Luke 14:14-35

Then you will be blessed, because they have nothing and cannot pay you back. But you will be repaid when the good people rise from the dead.” One of those at the table with Jesus heard these things and said to him, “Blessed are the people who will share in the meal in God’s kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “A man gave a big banquet and invited many people. When it was time to eat, the man sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come. Everything is ready.’ “But all the guests made excuses. The first one said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go look at it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen; I must go and try them. Please excuse me.’ A third person said, ‘I just got married; I can’t come.’ So the servant returned and told his master what had happened. Then the master became angry and said, ‘Go at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ Later the servant said to him, ‘Master, I did what you commanded, but we still have room.’ The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes, and urge the people there to come so my house will be full. I tell you, none of those whom I invited first will eat with me.’ ” Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me but loves his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—or even life—more than me, he cannot be my follower. Whoever is not willing to carry his cross and follow me cannot be my follower. If you want to build a tower, you first sit down and decide how much it will cost, to see if you have enough money to finish the job. If you don’t, you might lay the foundation, but you would not be able to finish. Then all who would see it would make fun of you, saying, ‘This person began to build but was not able to finish.’ “If a king is going to fight another king, first he will sit down and plan. He will decide if he and his ten thousand soldiers can defeat the other king who has twenty thousand soldiers. If he can’t, then while the other king is still far away, he will send some people to speak to him and ask for peace. In the same way, you must give up everything you have to be my follower. “Salt is good, but if it loses its salty taste, you cannot make it salty again. It is no good for the soil or for manure; it is thrown away. “Let those with ears use them and listen.”