A Sower Went Out to Sow | Matthew 13:3b | Darryl Ditmer | 09-07-2025

·46 min·4 clips

A pastor of 40 years feels nervous about representing the King of Kings while explaining his simple topic: 'A sower went out to sow.'

Darryl Ditmer opens the episode with a humorous and humble introduction, noting his nervousness about speaking as a pastor of 40 years while representing the King of Kings. He introduces the sermon's core text, 'Behold, a sower went out to sow,' from Matthew 13:3b. Ditmer reveals his background as a practicing farmer with hundreds of acres in the Ohio Valley, explaining how his congregation allowed him to continue farming while pastoring for over 30 years. He discusses the importance of being authentic and 'chewing your own cud' in ministry. Ditmer shares key spiritual influences, including hearing R.C. Sproul preach on the holiness of God as a teenager, which profoundly impacted him. He mentions other influences like John MacArthur, David Jeremiah, and Howard Hendricks. The sermon delves into the parable of the sower, with Ditmer reading from Matthew 13 and explaining its significance for disciples. He connects it to his experiences, such as memorizing the Sermon on the Mount while working as a security guard and preaching it to inanimate objects. Ditmer talks about his current role at a family camp, where he sows grass seed and shares the gospel with Amish and Mennonite visitors. He recounts giving a John MacArthur Study Bible to an Amish friend and being asked to teach them. Ditmer emphasizes the necessity of the new birth and rewrites a gospel tract to stress human inability to reach heaven without Christ. He closes by singing a hymn, 'Love Lifted Me,' and reflecting on the final judgment when Christ will separate the wheat from the tares. The episode ends with Pastor Chad leading a prayer and invitation for response before communion.

As heard by us

A nervous pulpit opening becomes an earnest reflection on studying Scripture and faithfully sowing God's word.

A nervous step into the pulpit opens into a steady reflection on "A sower went out to sow." The review finds its footing as the sermon turns from that line toward the patient work of studying Scripture and passing it on.

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Why you'd press play

You get a church sermon that turns the sower image into a candid look at Bible study, getting overloaded by cross-references, and still being faithful to share God's word.

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