Pulled Through Fear to Life — Krista Neustaeder Barg
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The River East Church Podcast episode 'Pulled Through Fear to Life' explores the transformative power of Easter faith not as a one-time event, but as an ongoing, breath-driven reality. Drawing from John 20, host Krista Neustaeder Barg reflects on the disciples' fear, doubt, and eventual transformation after Jesus appears to them—breathing the Holy Spirit into their lives. She reframes Thomas not as 'doubting Thomas' but as a truth-seeker whose skepticism is met with grace, emphasizing that faith is a dynamic dance between belief and doubt, not a static declaration. The sermon uses the metaphor of a teeter-totter to illustrate that faith requires community, movement, and action—pushing off the ground to bring God's love into the world. Jesus doesn’t just comfort the fearful; he empowers them to forgive, heal, and live into the new creation now, not just after death. The call is clear: if you were accused of being a Jesus follower today, would there be enough evidence to convict you? The answer lies in how we live—forgiving, moving, and breathing life into the brokenness around us.
Faith is not a one-time belief but a continuous act of believing, following, and participating in new creation.
Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into his followers—not to eliminate fear, but to empower them to move through it.
Doubt and faith are not opposites; they coexist, and Jesus meets us where we are, even in our skepticism.
Forgiveness is not just for others—it’s a core identity of a Jesus follower, enabling us to live into God’s redeeming love.
Our lives should be evidence of resurrection: not hiding behind locked doors, but pushing off to bring hope and healing.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Season of Doubt and the Promise of Spring
The episode opens with a reflection on seasonal cycles and human doubt, drawing a parallel between nature’s return and the disciples’ struggle to believe in resurrection despite evidence.
Fear Behind Locked Doors
The disciples are portrayed as terrified, hiding behind closed doors after Jesus’ crucifixion—representing how fear can paralyze even those with firsthand experience.
Jesus' Peace and the Breath of the Spirit
“And he breathes on them. And the word for breath here is ruach in Hebrew or pneuma in Greek. And the ruach is used throughout the Bible to describe wind, breath, spirit. And in all cases, every time the word is used, it is something invisible and powerful and filled with energy.”
The Power of Breath: From Creation to Renewal
The sermon draws connections between the breath of life in Genesis, the Spirit empowering prophets and Jesus, and the disciples receiving ruach—inviting them to be re-energized and reborn.
Thomas: The Truth-Seeker, Not the Doubter
“Can you blame him? Look at the situation. The disciples said they had seen the risen Jesus. But eight days later, where are they? They are still hiding behind closed, locked doors.”
“If you were accused of being a Jesus follower today, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
“But he breathes on them. And the word for breath here is ruach in Hebrew or pneuma in Greek. And the ruach is used throughout the Bible to describe wind, breath, spirit. And in all cases, every time the word is used, it is something invisible and powerful and filled with energy.”
“You can sit on it all day, but unless you actually push off the ground, unless you move... Nothing happens.”
Host
Jesus
person
disciples
person
Thomas
person
ruach
other
River East Church
organization
John
person
pneuma
other
Winnipeg
place
Anabaptist
organization
Krista Neustaeder Barg
person
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