Luke 14:15-35

15The people who were sitting at the meal heard what Jesus said. One of them said to Jesus, ‘One day, there will be a big meal in the kingdom of God. How happy are those people who will eat together at that big meal.’

16Jesus told this story to him: ‘One day an important man prepared a big meal. He asked many people to come to eat in his house.

17When the meal was ready, he sent his servant out to tell those people, “Come now, the meal is ready for you.”

18But then each person gave a reason why he could not come to the meal. The first man said, “I have bought a field, so I must go out and see it. Please say that I am sorry. Tell your master that I cannot come to his meal.”

19The next man said, “I have bought five pairs of oxen. So I am just going out to see if they work well together. Please say that I am sorry. Tell your master that I cannot come to his meal.”

20The third man said, “I have just married a wife. That is why I cannot come to the meal.”

21The servant went back to his master. He told him what everyone had said. Then the master of the house was very angry. “Go out quickly to every street in the town,” he said to his servant. “Bring the poor people here. Bring those that have lost an arm or a leg. And bring those that cannot walk well, and those that cannot see.”

22The servant did that. Then he came back to his master. “Sir,” he said, “I have asked all those people to come to your meal. But there are still some places at the table.”

23The master spoke to his servant again. “Go to the roads and fields outside the town, and look for people there. Command them all to come here, so that my house will be full.

24But I tell you this. None of the people that I asked at the beginning will eat any of my food.” ’

25Crowds of many people were travelling with Jesus on his journey. So he turned and said to them,

26‘If someone wants to obey me, he must live like this: He must love me more than he loves his own father and mother. He must love me more than he loves his wife and his children. He must love me more than he loves his brothers and his sisters. He must even love me more than he loves himself. If he does not do that, he cannot be one of my disciples.

27He must live like a person that carries his own cross to go and die. If he is not ready to die for me, he cannot be one of my disciples.

28Here is an example. Perhaps one of you wants to build a tall building. Before you start to build, you will sit down. You will decide how much it will cost. Then you need to know if you have enough money to finish the work.

29If you do not do this, you may not have enough money. You may put the first stones in the ground, but then you cannot finish the building. If you have to stop, other people will laugh at you. They will say to each other,

30“That man is a fool. He started to build, but he could not finish the work.” ’

31Then Jesus gave them another example. ‘Perhaps a king wants to fight a war against another king. But before he goes to fight, he sits down. He thinks to himself. “Can I win this war? My army is large, with 10,000 men. But the other king has twice as many soldiers in his army.

32No, I cannot do it. I know I cannot beat the other king.” So, while the stronger king is far away, he will send a man to him with a message. He will tell the other king that he does not want to fight. He will ask him what he can do so that they become friends together.’

33Jesus then said, ‘It is like that for all of you, if you want to be my disciples. You must leave everything that you have behind you.

34Remember this. Salt is good. But if it is not salty any more, it is no longer any good. You cannot make it salty again.

35You would not even put it on your field. It cannot make the soil good. You would just throw it away. You have ears. So listen well to what I say.’