Rev. Dr. James Goodlet… The Clothes We Can’t Throw Away

Sunday Worship - FPC LaGrange - May 10th, 2026

Transcript

SPEAKER_12 7:37

Hi, my name is James Goodlett, and I'm the pastor here at First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, Georgia. Our vision is that all may know God's love. Whether you worship with us in person here at the corner of Lewis and Broad Streets, or whether you worship with us remotely, we are honored to provide this mission and outreach to our church so that you can join us in worship. At First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, our ministries are designed to meet you right where you are. Whether it's through our small group ministries or our Sunday school classes, whether it's through our mission and outreach opportunities, or whether it's via our podcast ministry at Lewis Abroad, there are a number of ways that you can plug into the life of this church. If you would like to learn more, check out our website at fpclegrange.org, or you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at FPC Legrange. We are grateful for the support of the friends and family of First Presbyterian Church of Lagrange. Your generosity makes ministries like this very live stream happen. If you would like to financially support our church, please visit our website at fpclegrange.org slash give. Or you can text FPC Lagrange all one word to the number 73256 on your phones or on your tablets. Again, thank you for joining us in worship this day.

SPEAKER_20 9:51

Today we honor and celebrate our graduates of the class of 2026. On this day of worship and celebration, we are glad that you are here, whether us online or by radium. For those of you in pews, please fill out the attendance pads and pass it to your neighbor. And for those of you online, leave a comment and let us know where you're worshiping from. I would like to draw your attention to the announcements in the bulletin and highlight a few things. The blood drive on Tuesday, May 19th on 2 p.m. And BBS is right around the corner. If you have any questions, please see Margaret Goodland. I have no further announcements. Let us prepare our hearts and our minds to worship God.

SPEAKER_16 14:13

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

SPEAKER_15 14:39

Today we honor the class of twenty twenty-six. And this morning we ask that our high school grads come forward with their parents as we celebrate this milestone in your life. Karen Barrientos, the daughter of Obed and Alma Barrientos, graduates from LaGrange High School. She is an IB diploma candidate. And in the fall, she will attend the University of Georgia to pursue degrees in international affairs and political science. Parents and family are welcome. Jackson Broderick, who could not be with us today, is a son of Thomas and Joanne Broderick, and he graduates from Springwood High and will attend Auburn University in the fall. Maria Cooper, daughter of Jeffrey and Pam Cooper, who graduates from Lagrange High. She's an IB diploma candidate. She will attend Georgia Southern University to pursue a degree in radiology or in human sciences. Julian Jones, son of Jake and Liz Jones, who graduates from Lagrange High and will attend the University of Georgia this fall. John Hardin Robertson, son of John and Aaron Roberts, graduates from Lagrange High School, and in the fall, he will attend the University of West Georgia. And Lucy Robinson, daughter of Denise Orendorf and Brooks Robinson, graduates from Lagrange High. She will attend the University of Alabama this fall, pursue a degree in psychology with a minor in criminology.

SPEAKER_12 16:48

Let's give a huge round of applause.

SPEAKER_15 17:25

Congratulations to you. Catherine Aswell, daughter of John and Clinton Aswell. Who graduated from Georgia College and State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a degree in management. Continue her studies at Princeton Theological Seminary in the fall. Jack Doer, son of Bobby and Natalie Doer, who graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture. And Maggie Asbel Lybal, wife of Peyton Loybal, mother to Clay and Lucy, graduated from LaGrange College with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Katie Newman, wife of Judd Newman, mother of men, graduated from the University of West Georgia with a doctorate of education and school improvement.

