Preaching Peace and Justice
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Mark 10:17b and 21
MADRID – As a global missionary with Global Ministries, I had the privilege of preaching at the Spanish Evangelical Church (IEE) in Madrid this fall. For decades, the Evangelical Protestant Church has been a marginalized voice, striving to remain steadfast in its mission to offer hope and comfort in a society that has often viewed it with suspicion or disdain.
Despite cultural and political pressures, it has sought to be a beacon of light for those most in need, including migrants and those displaced by the forces of capitalism and gentrification. Its commitment to social justice and caring for the marginalized reflects a gospel interpretation that challenges the power structures and inequalities permeating the country. My sermon was guided by the lectionary in Cycle B, focusing on passages from the Gospel of Mark. This provided an opportunity to reflect on the call for justice, compassion, and the radical hospitality that Christ embodies.
In our time together, we spoke of the urgent need to open the doors of this country, Spain, as a truly welcoming home for all, advocating for the end of violence and discrimination. We encouraged the congregation to embody the love and mercy of God in a world increasingly torn by hatred, division and the harmful rhetoric that fuels them. This world is not unlike the one baby Jesus experienced, as his family forcibly fled their country as refugees to escape the threat of death to the child.
Today, across the globe, we are witnessing a dangerous rise in hate speech and divisive ideologies that seek to marginalize and oppress. From social media to political platforms, inflammatory language has become commonplace, even in the words of medium-quality comedians, contributing to an atmosphere of fear and hostility that threatens the communities. In this climate, the message of the Gospel is more relevant than ever: we are called to be agents of peace, to seek equity and to stand in solidarity with the oppressed. And, because of the political situations unfolding in powerful nations after elections, the Christian community founded on the Gospel of Jesus is called to resist.
Inspired by the sermons and theology of John and Charles Wesley and Latin American theology, I challenged myself and the congregation to not only proclaim love for our neighbor but to demonstrate it through concrete actions (orthopraxis). We were reminded that faith is not passive; it calls us to actively resist injustice, advocate for the voiceless, and be living witnesses of Christ’s teachings. In times of hatred, white supremacy, racism and corruption, our response as Christians must be one of courageous love, rooted in the conviction that peace and equity are not just ideals, but divine mandates.
Please join your hearts with our Spanish members and pray with me, as a whole Christian family:
Dear God: May we continue to rise to this call to resist injustice and advocate for the voiceless as living witnesses to Christ’s teaching. Beyond Christmastide and into the New Year, may we recommit ourselves to be vessels of God’s peace in a world that so desperately needs it. Amen.
Pedro Zavala, from Mexico City, Mexico, is an academic officer associate and a professor with the United Evangelical Theological Seminary in Madrid, Spain. He served as a professor and an academic dean at Seminario Metodista “Dr. Gonzalo Báez Camargo” as former GBGM National in Mission (NIM), and private educational institutions (ITESM, UCSJ, CTM). He and his spouse, Cecilia López Bátiz, are the parents of a young son, Xavier.
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