Jesus & Johnny Cash: Resurrection-Oriented Worship
Friends, I wanted to share a worship story with you. As we end Lent and look forward to Easter Sunday, we mustn’t skip over Good Friday too quickly. I know this isn’t easy (I’ve been thinking about Crestwood’s Easter music since Christmas!). As resurrection people, we have incredible, good news that awaits celebration. We can’t help but worship our triumphant Savior every day. But, when it comes to Holy Week, you may hear me say something like, “You can’t have a resurrection without a death.” I realize this is a little abrupt, but if we take the time to look at scripture carefully and thoughtfully, Jesus’ death seems an inevitable part of His story. He predicted it multiple times, and the grief that weighed on Him up to the last breath on a cross on a terrible (good) Friday afternoon is weaved throughout the story.
Grief and death are part of our story as Christians and as human beings. The joy of Easter is all the more powerful, knowing that death will find every one of us, even the Son of God. Jesus suffered and died to give us a better understanding of our humanity and show us that it is not the end of the story. Jesus wrote a new story. A story that we get to live into every day.
And who doesn’t love a good story? A favorite story of mine can be found in the life of Johnny Cash. I’m a huge fan. As a musician (and worship leader), I continually dissect songs, breaking them into patterns and chord charts and identifying the hooks, what works, and (most often) what doesn’t. I admit that I can be a bit of a snob or critic. But when I listen to Johnny Cash, I hear authenticity. When I listen to his songs, I hear simplicity and truth. When I listen to his songs, I am constantly reminded of my story, our story. Sin and forgiveness. Despair and hope. Death and resurrection.
These days, you can go to Target and find his image on t-shirts, coffee mugs, calendars, and baby onesies. And rightfully so, as he is one of music’s biggest stars. In fact, from the mid-1950s to the 1980s, there might not have been anyone more famous.
However, one of the parts of his story that I like so much is that he used his platform not for his own benefit but to side with the poor and the marginalized. His best-selling album was recorded at a prison. Did he have his faults? Sure. But rarely has there been an artist who embodied what it meant to recognize his sinfulness, embrace the goodness of God, and work tirelessly to bring good news to the masses. Nearly every album he recorded held at least one gospel song if not entire albums.
And then he slowly faded away. As the music industry and tastes changed, Johnny Cash became more of a novelty act. He played in small, empty venues. His faith never faltered, but in many ways, his career died.
This obscurity didn’t sit well with a music producer named Rick Ruben (mostly known for hip-hop music), who felt we should never forget such a treasure. He felt that Cash’s songs were an integral part of the American songbook and the American story; the idea of forgetting those stories was unthinkable.
So they connected and got to work. Together, they made several more albums, re-writing classics and retelling stories in unique ways as only a person of Johnny Cash’s depth could. And every single one they made went on to win awards and permeate mainstream radio. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was impossible to escape Johnny Cash’s powerhouse voice and sound. His resurrection again made him one of the most famous names in music.
And yet, Johnny Cash would probably reject all of the “praise” I’ve offered him in this article. His music, while part of his story, was never about him. His stories were about the human experience in the light of a God of grace. Johnny Cash wanted people to know Jesus. At the height of both his old and newly gained fame, Cash, a person of deep faith, recorded albums full of gospel hymns. He pointed people to Jesus in the best way he knew, telling the story of Jesus in song.
I’ll admit that much of what I know about Johnny Cash could be a legend. I hear truth in his words and feel gospel in his voice. So when I step onto the platform at our church every Sunday morning, I sing words that (even when my voice is scratchy) are true, and I know there is gospel in my heart. I know this because I believe the story of Jesus is true. The words Jesus speaks are true. The gospel of Jesus is true.
When we sing our worship songs, we are singing to Jesus. We are singing to the hero of our own redemption story. We are lifting His beautiful name and reminding ourselves that death is not the end. Easter happened and constantly recurs. In our Sunday worship, I pray that we find encouragement and inspiration to go into the world and point our neighbors and friends toward Jesus, who changes lives.
This Easter, remember your story. Remember the Author of that story and give thanks. And share it. Sing it as loud as you possibly can! Good stories are meant to be told.
Written by: John Hardt on March 29, 2024
John Hardt is a musician and songwriter and currently serves as the Worship Arts Director for Crestwood Church. He is married to Debs, and they have a daughter, Matilda.