Obedience to the word of Christ, and the success with which it is crowned.
I. Obedience to the word of Christ "Nevertheless at Thy word." It is wise to have authority for every work we undertake. To know that we have authority, and a sufficient one, is more than half the inspiration of our life. It is enough for the soldier that he has the authority of his officer, for the officer that he has the authority of his general, for the ambassador that he has the authority of his king; and for the Christian labourer it is enough that he has the authority of Christ. Nothing short of this authority would either inspire or justify us in pursuing the work to which we have set our hands. Be sure of this, that Peter would have turned a deaf ear to any other voice than that of Christ if it had enjoined a like command. But he is willing to try at Christ's word. "Nevertheless," said Peter, that is, not because of success, but in spite of failure, "at Thy word I will let down the net." And still the word "nevertheless" is on the lips of the Church. The night had been discouraging, and the Church has its discouragements, too; but nevertheless it has to do the work given it to do by the word of Christ
II. Look at the result of this obedience. It had in it not much of cheerfulness, nor, perhaps, any faith, but it was obedience under trying circumstances, and as such it was crowned with success. The failure of the previous night was not unforeseen or unarranged. Christ was in that failure as much as in the success that followed it. He saw those fishermen at their work in that long, profitless night, and He meant they should bring back empty nets. It was part of His gracious purpose to teach them that without Him they could do nothing, and that with Him they could do all things. Empty nets without His blessing, and full nets with it. And this lesson they were to remember henceforth when they should become fishers of men. The night of failure was not without its lesson and its benefit. We can do worse than fail we can succeed, and be proud of our success; we can succeed, and burn incense to our net; we can succeed, and despise those who fail; we can succeed, and forget the Hand whose it is to give or to withhold, to kill or to make alive. He is but a weak and worthless man who can only labour so long as he succeeds, fight as long as he conquers, run as long as he wins the race. Such a fair-weather soul is not fit for any kingdom, least of all for the kingdom of God.
E. Mellor, The Hem of Christ's Garment,p. 272.
References: Luke 5:5. J. Vaughan, Sermons,10th series, p. 117; Spurgeon, Ibid.,vol. xxviii., No. 1,654; J. Menzies, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xiii., p. 271; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 213; vol. viii., p. 267; C. J. Vaughan, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxvi., p. 225.Luke 5:5; Luke 5:6. C. Girdlestone, A Course of Sermons,vol. i., p. 149.