The missional Jesus enlists others in his mission — and one can see this as an evangelistic summons into the work of the kingdom by attachment to Jesus. A good place to see this is the fuller story of Peter’s “conversion” in Luke 5:1-11.
1. Missional Jesus is a preacher of the word (5:1-3) and it is out of that context that he summons Peter.
2. Encountering the missional Jesus brings bewilderment, wonder, and awe — leading to repentance (5:5, 8, 9-10).
3. Missional Jesus shares his mission with those who are attached to him (5:10).
4. Those who participate in the mission of Jesus are called to enlist others in the mission of Jesus — by attaching themselves through them to Missional Jesus (5:11).
Luke 5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,b the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Luke 5:5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Luke 5:6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.