They had gone out the evening before
intending and expecting to bring home a fine haul of fish for the
Capernaum or the Bethsaida market. They came back with nothing for the
night's work but tired muscles and torn nets. This message is for men who
have failed, or who have seemed to fail. There is no failure to an earnest
man. A man cannot fail without his own consent. Every seeming failure is
the seed of a coming success to earnest men.

If any of us have seemed to fail, our boots have lead in them, and our
hearts are heavy too, for lack of success--this message is for us, "Launch
out, and let down." Failure is very apt to breed discouragement. Your
clothing seems damp and heavy with the dew of a fruitless night.
Oftentimes the best thing for that is action. Mix yourself with the action
of boats and nets and men. That's the Master's word here.

Living up in the Spirit Realm.

There are three facts that group about the message of Jesus in this story.
And those same three facts need to group themselves in bold outline about
our using of it, too. The first is this: there was _contact with Jesus as
a Master_. That must come in, and come in strong, before there can be any
right using of this word of command.

There needs to be the first contact when a man turns over the control of
his life to Jesus as Master. There needs to be close contact that the
Master's plan of service may be clearly seen and faithfully started upon.
There must be continual contact that so His mastery may control and guide
at every step.

The second fact is this: obedience to the Master's word. Obedience, mind
you, whether the thing you are told to do seems a likely thing to do or
not. Here with the fishermen there were some things that pulled the other
way. They had been out all night and failed. The very sense of failure
strong within them was against obedience. Discouraged men seldom succeed
at anything. And there was a very unlikely chance ahead. The time for
fishing with them was in the night. Failure behind, and a poor chance
ahead! Yet they obeyed.

If Peter had acted the way some modern folks do he would have said
something like this: "You'll excuse me, Master, for saying it; but--this
is no time to fish in these waters. Pardon me, sir, I have no doubt you
know about carpentering. But _I'm a fisherman_. When it comes to yokes and
plows I'll gladly yield to you. But fishing--you see, I've been fishing
ever since I was a boy. Maybe up