Shows / Idlewild Presbyterian Church
Idlewild Presbyterian Church
The Idlewild podcast is a ministry of Idlewild Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN. Every podcast includes a weekly sermon that explores scripture and provokes reflection about the mystery of God and what it means to model our lives on the life of Jesus Christ.
Episodes
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Greek 101 - Oikonomos (Steward)
This morning, as we celebrate Commitment Sunday, we will continue our Greek 101 sermon series with the word oikonomos, which means “steward.” In 1 Peter…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Greek 101 - Klesis (Calling)
This morning, we continue our Greek 101 series with the word klesis, meaning "calling." Drawing on Ephesians 4, our Theologian in Residence, the Reverend Dr…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Greek 101 - Parakletos (Advocate)
This morning, on the heels of Hebrew 101, we will launch a new sermon series entitled Greek 101 where we will learn four additional ancient words every…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Hebrew 101 - Zakar (Remember)
This morning, we conclude our Hebrew 101 sermon series with the word zakar which means "to remember.” In Deuteronomy 8:7–20, Moses warns the people that one of…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Hebrew 101 - Mitzrayim (Egypt)
This morning, we continue our Hebrew 101 series with Mitzrayim, the Hebrew name for Egypt. In Exodus 1:8-14, Egypt becomes more than a place on a map; it…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Hebrew 101 - Shema (Hear)
This morning, as we celebrate the official start of the programmatic year with Kick-off Sunday, we will begin a series entitled Hebrew 101 - Ancient Words…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Follow Me
This morning, we turn to the Gospel of Matthew as we wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus. In Matthew 16:21-28, Matthew foretells his passion and death…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Bridging the Rivers of Difference
This morning, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Catherine Meeks back to Idlewild as our guest preacher. A nationally respected scholar, author, and leader in the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: I Pledge Allegiance - A More Perfect Union
This morning, we will conclude our I Pledge Allegiance series with a message entitled “A More Perfect Union.” Our worship will grow from Jeremiah 29:4–7 and…
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Sunday Sermon: I Pledge Allegiance - My Fellow Citizens
This morning, we will continue our series, I Pledge Allegiance, with a sermon entitled My Fellow Citizens. Through Galatians 3:23–29, Paul will remind us that…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: I Pledge Allegiance - Worthy of Its Promises
This morning, we will continue our sermon series I Pledge Allegiance by turning toward the honesty, courage, and hope required to help our nation live more…
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Sunday Sermon: I Pledge Allegiance - No Other Lord
This morning, we will inaugurate a new sermon series entitled I Pledge Allegiance. In a time when faith and national identity are often blurred, this four-week…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Jonah
This morning, we conclude our summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, by exploring the familiar story of Jonah. The Reverend Amy Howe will lead us as we look…
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Sunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Daniel
This morning, we continue our summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, and we turn to the book of Daniel. Our focus scripture is Daniel 6:6-28, marking a pivotal…
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Sunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Esther
This morning, we continue our summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, by turning to the story of Esther. Our scripture will be Esther 4:1–3 and 10–17, the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - David and Goliath
This morning, we will continue our Tell Me a Story series with two of the most well-known characters in all of Scripture: David and Goliath. Many of us learned…
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Sunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Ruth
As we continue our summer sermon series, Tell Me A Story, this week we turn to the book of Ruth. It is here that we encounter a foundational story of devotion…
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Sunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Moses
This morning, our summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, continues as we revisit one of the most familiar figures in all of scripture: Moses. Long before he…
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Sunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Joseph
As we continue our summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, we turn our attention to the story of Joseph. Spanning nearly half of the book of Genesis, Joseph's…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Tell Me A Story - Noah
This morning, we begin a new summer sermon series, Tell Me a Story, revisiting some of the biblical characters we first met as children and discovering what…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: The Power of Relationship
On Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the mystery and beauty of God revealed in relationship - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - distinct yet one, bound together in…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Running from the Spirit
This morning, as we gather to celebrate Pentecost, we remember the moment that everything changed for the disciples. In fear and uncertainty, they had gathered…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Resurrected Life - Preparing to Witness
This morning, we will wrap up our Eastertide sermon series, Resurrected Life, by reflecting on what it means to be sent into the world as witnesses to the…
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Sunday Sermon: Resurrected Life - With You Always
This morning, we continue in the joy of Eastertide and in our sermon series Resurrected Life, exploring what it means to live as people shaped by the presence…
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Sunday Sermon: Resurrected Life - Deeper Trust
This morning, we will continue in the joy of Eastertide and in our sermon series Resurrected Life, where we are exploring what it means to live each day shaped…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchYouth Sunday Sermons
This morning, as we celebrate the second Sunday of Easter, our youth will take on the full work of worship; offering prayers, leading liturgy, reading…
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Sunday Sermon: Resurrected Life - Witnesses to Wounds
This morning, we continue in the joy of Eastertide with the second week of our sermon series, Resurrected Life. In our scripture lesson, John 20:24-29, we meet…
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Sunday Sermon: Resurrected Life - Holy Spirit
This morning, as we gather to worship, we'll kick off an Eastertide sermon series entitled Resurrected Life. Over the next six weeks, we'll focus on the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchEaster Sermon - Proclaiming Resurrection
