Three Amigos (Lukewarm)

Main Point: There is a mission for right now, and we must be courageous to carry it out.

Attention Grabber: Movie – The Three Amigos
This movie is about three television actors who travel to Mexico for what they believe is another filming. However, the town believes the Amigos are real, and has hired them to ward off a gang of banditos. This movie is very funny and save for a couple swear words, remains pretty clean in content.

Clip: “I’m drawing a line.”
This clip begins in the middle of chapter 11 if you are using a DVD. If you are using VHS, begin the counter at the opening of the movie where the Orion Pictures logo appears. The clip begins at approximately 49:40. In the scene, the Amigos return to the town of Santo Poco after having been run off by El Guapo, the leader of the bandito gang. The town is now in shambles, and the Amigos must decide whether to return home or to stay in Mexico and fight El Guapo. Ned, one of the Amigos, draws a line in the sand and asks the other two to make the choice. The scene ends with the three riding off into the sunset. The time at the end of the clip is approximately 53:10.

Clip Introduction:
Today we're going to watch a clip from a really funny movie called The Three Amigos. The movie is about three actors, who used to play the parts of three heroes called the Three Amigos, but now their show has been canceled. However, some people in Mexico saw their show and thought it was real, and have hired the Three Amigos to come and fight off the evil El Guapo, leader of the banditos. The Amigos don't realize that this is real, so they go to Mexico thinking they will be making a movie. Now, they have discovered that El Guapo is a real man and that his banditos are real, adn that if they stay and fight, they actually may die. But if they leave, they will be leaving a small village unprotected from El Guapo and his gang. Let's watch the clip and see exactly what the Amigos decide to do.

Key Dialogue:

LUCKY: Let’s go back to Hollywood.

DUSTY: The sooner the better.

LUCKY: It’s too hot down here.

DUSTY: Bad for my hay fever.

LUCKY: We don’t belong down here anyway.

DUSTY: Where’s Ned?

(NED is reloading his pistol with real bullets.)

LUCKY: Ned, what are you doing?

NED: What do we have to go back to? We have no jobs. No money, no place to live, no friends, no women, no self-respect—

DUSTY: Ned, we could get killed.

NED: Back there the Three Amigos are already dead. Here we could be the Three Amigos for real. I’m drawing a line. Men or mice, what’ll it be?

(The two others cross the line to join NED.)

Transitional Statement:
I love the Three Amigos. These guys are guys who have found a mission, a life-altering opportunity, and they have gone for it. This particular scene is the pivotal scene in the movie. All their lives, the Three have only been “fake” Three Amigos. But now, they decide that they must finally make a decision: return to the comfort zone of home, where things will be dull, or become the real Three Amigos and live a life of adventure and danger. And in this scene, it’s one or the other. There is no middle ground. They stay on their side of the line where nothing changes, or they cross the line and are changed forever. But if they are to cross the line, they must be committed.

Divide into Small Groups:
Right now we’re going to split up in smaller groups and discuss crossing the line and making a decision. 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. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Let's go around the circle, and share your name and your favorite ice cream flavor.
2. ASK A FEW: Why do you think it was so important for Ned to literally draw a line in the sand? Would the scene have been the same if he just asked them to raise their hands if they’re in?
3. ASK A FEW: What is it about Ned (the short one who drew the line) that we admire so much? Why is it that even though he’s the smallest of the three, he seems the strongest in this scene?
4. ASK A FEW: Why do you think Dusty was hesitant to cross the line?
5. ASK A FEW: Do you think that the Amigos could have only partly made the decision to cross the line? If so, what would it look like? What exactly would they be committing to then?
6. ASK A FEW: What are some situations when a particular task or decision couldn’t be done half-way, when it was either all or nothing?

Joshua 24:14-15
Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.


7. ASK SOMEONE: Joshua also draws a line in the sand in this passage. What are the two choices he gives in this passage?
8. ASK A FEW: In verse 15, Joshua talks about the “gods your forefathers served” and the “gods of the Amorites.” He knows that God’s people are struggling with serving the same things that the people around them are struggling with. They’re serving the same gods and worshiping the same things. Joshua tells them to choose between those things and God. What are some things that Christians your age struggle with, that non-Christians are doing?
9. ASK ONE OR TWO: According to Joshua, does it seem like there is room to do these things and serve God?
10. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Is there anything in your life that you need to do or get rid of in order to fully cross the line and follow Christ wholeheartedly?
11. AROUND THE CIRCLE: In the video clip, Dusty reminds the other two that they could get killed. What are the risks that you might run into, if you choose to fully follow Christ?
12. ASK A FEW: Why do you think the Amigos ultimately decided to be “The Three Amigos for real”?
13. ASK ONE OR TWO: Has anyone here already made the decision to not just become a Christian, but to actually follow Christ wholeheartedly? If so, would anyone want to share why?
14. ASK A FEW: Dusty was perhaps the most hesitant between the Three Amigos. It seemed as if there were other things on his mind that were kind of distracting his focus. What are things that might be distracting you from making a commitment to fully follow Christ?
15. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Share what you plan to do this week, even tomorrow, in order to fully cross that line? What are you actually going to do?

Wrap-Up:
Perhaps one of the greatest tricks the Devil pulls on Christians is making them useless. If he can’t keep us from rejecting Christ, he’s going to try to just make us unable to live the life Christ has called us to. We must understand that there is so much more than just accepting Christ. There is a life to live. We have a God that needs to be served and worshiped. We’ve got our ticket to Heaven. Now it’s about following the King. It takes courage and sometimes it may not even be safe to follow God. But that doesn’t matter. We need to be willing to take the risk, we need to be willing to cross the line and say, “Jesus, I’ve made my decision. I’m going to follow you completely.” Following Christ isn’t something you can do halfway. We need to step it up as His followers and give ourselves to Him completely. Tonight, let’s take five minutes and just pray for each other. Grab a partner and take turns praying for each other. Ask each other what needs to happen in order for you to follow Christ even more closely.

Written by Matt Furby