Spy Kids 3 D – Game Over

Main Point: Forgiveness—the escape from the torture chamber of bitterness.

Supplies Needed: Pens, hand-out (see wrap-up), and a reflective worship CD of your choice to play in each small group during wrap-up.

Attention Grabber: Spy Kids 3-D Game Over, 2003, PG, Scene 27 “Toymaker vs. Grandpa”

Intro: Tonight we’re going to talk about something that everyone deals with at some point in their lives. In fact, most of us deal with it at many points in our lives: forgiveness.

Someone once said, “If it weren’t for other people I’d make a great Christian!” Another way to put it is, “If it weren’t for people, I’d love everyone!”

The truth is, as long as there are people in our lives, we’ll get hurt by them from time to time. Did you know that the way we respond to that hurt determines how successful we’ll be in life?

Large group- Intro Questions/Interaction:

1. When you’ve been hurt, what feelings rise up inside you? Do you feel like forgiving the person?


2. Listen to this statement again: The way we respond to that hurt determines how successful we’ll be in life. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

INTRODUCE AND SHOW CLIP HERE: Before we break up into small groups, I want to show a scene from Spy Kids 3 – Game Over. (Set up the scenes for those who haven’t seen it.)

Plot Outline: Carmen's caught in a virtual reality game designed by the kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It's up to Juni to save his sister, and ultimately the world.

In this scene, Grandpa, having become a paraplegic because of the Toymaker, confronts the Toymaker, in what the family thinks is for revenge. Grandpa must shut down the Toymaker Robot before he destroys the world. Once inside the Toymaker Robot, Grandpa reminds him that it’s his fault that he’s in a wheelchair.

Scene script:

BEGIN CLIP AT 1 hour and 11 minutes and 10 seconds (in Chapter 27)

(The robot powered by the Toymaker stares down the good guys as Grandpa decides to confront the evil genius.)

Toymaker: Thank you for freeing me, Valentin, but it’s too late. Nothing can stop me. Not even you.

Grandpa: That’s true. Only you can do that. You double-crossed us. The agency, your fellow agents, and me. Your mistake cost me my legs. Well, a mistake like that could only push someone further into the dark. And it has. Look at you now.

Toymaker: I gave you back your legs when you were in the game. I did that for you.

Grandpa: Let me tell you all the things I’ve missed in my life because of the accident you caused. I can’t walk on the beach with my wife. I missed my daughter’s birth. And wedding. Shall I continue? … Now let me tell you all the good things that came of it. Humility. Spirituality. Understanding. You’ve been living in fear of me all these years. But I’ve only been searching for you so I could tell you that I forgive you.

Toymaker: I’ve only dreamed I would hear you say something like that.

Grandpa: Now the question is, can you forgive yourself? It’s never too late, Sebastian. Take your time. We have about 10 seconds.

Sebastian: Game over.

1 hour and 13 minutes and 46 seconds

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:



1. ASK A FEW: In the movie clip, it’s obvious that Grandpa had a right to be mad at the toymaker. But he wasn’t. Why not?
2. ASK A FEW: Do you think that he would have been better off being mad and trying to get revenge on the toymaker? Why or why not?
3. ASK A FEW: By choosing to forgive the Toymaker, Grandpa was “free” from all bitterness and anger. He didn’t allow himself to be a slave to bitterness. Why do we sometimes allow bitterness to enslave us?

Read the following scripture:


Eph. 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


4. ASK SOMEONE: According to the verse—what things are we supposed to get rid of?
5. ASK SOMEONE: So how are we supposed to be? (What does the verse say?)
6. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Share if there is a way that you can apply this in your life this week or this coming month?

Wrap up:
As we close, I want to everyone to close their eyes and listen to me for a couple of minutes:

Ps. 146:7b (the last part of the verse) says, The Lord sets prisoners free.

Forgiveness is setting a prisoner free, only to find that the prisoner was you.

Some of you have been hurt by someone. We all have. Tonight, we have an opportunity to forgive that person. And when you truly forgive someone, you not only become free yourself, but you want them to be free, as well.

As we close, I’m going to play some music softly and pass out a piece of paper. We’re just going to fill this out – just between you and God. No one else will see what you’ve written unless you want them to.

I’ll give us about 5 minutes for this, then we’ll close in prayer. But we don’t have to rush. If you’re having a hard time with this, I’ll be here to listen and pray with you.

(Leaders: Since this is so personal, we suggest doing this in your small group, not as a big group.)

Hand-out (copy on half-sheets of colored paper):


Eph. 4.32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.

God, I’ve been hurt by ________________________. I know You want me to forgive them so that I can be free. Please heal me of all hurt still lingering inside me from what happened.

Help me to replace the bad feelings that I’ve had toward that person with kindness, compassion, and true forgiveness. I may not forget what happened, but I choose to forgive ___________________________ and release them from owing me anything. I pray that you will bless them and help them get closer to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.


Ps. 146.7b The Lord sets prisoners free.

Forgiveness is setting a prisoner free, only to find that the prisoner was you.

Close in prayer; be available for students who may need your encouragement and prayer.