Today, Pastor Dion will be reminding you that the Bible talks a lot about suffering for the sake of Christ. In the era in which the New Testament was written, followers of Jesus were often ostracized by their own families and communities. Some of the worst persecution came from the religious leaders. Jesus told His followers, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". He reminded His disciples, "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first".