Exchanging My Regret for His Redemption
Small Group Guide: The Gift Exchange
Exchanging My Regret for His Redemption
Opening Prayer & Icebreaker
Icebreaker Question: If you could go back and change one decision from this past year (big or small), what would it be and why?
This week's message explored how Christmas magnifies all our emotions—including regret. Just as the Christmas story begins with a genealogy full of broken, regretful people, God steps into our mess rather than waiting for us to clean it up first.
Main Theme: Exchanging my regret for His redemption
Key Takeaways from the Sermon
Christmas doesn't create regret, it reveals it - The holiday season slows life down enough for us to see what we've been avoiding.
If I don't own up to my past, my past will end up owning me - Hiding regret doesn't make it go away; it just delays when it shows up.
When I entrust my past to Jesus, regret's grip is no match for God's grace - God's grace is always stronger than our regret.
When I entrust my past to Jesus, my worst moments often become where God does His best work - God specializes in redemption, not erasure.
Discussion Questions
Understanding Regret
How would you define regret in your own words? What's the difference between regret and guilt?
The sermon mentioned that regret often "pops up" like a jack-in-the-box. When does regret tend to surface most in your life? What triggers it?
Read Matthew 1:1-6 together. What surprises you about the people included in Jesus' family tree? What does this tell us about the kind of story God chooses to enter?
Facing Our Past
The sermon said, "Keeping regret out of sight doesn't make it go away." What are some common ways people try to manage regret without actually healing from it? Which of these have you tried?
Read Psalm 32:3 & 5 and 1 John 1:9. What do these passages teach us about the importance of confession? Why is it so hard to acknowledge our failures to God when He already knows them?
How does the difference between "managing regret" and "healing from regret" play out in real life? Can you share an example (without oversharing)?
Embracing Redemption
Read Romans 8:1. Paul, who persecuted Christians, wrote "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." Why do we continue to condemn ourselves when Jesus doesn't condemn us?
Read Romans 8:28-30. The word "all" includes everything in our past. What makes it difficult to believe God can work even our worst moments for good? What would change if you truly believed this promise?
T
he sermon shared that Paul said his past displayed God's "extraordinary patience." How might your story of regret and redemption become a message of hope for someone else?
What's the difference between God "erasing" our past and God "redeeming" our past? Why can redemption actually be better than erasure?
Practical Applications
Personal Reflection (Choose 1-2 to commit to this week)
Identify and acknowledge: Take 15 minutes alone with God to write down one regret you've been carrying. Don't justify it or minimize it—just name it honestly before God.
Practice confession: Using Psalm 32 or 1 John 1:9 as a guide, confess your regret to God in prayer. Receive His forgiveness by faith, not by feeling.
Replace the narrative: Every time you think about your regret this week, immediately follow it with Romans 8:1: "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus."
Share your story: If appropriate, share with one trusted person how God has redeemed something in your past. Let your story encourage someone else.
Seek reconciliation: If your regret involves hurting someone else, prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to seek forgiveness or make amends.
Group Challenge
Choose one person in your life who might be carrying heavy regret this Christmas season. Reach out to them with a call, text, or coffee invitation. You don't have to fix them—just be present and remind them they're not alone.
Scripture Memory
Romans 8:1 - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Closing Prayer Focus
Break into groups of 2-3 for prayer. Consider praying for:
Courage to face regrets we've been avoiding
Faith to believe God's grace is stronger than our past
Freedom from self-condemnation
Hope that God's story with us isn't over
Specific regrets people are willing to share (maintain confidentiality)
Looking Ahead
Next week, we'll continue "The Gift Exchange" series. Invite someone to join you who might need to hear about God's redemptive work in broken stories.
Reminder: Christmas Eve services are coming up—a perfect opportunity to invite friends and family to hear the good news of Emmanuel, God with us.
Leader Notes
Be sensitive: Regret can be deeply personal. Create a safe space where people can share without pressure.
Avoid quick fixes: Don't minimize people's pain with clichés. Sometimes people just need to be heard.
Model vulnerability: If appropriate, share your own experience with regret and God's redemption.
Point to Jesus: Keep bringing the conversation back to Christ's finished work on the cross.
Follow up: Check in with anyone who shared something vulnerable during the week.
