West Kilbride Parish Church

Proverbs 3 and 16 - Vision for 2030

In this sermon, we think about the 2030 vision that the elders and teams have been working on. We think of the issues that we face as a church in line with many Church of Scotland congregations and how the 2030 vision is seen as a way of addressing these weaknesses.
However, we also use Proverbs 3: 1-6 and Proverbs 16: 1-9 as a reminder that any plans that we make must be in line with God's plans - and unless God is in the plans we make, we will surely fail. Therefore, to seek after God in prayer is paramount as we seek to deepen our faith (Know Jesus) and share the gospel with our community (Make Jesus known).

Knowing Jesus - Philippians 3: 1-14

In this sermon at the start of 2026, we study Philippians 3 and see Paul's wholehearted desire to 'know Christ'. We link this in with our vision statement ('Knowing Jesus and making Jesus known') and ask whether our desire to know Christ is the same as Paul's. We also look at the practical implications of having a life changed by Jesus in terms of our stewardship and our resolutions.

First preached: 4th January 2026.

Speaker: James McNay.

The Coming of the King - Born of a Virgin, Immanuel!

In this third part of our series, we think about how it was prophesied by Isaiah that Jesus would be born of a virgin and called Immanuel. In Matthew's Gospel, we see how this is fulfilled and how Matthew recognises its fulfilment.
We also think about why it is important that Jesus is born of a virgin and what Jesus being Immanuel (God is with us) means for us.

First preached: 30th November 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

The Coming of the King - The Prophet

In this sermon on the eve of Advent, David Clark considers Deuteronomy 18: 15-22 and Moses foretelling that there will be a Prophet to come. This is fulfilled in Jesus - as explained in Acts 3: 17-26.

First preached: 23rd November 2025.
Speaker: David Clark.

The Coming of the King - The Support Act

In this sermon as we come towards Advent, we focus on Old Testament prophecies about Jesus and how they are fulfilled in the New Testament.
In this sermon, we consider Malachi 4: 1-6 and Matthew 11: 1-15 and think about the 'Elijah who is to come' and how this was fulfilled in John the Baptist.
We then compare John the Baptist and Elijah and see how they both encouraged people away from idolatry and towards God - with John pointing towards Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

First preached: 16th November 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 6: 12-23 - Slaves to God

In this sermon, we complete our study in Romans 6 and think about what it means for the power of sin to be broken and to instead be a slave to God. And of course, it is in being a slave to God that we are most free.

First preached: 2nd November 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Psalm 116 - What shall we render unto the Lord?

In this sermon, David Clark leads us through Psalm 116.

First preached: 26th October 2025.

Speaker: David Clark 

Luke 18: 1-8 - Persistence in Prayer

In this sermon, Brian Murray reflects on Luke 18: 1-8 and the parable of the persistent widow.

First preached: 19th October 2025.

Speaker: Brian Murray.

Romans 6: 1-11 - The Broken Power of Sin

In this sermon, we think about how Paul shows how perverse it would be to continue living in sin just so that the grace of God could increase. Living in this lawless (antinomian) way is impossible for God's children who have been reborn and who now live by the Spirit.

First preached: 12th October 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 5: 12-21 - Adam and Jesus contrasted

In this sermon, we see who we are in our natural selves in Adam - but also the benefits that Jesus brings to us as the 'second Adam'.

We think about the 7 'buts' in this passage - and the 1 'now' which shows the wonderful benefit of faith in Jesus Christ.

First preached: 28th September 2025.
Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 5: 6-11 - At just the right time

In this sermon, we think about all the benefits of faith - and the wonder that at just the right time, whilst we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We also think of the amazing reality that when we believe in Jesus, we are friends with God because of what he has done.

First preached: 21st September 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 5: 1-5 - The Positive Outworkings of Faith

In this sermon, we look at the positive outworkings of faith in Jesus - that faith brings us peace, joy (even in suffering) and hope.

First preached: 7th September 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 4: 18-25 - The Kind of Faith Abraham had.

In this sermon, we think about the kind of faith that Abraham had - and that it was not blind faith, but a faith based on God's Word.
Similarly, even when the evidence goes against it, we are called to have faith in God who can do the impossible because of what his word says.

First preached: 31st August 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 4: 9-17 - Abraham, father of all who have faith

In this sermon on Romans 4: 9-17, we think about how Abraham had faith before he was circumcised and how therefore he is the father of all who have faith. This meant that for Jewish background believers and for Gentile background believers that what was important was faith in Jesus Christ. And only that faith could save them.
We then go on to think about how no matter who we are, that we too can be saved by faith - and that we shouldn't be surprised to see the unlikely saved by faith too.

First preached: 10th August 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.

Romans 4: 1-8 - The Faith of Abraham

In this sermon, we re-start our series in Romans that we began in Autumn 2024. We re-cap the first chapters of Romans, before concentrating on Romans 4: 1-8. In this passage, Paul makes it clear that Abraham was declared righteous by faith and not by his deeds and how, in the Lord Jesus, this remains the same for us.

First preached: 3rd August 2025.

Speaker: James McNay.