SPEAKER_12 18:53

Class of twenty twenty-six. And especially this year, I will say, because I've gotten the privilege of getting to know y'all over the last bit, serving very temporarily as your youth pastor. And I don't really consider when it comes to you guys, I don't consider myself to be your youth pastor because you're more not, you're not really youth. I mean, you're young, but not youth anymore. You are young adults and you are headed off on your way. Karen Barrientos, you are brilliant. I always appreciate the questions you ask and uh the conversations that that you you and John Harden especially engage in. Y'all go deep real fast. And I appreciate that about both of you guys. John Harden, thank you for all the questions that you continuously ask. Naria Cooper. You know, for you and Lucy, let me just say, I could have done without that whole senior dance situation yesterday where y'all were waving goodbye. Um and my youth pastor used to say growing up, we don't say goodbye, we say see you later. And so I'm not taking that as a goodbye. I'm taking that as a see you later. But I am especially grateful for the way that you two have been so present in the life of our family, I would say, as well. Uh, watching my little girl dance and being there with her wherever she goes on that stage. And so uh really appreciate y'all being her um sugar plum. And I know you were snow queen, but you weren't doing that cast, but yes. And then Julian, I'll forgive you for banable dog, but uh appreciate your leadership. You you are you are a leader, and we're grateful for you, uh for you and your family, and I know you're gonna do great things up in Athens uh in spite of wearing those those colors, you and Karen. Um but that's all good. Uh appreciate the way you led that football team. I appreciate the way you led your class, I appreciate your being plugged in. Um you're a young life leader as well. And I know, guys, a lot of kids look up to you. Um and so you in your own way had to do some babysitting as well. I know, going on middle school young life retreats. Uh so I appreciate you so much. And so y'all are an incredible class. You really and truly are. And y'all are very much loved. You see all these folks. Y'all are loved. Y'all are surrounded by these people. And I say this because, and I remember I baptized you. I didn't get to baptize any of the rest of y'all, but I did get to baptize you. But the same vows that we made when y'all were baptized, we still make to you as a church to help you guide and nurture you along the way wherever it is that you go. We upheld that promise church when we made our baptismal vows to them. And just because they're going to Athens or to Statesboro or to Carrollton or to T Town, it doesn't mean we give up on them. It doesn't mean we let them go. We stand by their side wherever it is that they go. And just know that you do not go this road alone. That you are surrounded. Always.

SPEAKER_15 23:06

Graduates, just as your parents' love and support always goes with you. The church's promise made to you at your baptism also will go with you no matter how far it is that you go. So will you now, please, with your family, come down the center aisle. Don't follow me. We know that Christ is the true vine and that we are the branches. We are the branches, dear church. So as branches, I ask you to rise, to reach out to our seniors and their parents or those near to you, so that we may pray this special blessing for our graduates. Will you please stand as you are able and reach out your hand as we pray? Let us pray, church. Gracious God, you are closer to us than a parent. Your steadfast love never ends and continues to guide and direct us through our years. We ask that you wrap your loving arms around each graduating senior and around each parent. That their love for one another might be flexible enough to allow for growth and constant enough to be an anchor against all storms. Fill each graduate with courage in the face of challenge, integrity in the face of injustice, and discipline in the face of chaos. Keep their minds open to new learnings and help them remember what is just and true. Keep their hearts open to lasting relationships and help them love as you have loved us all. Keep their hands opened and committed to service. Help them serve as you have served us. Wrap your love around us now and in all the days of our lives. And all these things we ask in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

SPEAKER_21 28:22

We know that we shall not be put to shame. Our Redeemer is near. If it is the Lord God who helps us, he will declare us guilty. With confidence in God's redeeming love, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

Will you please join me in a prayer of confession, followed by a moment of silent confession. God of the ages, no matter our place, stay in life, you send us out to be your people, called to join in your mission. Yet so often we resist that calling, choosing instead the ways of selfishness, pride, and ego. We glorify our own aspirations, ambitions, and agendas rather than honoring and heeding your command to love you and others. Lord forgive us, empower and equip us to follow your lead, your guide, and your summons into a world yearning for redemption, salvation, and grace. In the name of Jesus, we pray.

SPEAKER_17 30:19

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great in God's steadfast love towards those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. Thanks be to God.

SPEAKER_15 32:35

God of wisdom, send your Holy Spirit to give us fresh understanding of your word in Scripture. Inspire us to respond with renewed commitment to follow Christ Jesus, your living word. Amen. There's no direct correlation of Graduate Sunday in Scripture. And yet on this seventh Sunday of Easter, we go back to the upper room. Jesus has shared his last meal with his disciples. He has washed their feet. He's given them instructions. He's imparted a new commandment. He has spoken of his return to the Father, and he has told them of the comfort of the coming paraclete. And it's after these things and in our passage today that Jesus prays. Unlike in the other gospels, Jesus doesn't go off alone to pray while the disciples nap. Instead, he prays at the table with his disciples present so that they can hear every word. From this prayer, we get a concise and pointed summary of the Gospel of John. We get a summary. That is Jesus' purpose as the word made flesh. Thus, as we read and interpret, we should keep in mind the whole of John's gospel. The prologue, the word was with God, the word was God, the seven signs, the I am statements, Jesus' disputes with the religious leaders. Keep his teachings in mind. And of course, the crucifixion and the resurrection. And then lastly, for our purposes today, there are three or four verses that will guide us. Verse 11. Jesus will be returning to the Father, and he prays that they, the disciples, will be one as we are one. And additionally, though not part of our reading this morning, verses verses 18, Jesus says, or praise, as you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And then finally, verse 20, 21, in which Jesus says that he is praying not just for the disciples, but for those who believe because of their word as well. So let us now turn to John chapter 17, verses 1 through 11. After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify the Son, so that the Son may glorify you. Since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to whom all whom you have given. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, in Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory I had in your presence before the world existed. I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. And they were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you. For the words that you gave to me, I have given to them, and they received them, and know in truth that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. And I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. Dear friends, this is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks for being to God.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

