Bible Reading
Luke 14:15-24 “When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”
[04:04]Luke 14:25-27 “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
[13:08]Luke 14:28-33 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
[29:13]Observation questions
- In Luke 14:15–24, what three reasons do the invited guests give for not coming, and what do those reasons have in common? [08:59]
- How does the host respond when the original guests refuse to come? What happens to the invitation after the servant reports that there is still room? [10:38]
- In Luke 14:25–27, which relationships and personal loyalties does Jesus name when describing the cost of being his disciple? [16:14]
- In Luke 14:28–33, what must the builder and the king each consider before acting, and what conclusion does Jesus draw about discipleship? [34:10]
Interpretation questions
- The banquet guests give reasons involving ordinary parts of life, not obviously sinful activities. What makes work, possessions, or relationships an obstacle to responding to God rather than a way of honoring him? [09:18]
- Why does Jesus’ demand for first loyalty not give a disciple permission to neglect or mistreat family? What might faithfulness look like when a family member’s wishes conflict with obedience to Christ? [18:35]
- How is carrying the cross different from simply enduring difficult circumstances? What difference would that understanding make in how a believer approaches everyday decisions? [26:15]
- Salvation is freely given, yet Jesus calls disciples to surrender everything. How do the examples of the builder and the king help explain that surrender without suggesting that salvation can be earned? [04:04]
Application questions
- Which good thing in your life most easily becomes a reason to put Jesus off—work, possessions, relationships, or something else? What might responding to him now look like in your actual schedule this week? [41:00]
- Where do you feel the strongest pressure to put someone else’s approval above obedience to Christ? How could you remain loving toward that person while keeping Jesus first? [19:29]
- Think about a goal you often bring to God in prayer. How open are you to his changing that goal, rather than simply helping you reach it? What would entrusting it to him look like? [23:24]
- Of your relationships, entertainment, finances, and time, which area is hardest for you to place under Christ’s direction? What is one concrete decision in that area where you could begin surrendering control? [28:04]
- Following Jesus is a lifelong commitment, not just an enthusiastic beginning. What cost of following him have you found harder than expected, and what support would help you remain faithful? [35:05]
- God’s invitation reaches people others overlook. Who in your everyday life might assume there is no place for them with God’s people? What simple step could you take to welcome them and share the hope of Christ? [12:24]
