needle-Through-the-Balloon Routine

This was the first effect I ever used for Gospel Magic. I had dabbled a bit as a teenager, but hadn't done any magic for thirty years. In 1986, I attended my first FCM conference (the local Rocky Mountain Chapter), and I bought just one prop: Ickle Pickle's “Majestic Needle.” At the time, I was a lay preacher in our congregation, and the next day (Sunday) was my turn to preach the sermon. I awoke that morning with the realization that the needle-through-the-balloon would fit into the sermon I'd prepared - so I added it. (Note that there was no time to rehearse to speak of; pretty dumb but I did it.) It worked perfectly, and was a big hit - and I was convinced that visual effects have a place in church.

This is the full clown version; the version I did that first time was minus all the comedy bits and much shorter. I think the basic routine came from Steve Bender’s lecture.

Props:

Ickle Pickle’s Majestic Needle (a hat pin in a 6" plastic tube decorated as a small magic wand.)
A few 5” darts (a dart is a round balloon.)

Presentation

I want to talk about a very important subject; I want to talk about salvation. Salvation is a difficult subject to talk about, because first we have to talk about a person to be saved. And the letter of James (4:14) says that a man is “...vapor that appeareth for little time and then vanisheth...” and it’s hard to get a hold of vapor or air (trying to grab air with both hands). Before I can talk about salvation, I need to contain some of this air! Who brought the vapor containment device? (Turn to a nearby child) Did you bring the vapor containment device? Didn't I ask you to bring a vapor containment device? You didn't? Oh, my. We need a vapor containment device. Wait, wait (reaching into pocket), I think I have one (pull out a balloon).

Now if only I could remember how to work one of these things. Does anybody know how to work a vapor containment device? What am I supposed to do now? (Keep it up until someone says ‘blow it up’ I lay it on my mouth and blow upward - Mr. Sonshine (a friend from Colorado Springs) pulls out three pieces of broomstick painted red and lays the balloon over them.)

Not like that? Oh, put it in my mouth! (Shove entire balloon into your mouth.)

Oh, not like that? Just the end? Oh, OK. (put the 'bead" end between your lips.)

No? Oh, turn around! (Turn your back to the audience.)

Oh, not me - the balloon! (turn it over.)

Not like that? The other end? (look over your shoulder and down your back) Oh, no, I tried that once and it didn't work!

The other end of the balloon? (put the correct end between your lips and blast it out into the audience.)

Oh, I have to hold on to it - of course! Silly me. (Blow it up but don't pinch of the neck when you pull it out of the mouth.) Hooray! I did it! I finally did it! (balloon deflates.)

What happened? Tie a knot? Oh, sure. (Blow it up again and tie knot but leave finger stuck in it - ala Red Skelton. Shake hand violently to get it off. I find if I pull the balloon off the finger in the knot quickly, the knot comes undone and the balloon deflates rapidly around a finger on the opposite hand - stuck again!)

One more time! (Blow it up again, but let a little air out as you tie the knot. You have now blown the balloon up three times, and then let it relax a bit before tieing it off. All the polymers have been stretched and relaxed; the balloon is ‘warmed up’ for the effect.)

There! At last! (take a bow.) We have now captured some vapor, so now we can talk about this person. I know, I know, it's just a balloon, but I can pretend, can't I? But we don't know much about this person; we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl. I do know that it's a politician - it's full of hot air! Oh, look, it's an outy! (Hold balloon in front of stomach with knot outward - parents seem to like this and kids don't get it).

There's one more thing I know about this person: I know that he or she is a sinner, because Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 that “All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” And he also tells us in Romans 6:23 that “The wages of sin are death, but the gift of god is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

And can you tell me what that gift is? I'll give you a hint: John 3:16. (In a Baptist church, I usually get an immediate chorus of children, but even in an Episcopal church - my denomination - there's always a few kids that chime in.) That's right! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life!”

So if this person has accepted Jesus as his or her savior, then he or she need not fear the darts of the devil!

Ah, ha! My favorite part! Because now I get to bring out the Dart of the Devil! (Pull out the Majestic Needle and extract the needle, holding it between your teeth as you put the holder back. This allows you to wet the needle with saliva for a bit of lubrication. As you slowly insert the needle, continue... )

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the devil can not prick us - remember that Jesus was pierced in hands and feet and side for our sake - but rather that we need not FEAR the dart of the devil (showing off the balloon with dart completely through it.)

But if this person has not made that all important decision (slowly pulling out the needle), then the dart of the devil is (pop the balloon) fatal!

Don't neglect that decision! (or move right into an altar call, if appropriate.)

Occasionally, the balloon pops the first time, and I just say “Humph! an insincere confession!” and pull out another balloon and blow it up quickly. Always gets a good laugh.

This is a good example of “an adult in trouble,” a classic clown format. Kids, especially elementary grade kids get the biggest kick out of an adult in trouble. Do this routine with 40 or 50 first-graders and you’ll have them bouncing off the walls; they become frantic with the need to show the clown how to do this simple task. I always make sure there is at least another adult present to protect me - er, I mean, keep order.

One final note: younger children - pre-schoolers - are sometimes terrified by balloons. Be sensitive to these kids; maybe they can sit with their mother or some other consideration for their very real fright.