Summary: I use seven colors to illustrate a sermon. It can be used as a yarn string, or color beads to give a young person a lesson to witness to others.

ILLUSTRATED COLOR SERMON STRING OR BRACELET.

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. I HAVE A GOOD TOOL TO PASS ON TO YOU TODAY.

THIS TOOL IS EFFECTIVE TO ALL AGES.

A. Today I am 55 years old. I have traveled many miles for the cross of Jesus Christ. 45 years ago I was visiting in Jellico, Tennessee when a Preacher called

me up on the stage area.

B. He pulled out an illustrated sermon called A SERMON IN A NUT SHELL.

He pulled a ribbon out of the nut shell that was a color coded sermon. I was ten years old and I still remember the sermon.

C. The Preacher told me what each color represented and then had me to repeat the lesson after him. The colors were a full sermon to witness to the lost person headed toward hell.

D. After the sermon he put the nutshell back in his pocket. He taught me a powerful lesson, but he left me with no tool for me to tell others the sermon.

E. In 1970, I remembered this powerful lesson and I decided to place this COLOR CODED SERMON IN THE HANDS OF KIDS and adults.

The first batch that I made I gave two to every kid I told the story, one for them to keep and use and one for them to share.

F. A little bright eyed girl learned the message and took her string home, she preached the colors to her Dad, and asked him to "get saved" and come to church. She touched her Dad when I couldn’t.

II. BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SERMON STRING. (Cost less than $20.00)

A. My wife and I went to a local store and I purchased 7 different colors of A SKEIN OF YARN.

(Worsted Weight, 4 PLY)

1. Gold (Yellow)

2. Black

3. Bright Red

4. White

5. Deep Blue

6. Green

7. Sky Blue

B. I THEN CUT THE YARN IN SIX INCH PIECES.

I wrap the yarn around and around a six inch box, like a macaroni box, then I cut through the yarn and then in the middle.

This will make a standard six inch cut of each color.

A SKEIN OF YARN WILL MAKE SEVERAL HUNDRED SERMON STRINGS.

C. THEN I GET A SMALL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TO PRAY OVER THE STRING, THEN WE START TO TIE WITH A KNOT NEAR THE END OF EACH PIECE.

TIE THE STRING IN THIS ORDER.

You then tie the gold (yellow) to the black, then the red to the black, then the white to the red, then the dark blue to the white, then the green to the dark blue, then sky blue to the green.

D. So when you finish you have one string, gold (yellow), black, red, white, deep blue, green, sky blue. I carry them in my pocket.

E. NOW YOU NEED TO CUT THE EXCESS OF THE KNOT OFF, THIS MAKES THE STRING LOOK MUCH BETTER.

F. NOW WE ARE READY FOR THE SERMON TO THE LOST.

III. WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL TEACHING TOOL THAT YOU CAN EASILY CARRY IN YOUR POCKET. In the last 37 years I have given away many

hundreds of sermon strings.

A. Older teens and adults may learn the verse? Younger kids just need to know the thought behind the color.

Place string in palm of your hand and pull out one color at a time.

1. Gold: (GOLD REPRESENTS THE STREETS OF GOLD IN HEAVEN)

Rev. 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Teach the individual to ask: Do you want to walk on streets of gold?

Jesus wants you to come to heaven and live with us there forever and forever.

2. Black: (Represents SIN)

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Sin separates us from God, and no sin can enter into heaven.

3. Red: (Red represents blood, the blood of Jesus)

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

There is power in the blood of the Lamb.

God sent His only son to die on the cross for you.

Come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you!

4. White: (White represents to be clean and forgiven)

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blood of Jesus Christ washes one whiter than snow.

5. Blue: (Blue is symbolic of water)

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

As a believer we need to follow Jesus’ command and be baptized in water.

Water baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection.

6. Green: (Green is symbolic of growth)

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

You need to read your Bible and get in a local church and learn and grow.

7. Sky Blue: (This color reminds us that Jesus has a prepared place for a prepared people.)

John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Then we can live forever in heaven.

B. THIS COLOR CODED SERMON IS AN EFFECTIVE WITNESSING TOOL.

IV. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER WAYS TO USE THIS SAME MATERIAL, THEY MAKE A BRIGHT SILVER SHINY STRING, YOU CAN MAKE A REAL PRETTY NECKLACE AND BUY COLORED PONY BEADS.

A. I USE 9X6MM BEADS.

B. PLACE THE SAME COLOR SYSTEM ON THIS FANCY STRING.

C. THEN WEAR AROUND THE NECK TO TELL OTHERS.

V. THERE IS ANOTHER POWERFUL TOOL, MAKE A BRACELET TO WEAR AT THE WRIST.

A. Let me tell you a story, I was wearing this color coded bracelet on my left wrist,I was pumping gas at a truck stop.

A trucker yelled at me, he said What about those hippy beads you are wearing?

I said LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THESE HIPPY BEADS.

I preached the sermon to him using the colors.

He replied, I would have never stood and listened to you witness, but you have effectively witnessed to me.

We had a prayer and I gave him the bracelet and as I got back in the truck,

I heard him go over and tell another trucker.

B. I buy at Walmart or a craft store GENIUINE SUEDE LACE, 1/8 X 25 YARDS.

I CUT THE THE LEATHER STRING IN ABOUT 12 INCH SECTIONS.

The size will vary, a young kid’s can be shorter.

I tie a knot a little left of the center and then place the beads, yellow, black, red, white, dark blue, green, sky blue.

Then I tie a knot to lock the beads in the center.

I then use a clear bead and place both ends through and tie a knot on the ends. This makes the bracelet easy to slide and adjust to fit, and

take off and on.

C. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW A VERSE TO EFFECTIVELY PREACH THIS SERMON. A very little child can remember the colors meaning and tell others.

Maybe, if the Lord tarries they will do the lesson for others way down the road.

VI. YOU CAN COPY AND GIVE THIS BRIEF 7 POINT LESSON TO THOSE THAT WILL BE USING THIS.

A. If you will copy, cut, and paste this next part, and cut them apart, you can give this lesson power. It can be attached to the string as a reminder, but it is not neccessary.

Illustrated Color Sermon: (Brief summary)

1. Gold: Rev. 21:21 Do you want to walk on streets of gold?

2. Black: Rom. 3:23 You can’t with black sin in your heart!

3. Red: 1 John 1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ can wash away all sin.

4. White: Psalms 51:7 His blood can wash us a white as snow.

5. Blue: Matthew 28:19 The next step is water baptism.

6. Green: II Peter 3:18 Green represents growth, we need to get in

a church and grow.

7. Sky Blue: John 14:2 Then we can live forever in heaven.

HIS SERVANT, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

Could you help me? Pass this on to another.

This is good for teens, and children church as well as adults.