Responding to Sermons

During the past 25+ years I have preached at least 2,000 sermons. I can tell you that a lot goes into choosing, planning, and presenting one. Over that same time I have come to learn that a lot goes into how people hear and respond to them. The same sermon can move two people in very different ways. I am reminded how in Acts 2 one sermon pierced to the heart of that crowd and caused 3,000 souls to want to know what they needed to do to be saved? In Acts 7 another sermon also cut to the quick and the crowd stormed upon the preacher and stoned him.
I'm mindful of this dynamic today because I preached a particularly intense sermon about seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven yesterday (11/10/08) and in it made a plea for people to attend church more, actually every time the doors are open, as one of my points (I knew when preaching the sermon that this one point would run the risk of being the only one people remembered). I grew up in the Seabrook church of Christ. We had to go to another state to attend services (okay, it was only a 12 mile trip one way), but we attended every service and every function. Let me tell you a funny story. I played high school basketball. During my senior year we had a youth rally in which the speaker, addressing this very topic, told a story of how during his high school days the school changed the time of the championship game because it interferred with the midweek service he and his family attended. I was inspired by that story (along with some other points he made). At that time we had basketball practices on Thursday nights and this conflicted with our midweek study at church. Armed with this inspiring message of faith and obedience I marched right into my coach's office after our next practice and told him I wouldn't be at Thursday practices any more because it conflicted with church. He told me he was sorry to hear about my early "retirement" from the team. What I neglected to tell you was that he was the star center of his team while I only saw court time if we were ahead by 30 points and there was less than a minute left in the game. At first I was hurt and a little wounded, but I was never going to play in the NBA (despite my childhood dreams) and the things I heard and learned and saw in those midweek services helped mold me into the man I am today and the child of God I hope to be for eternity.
I doubt that I have felt the full response to yesterday's sermon. The attendance at last night's worship service was slightly higher than normal. It was obvious that some had given their commitment some thought. I've gotten a couple of emails. One was very appreciative and have renewed a deeper commitment to their local church. The other one offered reasoning for not changing in any way. I'm sure I have not yet seen or heard the full reaction and effect of my sermon. But this I know, some will be inspired by it and others will not. Some may even oppose it. I just hope no one forgets it.
I am tired of the church getting thrust to the back of the room in the business of our 21st century lives. Our calendars are very quickly consumed with work, commutes, school, extracurricular activities, homework, sports, television, games, the Internet, neighbors, friends, and the church along with her worship, preaching, teaching, fellowshipping, praying, and singing gets the leftovers; the leftover time slots in the agenda, the leftover minutes of the day, the leftover in our lives. And all this when Jesus says His Kingdom should be the first priority of our lives (Matthew 6:33). It should have first place. It should be primary. It should be foremost. It should be above all. The church shouldn't have to clamor for attention among all the other stuff, but if it must then I will champion her cause and I won't be ashamed or embarassed for doing so!
How do you respond to sermons? What factors go into that response? Share you answers with me in the comments section. I would really like to read them.