A Lesson in Humility
When Jesus noticed how the guests picked these, he told them a parable.
What are the places of honor?
On what specific day was Jesus eating in the house of a prominent Pharisee while being "carefully watched"?
The Sabbath.
When the banquet was ready, what message did the servant take to those who had been invited?
"Come, for everything is now ready."
Jesus told the large crowds that anyone who does not carry this and follow him cannot be his disciple.
Their cross.
Jesus says that salt is good, but asks how it can be made salty again if it does what?
Loses its saltiness.
If you sit in a place of honor and a more distinguished guest arrives, where will you have to sit instead?
The least important place.
What was the specific physical condition of the man standing in front of Jesus?
Abnormal swelling of his body (Dropsy).
How did the invited guests respond to the servant's announcement?
They all alike began to make excuses.
Jesus uses a comparison about building a tower. What must a person do before they start building?
Sit down and estimate the cost.
Where does Jesus say "saltless" salt is not fit to be placed?
Neither the soil nor the manure pile.
Instead of the head of the table, where does Jesus suggest you should sit when you are first invited?
The lowest place.
Before healing the man, what question did Jesus ask the Pharisees and experts in the law?
"Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"
One man refused to come because he had just bought a field. What did the second man say he had just bought?
Five yoke of oxen.
What is the risk of starting the tower without enough money to finish it?
Everyone who sees it will ridicule the builder.
What is eventually done with salt that has lost its flavor?
It is thrown out.
According to Jesus, what will happen to all those who exalt themselves?
They will be humbled.
How did the experts in the law and Pharisees respond to Jesus' question about healing?
They remained silent.
A third man claimed he could not come for this specific personal reason.
He had just gotten married.
Jesus mentions a king going to war with 10,000 men. How many men does the opposing king have?
20,000.
What phrase does Jesus use to end the chapter, directed at those who are listening?
"Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
Jesus told his host that when he gives a banquet, he should invite those who cannot repay him. Name the four groups he listed.
The poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
To show their hypocrisy, Jesus asked if they would pull which two things out of a well on the Sabbath?
A son (or child) and an ox.
The owner told his servant to go to the roads and country lanes to "compel" people to come in for what purpose?
So that his house would be full.
According to verse 33, what must a person give up to be Jesus' disciple?
Everything they have.
Looking at the context of the whole chapter, what does the "salt" likely represent in terms of a disciple's life?
Their commitment or "flavor" in following the cost of discipleship.