Face The Flames | Ethan Matott
S H A R E
Welcome! We’re stepping into a new series called “Kiss the Fire.” This series is based on our Senior Pastor Shawn Johnson’s new book. It’s a message that has been on his heart for a long time, inspired by a conversation with a close friend during a difficult season when everything seemed to go wrong—from crippling anxiety to a life-altering diagnosis and more. His friend Mark challenged him not to run from the pain or ignore it, but to run toward God—to kiss the fire that is meant to refine you, and walk away whistling.
The heart of this series is simple: we don’t deny the fire, we run through it with Jesus, trusting that He meets us there with peace, purpose, and healing.
Tonight’s focus is moving from avoidance to engagement—naming the fires we face (grief, addiction, conflict, anxiety) and choosing to run to God rather than from Him. When we do, we discover that Jesus understands our pain, works in our pain, and often conquers through our pain.
What’s one “fire” you’re tempted to avoid right now, and why?
When have you seen someone “kiss the fire” (face it with courage) and it inspired you?
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G R O W
Read Hebrews 4:14–16
How does this passage reshape your picture of what Jesus is like when you’re hurting?
Jesus understands the fire. He is a High Priest who empathizes with weakness, loneliness, temptation, and grief. Because He truly knows what it’s like to be human, we’re invited to approach the throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and timely help. Avoidance promises relief, but presence with Jesus offers healing.
Where do you most feel the pull to numb out—people-pleasing, distraction, isolation, substances, or procrastination?
Consider how Jesus works in the fire. Like the woman who reached for His garment, seeking Him in pain can become the hinge point of our story. Suffering can become holy ground where faith grows, honesty deepens, and intimacy with God matures. Running to Him doesn’t make the flames vanish, but it reframes the heat as a place of encounter rather than abandonment.
What might it look like this week to “reach for Jesus” first when the heat rises?
Many of us try to get God “off the hook” for suffering by chasing clean explanations. Instead, Scripture offers an Answerer. In Christ, God steps into pain with us. That presence is the difference: we do not carry the fire alone. Over time, weakness becomes a doorway where His power rests on us.
Where have you experienced God’s presence more clearly in weakness than in strength?
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M O V E
Read Mark 5:24–34
If you were to step into the scene, and watch the action of this woman, what would you notice about her courage, honesty, and persistence?
“Kissing the fire” is rarely dramatic; it’s usually a series of small, honest steps—naming the wound, asking for help, setting new boundaries, making the difficult phone call. Facing the flames may lead to confession, counseling, reconciliation, rehab, or a brave “yes” (or “no”). The question is not “Will God remove every flame?” but “Will I run to God no matter how hot it gets?”
What concrete next step would move you from avoidance to engagement this week?
Who needs to know what you’re carrying so you don’t face the flames alone?
How could your group help you “reach for His garment” when the heat spikes in that situation?
Zacchaeus responds with repentance and generosity. He gives and makes wrongs right. Grace did not make him passive. It made him wholehearted. That is what it means to say it is on the house. Jesus paid the bill and now we live open handed. When grace is real, wallets, calendars, and guest lists change.
Who are one or two friends or neighbors Jesus might be inviting you to host at your table this week and what would help them feel honored?
When we move toward the fire with Jesus, character is forged, hope is born, and our stories strengthen others. Spectators become skeptics; sufferers become witnesses. The arena is where faith becomes real and transferable.
Where might your current fire become a future testimony for someone else?
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P R A Y
Take a quiet moment and let the silence fix your attention on Jesus and His closeness to you. In that silence, ask the Spirit to reveal one “fire” you’re facing. Write two lines naming it and inviting Jesus into it, then pair up with someone in the group, exchange prayers, and speak them over each other.