And now I'm going to invite all the children down for our time together. I feel like there should be some more excitement in your voice. It's almost what?

unknown 38:13

Summer.

SPEAKER_01 38:14

Summer, that's right. So my question is for you, like we just said, what month is it? What month? May. And May means what? It's about time for there you go. So this summer is going to be extra special for some people in our church family. They are graduating from high school. And they are moving on to the next part of their lives. They may be getting a real job or they may be going to college. But today I want y'all to turn around and invite them to come sit with you down here. So come sit down, graduates. And it won't be long until you are a high school graduate just like them. Now, like we said, wherever they're going, whether it be job, whether it be school, there's it's a new experience. And how do new experiences make us feel sometimes? Scared. What else? How nervous, excited, lots of feelings. Right? We worry if we'll do the right thing, if we'll have friends, or if something unimaginable will happen. But the good news is we are Easter people. And that means no matter what we do or where we are, who is with us? God. God is with us no matter what. So my friends here are going to give our high school graduates some gifts to take on their journey.

SPEAKER_07 40:28

We give you the gift of faith. Faith means trusting in something that you can't see. May you always have faith in your life, even if things get difficult.

SPEAKER_09 40:47

We give you the gift of hope. If you have hope, you will have everything. You need may you never run out of hope in your life. If you ever feel hopeless, call your family, including your church family. We are always here for you.

SPEAKER_03 41:18

Sometimes it requires strength to keep going through challenges. We pray God provides you the strength you need day by day to seek and listen to God's voice.

SPEAKER_08 41:38

We give you the gift of gratitude. We are so grateful for you. From the time you came to us, you have been our joy, and we you will continue to fill us with many reasons for thanking God. As you move forward in your life, we pray that you take time to be thankful for many gifts God has given you.

SPEAKER_06 42:03

We give you the gift of compassion. You have learned many things in school, but one of the most important lessons in life is the golden rule. Do to others as you would have them do to you. We pray you treat others with kindness, remembering that they are made in the image of God just as you are.

SPEAKER_04 42:34

You are so loved, you are loved by your family and community of faith. You are loved by your friends most of all, you are loved by God who knows everything about you, including the number of hands on your head.

SPEAKER_05 42:51

As you take the next step in your life, we pray you feel our love going with you.

SPEAKER_01 43:02

Thank you. All right, here are your crosses for you to take and hold in your hand, put in your pocket, put in your car, dorm room, or apartment. And we hope that these are a constant reminder that your FPC church family loves you and is with you, and we are holding you in your heart or in our hearts. All right, as we uh go back to our seats, because it's communion Sunday, um, Mr. Andrew's gonna lead us in Jesus loves you. Jesus loves me.

