4 Ways to Get More Out of a Sermon

Every Sunday, we gather as a church family at The Way to hear the Word of God preached. We sit, we listen, we nod, we leave. But how much of the sermon actually sticks? How often do we walk away unchanged, as if the words had bounced off a wall instead of sinking into our hearts?  

If we believe that the preaching of God’s Word is a means of grace, then we ought to listen with great intention and expectation. Here are four ways to get more out of a sermon so that it shapes your heart, strengthens your faith, and fuels your obedience.

1. Prepare Your Heart Before You Listen

Too often, we come to church distracted. We rush in from a hectic morning, thinking about our schedules, our frustrations, or our family interactions during the drive to church. Then we hurriedly find our seats and expect to absorb eternal truth without preparation.

But listening to a sermon isn’t like flipping on a podcast while you’re driving. It requires a heart ready to receive. Before you sit under the preaching of the Word, take time to pray. Ask God to clear your mind and soften your heart. Read the passage that will be preached if you know it ahead of time. Come with a sense of expectancy, but not as a consumer. Come as disciple who knows their need to be shaped by the truth. Imagine how different our Sundays could be if we all showed up eager and ready to hear from God!

2. Engage Actively, Not Passively

I get it. Sometimes it's easy to zone out during a sermon, especially if you've had a long week. But passive listening leads to passive faith. If you sit in a sermon like you sit in a movie theater, waiting to be entertained, you’ll walk away with little impact. But active listening transforms.

Take notes, even if you never look at them again. Jotting down key points forces your brain to engage at a deeper level. Follow along in your Bible instead of relying solely on the screen. Look for connections between what’s being preached and your own life. When a passage convicts you, don’t brush it off. Lean into it. Treat the sermon as a conversation where God is speaking through His Word, and you are responding in your heart.

3. Discuss and Apply the Sermon Afterward

James tells us to be doers of the Word, not just hearers (James 1:22). One of the easiest ways to move from hearing to doing is through discussion. Too often, we hear a sermon, think about it for a few minutes, and then go on with our day as if nothing happened. But when we talk about a sermon with others, we solidify its truths in our hearts and minds.

Make it a habit to discuss the sermon with family or friends. Ask, “What stood out to you? How can we apply this to our lives this week?” Our church family at The Way Church is built on growing together in Christ, and that means engaging with the Word beyond Sunday morning. If you're in a community group, use that weekly rhythm to reflect more deeply on the message. Sermons are meant to shape the life of a community, not just individuals.

4. Pray for the Preacher and the Hearer

Faithful preaching is a weighty task. Our pastors labor throughout the week, studying, praying, and preparing to preach. But preaching isn’t merely an intellectual exercise. It’s a spiritual battle. The enemy would love nothing more than to render the preaching of God’s Word ineffective.

Let’s commit to praying for our pastors. Ask God to give them wisdom, clarity, and boldness. Pray that they would preach with conviction and that the Holy Spirit would work powerfully through them. And pray for yourself and our church family, that our hearts would be good soil for the Word to take root.  

Conclusion: Listen as a Worshiper

Ultimately, listening to a sermon is not an academic exercise; it is an act of worship. We listen because we love God’s Word and want to be shaped by it. We listen because we need truth to confront our sin, comfort our souls, and guide our steps. We listen because God has chosen preaching as a means to build up His church.

So next Sunday, let’s not just show up. Let’s prepare our hearts, engage with the Word, discuss its implications, and pray for its fruitfulness. When we do, we’ll find that sermons are not just something to hear. They’re something to savor, together, as a church family.