Exchanging My Regret for His Redemption
Opening Prayer & Icebreaker
Icebreaker Question: If you could go back and change one decision from this past year (big or small), what would it be and why?
This week's message explored how Christmas magnifies all our emotions—including regret. Just as the Christmas story begins with a genealogy full of broken, regretful people, God steps into our mess rather than waiting for us to clean it up first.
Main Theme: Exchanging my regret for His redemption
Key Takeaways from the Sermon
Christmas doesn't create regret, it reveals it - The holiday season slows life down enough for us to see what we've been avoiding.
If I don't own up to my past, my past will end up owning me - Hiding regret doesn't make it go away; it just delays when it shows up.
When I entrust my past to Jesus, regret's grip is no match for God's grace - God's grace is always stronger than our regret.
When I entrust my past to Jesus, my worst moments often become where God does His best work - God specializes in redemption, not erasure.
Discussion Questions
Understanding Regret
How would you define regret in your own words? What's the difference between regret and guilt?
The sermon mentioned that regret often "pops up" like a jack-in-the-box. When does regret tend to surface most in your life? What triggers it?
Read Matthew 1:1-6 together. What surprises you about the people included in Jesus' family tree? What does this tell us about the kind of story God chooses to enter?
Facing Our Past
The sermon said, "Keeping regret out of sight doesn't make it go away." What are some common ways people try to manage regret without actually healing from it? Which of these have you tried?
Read Psalm 32:3 & 5 and 1 John 1:9. What do these passages teach us about the importance of confession? Why is it so hard to acknowledge our failures to God when He already knows them?
How does the difference between "managing regret" and "healing from regret" play out in real life? Can you share an example (without oversharing)?
Embracing Redemption
Read Romans 8:1. Paul, who persecuted Christians, wrote "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." Why do we continue to condemn ourselves when Jesus doesn't condemn us?
Read Romans 8:28-30. The word "all" includes everything in our past. What makes it difficult to believe God can work even our worst moments for good? What would change if you truly believed this promise?
T
he sermon shared that Paul said his past displayed God's "extraordinary patience." How might your story of regret and redemption become a message of hope for someone else?
What's the difference between God "erasing" our past and God "redeeming" our past? Why can redemption actually be better than erasure?
Practical Applications
Personal Reflection (Choose 1-2 to commit to this week)
Identify and acknowledge: Take 15 minutes alone with God to write down one regret you've been carrying. Don't justify it or minimize it—just name it honestly before God.
Practice confession: Using Psalm 32 or 1 John 1:9 as a guide, confess your regret to God in prayer. Receive His forgiveness by faith, not by feeling.
Replace the narrative: Every time you think about your regret this week, immediately follow it with Romans 8:1: "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus."
Share your story: If appropriate, share with one trusted person how God has redeemed something in your past. Let your story encourage someone else.
Seek reconciliation: If your regret involves hurting someone else, prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to seek forgiveness or make amends.
Group Challenge
Choose one person in your life who might be carrying heavy regret this Christmas season. Reach out to them with a call, text, or coffee invitation. You don't have to fix them—just be present and remind them they're not alone.
Scripture Memory
Romans 8:1 - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Closing Prayer Focus
Break into groups of 2-3 for prayer. Consider praying for:
Courage to face regrets we've been avoiding
Faith to believe God's grace is stronger than our past
Freedom from self-condemnation
Hope that God's story with us isn't over
Specific regrets people are willing to share (maintain confidentiality)
Looking Ahead
Next week, we'll continue "The Gift Exchange" series. Invite someone to join you who might need to hear about God's redemptive work in broken stories.
Reminder: Christmas Eve services are coming up—a perfect opportunity to invite friends and family to hear the good news of Emmanuel, God with us.
Leader Notes
Be sensitive: Regret can be deeply personal. Create a safe space where people can share without pressure.
Avoid quick fixes: Don't minimize people's pain with clichés. Sometimes people just need to be heard.
Model vulnerability: If appropriate, share your own experience with regret and God's redemption.
Point to Jesus: Keep bringing the conversation back to Christ's finished work on the cross.
Follow up: Check in with anyone who shared something vulnerable during the week.
Posted in The Gift Exchange