SPEAKER_15 44:21

As you can see in your bulletins or on your screens, I've titled today's sermon, I Hope You Dance, with dance in quotations. But if you are paying attention to today's scripture lesson, it doesn't mention nor does it allude to dancing at all. I assure you this isn't a mishap. In seeing this title, and in particular, those of my generation will see it and inevitably hear the song, sung by Leanne Womack, a song played over and over and over again in celebration of life's milestones. While there are different interpretations of the song, most hear it and picture it from the perspective of a parent, hoping that the future of their child is one of love, wonder, and fullness. Now, my point today is not to focus on this song, nor is it to intentionally have it replay in your mind over and over again, as it has for me all week long. Now, my point on this graduation Sunday is to take the sentiment of the song and direct or perhaps redirect it theologically. Hence the emphasis of dance and quotations. And not just for our graduates, but for the rest of us as well. My first official pastoral visit of support was none other than attending Swan Lake, where several of our seniors and our youth and kids from the church performed and displayed their talents through dance. And then I attended the Lagrange High Spring concert, and to my surprise, there was more dancing. Not just from our ballet talents, but from the guys as well. And then I attended the Troop County High School Chorus concert where there was, you guessed it, more dancing. And even a pa do do, one of one of our own, a solo dance of two. And yesterday I attended the LSPA recital where we might have a case for a petition of renaming it, making it part of first arts, since so many of our FPC kids were in it. And so I thought the metaphor of dance or dancing would resonate this morning. But the title of the sermon is less important to me than the metaphor of dancing. We could have chosen a different song for the sermon title from a number of 90s country songs. We could have called it Boots Gootin' Boogie, I Wanna Dance With You, Some Days You Gotta Dance, Life's a Dance, and so on and so forth. Now there's no apparent connection between the song, I Help You Dance, and Jesus' prayer this morning. So let me briefly take you through my thought process. During the chorus of I Help You Dance, the background singers sing, Time is a wheel in constant motion. And it's this line, a wheel in constant motion, that brings us back to our passage in Jesus' prayer. To sum it up, Jesus' prayer is about unity. It speaks of the unity of the Father and the Son and moves outward from this unity, from this oneness to the disciples, so that they may be one as we are one, Jesus prays. Now, and while nothing in the aforementioned Psalm concretely corresponds with John 17, the line, wheel in constant motion, connects. Again, some explanation is needed. The early church, around 300 AD, was trying to describe the unity of the divine and human nature in the person of Jesus. The Greek term used was pericaresis. Peri meaning around, and creo meaning to go or to make room or to contain. And the term was used to describe how the two distinct natures, the divine and human natures, fully inhabit one another in the person of Jesus without the loss of identity. And then pericuresis was later used around the seventh century to denote the mutual indwelling, coinherence, and divine oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And later in Western theology, it was rendered into Latin circum incessio, circum, to go around, and in sedir to go or to march along. And so we hear in these words, both the Greek and the Latin convey mutual indwelling, the unity of the Father and the Son, or the unity of human and divine natures. We hear it by way of motion, particularly going around one another. So in artwork and linguistically, it's often depicted as a divine dance or a dynamic circle. Hence the wheel in constant motion, triggering this thought. In the Gospel of John, we find Paracresus, a divine dance of mutual indwelling, of oneness and unity. But it's not between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Instead, it's found between the Father and the Son. John doesn't speak to the mutual indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Father andor Son, nor does John offer insight to the Spirit's eternal or essential place in the Godhead. This language is absent in the Gospel. However, in John's Gospel there are frequent references to the mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son. Of the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father. Now, this isn't to say that within John's Gospel there is no triunity or trinity, but to describe it as paracuresis, we must look to other biblical texts. Now there is a paracures within the Gospel of John, and this mutual indwelling, this dance, if you will, occurs first between the Father and the Son, and then through the incarnate Son, the incarnate word, the mutual indwelling is enjoyed by the disciples. That is, those given to Jesus by the Father, as we read in 6 and 7, verses 6 and 7. And as they, the disciples, abide and remain in the Son. Think of, I am the vine and you are the branches. Now, whereas the Son shares eternal reciprocal union with the Father and does what he does because of who he is, the disciples' union with the Father is dependent upon their abiding in the Son. Therefore, Jesus prays that the Father protects them so that they may be one as we are one. Now, if your head is spinning a little at this point, then good. This captures the theme quite nicely. This pericaresis, this spinning dance, describes the relationship to the Father, to the Son, and the Son's relationship to the Father. They are co-equal, co-eternal, and yet the Father is not the Son, and the Son's not the Father. That's how Jesus can say in the Gospel of John, the Father and I are one, and then in another instance say, the Father is greater than I. So why is it that the disciples need protection? They need protection because Jesus is no longer in the world. But they are. And yet, there's a dialectical tension as the world is the place that judgment and salvation occur. The place that rejection and acceptance take place. The world is both the object of God's love and that which rejects God's Son. The world was created by the Word of God. And yet Jesus says that the ruler of the world must be driven out in John 12. This tension. It's the tension of Jesus telling the religious leaders, you are from this world, I am not from this world, all the while standing there as flesh and blood. So now that the disciples share in the unity, in the oneness of the Father and the Son through the Son, they too must hold the tension of not being in the world, but being not being of the world, but being in the world, and even more so as those sent into the world to continue the redemptive work of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. And this prayer is not just for the eleven disciples. Judas has already left. But as we saw in verses 20 and 21, Jesus prays for us as well. And we too must dance the delicate dance of being in the world and out of it. So perhaps you parents out there know what it's like praying for your child's protection as you send them out to the world. And graduates. You are being sent into the world, whether it be college or the workforce, or continuing your vocation with newly acquired knowledge and skill. And herein lies the connection to the sermon title, I hope you dance. Paracresis in the Gospel of John, the mutual indwelling, often referred to metaphorically as a dance, is the relationship between the Father and the Son, and the Son and the disciples. Graduates. Uniting you to Christ Jesus. You're familiar with this dance. It's the life of faith, of prayer, of the love of God, of Christian community. How might we understand this dance of abiding in Christ and being sent into the world? The world that on one hand God loves and on the other hand, the world that rejects God. How is it that we can be not of this world but truly in the world? Participating in God's redemption of the world. We dance. We who are sent into the world by Jesus participate in an ongoing dance individually and collectively. We participate in an ongoing dance as we pirouette. Abiding in Christ and ministering to the world, turning to God, and then turning to the suffering of the world that God loves. Turning back to God. Back to the world as one sent by God to continue God's work. Turning again and again and again and again. What might this dance look like? It looks like stepping out into the world confident in the power given to us as children of God. Confident in the power given to us as children of God to minister to the world, following Jesus' command to love one another as we have been loved by Christ. This dance looks like humility and service and reconciliation. It looks like a dance, a dance of confession and surrender and service and prayer. Dancing in and toward the sun, confessing the ways in which we are the world, the ways in which our own actions, our own thoughts, and our own deeds create hostility and separation from the God who loves us and others. And so we dance, surrendering ourselves to the eternal dance, being swept up in the loving arms of Christ, abiding in him, obeying his commandment to love, so that we might humbly enter this world on his behalf. And dancing still, we turn to serve others, sharing in their pain and in their suffering. Bringing the message of redemption, fighting injustice and shining light into the darkness of the world. And dancing still, we turn back to God. Bringing the world's pain and suffering back to God in our prayers, in our worship, in our service. And this includes our own pain. Dancing still, we turn back to the world to love and to serve again. In dancing still, we turn back to God. To the world, to God, to the world, to God. So class of twenty twenty-six. To your families, to the church. I hope you dance. This dance of mercy. This dance of love. This dance of service to one another. And this dance of proclamation of the good news in Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_13 1:01:18