This Easter morning, we gather for the day at the heart of our faith, when we proclaim that Christ is risen and death no longer has the final word. In John…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Marks of a Disciple - Compassion
This morning as we gather for Palm Sunday we will conclude our Lenten series, Marks of a Disciple, by reflecting on the mark of compassion through Paul’s words…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Marks of a Disciple - Peace
This morning we will continue our Lenten series, Marks of a Disciple, by reflecting on the mark of peace through Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4–9. Writing…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Marks of a Disciple - Perseverance
This morning we continue our Lenten series, Marks of a Disciple, by reflecting on the mark of perseverance through Paul’s words in Philippians 3:4b–14. In his…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Marks of a Disciple - Humility
This morning, we will continue our Lenten series, Marks of a Disciple, by reflecting on the mark of humility through Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1–13. In…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Marks of a Disciple - Boldness
This morning, as we mark the First Sunday in Lent, we are beginning a sermon series entitled Marks of A Disciple. This series asks a simple but searching…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Who Do You Say I Am? - The Messiah
This morning, we will conclude our sermon series, Who Do You Say I Am?, with a message drawn from Matthew 16:13–20 entitled “The Messiah.” Throughout the…
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Sunday Sermon: Who Do You Say I Am? - Christ the Risen One
This morning, we continue our sermon series, Who Do You Say That I Am?, with “Christ the Risen One,” drawn from Luke 24:13-35 - the story of Jesus walking with…
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Sunday Sermon: Who Do You Say I Am? - Christ The Crucified
When we gather, we will continue our sermon series, Who Do You Say That I Am?, with “Christ the Crucified,” as we reflect on Philippians 2:5–11 and the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSermon from the Sofa: Who Do You Say I Am? - Christ the Teacher and Healer
This morning, we continue to answer the question Who Do You Say I Am? with a sermon entitled “Christ the Teacher and Healer." I will preach a special Sermon…
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Sunday Sermon: Who Do You Say I Am? - Christ The Image of God
This morning, we will continue our sermon series, Who Do You Say That I Am?, a six-week exploration of who Christians confess Jesus the Christ to be—and why…
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Sunday Sermon: Who Do You Say I Am? - Christ The Word Made Flesh
The first installment of our study, entitled Christ the Word Made Flesh, will grow from the Gospel of John. In its opening verses, we will encounter the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Insisting on Hope - Living the Promise
This morning, as we gather in the New Year, we'll mark the feast of Epiphany and the last of our worship series Insisting on Hope. As we once again share the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchChristmas Eve Homily
Sermon delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on December 24, 2025.
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Sunday Sermon: Insisting on Hope - Love With Us
This morning, we continue our Advent sermon series, Insisting on Hope, by reflecting on the theme of love as God’s steady presence in times of fear and…
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Sunday Sermon: Insisting on Hope - Courageous Joy
This morning, we will continue our Advent sermon series, Insisting on Hope, by listening to stories where God’s joy breaks into ordinary lives in unexpected…
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Sunday Sermon: Insisting on Hope - Streams in the Wasteland
This morning, we continue our Advent journey by listening to Isaiah’s promise that God is “about to do a new thing,” and to Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 that…
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Sunday Sermon: Insisting on Hope - Longing for God
This morning, we enter the holy season of Advent, a time of longing, watching, and preparing for God’s light to break into the world. As we gather, we also…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: The Days are Surely Coming
This morning, we gather at the culmination of the church year as we celebrate Reign of Christ Sunday. As we look back over the movement of our liturgical year…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: The Oneness of Christ
This morning, our worship we will grow from a beautiful passage in Ephesians, where Paul introduces the image of the body of Christ. We will be reminded that…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: For This Reason
This morning, we will celebrate All Saints' Day, giving thanks for the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and whose faith still shapes our own…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Growing in Gratitude - The Stewards
This morning, as we celebrate Commitment Sunday, we will conclude our series on generosity, Growing in Gratitude, by turning to 1 Corinthians 4:1–5, where Paul…
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Sunday Sermon: Growing in Gratitude - The Source
This morning, we'll turn to 1 Chronicles 29 as we continue our Sermon Series, Growing in Gratitude. In verses 10-16, we will hear a portion of King David's…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Growing in Gratitude: Cultivating the Soil of Soul
This morning, we will begin a new three-part sermon series on generosity which will help us explore our annual theme “Growing in Gratitude.” Our worship will…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Remembering and Resisting
This morning, we will celebrate World Communion Sunday, a day when Christians around the globe gather at the Lord’s Table. In Luke 24, the disciples’ eyes were…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Faith and Certainty
This morning, we will turn to Mark 9 as we reflect on how we understand and practice faith. Together, we'll explore the relationship between faith and…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: To Build, To Hew, and To Plant
This morning in worship we will turn to one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Deuteronomy 6:10–14a. Together we’ll discover how we are inheritors of God’s…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Relational not Transactional
This morning, as we begin our season of generosity, our worship will center on the well-known story of the prodigal son from the Gospel of Luke. In telling the…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Continuing, Increasing Obedience
This morning, as we celebrate the official start of the programmatic year with Kickoff Sunday, our worship will be centered on the Book of Acts. In Acts 6, we…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchLiving for the Limelight
This morning we will continue our exploration of the lectionary as we meet Jesus at Sabbath meal in Luke 14. There, Jesus offers a parable to the guests…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Unbound
This morning, the lectionary lesson will situate us alongside Jesus as he teaches in the synagogue on the sabbath. Seeing a woman crippled by a spirit, Jesus…
Idlewild Presbyterian ChurchSunday Sermon: Family Division
This morning, our worship will grow from the words of Jesus found in the lectionary Gospel passage. In Luke 12, as he teaches several lessons to his disciples…