"Hate" Those Closest to You (Luke 14:25-35)

Bishop Barron calls the large crowds following Jesus as "The Fair-Weather Fans of Jesus (Lk 14:25-26)."

1. Why might large crowds be travelling with Jesus (Lk 14:25)?
2. What might the crowd have thought about what Jesus said to them (Lk 14:26)? How is this a "slap in the face" challenge? Why did he use such strong language (Lk 13:24-27; 14:16-20; Mt 10:37-39; 22:36-40)? 
3. What does it mean to those following Jesus to "carry their cross" (Lk 15:27)?
4. What do the 2 parabolic stories (Lk 14:28-32) tell us about what we should do if we are serious about following Jesus (Lk 14:33)?
5. What does it mean for salt to lose its saltiness (Lk 14:34-35a)? What should we hear from Jesus (Lk 14:35b)?