We offer our gifts to God in thanksgiving for all we enjoy in life, praying that our generosity will become a blessing throughout all God's precious creation.

SPEAKER_14 1:04:36

Here is the table of the Lord. Come when you are doubtful to be made strong in faith. Come when you are regretful and be made whole. Come old and young. There is room for all.

SPEAKER_12 1:05:07

Your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Please join me in prayer. It is right to give our thanks and praise to you, O God, in this the dance of life. As we turn to you and as we turn to one another. Lord be with us and equip us for the journey. Through these elements, through this bread, and through this cup, by the power of your spirit, make it so. For yours is the spirit that moved among the waters of creation and moves among us now. May that very same spirit move within our graduates. As they Head out into the world. As they learn about whatever it is they are called to do for a table. And sends us out into the world. Be with these young people. With Karen and Jackson. With Nuria and Julian. With John Harden and Lucy. And certainly with their families who need them. But also are excited to see what their lives hold. Eyes full of tears. For those who are facing surgeries or recovering from them. For the family of Alice Smith. For Joy Maltese as she grieves the loss of her mother. We pray for those who are struggling with addiction. We pray for those who experience only darkness so that they might see something of your light. And we give thanks for New Family. For Debbie Kennedy, who is celebrating the arrival of her grandson. Lord, for all of these prayers. And the ones that remain silent on our own heart as we listen to you. You are the God who hears them. So bring us to this your table. And remind us, as we have heard Karen say, that we all have a seat here. Lord, may we dance your dance. May we turn outward and not only inward. And may we, as one church and one people, pray for these graduates and their families. And pray for your church and world. As together we say the words your son taught us to say, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. On the night that our Lord was betrayed, after giving thanks to God, he took bread and he broke it, and he said, Take and eat. This is my body broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

SPEAKER_15 1:09:37

And in the same way, he took the cup of saying, This is the cup of the new colour.

SPEAKER_18 1:17:41

That we may show forth your gifts to all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

SPEAKER_19 1:21:29

Amen.