When Grandma Dies—And We Make Her God: How We Slip Into Ancestor Worship
Text: 1 John 3:1-3 In the name of Jesus. Amen. We are often astonished when we hear about the crazy actions of the Israelites in the Old Testament. You know what I am talking about. When you open up the Old Testament, you can read countless accounts of the Israelites drifting away from the one true God and turning to the worship of Canaanite gods. Now, perhaps you are like me. A part of us becomes a little disgusted with the Israelites; after all, how could they so easily fall into such obvious pagan practices? But truth be told, dear friends, we are not always the best at smelling what is right beneath our own noses. Indeed, we can be quick to recognize the paganism of ancient Israel while remaining remarkably blind to the paganism that permeates much of our culture, homes, and, yes, even our churches. For example, consider how we talk about our loved ones who have died. Let me give you an example. A grandmother dies, and her granddaughter, a woman in her thirt...
