Breaking Bread: A Spiritual Tune Up

A tune up is done to your car to replace and maintain parts that wear out through usage. Tune ups will insure that your car will continue to run smoothly, continue getting it’s normal gas mileage and prevent severe damage the engine and other major components.

All cars need regular tune-ups about every 30,000 miles.

As our car needs to be maintained and kept in tune so does our spiritual lives need to be maintained and kept in tune.

"You know you a need a spiritual tune-up when you feel as though your life is a dead end street with no way out."

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* Change our spark plugs by renewing of our minds.

* Change our oil by getting rid of bitterness, resentment, anger depression & discouragement by seeking God’s love.

* Clean carburetor or fuel injectors by cleaning the conscience with confession of sin.

* Adjust the timing by waiting upon the will of God.

* Replace the air filter by restricting what is taken into our souls.

* Fill the fuel tank with the power of the Holy Spirit.

* Charge the battery with a quite time with the Lord to get the day going.

[Based on Basil Frasure idea – http://alternative-counseling.org/c-briefs/sp-tune-up.html]

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- The Lord’s Supper will enable us to be in tune with Jesus Christ.

- When I have the mind of Christ, the Lord’s Supper is meaningful.

- When a church is demonstrating love for Christ and for one another, the Lord’s Table is a blessing beyond expression. What makes breaking bread together so significant?

I. Breaking Bread Tunes the Mind

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A. The Lord’s Supper was distinctive in the heart of Christ.

- It was given against the background of the Passover.

- The Lord’s Supper was given during the Passion Week,

- Jesus’ last week before the cross.

- It was his last official act before being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.

- Remembering who He is

- Taking the emblems reminds us what happened and why it happened

B. It is distinctive in the life of the church.

- The church practiced breaking bread together often.

- Acts indicates that it was a vital part of the church’s life (Acts 2:42-46; 20:7).

C. It is distinctive in the lives of believers

- Lord’s Supper is for members of Jesus body.

- We are talking about a relationship with Him

II. Breaking Bread Tunes the Attitude

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Verse 28 of our text says, "Let a man examine himself." This means that each of us is responsible for the manner in which we approach the Lord’s Supper.

A. Reviewing the past - What is my relationship to Christ

B. Confessing to Christ all know sins and failures and forsaking them

C. Accepting His forgiveness as provided by his death on the cross.

D. Prayerful rededication of yourself to the Lord

III. Breaking Bread Tunes The Heart

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It Is an Act of Devotion.

Verse 24 of our text clearly states the purpose of the Lord’s Supper: "This do in remembrance of me."

- Observing the Lord’s Supper is remembering that Jesus gave his life for us in his sacrificial sufferings.

- When we have that focus, our lives will be centered on all that he desires for us.

Conclusion

If we acknowledge that the Lord’s Supper as a spiritual tune up it will result in a spirit of renewal in our lives.