60-year-old Democratic candidate for Texas lieutenant governor, Matthew Dowd, made national news last November when he tweeted that Jesus would be accused of being woke today.

Dowd’s tweet was precipitated by Democrat strategist, James Carville, blaming “stupid wokeness” for his party’s surprising election defeat in Virginia in this past November’s elections.

Wow. Where do I even begin?

First, I would tell Dowd to change churches if that’s what he got out of the sermon.

Second, I would invite Dowd to do something he’s clearly never done: open his Bible and read the four biographies (gospels) of Jesus.

In all four accounts, rather than enjoying increasing acceptance, Jesus is the target of escalating hatred, vitriol, and disgust. Why is that?

Because Jesus said things – a lot of things – the ancient woke crowd found offensive, bigoted and intolerant.

For example, Jesus said his design for biblical marriage is between a man and a woman. The Bible teaches repeatedly that life begins at conception.  And he warned everyone of an eternity of torment in a devil’s hell if they did not confess him – and him only – as God, Savior, and the only way to heaven. (cf. John 3:18).

Does Jesus still sound “woke” to you, Mr. Dowd?

Mike Yaconelli used to say, “Everyone wants a nice Jesus.”

But Rome didn’t crucify people for being “nice.” (Or, in Dowd’s words, “treating everyone with respect and dignity.”)

Jesus didn’t merely treat people “with respect and dignity.”  He loved them (and us) as his priceless treasure.

However,…

Jesus was dangerous. He was fearless. He didn’t bow to the woke mob.  He didn’t shrink from the truth. He did not (could not) tolerate sin.

And they killed him for it.

In short, Dowd reduces Jesus to his own biased, subjective definition of “human decency and dignity.”  In other words, Dowd reduces Jesus to “a Jesus created in the image of Dowd.”

Dowd wants a Jesus who has no demands on his life, or disagreements with his opinions.

The Bible tells of no such Jesus.

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