Don't Waste the Sermon: Three Simple Ways to Apply God's Word

Each week at church, we hear God’s Word proclaimed. But what happens next?

Too often, we nod in agreement, maybe even feel convicted—and then… forget. James warns us not to be hearers only, but doers of the Word (James 1:22). The Sunday sermon isn’t the end of our worship—it’s the beginning of our response. Hebrews 3 urges, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” That means we should respond quickly—before life distracts us or sin deceives us.

So how do we make the most of a sermon? Here are three simple ways to press God’s Word deeper—into your habits, your conversations, and your prayers.

1. Do Something

When the sermon ends, ask yourself:

“What is one practical step I need to take in response to what I just heard?”

God usually isn’t calling us to apply everything at once—but He often presses one clear point onto our hearts. Don’t ignore it. Write it down. Pray over it. Ask someone to follow up with you. For example, if today’s sermon was about caring for widows, maybe your step is to build relationships with widows or other often-overlooked members in the church.

Obedience doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be real. Imagine if every believer acted on one application each week—what might our churches become?

2. Say Something

It should be normal for Christians to talk about God's Word with one another—and the Sunday sermon is a natural place to start. This is one simple way to obey the “one another” commands in the New Testament and to resist the strange silence that often surrounds spiritual conversations at church.

So ask: 

“How can I engage others with what I heard today?”

Start by asking someone after church, “What stood out to you in the message?” or “How are you thinking about applying that?” It doesn’t have to be complicated—but it can be powerful. 

If you brought a non-Christian friend to church, take them to lunch and ask what they thought. That kind of conversation might be more impactful than the sermon itself.

As Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Conversations like these are how we do that.

3. Pray Something

There’s a deep connection between Scripture and prayer. In fact, praying God’s Word is one of the best ways to apply it. It helps us internalize what we’ve heard and seek God’s help in living it out.

Ask:

“How should I be praying in light of today’s sermon?”

For instance, after a sermon on temptation, I prayed all week for “stop signs” and “roadblocks” to help me flee temptation—and for the wisdom to heed them. After a sermon on Christ’s return, I began to pray more regularly in light of that hope.

Here are some prayer prompts:

What attribute of God can I praise?

What sin or weakness do I need to confess?

What gospel truth can I thank God for?

What truth or priority moves me to pray for others?

Take the text and pray it into your heart. Ask God to make it real, plant it deep, and bear fruit.

Conclusion

Sermons aren’t just for Sundays. They’re meant to transform Mondays—and every day after.

Let’s not waste the Word we’ve received.

Let’s respond.