24-1103a - AN UPSIDE DOWN GENERATION, Parts 1&2, Mike Mathis
Bible Readers: Stephan Tuck and John Nousek

This Sermon Outline by Mike Mathis

See the transcript: Transcript HTML - Transcript PDF
(Transcription by TurboScribe.ai)

AN UPSIDE DOWN GENERATION, Parts 1&2

Scripture Readings:

1st Scripture Reading, Stephan Tuck
Deuteronomy 31:19

“Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.

2nd Scripture Reading, John Nousek
Deuteronomy 32:1-3

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass. 3 For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.

Outline

Preacher: Mike Mathis

Intro: God knew what the Israelites would do after they settled in the land which He was leading them. In Deut. 31:19, God told Moses to write a song that it "may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel." God said to Moses after they would "eat and be satisfied and grow fat, they would turn to other gods and serve them. So Moses wrote this song that day and taught it to the children of Israel. (Deut 31:22) The song is in Deut. 32:1-43. I am not going to do a verse by verse study of this song. But in Deut. 32:20, God says in the Tree of Life Version that "they are an upside down generation…​"

Before we get into this verse, let us look at the beginning of the chapter.

  1. The song of Moses (Deut. 32:1-6)

    1. Give ear, O heavens, I will speak! (vs. 1)

    2. Let the earth hear the words of my mouth

      1. I will proclaim the LORD’s name (vs. 3)

      2. The Rock- blameless is His work (vs. 4)

      3. He made you and established you (vs. 6)

    3. God alone guided Israel (vs. 12)

      1. Made Israel to mount the heights of the land

      2. They ate the produce of land

  2. Israel forsook God (vs. 15)

    1. They ignored the Rock who birthed them (vs. 18)

    2. "You forgot God who brought you forth."

  3. An upside down generation. (vs. 20)

    1. The NKJV says, "They are a perverse generation."

    2. NASV says, "They are a perverse generation."

    3. KJV says, "They are very froward generation."

    4. With no faithfulness in them

      1. Sound like the present day

      2. Atheistic

      3. Making a show of the perversion of the marriage arrangement

  4. "Turning the world upside down" (Acts 17:5-7)

    1. Maybe it should be "Turning the world right side up."

    2. What upset these people so much they gathered a mob?

    3. Teaching that Jesus is king (17:7)

  5. Another king

    1. Meant treason- Caesar was king!

    2. Accused of acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar

    3. There was no threat to Caesar from Jesus in a physical sense.

    4. Jesus is spiritual King over His spiritual kingdom

Conclusion: If God called the people who forsook Him then "an upside down generation," what about today? How do we live in a world where anything goes? And God is forsaken? Let us think about how the Christians of the first century suffered persecution. Let us press on! For "there is no other gods beside Me. I bring death and give life, I have wounded but I will heal, and none can rescue from My hand. He will return vengeance on His foe, and atone for the land of His people." (Deut. 32:39,43)

Inv. To those who need to obey the gospel and are subject to the invitation.