I'm speaking tomorrow on Luke 14:25-35. Thought you might enjoy the accompanying Bible study, which I write for every passage I preach.
                          
                        “The Anything but Ordinary Life”
                                        Luke 14:25-35

                    “We must do something about the cross, and one of two things only we can do–
                      flee it or die upon it.”                      A.W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteous

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Day 1:  Why does Luke note the "large crowds" (25) following Jesus at this point? In what ways could Jesus’ audience honor their father and mother without allowing their approval and advice to hinder their relationship with Jesus (26)?

NOTE:  Jesus is using hyperbole, an overstatement in order to make a point with maximum impact. It is a familiar technique of His teaching: Cutting off one's hand (Matthew 5:29-30); a camel passing through a needle’s eye (Matthew 19:24); a timber in one's eye (Luke 6:41-42).

Day 2:  What does "carrying your cross" have to do with discipleship?

NOTE:  When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site. Carrying his cross through the heart of the city was supposed to be a tacit admission that the Roman Empire was correct in the sentence of death imposed on him, an admission that Rome was right and he was wrong. – The Bible Knowledge Commentary

Day 3:  What do these two stories (28-32) have in common? How do building a tower and assessing military resources illustrate being His disciple?

Day 4:  What does saltiness represent in 14:34? Should people be able to tell that you are a Christian? How?

NOTE:  In Jesus’ day salt was important to flavor food, to retard decay, and in small doses, as fertilizer. It was not purified salt, however. It was a mixture of sodium chloride and other compounds. Without proper attention the admixture leached out the salt and it became “unsalty.” It was useless, so people just dumped it outside. – The Biblical Archaeologist

Day 5:  Why does Jesus say "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" at the end of this section?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
Jesus uses three sayings with the “formula” “If… then you cannot be my disciple.” He expects His disciples to have their relationships to family, their reputations (relationship to society) and their possessions (relationship to riches) all affected because they follow and learn from Him. How will being a disciple of Jesus affect these areas in your life?

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“Let no one imagine that he will lose anything of human dignity by this voluntary sell-out of his all to his God. He does not by this degrade himself as a man; rather he finds his right place of high honor as one made in the image of his Creator. His deep disgrace lay in his moral derangement, his unnatural usurpation of the place of God. His honor will be proved by restoring again that stolen throne. In exalting God over all, he finds his own highest honor upheld.”
A.W Tozer